BILL CALLAHAN
Woke on a Whaleheart
Drag City
· Gone are the parentheticals.
Since first, ahem, floating into focus as Smog close to two decades ago, Bill Callahan’s Smog has swum in particularly unique waters and has become a genuine lyrical genius working out a razor-sharp music all his own. Occasionally disturbed, crazy uncle Bill sang about the darkest politics of the boudoir. The first signs of change came with the introduction of a set of parentheses – which he added to his moniker – hand-in-hand with the first signs of warmth in his music. That’s not to say things had weakened – in fact, (Smog)’s Supper is still arguably Callahan’s best work.
As his first album released under his birth name, Callahan’s Woke on a Whaleheart strives for a spot in the classic rock echelon Smog’s long toyed with. Spruced up with strings, smooth backing vocals and a series of melodic songs (most of Smog’s earlier tunes took their time to get friendly), Whaleheart fits in perfectly fine alongside Lou Reed’s finest moments in the 1970s. It’s Callahan’s very own Coney Island Baby.
Perhaps it’s partly due to his oft-blogged about relationship with Joanna Newsom, but Whaleheart sounds like the record of a man finally content with his lot in life. The paired "Day" and "Night" bounce off one another – the first borrowing whacked-out Newsom-style imagery, the second an orchestra piano ballad different from anything else in the Smog canon. The catchy "Sycamore" looks upwards, proclaiming that we all "Stand tall like sycamore." The album’s finale, "A Man Needs a Woman or a Man to be a Man," doesn’t much get past its jokey title, but it certainly acts as proof of how much he’s developed –as an artist and person.
For those not so cool with change, Whaleheart’s going to come as a bit of a shock. But, Callahan seems ready for whatever comes. Rather than explain himself, he leaves it up to the truly lovely opener, "From the River to the Oceans," and its strong message of "I could tell you about the river/ Or we could just get in." Might as well jump in and let Bill have his way with you on his new terms.
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