CALIBOS
Calibos (Arlingtone)
Reviewed by Jason Thornberry

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Dreamy, lush guitarock that at moments seems a bit like Galaxie 500. Very well-played, and almost hook-free. I really enjoyed this cd, but the feeling was much like you'd get after a film with memorable explosions, plenty of car chases and prat-falls, but very little in the way of a story line. Like a porno, with all the awkward lines expurgated; straight sex. It doesn't work on a CD, unfortunately. I went away going "Indie-rock. Lotsa guitars. Plaintive vocal bits. The odd instrumental ("Draft," which is actually the standout track. It's a pity they never found words to fit there.)" I knew that as soon as 'Indie-Rock' became an actual genre, a title, a category, it was only a matter of time before it ran sluggish on where to go next. A bit like painting yourself into a corner. You have your Sonic Youth/Nirvana-bees, your Swervedriver clones, a few Rocket From the Crypt impersonators, and a couple of Pavement-heads. It's fairly boring to someone who just wants to hear something... new. Who cares if you sound like the lost Pixies record? What happens next? (www.arlingtone.com)

© 2000 - Jason Thornberry