Golden smog, smog, bill callahan

Posted by: fathings cat on 23 November 2009

I have been playing the latest free cd with Uncut featuring Bill Callahan - the song was Jim Cain, quite delightful.

Researching him smog & golden smog come up - any fans care to make a recommendatin as where to start?

BTW the whole cd free with uncut is really good.

Thanks
Gary
Posted on: 23 November 2009 by Nick Lees
I've got Golden Smog's Weird Tales and Down By The Old Mainstream, and they're both very good - alt.americana with a light touch and good tunes. Neither of them are going to blow your socks off but I would recommend them both for a warm, enjoyable listen no matter what sort of mood you're in - and that's not to be sniffed at, especially when you see Amazon Marketplace has used ones going for under £3.

They're both on Spotify.

The only fly in the ointment? Bill Calahan isn't on either of those albums! D'oh. But then again you do get Wilco's Jeff Tweedy!
Posted on: 23 November 2009 by Diccus62
I have this and recommend it



Sorry I have no SMOG Smile
Posted on: 23 November 2009 by mike/dallas
Weird Tales and Down by the main stream are both very good. A minor supergroup effort.
Posted on: 23 November 2009 by King Size
The last Smog album "A River Ain't Too Much To Love" is a good starting point.
Posted on: 23 November 2009 by Bruce Woodhouse
quote:
Originally posted by Diccus62:
I have this and recommend it



Sorry I have no SMOG Smile


This is my only album by Callahan/Smog. It is pretty good, in a low-key sort of way.

Bruce
Posted on: 24 November 2009 by kennth
the 2 bands have no connection, golden smog consists of gary louris & mark perlman of the jayhawks, jeff tweedy of wilco kraig jhonson of run westy run & was a jayhawk for a short while & dan murphy of soul asylum . they have 3 albums & 2 ep,s , all except jeff tweedy are minneapolis based
Posted on: 24 November 2009 by fathings cat
Thanks for your help I think I'll plump for the solo album recommended

cheers
Gary
Posted on: 26 November 2009 by 0rangutan
Bill Callahan's latest (Sometimes I Wish...) is a great record, but his best writing was mid-career as Smog. "Knock Knock" and the "Accumulation:None" compilation would be the better albums, however if you can track down the "Kicking a Couple Around" or "'Neath the Puke Tree" EPs, they are superb.