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Beggars Banquet is pleased to release the new album by New York’s CALLA. Collisions is their label debut and it will be released on September 27th, 2005.Despite its beauty, the CALLA Lily can cause intense burning and irritation of the mouth and tongue and can block swallowing with the results being fatal. Who would ever think that a thing so beautiful at first glance could be so sinister? CALLA make beautiful music, and if you don’t listen close enough it can deceive you into thinking it’s something that it's not. It is music that just slightly beneath its root turns dark and mysterious.
The band is comprised of Aurelio Valle, Wayne Magruder, and Peter Gannon. Ever since their 1999 debut they have been gaining fans, critical acclaim and accolades everywhere. Their ability to be the “loudest” “quiet” rock band gives them their distinctive reputation. It feels upbeat at times, but a closer listen reveals hints of betrayal and disappointment.
The members of CALLA originally met and started playing together as The Factory Press in Texas in the mid-90s. They relocated to New York, recorded an album, shifted members and soon after reformed and became CALLA. They released their self-titled debut in 1999 and two records followed -- Scavengers in 2001 and Televise in 2003. Collisions was recorded in late 2004 and was produced by Chris Zane who also worked with the band on Televise and was mixed by Zane and Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, PJ Harvey).
Collisions was not by any means an easy record to record. There were frustrations and circumstances that led to recording sessions being a little more hectic than the band would hope for. The dynamic that had unexpectedly shifted during the recording ended up being the key to what made the record even more intense and heartfelt. What nearly became a disaster became a liberating experience.
CALLA’s music defies expectations. With each album being a progression from the last, they've eschewed the latest musical fads and established their own unique identity. This is not an easy task, especially in a city like New York that devotes much enthusiasm to hyping up the latest trend. Their psychedelic moments match perfectly with the pop ones, and their dark moments are balanced by Aurelio’s calming voice whispering secrets to you, telling you to hold him close and not let him go.
Enjoy.