Marian Call –Something Fierce
2011, Marian Call
2011, Marian Call
When we first received Marian Call’s 2007 debut album, Vanilla, in the mail three years ago weknew we were hearing something special. The Alaskan transplant evoked thoughts of Joni Mitchell, Jewel andNellie McKay with crisp songwriting, honest lyrics and a voice that lights upthe night like a beacon. Even in thecommissioned project, Got To Fly,Call showed an evocate and quirky personality with sweetly geeky tendencies andan impressive songwriter’s command, but nothing Call has done before can amplyprepare you for Something Fierce. Call’s third album, a 19-song, 2-disc effort,shows a transformation from the burgeoning singer/songwriter of 2007 to amaster of her craft. The leap forward inpresence, command of her material and pure creative magic is absolutelystunning.
Something Fierceis broken into two distinct albums. Volume I: Good Luck With That and Volume II: from Alaska show twodisparate yet interwoven sides of Call. Volume I shows the emergence of aconfident, mature and appealing songwriter; while Volume II is an introspective and personal affair. Each volume is a complete work in and ofitself, but together they create a picture of the artist as person that isindelible. Marian Call opens Volume I with “Good Morning Moon”, awonderfully catchy number full of distinct pop sensibility. Call’s imagery here is simple and appealing,yet deep in meaning; the song flows like water and is a marketer’s dreamwithout sounding anything like the pop music you’re likely to hear on theradio. “The Avocado Song” displays Call’sfunky, bluesy, soulful side and shows a confidence and presence that has grownby leaps and bounds over the last four years. “Dear Mr. Darcy” is a funky folk/rock song of unrequited love. Call inhabits your head space on numbers suchas this, making a deep impression with both her voice and pure presence.
Pedal steel accents prove a perfect counter-point to Call’svoice in “All New (Heart Shut Tight)”, a gorgeous confessional about theconflict of wanting to fall in love but not being able to let go and let ithappen. “Free Bird” has a jazzy feel,and Call dazzles with the range and tone of her voice over a stark, pizzicatoguitar. This is a WOW moment, the firstof many. Call doesn’t make you wait longfor the next one, either, launching right into “Temporal Dominos” andunleashing the full power of her voice. The prog/folk arrangement is ingenious and the run-on style melodybecomes analogous with the stream-of-conscious lyrics, making both seementirely natural. Call pulls back for “HighwayFive”, a Joni Mitchell-esque love song written to the coast that bore andsustains her. The deeply personalballad/soliloquy features just Call’s voice and guitar, and speaks to longingfor home that never leaves the heart, no matter how far away home mightbe. “Press Or Say Three (Your Call IsImportant To Us” is a solid album track that paves the way for Volume I closing track “Ina Flew TheCoop”. This one has been kicking aroundCall’s live set for some time; a song about moving on and the mix of new-found freedomand captivity that follows in the wake of a relationship. The story is told in third person with agentle mix of envy and fear; an amazing observation that has a vaguelyautobiographical feel.
Volume II openswith “Whistle While You Wait”, a personal exploration of confidence, reticence,and making the most of each moment. Call’smix of intellect and heart hear is stunning, moving beyond singer/songwriterpastiche into the realm of pure art. Itbecomes difficult to imagine the singer separated from the song, or viceversa. “Early Is As Early Does” looks atlife as a journey or series of side trips, deeply shaded by an intellect thatspends much time in self-conversation on such subjects. Thisis among the most intriguing works on the set, showing Call reaching for anever-higher level in mind, heart and song. Such depth deserves a lighter turn, and Call doesn’t disappoint. “I Wish I Were A Real Alaskan Girl” is an odeto the hearty women born of the 49th state that pokes gentle fun whileoffering respect for those who live close to a hard land. This song could go either way, depending onthe listener, but Call weaves an entertaining and humorous narrative you won’tsoon forget.
“The Underground (One Bird At A Time)” explores theanachronism of losing your senses in a state of perpetual light. It’s a gorgeous turn that makes the most ofthe colors of Call’s voice, and the sense of dislocation that comes from livingin a land where (albeit temporarily) the sun never goes down. “Coffee By Numbers (Faon’s Song)” is a jazzypiano-driven number about personal collections and taking the time to nurturethem. Coffee is the focal point of thesong, but it’s Call’s voice that carries the connection. “Equinox” is a personal soliloquy on turn thepage. Hope for the future and hesitationmix in intriguing fashion in a darkly, lovely tune that will leave an impression. “E.S.B.” is most memorable for Call’svoice. You simply have to listen to thisone for yourself.
“Perilous Road” uses personifies the human experience ofputting yourself out there for the world to see as a difficult drive. The image of cliffs and blind turns brings tomind the concepts of faith and self-confidence, darkening the sky with doubtsthat seek to blot out the light of hope. Despite the seemingly simple message, there are many layers here thatwill reveal themselves over successive listens. “Aurora Borealis” features a simple, roiling beauty in a guitar-drivenarrangement that swells and fades like deep water. Call’s vocal performance is nothing less thanentrancing. Volume II concludes with “Anchorage”, a gorgeous quasi-duet betweenCall and cello. The song has a quietcenter, and Call fills it up with her heart and her voice.
There is a power in simplicity. Marian Call harnesses that power and burnishesit with heart, honesty and deep intellect on Something Fierce. Call’s presence grows by leaps and bounds on Volume I, displaying a persona that’sfun, powerful and eminently real. Volume II encompasses more of Call’sinner dialogues; delving into mature insecurities born of past failures, newsuccesses and a hope that one of these times will be different. The compositions and arrangements on Something Fierce are absolutely stellar;Call seems to have a knack for marrying the perfect lyrics to the perfectmelodies, and encompassing them in arrangements that fit like gloves. The usual superlatives don’t seem to applyhere, but it’s fair to say that when the year-end lists come around, the smartmoney is going to be on Something Fiercebeing highly placed. Marian Call hascreated a masterpiece. Something Fierce is nothing less than a Wildy’sWorld Certified Desert Island Disc.
Rating: 5 Stars(Out of 5)
Learn more about Marian Call at www.mariancall.com or www.myspace.com/mariancall. You can order Something Fierce directly from Marian Call. Ordering information is available on Marian Call's website. If you want to hear the full album, you can stream it on Wildy's World, or on Call's website.