Califone Preview

Califone
The Hideout, Chicago
Sunday, August 13, 2006

In anticipation — burning anticipation, since it’s two months off — of the forthcoming Roots & Crowns (Thrill Jockey), Chicago’s Califone headline Wabansia House.

Though their saga has lasted longer, Califone are known as the band who were Red Red Meat. Part of that is owed to all four RRM members having spent time in Califone (today it’s just Tim Rutili and Ben Massarella, though Brian Deck produces), and even more to Califone’s continuance of the deconstructed and contaminated folk waters RRM ended with on There’s A Star Above The Manger Tonight (Sub Pop).

Operating on their own label, Perishable, allowed them to explore all sorts of open spaces for their first four albums and numerous EPs, testing sheet metal, bass-tuned acoustic guitars, and tape hiss as viable instruments. When they poked their heads out on 2003’s Quicksand/Cradlesnakes (Thrill Jockey), the results were an astounding pastiche of earthborn instrumentation, work-in-progress electronic/organic arrangements, and Rutili’s trademark stream-of-consciousness rambling. It was viewed as a sister album to Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot — the two had toured together extensively — until the followup, Heron King Blues, squashed any notions of streamlining.

Roots & Crowns, due October 10th, retains Heron‘s rumbling buzz and entrancing forest groove while keeping Quicksand‘s melodic streak. “A Chinese Actor” threatens to succumb to feedback squall while Rutili’s falsetto teases with Prince flirtations. On “3 Legged Animals” the clouds break with tape loops and cajun accordion — the list of instruments reads like a Tom Waits garage sale — while “Sunday Noises” reduces the collage to its most traditional, Rutili humming along unaware of when the next electric shock will spring through the monitors.

oRSo open. Califone also appear 5:30 p.m. Saturday, August 12th at West Fest (Chicago Ave. between Damen Ave. and Wood St.).

— Steve Forstneger

Click here to download “One” from Quicksand/Cradlesnakes.

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly