$15.98 (list price), Country/Soul, Drag City Basic Story: Singer and songwriter for Smog, Bill Callahan, ditches the alias for his first solo album, a stripped down venture overflowing with soul.
Sample: “You bring out the soft side in everyone/ we gather like ravens on a rusty scythe/ just to watch such a little dove/ fly away.”
Verdict: Despite the name change, Woke on a Whaleheart is essentially just another Smog record. But that’s far from being a bad thing. On his first full-length since 2005’s A River Ain’t Too Much To Love, Callahan seems more inspired by subtlety than experimentalism, a move that some may consider a step back. However, tracks like ‘Sycamore’ and ‘Honeymoon Child’ prove that Callahan’s writing is better than ever. If anything, the songs are now more accessible, made sparse enough to reveal themselves in a natural light. Vocally, the record often feels somber, but musically, it’s triumphantly uplifting.
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