Search - Call :: To Heaven And Back

The Call still worth hearing

D. Ryland | Victoria, BC Canada | 05/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the draw-backs of true fan-dom is a lack of objectivity, which can manifest itself both in an over-praised or under-valued analysis of the subject at hand. Reading the user reviews for The Call's 1997 CD To Heaven and Back, one can see the fervour with which fans have supported this criminally under-appreciated American act. Most consider the album typically good but not up to the standards of its better know works.

But while THAB does not contain the single song as magnificent as Let the Day Begin, as a casual fan who has listened to every Call album from time to time, I think most of the writers below are simply getting a bit defensive after so many years of trying to sell this band to a public who have little interest in what the Call have to offer. Which, as supporters know, is considerable.

Opening with Soaring Bird (and its treated guitar and vocals), the album begins on a positive note of exuberance and the typical combination of melody and intelligence that has been Michael Been's song-writing hallmark. This is indeed a "heavenly" beginning, but as the album's title promises, things come crashing down to Earth in short order.

In Criminal "love stands trial, love stands denied" as the songs shift into a series of relationship examinations that are filled with complex details of happiness and hardship. The beautiful ballad Think It Over and the 50s-ish Musta Been Outta My Mind add nice tempo changes to Been's usual mid-tempo song style.

The album ends strongly with a trio of Been classics: the socially conscious Become America, his best of this type since Let the Day Begin; the confrontational What Are You Made Of; and finally, Confession, which sounds like the greatest unrecorded Joy Division song ever.

I picked this CD up for 2 bucks in a cut-out bin. That in itself is a sad tale. But what's sadder is that even the band's fans seem to be hedging their bets when it comes to supporting the group`s output. This album, like all of their work, continues to showcase the power and eloquence this band has dealt in for over 20 years, even if they and a few die-hards are the only ones who remain rewarded by the experience. Note to Amazon: Please correct the title of this listing.

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If you're a fan ...

Rick V. | 03/24/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I love The Call, I love Michael Been ... but I was disappointed with Heaven & Back, for the primary reason that the production was so muddy. Been's plaintive vocals are overwhelmed by the sloppy production. I can't speak for the anthologies, but I'd recommend Reconciled, Into The Woods, Red Moon and Let The Day Begin anytime. Personally, I'd say get Heaven & Back if you want to complete your collection. Ideally, you could give it a listen first before you decide to purchase. I have tried hard to get into this but I have been unable to enjoy it as much as their other recordings."

Return of the Kings

the drummer | 07/17/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The original alternative band has returned with perhaps the finest album of the year. Michael Been and company show why they were the number one "cult" band of the '80's all the while not rehashing past hits, but creating a CD that's as fresh and pulsating as anything currently on the air-waves. This is not a money-motivated reunion work; this is,as Peter Gabriel once said, the future of American music. The future is now."