The everlasting (shoe)gaze
NYC residents Calla are no strangers to critical acclaim, their last album "Televise" garnered plenty of plaudits on its release in 2003 but with "Collisions" their fourth L.P. and first for new label Beggars Banquet they might finally become serious commercial contenders. "Collisions" is an album of fragile beauty (at times), ethereal guitars and lyrics that reference the more sinister side of city life. Opening gambit "It Dawned On Me" offers a luscious introduction to the band, its strident Bunnymen styled guitars churning out a languorous tune over which Aurelio Valle sings with the kind of narcoleptic groan not heard since Spiritualized's Jason Pierce was at the top of his game. The first half of the album follows an almost dream-like narrative, the slow-build shoegaze of "Initiate" being a particular highlight - layer upon layer of guitar coalescing into a quite wonderful whole while the sinister "This Better Go As Planned" drips with barely restrained menace. It's certainly not all plain sailing on "Collisions", an air of tension hangs over proceedings like a black cloud ready to rain on any passing parade.
The second half of the album ups the ante considerably, the release of tension on "So Far, So What" appearing to galvanise the band into action. "Stumble" though is the undoubted highlight of the set, a wonderfully observed piece of delicious psych-rock it imagines what a pretension free Dandy Warhols would sound like at the height of their powers. Its jagged lead guitar lines emerging from a fug of hazy atmospherics whilst Valle coos in weary desperation "hold me close and don't let me go". "Testify" provides further evidence of Calla's potential with Valle, Magruder and Gannon's inter-play reaching heights rarely seen since My Bloody Valentine in their "Loveless" pomp. When the band cut loose they're no less thrilling as evinced on the straightforward rocker "Swagger". A vicious companion piece to (former tour mates) Interpol's "Obstacle #1" its barely restrained author warning chillingly that "they just might gauge your eyes, leave you lying, bleeding, blind". Proceedings end on a high with the epic "Overshadowed" which hails down a torrent of distorted and F-X laden guitars on the listener. "Collisions" may occasionally meander into self indulgent drone rock territory and is by no means the finished article but the strengths of this record easily outweigh any weaknesses. On album number four Calla indicate that they are a real talent in the ascendancy and given the current supportive climate for anything F-X laden this album has the potential to be a surprise nu-shoe hit.