Customer Reviews

Knock Knock

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Picking my favorite Smog album is much like asking someone to select their favorite child. For more than a decade, Bill Callahan has put out some of the most compelling (and often under-appreciated) music, period. Knock Knock takes everything great about his past output and melds it seemlessly into easily my favorite record of the nineties: A sly sense of humor; experimentation that doesn't come off as needlessly self-indulgent; beautiful, haunting melodies and a sense of space between the words and notes that is just as important as the music itself. Callahan's lyric's are full of poetically clever, but very, very real analogies and specific life-altering moments from his character's (his?) past that can make even the most jaded listener re-think a universal subject such as love or childhood memories. The song, "Let's Move To The Country," is a classic album opener, setting a hopeful tone you just know will gradually be marred by life's dissappointing reality by album's end (This is also my 2-year old niece's favorite song, with its childlike innocence: "A goat and a monkey, a mule and a flea"). All along though, Mr. Callahan tells it with a knowing wit, driving spikes into our hearts with personal details in his narrative and subtley-unique touches in the music rarely found in popular music. For my money, there is no more perfect record.

Some people write good books, others write good songs. Billy Callahan (a.k.a. Smog) writes good _albums_. More so than almost any other album I own, Smog's works are best digested whole, in one continuous sitting. While individual songs stand out on their own (most notably "Cold Blooded Old Times", which made it into the "High Fidelity" Soundtrack, and "Hit the ground running"), Smog has (once again) written the album as a masterpiece of lyric narrative detailing (as usual) the agonies of modern love.

Don't be quick to dismiss this Album as indie-pop depressing melancholy pap, however -- Callahan, in his growing maturity as a songwriter, is learning to articulate a somber complexity.

Turn down the lights, grab your bottle of bourbon, sit back and enjoy.

The most cheerful release yet by the usually mordant Bill Callahan, 'Knock Knock' is a revelation both for newcomers and for the fans. Far better than the patchy 'Dongs of Sevotion', 'Knock Knock' seems to have managed the trick of being professionally produce and yet, at the same time, prepared with the classically 'Smog' laissez faire attitude to musical technique and technology. Almost any other indy artist today would have choked on their own musical conscience at the notion of childrens' choirs, but Bill couldn't seem to care less, and the album would be far poorer without the extra character they provide (especially on the wonderful 'Hit the Ground Running'). 'Cold Blooded Old Times', the stand-out track, sums up the album's mood nicely: the lyrics brood over lost love, violence and innocence, but Bill's voice is nostalgic, hopeful that better is to come. And, hopefully, he's right, because this is a gem.

I'm referring to the beautiful third track, River Guard. In it, he makes every sparse poetic line jump out in importance. He begins by "taking the prisoners swimming," which immediately puts him in the role of providing comfort to all of us having been found 'guilty.' That is the condition as K., Camus and countless other writers have suggested. We're born, hence we're condemned. Callahan's guard later sits "in the tall grass" and looks "the other way." He shows a wonderful simplicity here and is conscious of being in an embarrassing situation, not wanting to be constantly watched. It's a song of reprieve. But it's not all about the lyrics. The melody, texture, attitude and overall recording is beautiful. With the philosophy, it's aproaching a contemporary masterpiece. The chorus seems to ask the question, would we even know the definition of freedom if we weren't born into this very difficult existential situation? Like those writers before him, he suggests that without the suffering, freedom would have no meaning. He continues the theme within the guitar crunchiness of No Dancing: "there's always some bird dog snufflin'... always some turtle snappin'." Later in the album he sings, "I don't know where I'm going/All I know is I'll hit the ground runnin'." It's the secularist singer/songwriter at his very best. Listen to this album along with his other moments of brilliance found on the albums Rain on Lens, Dongs..., Supper, The Doctor..., A River..., and Red Apple... Not only does he continue these same themes, he does it in a very catchy, musical, emotional and often rocking way.

