Almost a year to the month after he'd first received a copy of Chris McCall's debut EP "The Real You", Editor Mitch Phillips probably has the distinction of being the very last one to review this slick seven-track release. He writes...'Now I've got three CD's, two promo packages...and the guilt of an entire year weighing on my conscience (You dropped the ball, boy-o). I pushed her CD to the front of my list.' Click "Read More" for his review and samples.
Artist: Chris McCall
CD: The Real You ep
Produced by: Jason Kuehn & Chris McCall
Recorded at: Harmonie Park Studios by Jason Kuehn
Musicians: Chris McCall (vocals, keys), Jason Kuehn (guitar, keys), Don DiDinoto (bass, backing vocals), Ron Otis (drums), John Madison (viola), Johnny Evans (saxophone), Mike Martin (mandolin), Mary McCall, Don McCall, Maureen McCall-Carroll, Bethanne McCall, Mathew McCall-Stillman, Maria McCall-Pruett (back-up vocals on "Lips"), Karla Richardson - (backing vocals "Don't Give Up")
Reviewer's Guilt
I'm almost exactly a year late in writing my review for Chris McCall's CD, "The Real You." Graham Strachan, the singer from Robb Roy, introduced me to Chris McCall and her band in the lobby of the State Theatre during the 2001 Detroit Music Awards. McCall had lent her Star Search-worthy voice ('92 semi-finalist) to Robb Roy's "Happy" album and more recently to their cover of "Happy Christmas". I received my first copy of "The Real You" that very same night, listened to it all the next day, wrote notes in my truck, and then... I don't know what happened. For whatever reason, the CD got shelved and all my random scraps of notes were lost. Now I've got three copies of McCall's "The Real You", two promo packages complete with beautiful 8x10 glossies of McCall and the guilt of an entire year weighing on my conscience You dropped the ball, boy-o. I pushed her CD to the front of my list.
I may be the very last one to write about "The Real You" - but that does give me one advantage; I can read all her other reviews first. Though I've neglected Chris McCall, plenty of others haven't; she's collected a stack of press clippings from the local pulp-machine over the past year. Let's recap what they've said about Chris McCall's "The Real You" so far:
Sue Ness (for Jam Rag) - '...brilliant...expertly performed and meaningful...'
Paully Moonbeam (for Jam Rag) - 'tasteful arrangements utilize sweet tones of the viola and highlight Chris' soaring, powerful timbre.'
Ben Edmunds (for Hour Detroit) - 'Chris McCall's big voice never has been better presented..'
Gary Graff - (for The Oakland Press) - '...crafted songs with an ethereal edge...
Brian McCollum (for The Detroit Free Press) - '...brimming with confidence and an effortless depth. '
Now that all the clever, music-reviewer adjectives have been used up...
The Last Review of Chris McCall's "The Real You" EP
On "The Real You - EP", Chris McCall delivers a mix of polished fringe-pop that ranges from the hot-pants and hip-boots vibe on "Glass People" to the club-dub compatible dance-pop of "Real You" to more subdued, darker selections awash in emotional intensity and spiked with soaring vocals like "Call It The Truth" and "Don't Give Up". Husband, manager, producer and engineer, Jason Kuehn , (whose mastered tracks for PAS/CAL, Robb Roy and Vanessa Williams among many others) has created a retail-worthy taste of what he and McCall label "mood-pop." Indeed, McCall and Kuehn's music is moody and sometimes colored with a hip surrealism that's reminiscent of Kate Bush or perhaps Tori Amos. Special mention should be made of Don DiDinoto's stellar bass work on this record. The texture, quality and diversity of sounds in his portfolio add an crucial depth to McCall's music.
EP: snack or a meal?
At seven tracks "The Real You EP" is a full-length release in my opinion. True, it's significantly shorter than the average CD, but like so many chain restaurants these days, the "average" CD heaps more onto your plate than you'll ever consume in one sitting. Local artists would do well to focus on nuances of taste rather than the density of serving size. Don't be fooled by the "ep" tag, "The Real You" is a stand-alone musical experience that leaves you satisfied but not over-indulged.
Cover Art: mere necessity or added value?
Although ep's generally preclude a full-length release including the same material, the packaging aesthetics should still be taken seriously. That said, the cover art of "The Real You EP" is vapid and dull. McCall's image (though pleasing) has been terminally flattened with a gauzed-out duotone and doesn't reflect the richness of her music. I can't stress enough the importance of interesting cover-art; that first visual impression colors the whole experience. To some degree, we do judge a CD by its cover; dull cover-art can translate to "dull music" in the mind of a potential consumer before they've ever heard a lick. Local musicians should get better acquainted with their contemporaries in the visual arts and bring back the mystical fascination created by a good cover instead of considering it merely a space to be filled. Consider it "added value" from a marketing stand-point.
And so...
Chris McCall has earned her place at the table with "The Real You EP" . It will be tough to improve upon it will a full-length release. The inclusion of a few lighter numbers and better artwork should do it. The trick for a pair as clever as Chris McCall and Jason Kuehn is to produce a CD that's as artistically fulfilling as it is saleable.
Track by Track
1. Glass People - swaggering story-song about two kinds of people; the alpha and the beta, the supposedly strong and the seemingly weak, everybody else and telepathic Glass People who 'can fly'. Back-up vocal arrangement are smooth as polished glass and sound like they were arranged for a commercial jingle. This tunes' got a hot pants and hip-boots vibe you don't hear too often. Squelching sax work provided by none other than Johnny Evans, The Howling Diablos' award-winning instrumentalist. Crisp, tight and dynamic performance from drummer Ron Otis.
2. The Real You - Title track has a slick back-up vocal arrangement and texturally pleasing guitar over-dubs that remind me of The Beatles' Revolver - a reminder that not everything from the sixties came out of a garage in one take. There's so much going on it's fascinating to listen by layer. Perfect candidate for a full-on techno-remix.
3. Call It The Truth - Piano (McCall) and Viola (John Madison) intro clues you into a serious change in direction. "Call It The Truth" is a personal and beautiful piece of music that draws you into it's simple melody and then delivers an emotional charge of unconditional love around 2:55 that will send chills up your spine. Intense bridge. You may have forgotten that you could feel so much.
4. Don't Give Up - "Don't Give Up" is reminiscent of Kate Bush's work in it's vocal phrasing, melodic structure, instrumental arrangement and it's brooding, surreal intensity. It's a vibe that I find most pleasing - but my tastes are a bit darker and further toward the tattered fringes of pop.
5. Crow in the Snow - This song has a hip surrealism and texture that would make Mitchell Froom (producer for Crowded House, Susan Vega) proud. I really dig this vibe. Hats-off to Jason Kuehn for his production on this one.
6. Damage - Breathy vocal delivery over a gradually intensifying layers of sound ala "Where the Streets Have No Name". Technically as good as anything on this EP thanks to the superior production, but this tune doesn't get where it's going fast enough and after 5:30 exhausts the listener. Musically constipated; all build-up and no release.
7. Lips - Cozy, nap-inducing ballad from McCall that somehow includes six people from her extended family singing back-ups. Now that's support.
- Mitch Phillips