Above: Calvin Johnson, Ibiza Town Hall, Ibiza, Spain.
Calvin Johnson is a music making person who resides in Olympia, Washington. You may be aware Calvin has played music with various folks under assorted monikers: The Halo Benders, Dub Narcotic Sound System, Beat Happening, The Hive Dwellers. What you may not know is Calvin Johnson also performs as a solo artist, and has released several albums as such. Now The K Mail Order Dept. is offering up a special Three Albums Good collection of Calvin music: obtain three of Calvin Johnson's most intriguing collections, What Was Me [KLP117], A Wonderful Beast [KLP269] and Gallows Wine [KLP287] for one low price, $45.00 (that's %25 off). Neat.
What Was Me collects ten bits of lifeness and spreads them thickly with voice and acoustic guitar; a capella 40% of the time. There are patches worn and threadbare but the overall effect is gutty and moist.
Calvin Johnson, A Wonderful Beast
The songs on A Wonderful Beast are collaborations between Calvin Johnson and Patrick Carney. Echoing from deep within Frankenstein's castle, this is truly the devil's music. What's not to like?
Gallows Wine is a triumph of gut bucket crash pop and guitar-laden music sustaining life on other planets; an otherworldly collection of soundz and fragments of toe-tapping goodness.