Calla
http://www.callamusic.com
styles: spaghetti western rock, gloom rock, rustic baladeering
others: Varnaline, Califone (sort of), Idaho
 Collisions
Beggars Banquet, 2005
rating 3.5/5
reviewer: grigsby
What is a snob like myself to think when a band I know and love all of a sudden
goes poppy on me? More than likely I will diss them to my friends as I let their
sweet bubblegum caress my ears on many a lonely night. In the case of Calla,
however, the sweetness should come as no surprise, since their songs have gotten
progressively more straightforward with each album. Nonetheless, they've never
quite had the nerve to get up to a "moderate rock" tempo, despite having their
fair share of catchy choruses. I must admit, though, more than the songs, even,
I have always dug Calla's style more than anything; sounding a bit like a band
composed of the extras from a Sergio Leone movie, their songs being as much odes
to the desert as Dirty Three has done to the ocean.
I suppose at this juncture, then, I have to consider the relationship between
style and song. In this regard, the songs on Collisions maintain the
'signature' sound of Calla despite plentiful hooks, with paces that get well
above 'mosey.' Some admiration steps in, as I had wrongly assumed the band's
sluggishness was a key ingredient in their distinctiveness. Nonetheless,
highlights like the hook-filled "Play Dead" and driving "Swagger" demonstrate
that their new direction might in fact be the album's greatest strength.
However, the immediate accessibility creates a stir of fear, as I wonder how
long can I love a Calla album in a different way than the others?
Therein lies a bit of the paradox about the album; they still get a thumbs up in
the sonic department, and their songwriting is certainly to my liking; but that
quality of elusiveness that made their prior albums a journey of discovery seems
to be missing. So, while I might walk away humming more tracks off of
Collisions than any other Calla album, I'm not sure if it will make it back
into my CD player before their other albums.
1. It Dawned On Me
2. Initiate
3. This Better Go As Planned
4. Play Dead
5. Pulvarized
6. So Far, So What
7. Stumble
8. Imbusteros
9. Testify
10. Swagger
11. Overshadowed
 Televise
Arena Rock, 2003
rating: 4/5
reviewer: willcoma
This is the third recording (on their third label) from this New York trio, and
it should be noted as a continuance of a finely honed, dreary rock sound. They
do sound a little familiar, but as the "others" section points out above,
not much springs to mind for direct comparison. I almost said Catherine Wheel,
but these guys are more rooted in their darker leanings. Plus their production
is considerably punchier than anything those sophomoric twits ever managed ("Eat
My Dust You Insensitive Fuck" from Happy Days is an exception).
Televise is decidedly gloomy throughout, while their previous effort floated
a little light with their tender cover of U2's "Promenade." It's a slightly
melancholic song, granted, but it makes me feel warm inside every time I listen
to it.
But none of that here. Here we have a solid slide into alienated mope rock that
lopes ("Monument", "Astral") and lurches ("Strangler," "Televised") to provide
its basic, slight amount of variance. The vocals are unremarkable, but they work
well for this music. What truly deserves attention is the band's innate use of
texture throughout. While the bass and drums provide a solid foundation, the
guitars are layered exquisitely with strumming, scraping, plucking, tweaking,
and tapping (I probably left out a few musically illiterate terms there) all on
top of each other in delicately weaved variances. This is quite an elegant
album, and people who like Low and also happen to like Radiohead should take
notice. Nothing revolutionary but something of an essential regardless.
1. Strangler
2. Monument
3. Astral
4. Don't Hold Your Breath
5. Pete The Killer
6. Customized
7. As Quick as It Comes/Carrera
8. Alacran
9. Televised
10. Surface Scratch
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