Callum Beattie’s route is paved with empathy, a working class voice speaking with a profound honesty. “You have to have emotion,” he says. “That’s what music is – it’s about making somebody feel better about their life. And it’s also storytelling. They’re all stories, every song.” 
 New album ‘Vandals’ goes right back to his roots. A selection of songs penned about Scotland, working class life, and coming of age, it also contains a rare universality. Worth comparing to peers such as Gerry Cinnamon, there’s also a hint of Frank Turner into his precocious, speaking-truth-to-power sensibility. At times, it’s almost punk in its desire to be up-front, raw, and – especially – honest. 
 “It’s nice to be back in Scotland, doing this new album – everything about it is Scottish,” he grins. “Every person who played on it is Scottish. It was recorded in Glasgow, written in Glasgow. It feels more natural now that I’m away from that world.” 
 On the brink of a key moment in his life, Callum Beattie is now balancing the scars of the past and the promise of the future. His new album ‘Vandals’ could transform his life – but he’s fought for the space to be his own judge. “At the end of the day I’ve made a record that’s me,” he says, “and I love it for that reason.”