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Smog | Rain On Lens

Prolific Bill Callahan is back - again.
CD, Domino/PIAS

Tekst: Wilko van Iperen

Publicatiedatum: 05 december 2001

Although a friend of mine has the opinion that musicians have a duty to provide us with a record every year, I think bands who put out a record a year almost every time come up with something that could've been better if they'd only thought a bit longer about the songs. But Smog made me change my mind on this subject. Ever since 'Bathysphere' (on 'Wild Love') became a kind of underground dance-classic among our friends, Smog got warm attention. Bill Callahan's latest offering after last year's 'Dongs of Sevotion' may be even better than that masterpiece. 'Dongs' had the killer 'Dress Sexy at My Funeral', but 'Rain on Lens' has many more sure-to-blow-you-away songs. His minimalist approach of music has evolved into a more rock sound, which is shown off in the first number, titled 'Song', after the intro. Although Callahan writes songs with a beginning and an end, they always sound to me as streams of music. 'Dirty Pants' is a good example of this, while its follow-up 'Lazy Rain' is a two-chord piece which doesn't appear to be a song. Smog songs are more like little stories put to intense music. Callahan sounds like a sad loner, but if you listen closely, you'll find out that the man's songs are filled with (dark) humour: "I took your party invitation list / and wrote 'enemies' across the top of it." The album begins with the intro 'Rain on Lens 1' and ends with the song 'Rain on Lens 2'. Oh well, 'Revanchism' is the real last one, but is a kind of stranger among the other songs. It has a much more playful sound compared with Callahan's other ones. It's a wonder this man can keep a straight face during his gigs and a shame he won't be doing any near me!

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/smog/rain-on-lens/923/
Meer Smog op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/smog