Smog - A River Ain't Too Much To Love
by Geraint Jones
published: 19 / 4 / 2005
Label:
Domino Records
Format: CD
intro
Lyrically engaging latest album from Bill Callahan aka Smog, which deserves to be regarded as one of the his best
Lyrically engaging from the outset, Bill Callahan’s confessional, more spoken than sung vocals, by turns mournful, deadpan and self-deprecating, never fail to connect. On 'A River Ain’t Too Much To Love', Smog’s umpteenth album since their initial cassette-only forays in t'he late 80s, they have crafted some of their best work to date. Superbly recorded at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio in Texas, the intimate, simple arrangements – essentially guitar, piano, violin and drums, envelop and entrance, Callahan’s distinctive vocals and phrasing reeling you in as if it’s you alone that he is singing to. And that’s a rare quality. His often dark, thought provoking and occasionally humorous worldview further draws you into his captivating songs. Not an album to put on in the background; find quality time to spend with it and you’ll be handsomely rewarded. A sombre understated gem that deserves to be regarded as one of Smog’s best.
Track Listing:-
1 Palimpsest2 Say Valley Maker
3 The Well
4 Rock Bottom Riser
5 I Feel Like The Mother Of The World
6 In The Pines
7 Drinking At The Dam
8 Running The Loping
9 I'm New Here
10 Let Me See The Colts
Label Links:-
http://www.dominorecordco.com/https://www.facebook.com/DominoRecordCo
https://twitter.com/DominoRecordCo
https://www.youtube.com/user/DominoRecords
https://plus.google.com/+DominoRecords
live reviews |
|
Conway Hall, London, 19/9/2004 |
|
| Smog aka Bill Callahan has never been on record the happiest of musicians. On the second night of the two day Homefires festival, and supported by the likes of Adem and Joanna Newsom, Dominic Simpson finds him on gloomy, but also confusing form |
reviews |
|
Rock Bottom Riser (2006) |
|
| Unsettling, but remarkable Americana on latest four song EP from Smog, the moniker for Texan-based musician Bill Callahan |
| Rain On Lens (2001) |
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