Not sure if this is a normal arc for aging hipsters but recently oddball indie country has really been clicking in a way it never did before and Bill Callahanâs work as Smog is just amazing. His baritone voice really sells the poetic tales of self-loathing. Hell the entire album Knock Knock is about fumbling Chan Marshall (Cat Power) and if thatâs not a relatable vibe I donât know what is
Album picks: Red Apple Falls, Dongs of Sevotion, Knock Knock, A River Ainât Too Much to Love, Supper
Jan 10, 2025
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so nineties... classic imo for alternative and indie music lovers. very moody. more casually listenable than smogs earlier albums but before he transitioned away from the alias smog and fully realized the folksy style that would define Bill Callahan.
Jan 12, 2025
This is a song off the compilation album âAccumulation, Noneâ from Smog/Bill Callahan, covering the early part of his career. Itâs an otherwise unreleased song. Itâs one of those songs that stops me in my tracks, the strange lyrics, the whining guitars, the minimal drum keeping just a slight groove, it all feels sort of empty and cloudy in the best way. Iâd recommend more broadly digging into the early Smog albums.
Feb 14, 2024
The standout hits are Slugs (my song of the summer) and Yard (truly a song worth sitting and crying to).
I wouldnât say theyâre sad rock, but their songs are very reflective of past love / mistakes / recognizing your limits as a person / a long to change who you are; you can relate to the album regardless of where youâre at. They also have a little midwestern hint to their sound, and they sneak a harmonica & some banjo into Broadview, which is a nice little change of pace.
I like albums that make you feel things and this one brings a sense of understanding & acceptance whenever I listen to it. Like yes, I can relate to the feelings & the pain & regret in the songs, but theyâre almost written (and meant to be listened to) from the other side, once youâve made it through those life moments and can look back at them understanding how theyâve brought you to this very moment. Thatâs this album for me.
Apr 19, 2024
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Going online used to be an activity you sat down to and then could get up and walk away from. Now itâs some kind of panopticon that weâre connected to almost 24/7 that requires our constant availability and can demand our attention whenever it wants. We werenât meant to be this online!!!!
Actual pic from my personal archives (playing Unreal Tournament with a new 3dfx graphics card circa 2000)
Feb 21, 2025
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Jan 18, 2025