Customer Reviews

Scavengers

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

 

 

What sets Calla apart from other brooding post-rock outfits (Idaho, Red House Painters, Low et al) is not so much the arrangements, instrumentation or the presentation of their material, but rather the way in which their songs are structured. Beyond the verse-chorus concept lies a gradual shift in theme and mood, drifting in and out of more abstract instrumental passages. This is a much more subtle take on the cut-and-paste ethic which contemporary culture has embraced over the last decade or two: time-stretched and layered instead of the more jarring and schizophrenic methods employed to date. Although superbly textured, on first listen this album may well sound featureless and indistinct, but a little perseverance reveals a refreshingly different pop sensibility, one which brings to mind the finest moments of The Velvet Underground.

With all that is mundane in a senseless music industry there comes a time when a album comes about that makes one sit down and listen, listen to it for what it's worth. Every cling of the guitar, swoosh of atmosphere pushed out by methodical drummming, bass lines that bleed narcotics, and a voice that could gently whisper you pains which, till then, you never knew existed. All this is intrinsic to this album with nothing more and nothing less. This album is good and the music is stunning to the point in which I asked myself "What is this other stuff I've been listening to?"... :)

This is a great ablum. I've had it for a couple of months and have listened to it probably at least 20 times. My favorite tracks are #1 and #4, although there's not a bad song on it. It's kind of hard for me to describe what Calla sound like. Reading the other reviews I just found out that one of the guys was from Bowery Electric (a group I really liked), and you can hear some of B.E. in Calla. It's good music for when you feel emotionally or physically run down or just want to chill out. It's a bit like Low in that the style is really loose and sometimes elegantly sparse. It also reminds me a bit of Godspeed You Black Emperor, Mira and for some reason Massive Attack.

With all that is mundane in a senseless music industry there comes a time when a album comes about that makes one sit down and listen, listen to it for what it's worth. Every cling of the guitar, swoosh of atmosphere pushed out by methodical drummming, bass-lines that bleed narcotics, and a voice that could gently whisper you pains which, till then, you never knew existed. All this is intrinsic to this album with nothing more and nothing less. This album is good and the music is stunning to the point in which I asked myself "What the hell is this other stuff I've been listening to?"... :)

100 Bands You Need to Know in 2001 Alternative Press, Issue #152

#1 Calla

Who: Originally from Texas, Aurelio Valle, Sean Donovan and Wayne Magruder moved to NYC a few years ago, recording their 1999 self-titled debut album at their Brooklyn home.

Sound Like: Slow and hazy, with uber-deep bass and lots of atmosphere and texture, both electronic and otherwise. Valle's soft vocals are refreshingly upfront in the mix, and the grooves are suitably narcotic.

What's Next: Calla's latest album, Scavengers, co-produced by Swans' Michael Gira, was released in December 2000. They will be releasing three tracks as part of Ambassador Transit's Ballroom Sessions series of 7-inch singles later in 2001

even after listening to this cd 3 times, as suggested by the previous reviewer, i still didnt like it at all. al this brooding, whispering, semi-gothic pretense started to irritate me after a while. so i turned to the black heart procession for some consolation.... their 3 cd's give me exactly what i wanted to get from calla: genuine heartbreaking, chilling, music that stays with you for a long time. calla failed to provide these qualities