Callaghan is an English singer songwriter whose first full-length record, Life in Full Colour, comes out May 1, 2012. She played recently at Space in Evanston, Illinois with Shawn Mullins, who also produced her record.

Her music is hard to classify by genre when you see her live. That is likely because she is a multi-instrumentalist singer songwriter playing solo; by definition that makes genre hard to determine. When Callaghan tours with a nine piece band you can figure that out. For now, just accept her as a writer with a lovely voice who can play like a human metronome.

Mullin relocated to Atlanta from the U.K. (can you say “culture shock”?) and began work on her record.  

“This is my first full length album it is coming out may first. It is twelve songs. The Life in full color title came from the collection of songs the theme of things from everyday life that people experience falling in love, falling out of love being overjoyed or really sad, those highs and lows of life,” she says. “It was recorded in 2010 and 2011 with Shawn and I had a fantastic time making it and getting to come out and play the songs live it has been great, real learning curve getting to go into the studio with him and watch him as a producer.”

Callaghan says she has been a huge fan of Mullins’ music for as long as she remembers. But seeing him work as a producer showed her a whole new side. The new record isn’t the first she produced but it is the first she thought of as an integral collection of songs.

“I’ve done EPs in past, five six seven songs I put out myself. This one because it was a full album I really thought about which songs are going to go on here and I have so many to choose from..” she says.

They started with 40 songs—a large portion, at least, of the songs Callaghan had written. They added a couple of songs she and Mullins worked on together.

Callaghan tours extensively and before songs are recorded they get played live.

“It is interesting because I have heard other artists say that when they play a song over and over and over again it can get monotonous but I quite like it,” says Callaghan. “That feeling when you play a song 200 times and suddenly it changes. I don’t know if it is the audience reaction or something feels different as you discover a new part of that song.”

Callaghan also feels at home on tour.

“I love touring. I love the studio side as well and all the creative part, creating a song.’ she says.

But playing live is what she really loves. Being on tour with Mullins has been a plus. When she plays with him she benefits from his fans and his past. Regardless of where or who Callaghan plays for she brings the same mindset.

“I’ve played some where there are five people in the room but it doesn’t matter whether there are five people or five hundred; I am going to have fun on stage. Hopefully the people will go home and say ‘I saw a good show tonight.’ Then I hope they go tell all their friends about it,” she says. “I know to be realistic in the way that the music business now is now to build it sustainably; get people to come out. Then they go home and tell their friends and the next time they come and see you.”

Callaghan tells a story before she plays one of her new songs. She talks about how she wrote a song for her husband, who moved to the USA with her shortly after their marriage. She played the song, Blue Eyes, for him and asked what he thought. She could tell something wasn’t quite right.

He then pointed out, “I have green eyes.”

The song now has a new title. Callaghan says he doesn’t bring this up as often as most men would.

“Yes, well…He is very understanding about being married to a songwriter and that these things happen. People come up to the CD table a lot and look at his eyes very intently and say ‘you’re the one with green eyes’.” says Callaghan.

As to her near future plans Callaghan says she plans to tour, tour, tour, for the next few months.

“I am going to play as many shows as possible to support the album coming out. More and more dates are being booked.” she says.

You can find out more information, and for awhile, get a free download at www.callaghansongs.com.

Current Tour Dates (more to come, go to callaghansongs.com)

3/8 - Indianapolis, IN - Irving Theater
3/9 - Valparaiso, IN - Front Porch      
3/10 - Valparaiso, IN - Memorial Opera House (w/Dave Alvin & The Guilty Ones)
3/11 - Chicago, IL - ACE Bar 
4/13 - Dahlonega, GA - Crimson Moon Cafe
4/18 - Raleigh, NC - Burning Coal Theater  
4/19 - Knoxville, TN - Scruffy City Roots
4/21 - Roanoke, VA - The Blues BBQ Co.
4/22 - Easton, MD - NightCat
4/23 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live     
4/25 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Saint   
4/26 - New York, NY - Rockwood Music Hall           
4/27 - Scarborough, ME - The Brickhouse   
5/25 - Decatur, GA - Eddie's Attic
5/26 - Duluth, GA - Eddie Owens Presents, Red Clay Theatre
6/13 - Nashville, TN - Music City Roots

The Black Belles are currently on tour--for a little while. The band have a bit in common with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs but much rawer, much more punk rock. They have energy, they are fun, they have an intensity that is regrettably absent from many rock bands today.

Of course a rock band full of lovely young ladies always has potential to succeed on some level even if they are not good. But that isn't The Black Belles. They back up their imagery and their schtick with solid rock n roll.

