Listening to the latest release by Chapel Hill-based band Calico Haunts, After All, brings to mind an awful lot of adjectives and comparisons, none of which truly do justice to the visionary music contained within the recording itself. The album mixes elements of Psychedelia, country-rock, and the best traits of singer-songwriter atmosphere to create a majestic blend that finds itself referencing familiar signposts while at the same time remaining wholly original-and making perfect sense in the 21st century . On the Beach and Tonight’s the Night find themselves shoulder to shoulder with Moby Grape, Delta Momma Blues and the Best of Leonard Cohen. Strong words, indeed, but the proof is in the sprawling production and the swaggering, moody mid-tempo grooves that inhabit After All. Formed when Michael Rank and Nikos Chremos from local heroes Snatches of Pink urged Baltimore expatriate vocalist/songwriter Alexander Iglehart to find a full-band vehicle for his songs, Calico Haunts began life in the Spring of 2006 with a lineup including Rank, Chremos, and drummer Cameron Weeks (Black Skies). The band’s first album, Funeral Parlour Blues, released in the Autumn of 2007, was a sparse, sometimes dour-and at times tentative-first step into Iglehart’s sprawling songwriting. The story had begun, but a significant chapter had yet to be written. After All is a giant leap forward in every way. Relying on his own recording skills, Alex-along with new Calico Haunts recruit Jenni Snyder (Grand National,Whiskeytown)-recorded the album at their house in Chapel Hill utilizing their trusty 8 track Tascam to marvelous, swirling effect. The improvement is profound: massive amounts of reverb-an effect that is practically its own instrument on the record-provide a perfect foundation for sometimes distorted, sometimes chiming, Byrds-ian guitars (for the best example of this marriage go straight to closing number “Shallow Seas”), bluesy harmonica, and strong songcraft. Tracks like “Capricorn Sun” ooze with paisley sensibility, while the understated, country tinged beauty of “North of Pine Hollow” drips with West Coast strut. The title track itself is a lovely mix of Neil Young stomp and Nikki Sudden groove, with gorgeous harmony vocals and a harrowing harmonica track by Snyder. During the making of After All, Alex and Jenni set about recruiting a full band and brought on board former Fake Swedish member Eric Haugen-who plays not only guitar but pedal steel, and is featured on three of the album’s twelve tracks including the previously mentioned “Shallow Seas”- and Wylie Pamplin (also on guitar), who provides the lead guitar track on the country rock influenced “House by the Highway.” The drum kit slot was filled with Moaners member Laura King. Recreating the magic of an album as singular as After All in the live setting is no mean feat, but Haugen, King and Pamplin have risen to the challenge of translating Alex and Jenni’s vision of the album into an accessible, visceral, rock and roll experience. The true test of a great record is one that sounds familiar, contemporary and reverential all at the same time. With After All, Calico Haunts have passed the test. In fact, through creating their own blend of music from several different time-honored sources, they’ve come up with a record that surpasses all expectations-certainly for a sophomore release-in scope, production, genre and writing. -John Howie Jr.
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