Bill Callaghan/Smog

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johnnyboy
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Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by johnnyboy »

Due to request, I've split the posts regarding Bill Callaghan from the 'Best of 2013' thread to here instead, keeping that one for the end of year lists and this one focused on Mr Bill Callaghan... cheers! B

runaway wrote:Biggest disappointments of 2013:
Bill Callahan - Dream River. Love the guy but I'll have to disagree with the bandwagoneers who rank this one highly. Sounds like a lazy Gil-Scott Heron tribute to me.
What's your favourite Bill Callahan album out of interest? Mine's A River Ain't Too Much To Love (I know it's under the Smog moniker but I do see it as the start of his Bill albums). I really like the new one, can't see why that would be bandwagoneering though? Surely all of his albums are highly rated.
sunray
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by sunray »

johnnyboy wrote:
runaway wrote:Biggest disappointments of 2013:
Bill Callahan - Dream River. Love the guy but I'll have to disagree with the bandwagoneers who rank this one highly. Sounds like a lazy Gil-Scott Heron tribute to me.
What's your favourite Bill Callahan album out of interest? Mine's A River Ain't Too Much To Love (I know it's under the Smog moniker but I do see it as the start of his Bill albums). I really like the new one, can't see why that would be bandwagoneering though? Surely all of his albums are highly rated.
Nice to see some love for Bill, I've mentioned him here before to little or no response. For me, the new album is possibly the best he's done under his own name but none of those albums come close to matching his Smog output.

Favourite Smog records would be the run from 1996 - 2001: The Doctor Came at Dawn, Red Apple Falls, Knock Knock, Dongs of Sevotion and Rain on Lens.

I think what happened with Bill is he fell in love, got happy and his music has suffered for that.
Nineteen...Nineteen...Six Five
johnnyboy
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by johnnyboy »

sunray wrote:
johnnyboy wrote:
runaway wrote:Biggest disappointments of 2013:
Bill Callahan - Dream River. Love the guy but I'll have to disagree with the bandwagoneers who rank this one highly. Sounds like a lazy Gil-Scott Heron tribute to me.
What's your favourite Bill Callahan album out of interest? Mine's A River Ain't Too Much To Love (I know it's under the Smog moniker but I do see it as the start of his Bill albums). I really like the new one, can't see why that would be bandwagoneering though? Surely all of his albums are highly rated.
Nice to see some love for Bill, I've mentioned him here before to little or no response. For me, the new album is possibly the best he's done under his own name but none of those albums come close to matching his Smog output.

Favourite Smog records would be the run from 1996 - 2001: The Doctor Came at Dawn, Red Apple Falls, Knock Knock, Dongs of Sevotion and Rain on Lens.

I think what happened with Bill is he fell in love, got happy and his music has suffered for that.
Ah, poor Bill, he falls in love and you don't like him as much, haha. I did see him 5-6 years back at Green Man Festival when Joanna Newsom played as well. They walked around teh site together and stopped for a very brief fanboy chat with Joanna whilst he looked on moodily.

I like his sound with a bit of light in it. My music tastes were elsewhere during that run of albums you mention but I did hear a few of his tracks on compilations and the like. First album I properly bought was "A River....." and fell in love with it in a big way. The new album is beautiful, good to hear a fan like yourself rates it as one of his best 'solo' albums.
redcloud
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by redcloud »

sunray wrote:
johnnyboy wrote:
runaway wrote:Biggest disappointments of 2013:
Bill Callahan - Dream River. Love the guy but I'll have to disagree with the bandwagoneers who rank this one highly. Sounds like a lazy Gil-Scott Heron tribute to me.
What's your favourite Bill Callahan album out of interest? Mine's A River Ain't Too Much To Love (I know it's under the Smog moniker but I do see it as the start of his Bill albums). I really like the new one, can't see why that would be bandwagoneering though? Surely all of his albums are highly rated.
Nice to see some love for Bill, I've mentioned him here before to little or no response.
There are a few of us out there sunray - I too am a Callahan/Smog fan. Haven't heard the new album, however. My favorite record by him is probably 'Supper', simply because of "Truth Serum", which I adore.
runaway
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by runaway »

johnnyboy wrote:
runaway wrote:Biggest disappointments of 2013:
Bill Callahan - Dream River. Love the guy but I'll have to disagree with the bandwagoneers who rank this one highly. Sounds like a lazy Gil-Scott Heron tribute to me.
What's your favourite Bill Callahan album out of interest? Mine's A River Ain't Too Much To Love (I know it's under the Smog moniker but I do see it as the start of his Bill albums). I really like the new one, can't see why that would be bandwagoneering though? Surely all of his albums are highly rated.
Yeah, A River… is second only to Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle in my favorites book. I think since then (Sometimes…) he has been slipping slightly. Apocalypse was good, but not as good as the critics and his new fans have insisted. Same goes for Dream River, IMO.
runaway
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by runaway »

Ah yes, auld "Beefeater" Billy Callaghan. Top lad, him-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAcQoD9b ... D33D784264
RoboHobo
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by RoboHobo »

I've been meaning to dig into Bill Callaghan/Smog mainly on the strength of Vessel in Vain (from Supper), which I first heard when watching the amazing Dead Man's Shoes. Is Supper as good a place as any to start?
runaway
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by runaway »

Supper isn't a bad place to start, but A River Ain't Too Much To Love is probably better - it's more fully realized and accessible.
sunray
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by sunray »

I think Red Apple Falls would be a good jumping in point.

In other news, Bill is releasing a Dub album next month! It's called 'Have Fun With God' and will be dub versions of the Dream River album. :D
Nineteen...Nineteen...Six Five
RoboHobo
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Re: Bill Callaghan/Smog

Post by RoboHobo »

So I went for Supper in the end and I'm very pleased. Vessel in Vain is as god as I expected but Truth Serum is fantastic too. Will be getting A river ain't too much to Love and Red Aple Falls next pay day.
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