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Vermont

Calling Albany
2002
Kindercore

Vermont - Calling Albany (Cover Artwork)


Review by: DefineEmo4Me
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Published on April 16th 2002

Vermont’s Calling Albany is music as an art form, the way it should be played. Sonic brush strokes paint gorgeous landscapes of splendid acoustic guitars, serene keyboards, and wistful harmonicas, creating 12 classic pop gems.

Calling Albany is the sophomore release from this indie rock supergroup consisting of Promise Ring vocalist Davey Von Bohlen and drummer Dan Didier and Pele guitarist Chris Roseanau. Vermont is everything a side project should be: a complete 180 from the original band’s trademark sound. None of Vermont’s tracks could become Promise Ring songs. Von Bohlin and Didier exchange hard-rocking progressions, crashing drums, pristine production, and poppy hooks for laid-back sounds of summer, unpredictable instrumentation, restrained drumwork, and a more intimate recording style. They retain the Promise Ring’s pop sensibilities and undeniable harmonies, and add rich, textured melodies and spiced-up percussion.

Von Bohlen, whose lyric sheets often straddle the line between saccharine ballads and basic ditties that attain catchiness through repetition, has expanded his abilities as a singer/songwriter. His songs swing from descriptive imagery to sincere storytelling to heartfelt yearning to retired basketball stars ("Ballad of Larry Bird," a definite vehicle for Von Bohlin’s unmistakable childlike croons.)

Other highlights include the lo-fi "Bells of Saint Alcohol," with its despondent chamber pop style and cacophonous vocals, and "The World Doesn’t Ask You," with a spacey acoustic guitar solo that makes you feel as if you’re in the room watching Roseanau screech his hands across his instrument. Pop music just doesn’t get better than "Where the Wild Drums Are," with it’s twinkly guitars parts, unbelievable harmonies, and crescending drums that seem always on the brink of erupting into dissonance, but end up playing the soundtrack to a comforting lullaby. Which is exactly Vermont’s purpose--they’re out so sing you to sleep, not rock your socks off. Next time Sunday afternoon arrives and breeze is just right, the sun is partially obscured by puffy clouds, the hammock is comfortable, the birds are chirping, and the smell of fresh-cut grass floats your direction, forget about your problems for just 38 minutes and put on Calling Albany.






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    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at 12:27 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I like the Larry Bird song... - bigjerk

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at 3:43 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Now that I think about it, maybe this record was over-praised. There's been a few albums this year that surpass it. But heck, it's still a nice, pretty pop record.

    DefineEmo4Me

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at 6:16 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    ps....it sounds like this album giving you head or fulfilling you sexually...i think that's cute =]

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at 6:14 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    this sounded more like an advertisment then a review, "pop gem" sounds liek a cliche from dogprint...anyways i say crtics should be more ciritcal..ha! i crack myself up. =]

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at 4:57 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Someone else posted before i finished writeing my comment. The dumbest thing I've read on here is Chris's post, not Jimi's.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at 4:56 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    That comment two below this is the dumbest thing I've ever read on this site...and that's saying a lot.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at 4:55 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    doesnt make vermont anything more than shitty and mediocre.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at 3:23 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    that's funny chris...

    Davey's been writing music since Mr. Carraba was around 5 years old...

    Your comment is weak and lacking any kind of intelligence....

    I hope you die...(oh no! That's not intelligent either...i'm stooping to your level)

    Jimi

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 16, 2002 at 12:22 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    if dashboard smoked 25 packs a day and dumbed down his guitar work even more (is this possible?) then it would be Vermont. This mediocre shit really needs to stop. Apparently every person who decides he has girl problems thinks he has the green flag to go ahead and make tons of shitty, mediocre songs and release them, ever since dashboard made it "big" on m2. ugh.

    chris

    Posted by wyzo on 2002-04-16 00:09:04
    My Score:

    didn't expect to see this record reviewed.

    I own the first record on vinyl I think I listened to it once. I got this on CD, I really liked it.

    The title track designated by * on the tracklisting reminds me (lyrically not musically) of the sort of gray urban melancholy of the average guy caught up in the 9-5 that funeral oration wrote about. Musically its slow tempo and the chorus really echoes and builds on the feeling of loneliness and quiet desperation.

    wyzo