Bill Callahan -‘Apocalypse.’ (Drag City)

I suppose, because I got into Callahan through (Smog) songs like ‘Strayed’ and ‘Dress Sexy At My Funeral’ that I still expect him to sound like that. There is a part of me that feel that the rather wry sense of humour on songs like that is missing in the work he has put out under his own name.

This is perhaps rather unfair. Those songs were over ten years ago, QED Callahan is ten years older, and (loath as I am to admit it) so am I. It is a mellower sounding album, perhaps having more in common with an album like Nixon by Lambchop than one of (Smog)’s. There’s even a whisper of the soul meets country with a hint of gospel thrown in of a Van Morrison album like Saint Dominic’s Preview.That said, by and large it’s a fairly straight forward, almost stripped down album ,which suits the seven songs therein rather well. The standout track here is probably ‘Riding For The Feeling’ though the album hangs together well as a whole.

Those unfamiliar with Callhan’s work might suspect something rather more violent from the album’s title, yet you sense that Callhan’s version of the Apolcalypse is more likely to be rather more thoughtful than many other people’s.

***1/2

Apocalyspe is released on Drag City on April 4.

Bill Callahan -‘Baby’s Breath.’ mp3

Rather chuffed that Bill Callahan will be returning with a new album next month.

Entitled Apocalypse, it’s the former (Smog) frontman’s fourth solo album, and will be released on April 18.

There’s seven tracks in total on the album, of which one, ‘Baby’s Breath’ has been made available as a free download.

Drover
Baby’s Breath
America!
Universal Applicant
Riding for the Feeling
Free’s
One Fine Morning

Bill Callahan -‘Baby’s Breath.’ mp3

His label, Drag City, have some excellent releases coming up very soon – the High Llama’s latest Talahomi Way, which has had several plays already at 17 Seconds Towers, as well as Baby Dee and Matt Sweeney with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy…

(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.

Bill Callahan -‘Eid Ma Clack Shaw.’ mp3