This playlist serves as an introduction to Smog. It doesn't contain all of his best songs, nor is it completely representative of his wide body of work. But it does give a hint at the many talents of Bill Callahan. The earliest work on this compilation is "A Hit," which reflects the lo-fi/slacker approach Smog took towards songwriting and recording on his first couple of records. These early records showcased Callahan's knock for catchy riffs and humorous lyrics, but most of the songs from this lo-fi period suffered from being overly experimental and fragmented, only hinting at the great songwriting abilities Callahan would later fully display later in his career.
Callahan released two good-but-not-great records in 1995 (Wild Love) and 1996 (Doctor Came At Dawn), but he didn't prove he was capable of producing an album full of great songs until 1997's Red Apple Falls. He followed up Red Apple Falls with Knock Knock in 1999 and Dongs of Sevotion in 2000, two pretty excellent albums that contain some of Callahan's finest songs. The playlist contains six songs from these three albums, but it could have easily featured twice as many songs from these releases.
The rest of the tracks on the playlist mostly come from Callahan's 21st-century albums, which embrace strong country and folk influences and really show Callahan refining his songwriting craft, both musically (with some stunning guitar arrangements) and lyrically (these are very adult records, in terms of their themes and modes of expression). However, two particular highlights from the playlist - Chosen One and I Break Horses - come 2002's Accumulation: None, which collected some of Callahan's B-side work. Both of these tracks were record for John Peel's radio show, and they are truly stunning transformations of the original works. They might be my favorite tracks on this playlist.
Enjoy!
1. Bathysphere / Wild Love / 1995
2. A Hit / Accumulation None / 2002
3. Held / Knock Knock / 1999
4. Chosen One / Accumulation None / 2002
5. Vessel in Vain / Supper / 2003
6. Bowery / Rock Bottom Riser EP / 2006
7. I Was A Stranger / Red Apple Falls / 1997
8. Dress Sexy At My Funeral / Dongs of Sevotion / 2000
9. Diamond Dancer / Woke on a Whaleheart / 2007
10. Drinking at the Dam / A River Ain't Too Much To Love / 2005
11. River Guard / Knock Knock / 1999
12. Blood Red Bird / Red Apple Falls / 1997
13. I Break Horses / Accumulation None / 2002
14. Strayed / Dongs of Sevotion / 2000
15. Feather By Feather / Supper / 2003
Total time: 69:35
Wow. You're far more depressive than I ever realized. This is some hardcore cry in your beer music. My initial thought is that this yahplaylist takes the crown for best of the initial 3. It plays like a really incredible album.
ReplyDeleteApparently I REALLY need to listen to Accumulation None. That stuff sounds particuarly great. "I Break Horses" might be my new favorite Smog song, which says a lot. For a guy who writes songs that are most often a study on self-restraint, you know he'd only pull out all the stops of emotional songwriting for something truly show-stopping like that song.
I also dig using "Feather By Feather" as a closer, rather than as an opener. It kinda brings the whole collection down perfectly.
OK, qualms time. "Diamond Dancer" is your pick off of his solo album???????? Uh, "Sycamore"? Jeez, that omission is kinda unforgivable. My only thought is that you thought "Sycamore" was too bright in comparison to the rest of the stuff, but even that would hardly be an excuse. Plus "Diamond Dancer" isn't even that good. In fact, after a few listens I think it sounds downright ugly. Man, I really wish you just put "Sycamore" on here- then this collection would feel so much more complete. Plus, your intro even mentions the stunning guitar arrangements of his most recent work, and I can't imagine a better example than that song.
No "Ex-Con," OK. I can deal. I can see how that might stick out like a sore thumb. "Inspiritational" would have definately been on this list for me, but at 6 and a half minutes, I can understand how it's a tough fit. That's probably my favorite song his lyrically--it's just so straightforward and heartwrenching.
Oh, that's another thing. I'm looking forward to listening to this playlist more to catch on to more of the lyrics. "Feather By Feather"'s "When they make a movie of your life, they're gonna have to ask you to do all your own stunts" line gets me every time.
You know what other song also has great lyrics? "SYCAMORE"!!!! Ugh.
ok, yeah. and i know it's not his first "solo" album, just first under his own name. blah blah blah...
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you find this collection depressing, because I was intentionally trying to make it somewhat upbeat and accessible. But after listening to the Magnetic Fields playlist, which sounds like perfect driving-with-the-windows-down music, I thought to myself "I hope the Smog playlist is as fun to listen to." Oh well. I guess it's just hard to make a non-depressing Smog playlist. God knows I could have made it a lot more depressing.
ReplyDeleteYou might be right about Sycamore. Woke on a Whaleheart was one of the last albums I listened to, and I wanted to find a truly upbeat song to stick into the playlist. Diamond Dancer fit that description better than Sycamore, so I went with it. But I like Diamond Dancer - I don't think it's an unworthy selection. And even if Sycamore is a better song, it's not THAT much better. So calm down.
Tried to get Ex-Con in there, but you're right, it was an awkward fit. That lead synth trumpet line does not mesh well with his other songs.
And yes, I was very pleased with how well Feather by Feather worked as a closer, and it really made me wonder why Callahan used it as the opener for Supper.
Wow, I've never listened to Smog before, which surprises me because I'm loving this so far. "A Hit", "Bowery", "Dress Sexy at my Funeral" (I was singing that song all day yesterday), "I Break Horses" are all great tracks. But, yikes. This is the upbeat stuff?
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm also enjoying the lyrics. From "Bloodred Bird": "Like an arrow/I was only passing through". Ouch.
ReplyDeleteRyan, if you like this stuff you should really check out a song called "Sycamore"-it's quite good. Chris hates that song.
ReplyDeleteRyan - Glad you like the Smog songs. Even though he's been around forever and everyone who's into indie music has heard of him, I think Smog flies under the radar of a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteHe does have some more upbeat stuff, but I don't think they're his best songs. I just tried to keep this playlist from being full of really slow, subtle songs, because he has a lot of those (some of which are quiet good, like River Guard).
Mike - I listened to Sycamore again and it is not better than Diamond Dancer. Yes, it has prettier guitar arrangements, but there's something weird about Sycamore. I don't know if it's his vocal delivery, the rigid bass line, the shininess of the chorus, or a combination of all those things, but the song sounds like Bill Callahan on Valium. Creepy.