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"Forum Moderator"
Jedi
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Good topic. Red Apple Falls is my favorite. There aren't really any songs on it that blow you away, just a lot of spare, masterfully written songs. At times. it threatens to become a dark, brooding album, but it never quite does. It always retainsslightly playful manner. Knock Knock is right there as well. A lot more rocking than Red Apple Falls, and probably Callahan's first really relatively accessible album. "Hit the Ground Running" might be my favorite Smog song. I know Dongs of Sevotion is supposed to complete the holy trinity of Smog albums, but I've never liked it all that much. I think this album marked the beginning of Smog's decline. Smog has become pretty unremarkable of late if you ask me. His early stuff was sometimes daunting, occasionally unlistenable, but it was really distinctive, and often great. I bought Julius Caesar from the library, and thought it's pretty spotty, I like it better than anything Callahan's done since Knock Knock.
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Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
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| Posts: 4119 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005 | |
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Guru
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quote: Originally posted by RavingLunatic:
Good topic. Red Apple Falls is my favorite. There aren't really any songs on it that blow you away, just a lot of spare, masterfully written songs. At times. it threatens to become a dark, brooding album, but it never quite does. It always retainsslightly playful manner.
Knock Knock is right there as well. A lot more rocking than Red Apple Falls, and probably Callahan's first really relatively accessible album. "Hit the Ground Running" might be my favorite Smog song.
I know Dongs of Sevotion is supposed to complete the holy trinity of Smog albums, but I've never liked it all that much. I think this album marked the beginning of Smog's decline. Smog has become pretty unremarkable of late if you ask me. His early stuff was sometimes daunting, occasionally unlistenable, but it was really distinctive, and often great. I bought Julius Caesar from the library, and thought it's pretty spotty, I like it better than anything Callahan's done since
Knock Knock.
Red Apple Falls is good. I love the opening song, "The Morning Paper". It sets that album up, and the horns bellowing in after the first ten seconds is a good touch. For me, "Ex Con" is the standout on that album. Like most of Callahan's songs, this one can be both funny and sad, with lyrics like "I'm going to take that child". Yeah, I would agree that Smog has declined a little lately. In his latest album, A River Ain't Too Much To Love, the songs that stand out are: I Feel Like The Mother of the World, Drinking at the Damn, and Let Me See the Colts. But unlike say, Knock Knock, this album does have filler. |
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| Posts: 720 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 22 October 2005 | |
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"Forum Moderator"
Jedi
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I've been digging through a bunch of Smog stuff in the past few days, and I think I've gotta say that Rain On Lens is better than I thought it was. It's probably my third favorite Smog album now. I still say that his last two records are boring though. "Palimpsest" and "Drinking at the Dam" were really the only two songs I liked off of A River Ain't Too Much To Love.
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Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
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| Posts: 4119 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005 | |
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Guru
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quote: Originally posted by VeganInFurs:
I love me some Smog. And I hate picking favorites. Oh well. Knock Knock is most likely my favorite, followed by either Red Apple Falls or his latest, (which doesn't seem to be getting much love around here) A River Ain't Too Much to Love. It's such a great chill out record for me, even though it does have Bill Callahan's trademark gallows humor sprinkled throughout.
As for Dongs of Sevotion, I think the P-fork review may have overrated it. It has some of my favorite Smog songs (Dress Sexy at My Funeral, Permanent Smile) on it, and a few other really great songs as well but it's spotty.
Dongs of Sevotion was overrated. I'm glad that's not the album I started with. It may have been my last. |
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| Posts: 720 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 22 October 2005 | |
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Slacker First Class
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I like the dirty 3.  Well I've only heard "Whatever you love you are" but that album alone made me go check them out live, and it was a great show. Cheers. |
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| Posts: 12 | Location: Chicago | Registered: 15 February 2006 | |
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Guru
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quote: Originally posted by Frank Valeron Esq.:
Dongs of Sevotion actually was the album I started with. You're right, it's probably overrated, lurching from minimalist brilliance to kind of dull. I think Easily Led is a fantastic song though.
It's funny that people here seem to think Supper and A River... are boring. Are they not just the work of an artist getting older, and therefore exploring slightly different concerns?
Jim White from the Dirty Three plays drums with Bill Callahan sometimes. Does anyone like them?
Is that the same Jim White who released Drill a hole...? If so, I like him. Also, I kind of regret my remarks regarding Dongs of Sevotion. I do think its overrated, but only when considering Smog's other works. There were 5 or 6 songs from that album that I really injoyed (Easily Led was one for sure). |
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| Posts: 720 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 22 October 2005 | |
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Know-It-All
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Has anyone out there heard The Doctor Came at Dawn? This is the only Smog album I own and I was wondering if it's any good.
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"Forum Moderator"
Jedi
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quote: Originally posted by brighteyes215:
Has anyone out there heard The Doctor Came at Dawn? This is the only Smog album I own and I was wondering if it's any good.
You own it? Well...you could listen to it and see. I like it alright. Some of the songs really overdo the bleak, minimalist idea though (exhibit A: "Hangman Blues").
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Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
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| Posts: 4119 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005 | |
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Slacker
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A couple of things: Firstly, I have to strongly disagree with most of what has been said here about Smog's "decline." I think A River Ain't Too Much to Love is a great album. Secondly, I got to see Jim White play with Smog last time I saw them, and he truly is at least one of the best two drummers I've ever seen play. It's just phenomenal. Lastly, if anyone is interested, here is a link to a recent interview with Smog: http://www.urbanpollution.com/Music/Smog/News/10540.html
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Slacker
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Red Apples was my favorite for a long time but i'm now liking Rain on the lens best.
n/a
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| Posts: 4 | Location: San Francisco | Registered: 12 June 2006 | |
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Upwardly Mobile Participant
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I can't really say which one is the best because I havent heard them all but the first one I heard was Julius Caesar from '93 which is an incredible album, it totally won me over to Callahan's world and made me want to hear more. It was actually Cat Power's cover of "Bathysphere" that first made me want to hear Smog (personally I much prefer her version.) Knock Knock is a bonafide classic, the combination of timeless songwriting and rich arrangements is hard to beat (plus Loren Connors plays guitar on it.)
There’s a dream that I see, I pray it can be
Look 'cross the land, shake this land - "Maybe Not", C. Marshall
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| Posts: 65 | Location: "Out on tour with Smashing Pumpkins, nature kids, they don't have no function" | Registered: 20 January 2007 | |
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