Reviewed by Harry Kaplan
I seem to have been spending quite a bit of time in the state of Ohio both literally and figuratively. There is a ton of great music being produced in Ohio. There have been quite a few I have reviewed for Twangri-La. Add Calumet to the list. They are from Cincinnati and they play some really good Americana. The most immediate thing that stands out on all tracks is the wonderful harmonizing on every track. After that, I would say their ability to craft beautiful songs also stands out.
The songs are laced with some really nice somewhat distorted guitar that really helps to frame the songs nicely. Just enough noise to make the songs exciting and interesting, yet the songs are still filled with great melody. It is rare to be able to effectively balance noise and distortion with beautiful sonic waves. Another one of my sweet spots is that space between dissonance and harmony. Calumet takes me to that place.
Barnburner is a perfect example of that place between noisy and euphonious. The distortion and fuzz by the expertly played guitar is tempered by the strong vocals and harmonies which create a bond stronger than porcelain and crazy glue. That guitar solo at the end of this tune is also a barnburner and truly lives up to its name. This is a strong debut from these guys from Cincinnati. I have a feeling will be hearing more from Calumet in the future.