This release's target market (besides
Smog completists) might be budding ethnomusicologists, because it provides a concise study of
Bill Callahan's development as a songwriter over the course of a decade or so, a "then and now" comparison.
Callahan begins by offering a snapshot from his 2000 release, Dongs of Sevotion. The excellent "Strayed," a
Leonard Cohen-like crooning confessional, showcases a style
Callahan has been slowly perfecting since 1993's Julius Caesar. Then gears shift completely, and
Callahan gives the listener a glimpse at some of his "baby pictures," a reissue of the eight-song instrumental Cow EP, originally released on
Callahan's own Disaster label in 1989. The juxtaposition is interesting, the subtle and retrained title track paired with the raucous and clanging Cow tracks, but hardcore
Smog fans will already be familiar with the contrast and not need the lesson. ~ Jason Nickey