Album Notes

Sacred Profanities, the debut album from San Francisco-based Calafia, arrives on the heels of a series of hazy days the band spent tucked away in the Oakland Hills recording at their Old Dirty Basement studio. At its heart Sacred Profanities is a patchwork of Americana; the self-produced affair allows Calafia to tip its hat to its musical influences while creating a style that is wholly its own. The blues romp "Sheets to The Wind" kicks off the 11-song affair in high fashion, spinning a tale of a night on the town and highlighting the band’s knack for tongue in cheek humor. "Stayin' Single" keeps the honky-tonk tradition alive, and "For Cryin' Out Loud" is a classic pedal steel-drenched lament from the depths of a lonesome heart. Homage is paid to country heroes in "Dead Ends," reminding us that those old stalwarts are always close by for comfort when one finds himself down and out. “Crazy Over You” and the aptly-titled “Dead Guys & Steel Guitars” put a fresh spin on roots-rock while "Your House is Burning Down" swirls and snarls with electric guitar, organ, and pedal steel, working its way to a frantic explosion that might well be described as “acid-country.” The sparse intensity of "You Take it Too Hard," the album's final track, showcases a band that is at once brash yet sincere, leaving the listener wondering where Calafia's muse will lead it next.