There is a little bit of The Nymphs (remember them?) and maybe a whiff of The Cranes in the band but, as with all good bands, they do put their own stamp on the sound.

The Black Belles self-titled debut was produced by Jack White. The record came out in November, 2011 and the band has toured since. They also appeared on the Steven Colbert show and were praised by Vogue (or so I am told, I don't subscribe to Vogue).

_ Reflecting upon the show, one thing comes immediately to mind--Thank god for vocals.I know that sounds odd, but bear with me. 

I get annoyed when people say a certain genre of music “all sounds the same.” This is especially true when they sat it about reggae-– one of my favorite kinds of music, and one that decidedly does not “all sound the same.”To this notion I simply say, if you listened to it more, you wouldn’t think so. 

Therefore, I know this is going to sound hypocritical, but I think most of the “new-era disco” (my phrase, meaning music that sounds like the erstwhile techno / new wave fused with 70’s disco)  sounds an awful lot like.   I’m talking, to name a few:The Rapture, Chromeo, Friendly Fires, Cut Copy, and yes, Holy Ghost!  

Mind you, I am not saying I don’t enjoy the music; I very much do.  But to me, after a while it all starts sounding kinda the same.  Except for the vocals, which is why I thanked god for them earlier. 

For me, vocals are the one thing that can actually distinguish a band that otherwise employs standard-fare techniques.And let’s face it;the new-era disco bands really do employ some pretty familiar-sounding techniques.Again, not that I’m dissing them.I love the music.  Really.

What distinguished Jessica 6 the other night (and presumably, every night) is singer Nomi Ruiz.She is a sight to be seen, tall and thin with jet black hair, very skimpy black clothing and towering black boots. And her voice is, well, distinct.The band did a fine job supporting her and keeping the beats pounding. But really, what people are in it for when they’re watching Jessica 6 live is Nomi. 

_ Can the same be said about Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel, the team that fronts Holy Ghost!?  Yes and no.Although neither of them is the romping, preening presence that is Nomi Ruiz, they more than held their own.  Granted, these guys are the sum total of Holy Ghost!, as opposed to simply being front men. But lead singer Alex did a decent job of moving around the stage.While it could hardly be called preening, he did fully engage the crowd.  Nick, admittedly less so – in fact, not at all.But then again, he was stuck behind the keyboards all night. 

Speaking of that, taking a cue from LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, Holy Ghost! brings a full roster of real musicians – oooooh – with them onstage for their live shows (this night, borrowing Jessica 6’s drummer).  In addition to the ubiquitous keyboards, there were bass and electric guitars, and yes, an actual drum kit. 

And thank god for that, too.Because I agree with Alex, who recently told the Dallas Observer how he feels about musicians who get onstage and stand behind computers the whole time;“Yeeeaaah, I’m not paying for that.”   

There’s also no paying for Holy Ghost’s cover of the 80s Ministry classic, I Wanted to Tell Her. Recently recorded (and distributed for free, as so many of Holy Ghost!’s recordings are) this version features fellow DFA labelmates The Juan Maclean and singer Nancy Whang.True to the original yet still uniquely Holy Ghost!…  

Oh, never mind.  You had me at “Ministry.”

_ Drummer  Phanie Diaz is the drummer for San Antonio’s Girl in a Coma. When she took time to answer some questions the band was on an extensive tour of the USA to support the band’s new record, Exits & All The Rest, on Joan Jett’s Blackheart Records.

How did the band wind up on the label?

“We were in New York being filmed for a documentary on up and coming bands. Joan was supposed to surprise us at the end of the show and give us advice and that would be that,” she says. “ She showed up at a rehearsal we were having and then ended up coming to our gig later that evening at The Knitting Factory and signed us as soon as we were done. It wasn't planned and was a surprise for all of us.”

When asked if, at gunpoint she had to hang a label on the band she answers simply; “I mean if I HAD to...Rock and Roll.”

And they do play rock n roll, as is evident from their rocking live show. Their recorded material shows they can do more than just rock, with indie pop songs that you could probably play for your mom. That isn’t an insult; just saying there is depth and breadth to their work.

This is also a band who hits the road for their music. They have opened for the likes of Morrissey (they get their name from one of his songs), Tegan and Sara, Social Distortion, Frank Black and The Pogues.

How is it playing for such divers audiences?

“We have somehow managed to connect with almost every audience of the tours we have been on. With Sia and Tegan and Sara , the connect was we were females making music,” she says. “WIth Morrissey , perhaps the type of music we were playing along side the mutual respect. If you have an appreciation for music.. then you should be able to see the beauty in any band no matter the genre.”

