Throughout his 23-year career, Bill Callahan has held tight to the curtain he hides behind. Whether performing as Smog, (Smog), or Bill Callahan, the man has always preferred mystery and intrigue over clarity. Yet on his latest full-length, the aptly titled Dream River, you can hear Callahan stepping out into the light for all (himself included) to see.
Luckily for us Madisonians, Callahan is also stepping out onto the stage at the High Noon on Saturday night — a perfect venue for his almost-alt-country sound. For the sake of time and potential arguments, I’ve limited the five tracks you need for show prep to those released under his own name. Nonetheless, here are five songs you must hear:
“Jim Cain” from Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
The majority of Bill Callahan’s tracks derive their power not only from their lyrics, but from the way Bill delivers them. And “Jim Cain” — a meditation on the past, the present, and what it means “to be” — is no exception; Callahan relays these heady subjects in a laid back manner while a relaxed drum beat and reserved guitars do their thing beside him. Honestly, Jim Cain” is really just a culmination of everything Callahan does best: make the listener feel both calm and troubled in the same instance.
Classic Callahan Line: “I started off in search of ordinary things / like how much of a tree bends in the wind?”
“Eid Ma Clack Shaw” from Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle
If Bill Callahan ever wrote a “hit,” this would surely be it. “Eid Ma” is dark and dreamy, and features Callahan imagining himself as a horse — that’s nothing new but it’s also as rapid and in-your-face as a Callahan track is likely to get, largely due to a badass bassline and a punishing string section.
Classic Callahan Line: “I could not put my rider aground/all these fine memories are fucking me down”
“Drover” from Apocalypse
Chock-full of thunderous drums and semi-distorted guitars, —Drover— is the fitting opener to Callahan’s excellent Apocalypse. Honestly, it’s as rousing and commanding a track as you could ask from a man who has spent the majority of his career cradled within his own delicate thoughts.
Classic Callahan Line: “I set my watch / against the city clock / it was way off”
“Riding for the Feeling” from Apocalypse
“Riding for the Feeling” is a tale told over a breathtaking backdrop of guitars that somehow doesn’t make the weighty words any easier to swallow. It can be looked at as a call to follow your gut, or as a call to maintain a sort-of “so it goes” mentality — but in its most simple state, “Riding for the Feeling” is just about how shitty and inevitable good-byes really are.
Classic Callahan Line: “In conclusion, leaving is easy / when you’ve got some place you need to be”
“Small Plane” from Dream River
Callahan has spent the latter half of his career finding a balance between troubled, isolated lyrics and calm musical arrangements. Yet on “Small Plane,” the third track on this year’s Dream River, Callahan sounds oddly accepting. In other words, the lyrics finally match the tranquility of the instrumentation; with an enormous sigh of relief, Bill Callahan is at peace.
Classic Callahan Line: “I like it when I take the controls from you / and you take the control from me”