by Heather Phares
Building on Julius Caesar's artful songcraft, Wild Love expands Bill Callahan's lyrical and musical horizons, balancing roughness and polish in just the right amounts. Recorded in a proper studio with Drag City's favorite producer, Rian Murphy, the album benefits from a wider musical palette; instead of Julius Caesar's lo-fi patchwork, the sound is focused into a hypnotic blend of chamber music and indie rock. Keyboards, chamberlin, and cello add a theatrical flair to Wild Love's dark, witty portraits of domestic frustration, especially the opening and closing songs, &Bathysphere& and &Goldfish Bowl.& The arrangements are key; sometimes they reflect the moody, detailed lyrics. On the frail, flickering ballad &The Candle,& Callahan sings, &I'm gathering these splinters to make a raft someday,& accompanied by delicate, feeble guitars and keyboards, while &Be Hit&'s awkward drumming and out-of-tune strumming mirror its ugly words: &Every girl I've ever loved has wanted to be hit/And every girl I've ever loved has left me because I wouldn't do it.& At other times, the dense orchestrations are ironic; &Sleepy Joe& and &Prince Alone in the Studio& are emotionally detached. As usual, the lyrics are sad, funny, and often cut to the quick. Couplets like &The Candle&'s &I was on her body/He was on her mind/I caressed her/He possessed her& provoke a reaction somewhere between a wince and a grin. On a purely musical level, the album is of Smog's most remarkable achievements, combining studio effects and low-budget innovation. The snare drums and chamberlins on &The Emperor& sound like fireworks over a parade, while the chiming guitars on &It's Rough& add a touch of empathy. A finely wrought, riveting album.