Carla J Easton

Following her 2023 album SUGAR HONEY, Scottish songwriter, producer and now filmmaker Carla J Easton (Teen Canteen, Poster Paints, The Vaselines) made an award-winning documentary called Since Yesterday, about the history of pioneering Scottish girl groups. Often a collection of women who hardscrabble-d their way through the industry with little more than, as the cliche goes, three chords and the truth, their stories inspired Easton to take a new approach to her fifth album I Think That I Might Love You. She picked up the guitar and learned it for the first time, pushing her keyboard sound to the fringes on an album that’s a celebration of guitar-led music – pop, indie and power. The single “Oh Yeah”, out 11 February, is the first track and mission statement of this sound.

The single, like the rest of the album, was recorded off the floor at the fabled Chem 19 studio and is an example of the collaborative nature of I Think That I Might Love You. Co-written with Simon Liddell (Poster Paints, Frightened Rabbit) – the rest of the album features collaborations with MALKA (Hen Hoose), Man of the Minch, Stevie Jackson (Belle and Sebastian), Johnny Scott (Chvrches) and outsider indie legend Darren Hayman of Hefner – “Oh Yeah” was written after Easton and Liddell had gone to see a Teenage Fanclub show.

“‘Oh Yeah’ is the sound of loving someone who doesn’t quite love you back, but giving that love anyway,” explains Easton. “Knowing the cost and paying the price with a defiant smile; beauty with a bruise underneath. It’s a song about reaching outward, leaning forward, heart wide open, and hoping to be caught.

It’s not bitter – I think it’s brave to let yourself glow for someone even if they are half a step away. Musically, there are big Teenage Fanclub guitars, huge strings, and harmonies stacked like confessions you never quite say out loud. It’s the sound of standing in your bedroom, heart pounding, replaying voice notes that don’t say what you hope they will, and still pressing play again. The reckless, gorgeous place where you still believe love might turn around and choose you.

It was brilliant to work with Simon again on some new songs!”
Done in under two minutes, “Oh Yeah” is a Jenga tower of harmonies, 4/4 drums, riffs, melodies that almost threatens to collapse under the weight of its sheer joy but comes out the other side as a celebration of love, friendship and community.

“Oh Yeah” and I Think That I Might Love You are both produced by Howard Bilerman (Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Wolf Parade, U.S. Girls, The Weather Station).

The album was made with support from Creative Scotland.