The Callen Sisters – The Callen Sisters

Moon Mouth Music

When I recently re-read my other reviews on Feminist Review and was writing the review of Kitaro, I was struck by how much of a hater I have become. Let me be clear; I shudder at the idea of becoming one of those snooty know-it-all critics who has no use for anything that isn’t the highest of the high brow. And I don’t wake up in the morning intending to be hyper-critical and snarky. It’s just that I am hyper-critical and (a bit) snarky.

For that reason, I am thrilled to be able to write a rave review for a change. The Callen Sisters self-titled debut CD has much to recommend, and it isn’t at all difficult to praise it. In fact, their guitar- and harp-based folk music has piqued my interest in a musical genre that previously had me running from the room, fingers in ears.

The New York duo, sisters Jessa and Beth, attended SUNY Purchase and began collaborating musically with each other at school. The sisters wrote all twelve tracks on the record — an achievement in itself when one considers the innate dumbness of mainstream acts like, say, the Pussycat Dolls. “Anomie” has the clever lyrics, jaunty acoustic guitar, and insistent bass line reminiscent of Sheryl Crow’s “Soak Up The Sun.” The bluesy “Irrelevant” skillfully combined electric guitar, organ, and Jessa Callen’s breathy vocals. “Lullaby” is sweet and mellow enough to calm a fretting baby without putting the adults to sleep. I could swear that I heard a polka backbeat on my personal favorite, “Like You,” and the rueful humor of “Reincarnate” made me smile.

This is not to say that this album is perfect. The sound of Jessa’s harp is frequently overwhelmed by the other instruments in their arrangements. “Wake Up” is a tad overblown, and the jazzy drums and piano of “Phase” fall flat. When you listen to this CD, plan to sit through it at least twice. The vivid imagery conjured by the lyrics, complexity of the instrumentation, and the frequently angelic voices of The Callen Sisters will definitely leave you wanting more.

Review by Ebony Edwards-Ellis