Category:
Rock / Roots

Try if you like:
Giant Sand, Recent Wilco, Red Red Meat, Rex, Will Oldham

Somehow this release got by me last year. I absolutely loved Califone's 2003 release, Quicksand/Cradlesnakes but it is only now that I get around to reviewing Roots & Crowns. When a review comes this late after a release date many people ask me what the point is. If I missed out on Roots & Crowns chances are that I was not alone. If you are a die-hard Califone or Red Red Meat fan then you've got this album already and it doesn't matter what I say. But for those looking for some different music, something left-field and haven't heard of Califone, this review is for you.

I might class Califone as roots music but as all categories are, this one is a little limiting for the experimental nature that Tim Rutili and the rest of Califone are capable. The album starts out with something Tom Waits would be proud of, a track called "Pink & Sour". It's got some weird percussion and clever, experimental arrangements with Tim's voice hovering over the top sounding a little like a haggard Beck. "Spider's House" takes a little more traditional song approach but still has some clever instrumentation. "The Eye You Lost in the Crusades" seems normal on the surface but when you look at some of the techniques that Califone use in the song you'll find it quite refreshing. Listen to the way it fades out in the last minute or so. "A Chinese Actor" sounds like it could be a Radiohead out-take. Both "The Orchids" and "Burned By The Christians" are lovely and inspiring. "3 Legged Animals" pulls all of this together and ends up being the best song of the impressive batch. So what you get on Roots & Crowns is some very fine roots music mixed with some more experimental tracks. Nothing is too obtuse that the uninitiated wouldn't be able to get into it. This is where you would have liked Wilco to head. 

Fans of Iron & Wine need to look to Califone for some more of this rootsy experimentation.