Call and Response

Call and Response Artist: Call and Response
Label: Emperor Norton
Category: Music


Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Format: Extra tracks
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1


UPC: 607217704426
EAN: 0607217704426
ASIN: B00005OAGS


Release Date: 2001-10-02

Call and Response


Related Categories:

General General
Categories | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie Rock Indie Rock
Categories | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General General
Categories | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock Pop Rock
Categories | Pop | Styles | Music
American Alternative American Alternative
Categories | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Tracks:

  1. Blowin' Bubbles
  2. All Night Long
  3. Rollerskate
  4. Nightflight
  5. California Floating In Space
  6. When The Lights Are Out
  7. Lightbulb
  8. The Fool
  9. Map
  10. I Know You Want Me
  11. Colors
  12. Stars Have Eyes

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  3. Call and Response

Album Description

Fresh classic pop songs infused with California sunshine. One listen to the band's debut album will leave you awake in bed for hours 'cuz you can't get those songs out of your head! Emperor Norton re-releases the band's debut album with 2 brand new songs and 4 remixes, all produced by Mickey Petralia (Beck, Luscious Jackson, Air).

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars I'm blowing bubbles.......2005-02-12

Call & Response created some truly enchanting music in their self-titled debut -- sunny, bubbly music, overflowing with 1960s psychedelic charm. Okay, it's a bit on the sugary side. In the end its few flaws are overcome by catchy hooks and charming songs about California floating in space... in short, all the good things about an acid trip, with none of the side effects.

"I'm drinkin' stars up in the sky/You know who you are/I'm drivin' cars around your house/It seems so fun," Dan Judd croons in the opener, conjuring up a feeling of carefree youth and cool evenings by the beach. And that's not easy in a song where he then sings about bubbles going "pop."

Call and Response then meanders merrily into songs about rollerskating, daydreams and stars. The sound changes a bit from song to song -- "All Night Long" has a thrilling rock riff at the beginning -- but usually sticks to midtempo, catchy pop music, full of psychedelic swirls and poppy hooks. Not that it is simple musically -- in fact, it's difficult to keep up with all the layers.

Basically, Call & Response is catchy pop music that is keyed for all ages, rather than bubblegum. In fact, it is completely different from bubblegum fluff. For an idea of what I'm talking about, think pop music from the 60s, such as the Beatles, Zombies and Beach Boys, because those are on the same wavelength as Call & Response.

Their retro sound is reflected in the songs -- cheery, sunny, and a bit nostalgic, and flavored with odd ends of funk, rock and jazz. The basic rock lineup is augmented by flexy moog, swirling wurlitzer and some wicked marimbas, and Terry Loewenthal's flexible jazz basslines give an extra boost to an already catchy sound.

The one downside may be the lyrics on a few of the songs -- the bunny hop? Not such a good rhyme for "pop." The trippier songs are infinitely more fun, with smooth croons of "Even orange poppy lie/Speak to me in songs sung with my eyes/Watching sand where beaches lie/As do I," against a swooping psychedelic backdrop. Really, how much more fun can it be?

Call & Response give a retro twist to their enchanting pop music, injecting it with California sunshine and a bit of acid. Definitely worth checking out.

3 out of 5 stars Lighthearted breezy pop.......2003-08-09

Breezy and lighthearted, yes, but creative and interesting enough where it maintains your attention. This is basically mature adult oriented pop, as opposed to glossy candy-coated pop for teens. Just think Laetitia Sadier's vocals/harmonies from Stereolab combined with an updated version of Pet Sounds era Beach Boys. Musically, the best and closest comparison is Tahiti 80 from France, with perhaps the same romping happy-go-lucky vibes of Beulah or The Bees. The sound is soft, subtle and most importantly, fun.

5 out of 5 stars Pure Neo Bubblegum Bliss.......2002-01-11

The Free Design, the Carpenters, the Jackson Five, Air, Stereolab, and Nico all get together to record lost tracks from Schoolhouse Rock, watch the All-Star Laff-a-Lympics, and maybe sip pina coladas in the back of a van somewhere.

2 out of 5 stars pleasant but few solid tracks.......2001-12-22

I heard "Rollerskate" on my Walkman FM radio while running at the beach and rushed to buy this album. The other tracks proved to be pleasant and at times campy, but there was little compulsion to play the CD repeated times. Most of the songs are on the inspidid side and I could only listen to "Rollerskate" so many times. This kind of 1960s nostalgia combined with wistful youthful love is far better created by the band The Cherry Orchard, which I highly recommend.

5 out of 5 stars

Music Album:

  1. Atlanta Rhythm Section '96 ~ Atlanta Rhythm Section '96
  2. In My Own Way ~ Michael Bruce
  3. Love Always Wins ~ '68 Comeback
  4. Bobby Sherman/Portrait of Bobby ~ Bobby Sherman
  5. Bright White ~ Shawn Phillips
  6. Best: 1991-2003 ~ Joe d'Urso & Stone Caravan
  7. Moonhead ~ Thin White Rope
  8. Tried + True ~ Tinfed
  9. Extended Versions (Live) ~ Mountain
  10. Ragpicker's Dream ~ Mark Knopfler

Music Album

Music Album

Music CD

Guitar ~ Louie Shelton

Dubbelgoud ~ Laurens Van Rooyen

Alone in San Francisco ~ Thelonious Monk

Retro Blue

Cohn on the Saxophone ~ Al Cohn

We Live Here ~ Pat Metheny

Nita

Biotope ~ Sound Schedule

Song of Song ~ Akihito Hayashi

Autenticos Otomies ~ Autenticos Otomies