_ They were out on a headline tour at their recent Chicago show and that will not be the end of it. Diaz says the best part of touring is traveling, meeting people and chatting with them at shows. The worst part?

“Watching venues close and record shops out on the road because kids are starting to not support them anymore. Go out to shows! Discover music at your local record shops..not just the internet!” says Diaz

Get out to your local record store!

_ The band has four full-lengths and several eps-a pretty extensive output for a young band. Where does Diaz see them heading musically as time goes by?

“We hope to last as long as we can and have tons of records under our belts such as Sonic Youth or the Pixies. We love music and no matter where the road leads us... we want to always release GIAC records.” says Diaz.

Diaz says the songs start with Nina Diaz (Phanie Diaz’ sister) who records and demos the song—complete with guitar riffs and vocals.

“Jenn Alva (bassist) and I take the demos home with us and start arranging our parts. We come together as a band and play and work out all the kinks and give each other feedback.” Says Diaz.

Keep an eye out for the band on the road—they plan to play extensively to support Exits & All The Rest.

-photos and text by Patrick Ogle

_ The Airborne Toxic Event has a small problem. Their song, Sometime Around Midnight, is a dreary, instant classic about lost love. This song will be on the radio 25 years from now.

How is that a problem?


The song was something of a hit for the band but its style and tone is not really an indication of that the band is all about. Their music has certain joyfulness to it. Sure, it is sometimes a little sad but this is a Celtic sort of sad--the sort of sad where you say “I am sad but fuck it! The next round is on me.”

Those who know the band only from one song will be surprised by how high energy they are. And how the music IS (sort of) Celtic. That wasn’t an analogy picked out of thin air. They call to mind, not The Pogues, but Chicago’s own The Drovers (but way LESS Celtic than that).

Most bands you would feel silly wanting to get poetic about in a description but not Airborne Toxic Event, there is poetry in every note.Their songs are memorable. They stick with you. After hearing their latest record, All At Once, one time you will easily recognized every song in the live set.

_ One of the great things about the band is how they mix up their instrumentation. This gives the band real sonic depth in their set. Some songs have piano, some violin, some a stand up bass.The multi- abilities of the members keep every song fresh.You might hear early 60s Greenwich Village folk in one song and in the next you will hear a tiny hint of something that sounds almost like synthpop and maybe even hints of bands like The Cure.

At one point in the set a sort of drum circle even breaks out. And this doesn’t make the audience run for the exits.

_ Did you leave before the encore? You missed a solid third of the set. What is it about people who HAVE to get out first? Is there some prize at the door? You paid to be here! Relax, take the load off, and listen to the music!

Right before the end of the evening they broke into I Fought The Law which is a telling cover, considering others who have, famously, covered the tune. There is very definitely a little bit of old school punk rock lurking in all their music. Not Green Day kids but rather The Clash, The Buzzcocks, Boomtown Rats and X Ray Spex. But let’s not put too fine a point on this comparison either. It is just a hint, a part of what this band is all about.

Opening act, Mona, are a band worth a listen too. A separate piece on them sometime soon.-Patrick Ogle

Brandt Brauer Frick Ensemble play dance music. Even if you are not prone to dancing their music is liable to make you, at the very least, tap your toe (maybe even your toes).

The group employed a ten piece group of musicians to record their latest record, Mr. Machine (out now). The term "ensemble" therefore isn't a total red herring. Basically the record is techno with classical instrumentation. Don't be lazy and think this is classical music turned into techno (which is how I read it the first time I saw a release on the band!).

The Chicago date at Empty Bottle is the second on the tour (remaining dates at the bottom of the page).

The band's first record, You Make Me Real, came out in 2010. It is bit of a shame they couldn't have come out with a full-on representation of the instrumentation on the new album. That is, obviously, something that is prohibitively expensive.

Dance music fans will be happy regardless. Indie rock fans will be unhappy regardless. Death Metal fans will not know what to make of the whole thing.

Guillaume de Maria of French act, Chateau Marmont, has an unusual way of describing the band’s music.

“(It’s) like a soundtrack for a porn movie, but with robots only. Always a mixture between organic and electronic,” says de Maria. “But for the wannabe musical critics, let's say that we play some spacey-prog-french-robot-pop.”

One recent critic, in a major paper I won’t mention (except to say that the name begins with “Washington” and ends with “Post”) said the band was trying to be Alan Parsons Project. This says more about the dismal state of music criticism than anything else. Apparently this critic hasn’t gotten out much in the past 25 years. And this band sounds more like Men Without Hats than Alan Parsons Project. Actually, they sound pretty much NOTHING like APP.

