Monday 14 July 2014

...WHO CALLS SO LOUD

GenresPunk / Rock / Screamo / Emo / Post-Hardcore / Post-Rock / Emotional Hardcore
Related artistsFuneral Diner and Portraits Of Past.
CountrySan Francisco, California USA
Years Active2008
Song: "Me'd Palms"
Album: "...Who Calls So Loud" 12inch
Year: 2007-2008
Label(s): Adadio830 / Protagonist Music / Utarid Tapes
This post's artist is from the June 2014 Mix. This is track #10.
You can download the July Mix#7 right here or get the new August Mix#8 here.
For fans ofComa RegaliaFuneral Diner, Vi Som Alskade Varandra Sa Mycket, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Congratulations, Youth Novel, Angel Eyes, GRYSCL, Portraits Of Past, City Of Caterpillar, Welcome The Plague Year, Matsuri, Mihai Edrisch, Todos Caeran, Gospel, Altar Of Complaints, Bright Calm Blue, Carrion Spring, Raein, La Quiete, Daitro, Mogwai, Sed Non Satiata, Envy and Cobra Kai aka PROPER Screamo.

...WHO CALLS SO LOUD was awesome. What did they sound like? Funeral Diner. Who did they share members with? Funeral Diner. What band will I refer to for pretty much the reminder of this review? Funeral Diner. Which band was better out of the two? Funeral Diner. That being said, ...WHO CALLS SO LOUD are certainly worth your time, just don't expect anything a whole lot different than...that other band.

That's not entirely true, I guess. These 2 albums are as consistent as the best Funeral Diner albums - I'm talking about 'The Underdark' and the 'Dead City split' in particular. There's also a much more obvious emphasis on twangy, country stuff, although it never becomes prominent...thank god, as Dave generally despises country music. The albums also boast more atmospherics in the sense that everything fits together so well that it creates a sort of aura, dark, massive, pretty and passionate. The stuff used on these albums always works and the songs never disappoint. Oh, and it sounds like Funeral Diner, so it has to be good.

12"EP
"Hey, I'm Outside" is an ambient electronic intro that sounds like it could have been on Radiohead's 'Kid A'.
"M'ed Palms" is definitely Funeral Diner-esque with hints of Portraits Of Past, Gospel and an amazing initial riff that is driving as all hell. "Resonant Grain Solo", much like the opening track, is a subdued instrumental song, this one focusing primarily on western prairie/bluegrass rock. The epic closer "Lark vs. Rascal" is a fantastic song that weighs in at almost 9 minutes and could be likened to some of Sed Non Satiata's material from their phenomenal split with Daitro - that is, slow, building, atmospheric rock for almost 2 minutes before blasting forth with the instrumental force of June Paik. Wall-to-wall sound and anguished screams line the song up to the 4-minute mark when the track almost short-circuits my computer with a massive breakdown that leads to a climax and the subsequent 3-minute denouement that brings the EP to a close.

2x12"LP
"Sleep-Like" sounds like classic Funeral Diner with a bit more power and less finesse, although there are certainly bouts of melodic riffing dispersed throughout the track. This is one of the band's best, no doubt. "I Need to Experience the Ultimate" has some of the best vocals that Seth has ever done, as the last minute of the song is a very intimate and powerful listen. "4.4.4.4." is another driving song that really hits its stride at the halfway point and gives a few head nods to earlier emo/screamo such as Inkwell, Indian Summer and Tipping Canoe. I should mention at this point that every track (save one) on this 2x10" is over 5 minutes long, with most clocking in over 6 minutes. "Assume the Power Focus" starts out like an instrumental track that sounds quite a bit like "Resonant Grain Solo" but with all instruments accompanying the twangy, wailin' country slide until class ...WHO CALLS SO LOUD comes calling just before 2 minutes in, but doesn't save the traack from being one of the weakest on the album. "What I Learned at C.O.U.M." begins like some of Off Minor's more epic stuff, with a bit of clean riffing and vocals that sound an awful like Jamie. The song clocks in as the album's longest at 9:37 and is fucking epiiiiiiiiiiiiiic, although it doesn't get nearly as heavy as their other epic tracks. Imagine Gospel having sex with City Of Caterpillar (and, obviously, Funeral Diner) with some really cool little guitar licks that help transition each section. "Any Color I Want" is the only song under 5 minutes (4:25 to be exact) and follows your standard soft/hard dynamic with screamy results. "Coming Together Over a Black Sun" is a very aggressive song that doesn't let up nearly as much as the other tracks on the album, as the only slowdown is the outro 30 seconds or so. As good as this song is, at this point it's quite obvious that many songs by ...WHO CALLS SO LOUD sound eerily similar, but when they are all this good who gives a shit, right? "Slip Step" is the closer and again the band spares no expense crafting an extremely engaging song that ties the opening track as the strongest on the album. I didn't know screamy vocals could be so emotional that they are actually haunting, but this song pulls it off, all in the midst of swells that rise and fall while anchored to those sweet, slow, lead riffs.

Both records included in this download were recorded from my personal copies of the band's 2 albums, which I am selling in order to fund my Zegema Beach Records label. Grab the 2x10" here and the 12" here.

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DISCOGRAPHY
Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in mp3 form.

2008 - ...Who Calls So Loud 2x10"+cdLP (purchase here)
2008 - ...Who Calls So Loud 12"EP (purchase here)

???? - Discography cassette compilation

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(2008) ...WHO CALLS SO LOUD - "Me'd Palms" (from 'S/T 12inch')

(2008) ...WHO CALLS SO LOUD - "Lark vs. Rascal" (from 'S/T 12inch')

(2008) ...WHO CALLS SO LOUD - "Sleep-Like" (from 'S/T 2x10inch')

(2008) ...WHO CALLS SO LOUD - "Slip Step" (from 'S/T 2x10inch')

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...WHO CALLS SO LOUD out-of-print discography mp3 downloads

(download here)
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