Customer Reviews

Collisions

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

a spaghetti-westernish guitar wends through a maelstrom of
noise that emerges from lovely dark pop songs--like the ones
the Dandy Warhols used to write, the black watch and yo la tengo
have always written. "it dawned on me" insinuates--by the second time you spin this disc, you'll be in love. not a bad song on it!

I really like Calla. I have liked them since I first stumbled upon their Scavengers CD in 2001. Then I found their self titled first release on Sub Rosa records (with in a month of hearing Scavengers). Their music was a rock answer to spaghetti western soundtracks by Ennio Morricone. A dark post modern alternative rock country band with electronic noise is the closest to the genre Calla fits in. It was very quit through out most of the music but, the music was still able to have a physical presence in the room when you played it. Their music was marked with was dark and atmospheric bass droning on with a slow heavy drum beat similar to drone metal but, faster. The lyrics were whispered in a smoky haze of noise and got lost with in the music. The guitars went from muted to over powering while having great western tones while sneaking in melodies. The guitars or electronic noise would burst through at places with dissonance that you thought would tear the song apart at first but stayed with the feeling and rhythm of the song. Their sound has steadily changed with each of their previous three albums. Their fourth album Collisions follows this trend even more. I almost wanted to sing a dirge about the lost of their sound that I like so much, but this album was too good to allow me to be that upset over the change. It is almost completely different in sound from their first two albums but, still keeps a similar spirit. At times Collisions can be eerily reminiscent of Calla's earlier albums.
Four albums with four record labels Calla is certainly continuously on the move both contractually and musically. They even replaced a band member on this album. On Collisions Calla did what Low did on their last album; they made everything faster, louder, and more melodic. Calla shed most of their earlier avant garde soundscapws on this album. The songs are rockier and more melodic then anything they have done before. The electronic flourishes have been strongly corralled in and quieted. They just float through a few songs in the background. The base lines are no longer slow and over powering-they have taken on an almost dance quality. The guitar is much cleaner sounding and a have a much larger part through out the songs. Aurelio Valle's lyrics have stayed in familiar territory with the subject matter of each song. The big change is that his crooning and whispering of the lyrics no longer fades in and out of the music; his voice is loud and he even really starts to sing on a couple songs. The drums have more then doubled their earlier tempo. Almost all the songs have a good 90's alternative rock feel to them now. This album was produced and mixed by people who have worked with Nick Cave and PJ Harvey and it really shows on this album. The over all sound is much similar to a lot of Nick Cave while, the bass lines sound a lot some of PJ Harvey songs.
I give it a strong 7 out of 10.

1. It Dawned on Me is rocky like 90's alt. rock.
2. Initiate is one of the songs closest to their earlier sound.
3. This Better Go As Planned is very catchy melodic rock. I love the bass and drum parts.
4. Play Dead is also a nice rock sound.
5. Pulvarized has a dance bass line not as bad as all the gang of four rip off bands through. It also has the strongest electronic sound.
6. So Far, So What is a nice medium tempo rock song.
7. Stumble has the same build up as their older songs but, this doesn't copy over as well with their new sound.
8. Imbusteros is a short soundscape.
9. Testify is one of the most alternative rock sounding songs on this album.
10. Swagger is also very similar to their earlier sound only faster and with more rock. This one mixed their old and new song elements together well.
11. Overshadowed is a slower song that I really enjoyed.

I've liked Calla ever since I first listened to 'em a few years ago, and didn't even know this CD came out until... last week. Very impressive everything, as usual. The vocals are amazing, the musicianship is interesting, and the lyrics that I actually understand are good.

This Better Go As Planned and Swagger are the best songs (in my opinion), though the opening track is fairly good as well. Goooooood stuff.

