Song of the Day - December 22, 2006

Califone's latest Roots and Crowns is a journey through Americana as seen through the eyes of Tim Rutili and company. Califone has created a lush sound by incorporating a variety of instruments, yet it is not always entirely pure Americana. The band twists and turns with melodies and sounds until it becomes a distorted version of Americana. A case in point is "Spider House," which incorporates a modified piano that had duct tape and paper clips layered upon its strings. There are also fragments of world music apparent in their music, such as "Chinese Actor." However, it is the track "Pink & Sour" that has won me over. It has an exotic percussive sound, augmented by Frippian style guitar licks, quite a tasty treat for the holidays. Click here to listen.