Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By The Callas With Ranaldo, Inner Ear/Dirty Water Records 2018.
The Callas is the brainchild of Greek brothers Lakis and Aris Ionas.
It’s an artistic collective based in Athens that produces multi-media art works that cover the full gambit from music, visual arts, magazines, films, events, live concerts and happenings.
Their last two albums, Am I Vertical, and Half Kiss, Half Pain were produced by Jim Sclavunos who produced albums for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Lydia Lunch, and The Cramps but for this release they were after a different approach.
The group worked with renowned garage/punk musician/producer, Lee Ranaldo on their new feature film, The Great Eastern, and on the accompanying album, Trouble And Desire, which is due for release on the 26 October.
As multi-media filmmakers The Callas approach music from a different perspective than most musicians consequently they come up with some unusual results.
The sonic palette of Trouble And Desire is diverse and exploratory with songs that range in style from dreamy pop to brutal industrial ambience and on to subversive post-punk shronk.
Because the pieces have been written to accompany film many of them are short instrumental improvisations and seven of the 14 tracks are variations on the opening piece, Octopus 1.
These tracks link the remaining seven songs together into a meaningful narrative.
In reviewing other film scores I’ve commented that the music often has trouble standing on its own without the supporting visual images. This isn’t the case with Trouble And Desire.
Lee Ranaldo commented; “Working with The Callas was a pleasure… I’ve been drawn into their artistic world and I’ve been having a great time making music with these like-minded travelers. Our collaboration took off quickly, it was a natural fit, we speak the same language.”
There are many influences that filter their way through their music.
The title track, Trouble And Desire, has a spoken section that could be a lost Flash ‘n’ The Pan song and Mirror has a hypnotic drum/bass track that borrows from Lee Ranaldo’s solo work.
Despite, or possibly because of, their left-field artistic origins The Callas have attracted the interest of the mainstream music press.
“Rock and roll thick and heavy.” Brooklyn Vegan.
“Oddly thrilling.” Mojo.
“5/5-Album of the week.” Artrocker.
