Calvin Johnson: A Wonderful Beast
Calvin Johnson is back on the wax after letting 13 years slip between solo albums. The heavy baritone voiced frontman for Beat Happening, Dub Narcotic Sound System, Dub Narcotic Selector, half of the duo Halo Benders (with Built To Spill’s Doug Martsch), is also founder of legendary K Records, an Olympia Washington label synonymous with laying out the blue print for 1980’s independent labels and ground zero for the music scene that rose out of the Pacific Northwest in the 80’s and 90’s.
Anyone missing Calvin’s honey dipped baritone and penchant for simple affecting sing-a-long ear-worms have reason to celebrate. Although much time has passed since Beat Happening released it’s first single in 1983, Calvin Johnson has lost non of his trademark tricks and on A Wonderful Beast he’s inviting you to cut loose.
For this his third solo album Calvin has teamed up with Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney, who produces and plays all the instruments on the album. The pair are joined by Patrick’s wife, singer-songwriter Michelle Branch. This pairing yields brilliant results, musically A Wonderful Beast boasts an eclectic musicality that rings in closer to Patrick Carney’s BoJack Horesman theme song than anything previously recorded under Calvin’s various projects. These wonderfully composed tracks lay a perfect foundation for Calvin’s lyrical musings and vocal hooks.
First track Kiss Me Sweetly’s low ends will get you swaying amongst the swirl of synths hanging in the background, as Calvin and Michelle caress a sweet lipped vocal exchange.
On the title track a Gainsbourg-ian bass and synth laden strings give way to Patrick Carney’s acoustic guitar, which bounces around Calvin’s smitten confession to surrendering to love or desire that resides within “the Beast”.
Wherefore Art Though cheekily places itself within the tale of Romeo and Juliette, combining a full on 80’s pop production and one of the most irresistible chorus hooks on the album. Bubbles, Clouds and Rainbows is the poppiest anti-Alt Right song ever put to tape. Sing a long to the infectious chorus “Alt Right Click Delete” and you’ll be making up your own dance moves while the song tackles the rise of Fascism and the notion that society is living in “bubbles”.
When The Weekend Comes Around sounds like it could have been released under Calvin’s Dub Narcotic Selector project. It is the most straight up dance song on the album. Patrick Carney has layered a nostalgic 80’s stomp, calling to mind New Order with it’s driving bass and icy synths, the simple refrain snaking it’s way across the floor to the DJ Booth. Mandatory listening to the start of any sinister weekend.
A Wonderful Beast resides in that rare spot where there is a certain nostalgia invoked within listening to this album, much of that do to Calvin’s charismatic writing and one of a kind vocal delivery, but the album sounds surprisingly fresh within today’s musical landscape and for that credit we must salute Patrick Carney’s ability to provide Calvin with enough interesting musical foundations for which the singer can create fun and sweet sounding worlds.
Vist K Records here.