(Smog) frontman Bill Callahan has just released the second album under his own name, Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle. This follows on from his 2007 release Woke On A Whaleheart.
However, despite the fact that I was sent a review copy – of an album I definitely want to hear, I’m actually going to have to wait until I’ve gone and bought the album. The reason for this is not that the album doesn’t play – but rather , in an attempt to make sure that the album was not leaked onto the internet, the review copies were helpfully sent out with beeping and honking through it, which makes the album – which sounds quite nice under it all (I think, from what I can make out) – too hard to actually properly assess.
Added to which, Callahan’s myspace page is a ‘sod you myspace page’ (he puts it rather more bluntly), and there is no music to be streamed there. Riiiiight.
However, Drag City on their website have made one track available for download ‘Eid Ma Clack Shaw’ which doesn’t seem to be beset with beeping and honking and is as good as anything I have heard by Mr. Callahan. Enjoy this, and maybe when I can afford it I’ll buy the album, and review it, even if part of me feels that this is treating reviewers with something bordering on contempt.