Review: Her Name is Calla :: The Quiet Lamb

Her Name is Calla, a British band located on the border of the Post Rock genre, release their second CD, “The Quiet Lamb” on Denovali.

After their first release “The Heritage”, which was well received, they’re back amongst us, with a very personal sounding CD, full of atmospherics, swelling sounds of emotions, and reminiscent of past heroes of indy and progressive rock. I must admit that writing this review was far from easy: Normally, I will listen to CDs while doing other daily routines, and after gaining a sense for the CD, I’ll listen to it as a whole and write up a draft review while doing so. “The Quiet Lamb” made this impossible, due to the depths and details that it entails, this is in no manner a CD to be played in the background.

Moss Giant starts the album, and what seems like a few minutes of atmopsheric orchestration that could be used as a film score, is actually a finely detailed melody that leads the listener into the rest of the release. beeps, clicks, swelling synth sounds, a beatiful piano melody, all build into a space like feeling of floating.

A Blood Promise is one of the tracks that will get HNIC more fans (in combination with “Pour More Oil”). Delicate from the first second, vocals joining the guitars, I believe I even hear some horms/brass in the background. Ever-present strings join in, soft background vocals augmenting Toms words, a change in track slows the track down and leads into…

Pour More Oil, which is the other side of the coin. Where “A Blood Promise” turned the heat down to a small flame, Pour More Oil picks it up again, faster and heavier, the lyrics begin to pound to the speed of the strings, the strings react and follow suit, an equal circle of emotions going around and around.

Interval 1 is a break after the tumultuous previous tracks, organic samples, warm synths and strings.

Condor and River is a track that HNIC fans will know and love. Clocking in at over 17 minutes, its the perfect showcase for Toms vocals, saturated with a feeling of desperation and solitude.

Long Grass starts slowly with vocals and simple guitars, however builds up after a couple of minutes, swelling into a touching affair with airy vocals before deteriorating, seemingly into nothing but strings.

Homecoming, a short 2 minute ditty full of delicacy, with a very organic sound, and an intensely intimate feeling.

Thief starts up with a monotonous pounding, before a warm church-like synth begins picking out the melody. Toms laborious lyrics kick in leading the track into a full bodied symphony, with strings gradually taking control. The warmth of this track is not lost, it remains for the listener to hold on to, up intil the final build up and release.

Interval 2 is another “in-betweener”, allbeit at 3 minutes. Strings and samples abound, I can imagine this being used at a live gig as an opener.

The Union: I Worship a Golden Sun is the first part of an arduous journey. Chanting vocals, a steady thundering, intertwined with finespun sounds, crashing melodies like waves on a coastline.

The Union: Recidivist picks up where the first part left off, adding more warmth with analogue sounds and a disorderly and disturbed attack on the listener. A difficult track to appreciate, with changes around every corner, waiting to surprise.

The Union: Into the West starts in a calmer fashion, brass and strings painting a gentle picture, until the rolling and thundering drums join back in. The track expands, grows and thickens, until the lyrics reappear, trying to reach the listener above the clamouring of the instruments.

In summary, a CD that demands to be listened to in its entirety, on the sole condition that the listener is willing to invest the time and effort to be lead along a twisted and stony road. For some reason that I can’t quite put my finger on, I hear moments of Gregor Samsa, ASMZ, The Moody Blues and even early Genesis dotted throughout the CD.

Interview with the band here.