Moody and atmospheric indie rock is perhaps an overused description but it does give us a starting point when talking about Calla. Because this disc defiantly has "mood" to spare. But where previous discs have stayed more moody Collisions breaks out a bit and brings more pop sensibilities into the mix. The best example of this is the opening track "It Dawned On Me," a great song with smooth sounds and a catchy jangle of guitar that would make Echo and the Bunnymen proud. But just when you think Calla has completely changed their sound "Initiate" begins with a droning heavy bass that slides along under the raspy vocals of Aurelio Valle singing "That's not how it's suppos'd to be, it's the last time I'll be on my knees." The bass continues to be prominent and heavy as the vocals fade to near whispers on "This Better Go As Planned." Offsetting all this heaviness is a lilting guitar that adds just enough light to help keep the song melodic amid all the grinding bass. And then a beautiful keyboard melody fades in to end the track, perfectly done. Great little guitar and keyboard effects are everywhere, lifting the mood at just the right time or adding a little texture. The guitars seem to scratch at the songs, never tearing into them but just "there" at the edges. On "Pulverized" there is a howling kind of effect like wind blowing through cracks that is just amazing. All the while the lyrics plead "Just forget it, I'll regret it...Forget every word that I said that you heard." By the time we work our way to "Testify" and "Swagger" (tracks 9 and 10) the band is in full on rock mode with hard rifts and screaming guitar effects swirling all around, very cool. The whole disc seems to build to this conclusion of power and sound. But in the end "Overshadowed" brings us back to the sounds that are slower and quiet, then build and grows and grinds itself into a final frenzy. At first listen you might miss how good this disc really is. Give it a chance and it will grow on you. The little touches of melody and the great pop hooks will replay themselves in your head over and over.
R#

I loved Calla's 2003 album "Televise", it was one of the best albums of the year for me. So it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to the release of the new album.

"Collisions" (11 tracks, 41 min.) confirms the trend of more upbeat, rockier tracks found on "Televise" (the sound of "Scavengers" is rarely heard), witness the opener tracks "It Dawned On Me" and "Initiate". That is not at all to say that Calla has gone the way of "poppy rock and roll beats" (as another reviewer puts it), not by a long shot: "Pulvarised", "So Far, So What" and "Stumble" are dim and gloomy, to say the least. The album clips along at a great pace, and before you know it, it's over and you want to play it again.

"Collisions" is a great album (certainly compared to most of the dreadful "mainstream" stuff that's being released these days). That said, it's not as good as "Televise", which is in my book a classic of moody rock. That aside, Calla is terrific in concert and don't miss them if you have a chance to catch them live.

Calla's third release is by far its most impressive. Not to take anything away from Scavengers or Televise, but with Collisions they take their signature, dark, rock-mystery sound to a new level.

On this first release on the Beggars Banquet label, the seductive vocals of Aurelio Valle, the sonic stylings of Peter Gannon on guitar and diverse, exciting pacing of drummer Wayne Magruder are on full display -- and this is their magnum opus (to date).

If there is any justice in today's music marketplace (and no, there isn't much), "It Dawned On Me" should emerge as a breakthrough single for this band and properly entice listeners to explore other tracks, all of which are strong.

Pay close attention to "Swagger", a dark and brooding jam that takes inspiration from Ennio Morricone and is as lyrically dark as many of the films that the composer scored.

The final track, a mostly-instrumental crescendo of sound called "Overshadowed" feels like a cinematic score in its own right.

Whether you are hardcore indie fan and have heard Calla before, or a casual music-lover who is hearing them for the first time -- pick up the album -- you will not be disappointed.

To me, Calla has sold out. Don't freak out, that's just my opinion. Gone is the slow, depressing drone of old. It has been replaced by mainstream, poppy rock N roll beats. If you like that, then by all means, check this out, you will probably enjoy it. It's a change that I personally don't appreciate. That is just my musical taste, and everyone's tastes are different. I don't see this as an extension of Televise, it's a completely new direction for Calla, I applaud them and wish them success. Unfortuneately, I will not be joining them for the ride.

i've listened to this album only twice all the way thru at this point and am already in love with it. ya know how it usually takes a few listens to get used to the sound of a band's new CD (like Coldplay's new one)? well, from the get go, this one reminds me alot of their last album, Televise, only it seems to be a much more polished sound, a little more on the experimental shoe gazer side, but yet more rock n roll driven. the vocals are more of a focus on this one than the last one, and i think that's where the polished sound comes from. they are still the Calla you know and love, and it is obvious from this effort, they will keep getting better, much like the Doves have. this is a definite buy and will stay stuck in your CD player for a couple weeks. well, it will mine anyway ;)

Sterile alt-rock derivations prevent this group from maintaining interest, though it might not prevent deceit when convincing blooming hipsters of its independence.

I heard It Dawned On Me over the radio and I liked the song but listening to the clips, it dawned on me how terrible this album is! Aside from It Dawmed On Me, the only acceptable song is Initiate which reminds me of Coldplay, the rest is plain filler. Therefore buy the CD if It Dawned On Me caught your fancy otherwise forget it.