Dongs of Sevotion

Smog | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 4, 2000)
• Original Release Date: April 4, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Drag City
• ASIN: B00004S62H
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #195,141 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

No longer content to mumble low-fi and lovelorn, Bill "Smog" Callahan has taken it upon himself to construct actual songs. Of course, he hasn't lost his darkly sardonic edge. On "Dress Sexy for My Funeral", he instructs a lover (with his oddly compelling deadpan delivery) to add some spice to his wake. Elsewhere, Callahan busies himself examining the wreck-strewn intersection of Sex Avenue and Death Street. Someone else's problems were never this interesting! --S. Duda

Amazon.com

Over the years, Bill Callahan (who is Smog) has evolved as a songwriter and record maker. His early work was scattered, filled with incomplete thoughts and lo-fi concerns. But with The Doctor Came at Dawn, he began crafting songs that on the surface wafted by with secure grace but underneath told tales of severe jealousy and disorder. For Dongs of Sevotion, he continues this fascination with unlikable characters. The opening cut, "Justice Aversion," explains things perfectly: "I root for the underdog / No matter who they are." Then the songs and disgraceful characters proceed. There's the guy who thinks only about his wife dressing sexily at his funeral and the one who brags about his ability to "hold a woman down on a hardwood floor." Recorded with four different engineers, the sound shifts from the solitary doom of Callahan and his keyboard to the unexpected near-soul groove of "Strayed." But no matter what he does, Callahan still sounds like Leonard Cohen's stepson trying to get a rise out of his old man. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars so what if it is better produced?, November 14, 2001

By 

lenin (rwanda) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dongs of Sevotion (Audio CD)

as a fan of old and new smog, i think this record hasn't been done justice. sure it is a little longer than past smog efforts, but it's not like the songs are over-indulgent jams or anything. they are still sparse and plaintive and smog. once people learn not to judge a record by its first single and catchiest track (dress sexy - which when i saw him play last year, had to be requested - he didn't even think to play his 'radio-friendly hit', if you could ever call a smog song a hit...well maybe cold blooded old times)the world will be a better place.
tortoise fans won't recognise the backing of jeff parker and john mcentire on most of the songs because they are playing in 4/4 with a lo-fi troubador instead of bitney, mccombs and machine. they provide a wonderful backing (the velvet underground chugalug never sounded so fresh - see cold discovery).
the melodies themselves are very appealing. if red apple falls was his well...red (very o'rourke) record, and knock knock was his teenage record, then this is his love record. his dry wit has never been so sharp.
the various producers don't mess the songs up and it end with a beautiful melody complete with 'oh god's' and a twinkly piano.
and if you thought the little kids on no dancing and hit the ground running were out of place (but not at all) then cop an earful of the dongettes on bloodflow.
i liked it and you will too. you will want to listen to it more than 5 or 6 times.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The album Smog Fans were afraid would be made (brilliant)., December 14, 2000

By 

"gapskank76" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dongs of Sevotion (Audio CD)

Dongs is not what fans of Smog's early work will be looking for. It is loaded with songs that nuzzle up to popular song styles, with decent production (compared to the 4 track stuff on most of the old albums).

That said, Dongs is a brilliant record. Its bound to build Smog (Bill Calahan) a much wider audience, which could upset some long time fans. Still, this album isn't selling the staunchly DIY Calahan out. Quite the contrary. The songs are still insightful and slightly weird. For example, Dress Sexy At My Funeral, the albums second cut. Strange title, hilariously dry song. And that's just the beginning.

Dongs is a lot brighter than Red Apple Falls, almost giddy by comparison. I would reccomend this as a starting point for anyone curious about Smog. The early stuff is a bit challenging. This album is just fun.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The long and miserable road, September 3, 2004

By 

Hippie Smell "hippie_smell" (Brooklyn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dongs of Sevotion (Audio CD)

From reading the reviews below, I don't understand why everyone is shocked at this being a well produced album. The two albums that Bill released before this were produced by Jim O'Rourke, and you can't tell me that guy can't produce. Anyway, on this album teams up with Tim Mcentyre from Tortoise to produce this album and let me tell you it sounds great. The album is really long and full of some choice songs. Justice Aversion is a nice descending chord progression played out on a keyboard w/the classic Bill Callahan twists in the lyrics 'I root for the bank robber, in the getaway car'. Dress Sexy at my Funeral is a classic and should be a staple in any Smog fan's collection. Overall if you like (smog), Leonard Cohen, or the Velvet Underground you'll probably really enjoy this album. Good music for when you lie down and turn out the lights for bed. Highly recommended purchase.