Okay, let's get it out of the way- it's not as good as The Doctor Came At Dawn, but what is? If you've never heard Mr. Callahan before you need to take the following steps- remove all sharp objects from your reach; put on your headphones; enjoy!! This is music for the intellectual set. There are no sing along anthems here. Just sparse arrangments, obtuse (at times) lyrics and pure singer songwriter bliss. If you're a fan of Will Oldham (aka Palace Bros, Palace Music, Push, Bonnie Prince Billy) or of Chan "Cat Power" Marshall you'll definitely appreciate this album.

Yep. That's right folks. Bill Callahan to be exact. The man who calls himself Smog on all his records. A hero to the lo-fi world. An obsessive four tracker in his early days. A soothing easy listening singer/songwriter as of late. Most people don't know that he's been making albums for the past 15 years. A very prolific artist indeed. This album, in particular, is his pinnacle. The best overall work by him. He's come full circle from the early days of the Julius Ceasar LP. I'm not sure what the highlights are to me. Each song flows so well, it almost works as a rock opera epic to me. If I had to pick one I'd say its "Teenage Spaceship." Although being downtrodden it has this tender feeling that not many other Smog recordings have had in the past...or future for that matter...since I'm writing this now and not when it came out. This album is one of his more eclectic works in his extensive collection. He has a band backing him on some songs this trip around. We hear a childrens choir, bill dabbling with alt-country, sax's, and strapping on that plugged in electric. He often gets described as a depressing artist, but this is his most hopefull release or certainly in the running for first place. I don't think Bill will ever dissapoint me. Which is fightening not only from a musical standpoint, but for my wallet as well. If you haven't bought a Smog record yet, make this your first.

Smog is not a band that can be explained. Instead you must simply experience Bill Callahan's world for yourself. The music is haunting; it is chilling; it gets under your skin; it's like an infection...but in an an indescribably good way.

While the likes of Cold Blooded Old Times (High Fidelity anyone?) and Hit the Ground Running might be the most accesible they are not necessarily the best songs on the album. For me, River Guard is the second best song because it paints the most beautfiful scene in my mind of calm water reflecting moonlight back into the dark night while black trees press in from the banks. And the crowning jewel is Teenage Spaceship. This song ranks in my list of top 10 (maybe even top 5 if I think about it hard enough) all-time best songs. It is perfect. It is a summation of so much: life experiences, maturation, beliefs and dreams as they live and die, and more.

Smog is not an "easy" band. But moment you "get it" is truly a moment of serendipity.

Smog has made a lot of albums so far, and I must say I'm a little confused...sometimes I like one, sometimes I don't. The earlier things before Wild love were not very appealing to my ears. Knock Knock is an album I do like, fortunately. You have to listen to it in one try, otherwise you lose the feel of the album. Keep confusing me, mister Callahan.

There's a stark, intimate feel throughout. Some cuts are quite touching, but in a restrained way. What I hadn't expect at all was the great rhythms. My favorite cut varies from "Cold Blooded Old Times" (reminds me of an old Haitt song about stories and muck lucks...), "Held" or "Hit the Ground Running" with its children's chorus.

The music is simple and beautiful and wonderful. The music is sad and gut-wrenching at times and happy and fulfilling at times. The music is perfect. But that's not the point. The point is Bill Callahan's brilliant lyrics. This man is the most overlooked poet of our generation. Even with his simple wording and calm delivery, he is still able to sing the most genuinely human and honest thing you've heard in ages. Every line on this album is rendered with the delicacy and expertise of a master poet. Then, of course, there's the music. If the combination of the up-beat guitar and drums riff and the line "For the first time in my life/ I let myself be held/ Like a big old baby" (on "Held") does not make you smile gleefuly and fall in love with Bill Calahan immeadiately, then the almost-not-there bass of "Left Only With Love" played under words like "I'm left only with love for you/ You did what was right to do/ And I hope you find your husband/ And a father to your children" is sure to. I could go on in detail analyzing the placement of the tracks and the use of a children's choir on a sinister song like 'No Dancing', but I will let you figue it out for yourself after you BUY THIS ALBUM.