Callow
Callow, a two-piece down-tempo rock outfit, comprised of Red Moses (vocals/guitar) and Sami Knowles (drums/keys/vocals). Formed in 2009 and hailing from San Francisco Bay in the USA, the duet has toured and promoted itself for some time now and released their debut, Orb Weaver, in 2012.
Callow
My thanks once again to Robbie for the review.
Before starting this review there were aesthetic elements which planted certain expectations in my mind. The name of the band, Callow, suggests a lack of maturity or experience, a humble choice of title in an industry saturated with evocative and macho designations. The album title, Orb Weaver, seemingly refers to the common spider which lurks in gardens and on the cover art which perhaps indicates intricate design and delicate craftsmanship.
From the sparse and atmospheric opening minutes of the album, Callow clearly focus on texture and dynamics in their song-writing, featuring subtle harmonies featuring male and female vocals which work well to provide emotional depths to the proceedings. If forced, I would suggest Orb Weaver falls somewhere between doom rock and folk music, with soft piano melodies providing a backdrop to sparse guitar passages and brooding vocals suggestive of sorrow and reminiscence. Indeed, Red’s infectiously anguished vocals compliment the music very well, though it would be nice to hear that energy balanced more often by Sami’s crystal clear voice. Callow are at their best when juxtaposing gentle elements with the passionate, and their music really comes alive when these factors are put into play.
While certainly not bad, I feel the package is somewhat light on progression. A standout track would be Come Alive, which flows and ebbs pleasantly without overstaying its welcome and displays a bristling energy which seems to lurk just beneath the surface. With more focused compositions and crisp production Callow could evolve into a very pleasing musical force.
Orb Weaver – Callow is available on iTunes*.
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