Calliope
"Sounds Like Circles Feel" CD
Thick
Records
Genres: psychedelic folk, indie pop, indie rock
Thick Records
PO Box 220245
Chicago IL 60622
May 17 - 23 2004 |
Sounds Like Circles Feel will be enjoyed by almost everyone
who listens to it. Over the duration of nine songs - some pretty
long,
and some sort of short - Calliope has created a wonderful
acoustic folk-pop album.
Comparisons to The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Wilco, and
perhaps even a less spacey Yo La Tengo can all be made.
As far as modern pop music goes, this is about as good as you can get
- Calliope is nowhere near pretentious, yet still original and
"hip"-sounding.
Sounds Like Circles Feel has a cozy, uplifting atmosphere to
it, and this lovely approach is certainly refreshing. Opener "What I Think You Mean"
is a simple, infectious standout track; its basic melody is far from
complex, but it does the trick. "Midwest Life" and
"Monsters in Here" are even more substantial; the former is
the album's "epic," clocking in at five minutes. It's
a crisp, pretty pop tune with a slight folk tinge in the guitar
background.
As far as pop releases go, this is one of the better discs to come
out in recent history. While Calliope's unassuming style
won't make them superstars, it should win over a nice selection of
dedicated, music-loving fans. Sounds Like Circles Feel
exhibits both entertainment and class.
88%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 9 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2004] |