Review: Evoletah ‘Calliope Dreaming’
Like an epic film score that soaks you into a spiraling illusive dream, Evoletah’s latest record, Calliope Dreaming is immersive and hard-hitting from the start. You’d not want to climb out of its sound world. Flashing black and white, retro and modern, the album is a collage of palettes, floating above the crossroads of genres and styles. It’s a stunning experiment with intense emotions. Sharp and thoughtful lyrics that seem to penetrate walls.
It’s hard not to get stirred and wrapped up in these unfulfilled dreams and questions. The sounds initiate a question, but it does not provide any answers, and it results in this lingering, haunting feeling — Calliope Dreaming doesn’t end on its last note. It follows you like a shadow, leaving its own bag of ghosts to ponder at midnight.
“The fool & the candle” is absolutely haunting with indie rock core mashed up in the free spirit of jazz and chiming melodies that get stuck in your head. It builds a kind of mood and state with great depth and unpredictability. “A glass against the wall” evokes a time-traveling, retro nostalgia but the way they combine it with elements from hip-hop gives it a revolutionary edge.
“Calliope dreaming,” the title track, is lo-fi against introspective piano. It’s moody and unresolved, but much less intense. “Ain’t that peculiar,” the ambitious track has sort of a rebellious soul of its own. It questions the question itself — What’s not peculiar about it? A reaction to an understatement because the track is so very unique, and probably the most standout in this record. “I cry out the hallelujah While everyone around me thinks ain’t that peculiar?”
Calliope Dreaming stings a little and leaves listeners ultimately haunted. In the slapping bass and spicy complexity, “Volatile cocktail” marks the end of a tornado of conflicts and proceeding. You think about how it leaves you. It’s not something you hear every day. That’s for sure.
Five Questions With Evoletah
Can you tell us about the story/concept behind 'Calliope Dreaming'? What is your overall artistic vision?
Matt: That’s a great question...We've always looked for themes or stories that could connect our albums together as a whole, from the sound, lyrics & vibe, right through to the artwork, so when we found out that 'Calliope, as the eldest of the Nine Greek muses, was the Goddess of music, song & dance', we felt like we'd won the jackpot. As she was also responsible for 'epic poetry', it really felt like the theme of the album was already there & we just had to write it.
Ben: I think you’ve captured this Matt – and we've certainly come to learn that we do create songs best when we follow the muse.
Have there been any challenges when making 'Calliope Dreaming'?
Matt: There's obviously always challenges when making any album & God knows, EVOLETAH has had its fair share of them, although this one was strangely, fairly smooth sailing. Mainly as we'd started writing about 6 months into the pandemic, so here in Australia, there were plenty of lockdowns & as any musician will tell you, we used that to our complete advantage. The biggest challenge that we faced at the end of the album, was the distance between us had widened, in that now we're living in separate countries.
Ben: As mentioned by Matt, being separated in different countries at the end of production was extremely tricky but full credit must go to Matt, we have a musical affinity and I trust his input and ideas implicitly. Matt's creative force and work ethic is amazing and his instrumental arrangements and ability to massage a song to completion, I find inspiring. We feed off each other’s ideas however what Matt brings to the table is always heartbreakingly beautiful.
What has been one of your favourite memories with music/this album so far?
Ben: Every part of making this album is a great memory, from long nights playing and jamming out ideas together in the studio right through as the final compositions formed. What trumps all this is spending time together drinking our favourite South Australian Shiraz, talk music of all genres and noodle on song ideas.
Matt: I think Ben has captured the essence of what has made the journey of this album an amazing memory in whole, although I do remember a moment when I was feeling a bit self conscious about the song 'The Fool & the candle'.
Then, when Ben heard it mixed completely for the first time through the studio monitors, I caught him 'eyes closed' and seemingly immersed in the track as if he was hearing it for the first time & so I have this acute memory now, of kind of hearing it through his ears. This in fact went a long way towards how I view the album now, as a whole.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into rock music?
Matt: There's always been a deep desire to play/listen & be involved in music for me, since I was very small. My earliest memories of singing were around four years old & just harmonizing to my grandmother's piano playing, while sitting at her feet.
When I hit high school, one of the very first things I did was join any band I could to get as much experience as possible. I eventually got signed to the first of many record deals in my early twenties & spent thirteen years playing live & touring, then eventually building my own recording studio.
Ben: I started very young also, classically trained on piano from 5 years old. I frustrated all my music teachers as I just wanted to make up songs and play my own pieces!! I started up little original bands in primary and high school, writing eclectic songs and was always creating my own pieces. I formed an indie band later with some success, but work and life got in the way. It wasn’t until I reconnected with Matt (after many years previously playing as a session musician on one of 'The Violets' tracks) that I had a new musical lease on life. We found a musical connection that was invigorating and inspiring where great ideas flowed together."
How do you balance creativity and commercial success in your music career?
Matt: For me personally, it's never been an issue. I have had commercial success in the past & it's never been any kind of having to 'sell-out' type of thing. I find that if you're true to the art that you conjure, then if any of it gets recognized in any mass kind of way, then you can rest in the knowledge that it's genuinely representative of your true artistic self & not a contrivance aimed at being popular. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that there's definitely a real sense of liberty in not being popular!
Ben: I wholeheartedly agree with Matt, and I must say that working alongside him has been an extraordinary experience. The most remarkable aspect of our collaboration is our seemingly instinctual ability to craft music that truly encapsulates our authentic selves.
