It feels not so long ago that Bill Callahan enchanted a packed, hot and very sweaty Lido in August 2009 in support of that year’s album, the lush Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle. All this talk of Apocalypse had me worried about old Bill but I’m just glad he’s still around and willing to drop by to say hi again.
The latest offering, or should I say relic, to be handed down to us from the mighty Callahan is Apocalypse. On first listen it strikes the ears as jaunty, broken un smooth-Callahan fare but after the fourth listen it starts to stretch its legs and get into its stride, revealing it’s many layers.
Lyrically it’s mesmerising in parts and musically it also steps away from his last few records with Callahan even trying his hand at something like psych-funk on America!, a raucous sexy groove of a song that sneaks up on you and has your normally restrained body rockin’ before you can say the word…groovy. Yes, if anyone else tried it the press would slam them but Callahan has made himself so completely untouchable with each new album that we dare not question…
Let’s hope he continues to wow as he did two years ago by rearranging some of the older songs live and breathing new life into them...and then there’s the new stuff. I’m glad there’ll be some seating for me to hold on to the edge of.