They sound more like Electric Kingdom (remember that song? If you do you are OLD). They sound more like a Bowery Electric dance album. Perhaps it is just the 80s sounding synths that make people think of asinine comparisons. Who knows?

De Maria says that the best part of touring is seeing the landscape and meeting people. The worst?

“Spending 3 weeks in a bus with 11 guys, with all the smell and disorder you can imagine. And the food...” he says. “No problem when you're in a big city where you can find Whole Foods, but we're tired of the eternal burger on lost roads.”

His favorite tour moments include driving on Big Sur, nights in clubs of New Orleans and Nashville.

“Big souvenirs for the rest of our lives. And chilling out in L.A. listening to Steely Dan.” he says.

After the tour the band is taking a few days off in Paris to spend with friends, resting, then finishing mixes on their new record—which comes out March 2012. They will also likely play some shows here and there.

After just a few songs by Portugal's The Gift, I thought; this show should be in a stadium, not a medium sized venue. I keep saying to people that they remind me of Queen with a woman singing. This bears some explanation. It isn't that they write extraordinarily long songs a la Bohemian Rhapsody (although they did have one they announced at 12 minutes). It isn't that they are bombastic. It is that their music is often "grand." They make a medium sized venue FEEL like a stadium.

The recorded version of the song, Made For You, from the record Explode, is  fantastic but it pales next to the live version. The studio version took a few listens for me to like it. It has an odd style; listening to it live I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I had tears in my eyes. It is simple, it is beautiful and it is infectious, live or recorded.

I have a huge problem with The Gift. They are in a long line of recent bands I have seen that were better than just good. The problem with The Gift is that they are way better than the previous bands. I am not insulting the others. I just hope I see someone I hate soon. The Gift may well be the best live band I have ever seen.

Why is that? They can certainly play, they write great pop/rock/dance songs but it is really about the sheer joy of the music. You cannot fake that. If playing music is just your job you can be good. You can put on a show people walk away from happy. But if it is more than just a job? That comes through somehow. We sense it.

Great, now I sound like a Hippie.

Honestly, I feel like I need testimonials. I do not like everything. I am usually pegged as disliking far more bands than I like. Take the wholly inadequate support bands on this show, for instance. The Double Door in Chicago is good at inappropriate or flat out bad local and national support. Otherwise it is a fun place to see a show.

They seem to be a group of multi-instrumentalists—four members and three additional musicians, although this varies. Finding this record, Explode, which is apparently also out on vinyl (and I search for that), will lead you inevitably and inexorably to their back catalog. This band is a treasure.

And I couldn’t agree more with “read books not Facebook.”

After this brief jaunt there has to be a future, longer tour; a tour where the band doesn’t get stuck playing in a city the size of Chicago on a Tuesday night. 

Empress Hotel, as noted elsewhere in the vaults of Mapanare, have just released their self-titled ep and hit the road with the wildly entertaining Van Hunt.

They bring to mind a new truism--when you see an opening act that is really good? The headliner has tons and tons of confidence. If an opener comes out and warbles some tunes off key and them pisses themselves onstage? Indicates the headliner is a) not real confident b) for some other reason wants no competition.

Van Hunt apparently wasn't worried about this because Empress Hotel could easily satisfy an audience as the lone act. It is to be hoped they will tour as a headliner soon.

The band's ep isn't the whole story of the band's sound. Their live show is both like and unlike the record. Some of the songs are almost doo-wop sounding. Then there are these keyboard sounds from another time. You are going to buy this, listen to it, take off your little headphones, shake your head and listen to it from beginning to end again.

The live show rocks more than the EP. But the EP songs do not NEED to blaze and rock you out of your shoes. They are catchy pop tunes and as I try to write about what they sound like all I can think of is that in any art where words are involved good writing rules. You do not need to be profound necessarily you need to write words that fit what is around them.

If they make you think, miss your ex-girlfriend or want to go join a street protest? So much the better but "good writing" doesn't mean it has to be akin to Bob Dylan. You Shook Me All Night Long is also good writing. It would sound stupid if ACDC used that music and wrote about the plight of aboriginal peoples.

But what of the bands live show? Think of 90s alternative rock with, for lack of a better word, a groove. Micah McKEE's vocals change subtly from song to song. Some might say; all singers do this. I would respond with; good singers do this.

Musically the lynchpin in one song might be the modeled sound of a Fender Rhodes, the next blazing guitar riffs and another subtle, almost reggae-esque bass line. They move their sound around to make each song unique but never out of place.

Ultimately they are just a really good live band and with both the show and their EP come an inescapable realization; they have just scratched the surface.