Kirin J Callinan had already lived several musical lives before releasing his debut solo album in 2013. He had co-led indie band Mercy Arms, played side player to various solo acts, and achieved notoriety for his prankish antics. Embracism leans right into that intense multiplicity, surfing through stylistic channels on a wide spectrum of moods between abrasive (the harsh electronic title track) and beautiful (the soaring ballad “Victoria M.”). He tugs at the tangled treads of masculinity, sexuality, and national identity, channeling classic Australian underground music (the Triffids-esque “Chardonnay Sean”) while bringing it viscerally into the new millennium with producer Kim Moyes of electronic duo The Presets. “Come On USA” questions the often toxic allure of that country, to which Callinan would soon relocate to assemble a strong LA backing band. The influence of Bruce Springsteen—another conflicted chronicler of America—looms large over this record, even earning a lyrical callout. Callinan only went bigger after Embracism, reappearing on 2017’s aptly titled Bravado with guests including Jimmy Barnes, Weyes Blood, and Alex Cameron. He smoothed out some of his jagged edges on 2019’s covers album Return to Center, but maintained a gleefully subversive streak with his song choices and karaoke-esque arrangements.