Search - Califone :: Quicksand: Cradlesnakes

Hmmmm...I think I like it.

lisakinda | Providence, RI United States | 10/01/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Genre(s): Experimental, Bluegrass, Indie RockThe Music: They rely heavily on string instruments such as the bango, acoustic, slide and electric guitars, mandolin and fiddle. Add to that, simple piano chords, experimental sounds of buzzing, kitchen sink clinking and clanging, and a sharp focus on percussion and you've got Califone. Who to compare them to: Well, there's the obvious comparison to Wilco (esp. since they've toured together), but Califone is definitely quirkier.

Vocals: Tim Rutili, subtly backed by Jim Becker and Gabrielle McLaughlin, has a gravely, easygoing melodic voice, remarkably similar to Lyle Lovett. There isn't any belt-out singing on this record, the focus is more on the music, and the vocals work as a perfect accompaniment. Standout Songs: Horoscopic Amputation Honey, Michigan Girls, Your Golden Ass, Million Dollar FuneralAdditional commentary: This is the only album I own by Califone. I've learned from various reviews that their previous albums, though interesting, were somewhat inconsistent and awkward and this album stands out as their best work yet. My only qualm with this album is that the end fizzles out into similar sounding songs, which are long and redundant. But for the songs they deliver up to track 9, it's definitely worth owning and getting regular play."

Junkmedia.org Review - Highly textured and solid!

junkmedia | Los Angeles, CA | 05/01/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Straddling the line between alt-country band and wild, avant-garde studio project, Califone has a voracious appetite for experimentation. They also know how to write a good song. Quicksand/Cradlesnakes is adventurous, hightly textured, and occasionally out-there. Percussionist Ben Masserella lays down positively thick rhythm tracks, putting all kinds of found objects to work. A standard drum kit is used on only a few songs. On the rest, shakers, various metallic clinks and clanks, buzzes, and de-tuned tom-toms drive the music forward. Sometimes the percussion threatens to outshine the rest of the band with its constantly shifting intricacies. The ambient sounds Califone achieves here (with the help of producer Graeme Gibson) are impressive. Listen on headphones, and you'll hear amps buzzing, musicians coughing, and fingers sliding across guitar strings. This decidedly un-slick production makes every sound on the record seem up-close, as though you're hearing it live in the studio rather than through your stereo. Of course, all of this expert studio technique is worth nothing without good songs to back it up. Fortunately, singer-songwriter Tim Rutili delivers. The pensive "Horoscopic Amputation Honey" opens the record with Rutili's warm rasp and spare piano chords rising and falling over a slow steady beat. The lyrics are oblique, fractured almost, but they fit the music perfectly. "Buzzing like a worn out fret," he sings, in what could be a description of his band's sound. "We'll cut our hair and fake our death." The stomping, Velvet Underground-esque "Your Golden Ass" is a standout, with its dueling drum kits and stuttering, distorted guitar. But the real winner is "Vampiring Again". It sounds like a lost country-rock classic, boasting an aching melody, wistful lyrics, and a heartfelt vocal. Quicksand/Cradlesnake establishes Califone as an ambitious band with the songwriting chops to back up its penchant for studio strangeness. The album might not be their defining masterpiece --a few of the songs get lost in murkiness -- but it definitely points them in the right direction.Tyler Wilcox
Junkmedia.org Review"

The Beautiful Noise...

John Schacht | charlotte, North Carolina United States | 10/02/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On Quicksand:Cradlesnakes, Califone combine(mostly) acoustic sounds with tape loops, synth sound and myriad percussive instruments, which has been their defining trait since the some of the members of this group made the last Red Red Meat record (There's a Star Above the Manger Tonight).The result here is quite simply some of the most beautiful and intriguing music around because they get all these disparate sounds to coalesce into a seamless combination that makes the modern touches sound just as 'traditional' as the familiar instruments...Quiet moments of Delta-like Blues, Appalachian country or Indie-pop explode into feedback-drenched overdubs and morph back again as the band obliterates the idea of verse-verse-chorus rock to create something fresh and transcendent.Not to dis the other reviewer, but this sounds nothing like Wilco -- and I like both the band and their 'experimental' record, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. But YHF uses dissonance and synthetic noise to set up a clash with the traditional sounds of guitar, bass, drums, etc., whereas Quicksand -- like all of Califone's records -- manages to combine the two into an organic whole. It's musical alchemy, frankly, and Tim Rutili and Co. are wizards at this.I'd also heartily recommend their entire back catalogue, too, especially Roomsound, their previous disc, and Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People (two out-of-print EPs plus two unreleased tracks); both work VERY well by themselves and will please anyone who enjoys the unique formula Califone may have perfected with Quicksand..."