Mystik Fool “Gone with the Wind”
“Gone With the Wind” elevates you in every splash of sounds and twangs. The track opens you up and pushes you through the leaves into the clouds, where your view is wider. Curious and open-hearted, Mystik Fool leads you journeying through different grounds, where pop disappears into rock blurring between alternative and independent, spiritual and medicine. In the end, it doesn’t matter where it goes because everything is connected and the sonics in the track have a life of their own.
“Gone With the Wind” sees everything linked together, coexisting in harmony, inspiring and bouncing between one and another, and together, they are a stronger thread. A deep bound among genres that are perceived as different or even in conflicts share the same root and harmony, which in truth, reflects nature and the world as they are, and humans are part of them.
Mystik Fool is the music project of multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Galen Deery. Like Mystik Fool’s past releases, “Gone With the Wind” is liberating and refreshing, spirited but rooted in peace and truth. One needs to be grounded to fly high. While “Gone With the Wind” sparks electrifying energy like an eagle, its strength, stillness and transparency feels like a thousand-year old tree. From the scenic mountains of Alaska to a stadium-filling, transforming sonic experience, the track sees a massive growth in Mystik Fool’s songwriting. Breathy vocals vibrate with floral sonics and booming grooves. It sets its scene in sounds that exist organically in nature, and its sonic palettes absorb that life and vibrancy.
Check out our interview with Galen Deery, where we chat about spirituality and spreading love through music.
Punk Head: I love how expansive “Gone with the Wind” is. Can you talk us through your creative process?
Mystik Fool: The process behind this song was very organic. Alaska was where the song started back in 2020, and throughout the years, it evolved. Drums and guitar were added, lyrics changed, and more elements started to take shape. In the studio while recording, the process was very smooth and easy because the song was written already. We just had to record it. The creative process changes for every song.
PH: To us, Mystik Fool's music sparks a strong connection with nature and spirituality. Is that true? Can you tell us more about it?
Mystik Fool: Spirituality is a big part of my life, I just remember being inspired deeply by sounds and teachings of eastern mysticism from a young age. And the common thread of each path always leads back to nature. So this music carries that message to attempt to reharmonizes us with the natural world.
PH: What motivates you as an artist?
Mystik Fool: Motivation for an artist comes in different ways. musically, visually, spiritually. For me, when it comes to music, I am motivated by experiences that take place in my life. I’m motivated by the people I surround myself with. A deep place in my heart longs to live a beautiful life, so I try to create that for others first using music.
PH: Who are your biggest influences?
Mystik Fool: I would say that growing up with a household filled with music from the 60s and 70s. Led Zeppelin, The Who, Santana, and Crosby, Still, & Nash. Then hearing the raw sounds from the 90s alternative scene like Janes Addiction, The Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, Rage Against the Machine. And then leaping forward to a scene of music that brought spirituality back to the forefront like Nahko, Trevor Hall, Tash Sultana, John Butler.
But I'm also heavily influenced by visual artists like Andrew Goldsworthy, Claud Monet, and Mitch Gobel.
Other influences include Maharaji, Ram Dass, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Johnny Depp, Ananda Maim.
PH: What would you like to say to your fans out there?
Mystik Fool: There’s a seemingly lost idea of love. Loving each other and encouraging each other to pursue our passion and purpose. So many people feeling depressed, anxious, alone, discouraged. The earth being torn apart and over populated, the political climate, the social infiltration of technology. All these issues must be tended to with careful attention. We must come together. We must find common ground to speak with each other. We must attempt to raise our consciousness so we can make better choices with the next generation in mind. Music is a huge way we can spread this message. I hope to see you at our concerts soon! I love you
Spearside “Not Up to Much”
“Not Up to Much” finds 90s garage rock mixed with the disobedient, upbeat but cynical, disillusioned punk attitude. Spearside’s lushly noise-coiled soundscape easily evokes a sense of belonging. “Not Up to Much” touches on nostalgia though the song itself doesn’t dwell in the past. Old and new feelings exist in conflict with one another, engaging in an end-of-the-world carnival-style dance party— the vibe is quite unusual in “Not Up to Much.” Nothing like what you’ve heard in a while.
The track talks about a person who revels in their descent into nihilism with a sensuous, scenic undertone in the soundscape, throwing a atmospheric, drastic draw of complex feelings in mixture. Sharp-edged and raw, however, like an expressionist painting, it’s these unsorted, raw, exposed nerves and emotions one has to savor. Spearside’s music is definitely something you can put on repeat, just to disappear in, or to ponder upon, or to feel. The Irish three-piece rock outfit manages to evoke a very interesting combination of experiences through one single song.
Lead by brothers Oisín (vocals/guitar) and Cian Walsh (vocals/bass), along with their friend Dylan Zovich (drums), Spearside is fiercely on the rising. Their dynamically fuzzy sound draws comparisons to The Stains and Magazine. From March through July, the band will be playing live around Dublin and London. If you’re in the area, don’t forget to check out their shows! Mark the dates:
Sat 11 March-DUBLIN, Whelan’s (Upstairs)
Fri 17 March-DUBLIN, Whelan’s (Main Room) St Patrick’s Day Festival
Wed 12 April-LONDON, Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes with Bag Of Cans
Sun 23 July LONDON, The Finsbury, Pump It Up Power Pop Weekender 22-23 July
Check out our interview with frontman Oisin Walsh where we chat about their influences and the time they built a home studio in rural Ireland.
Punk Head: I love how authentic “Not Up To Much” is. What inspired the song?
Oisín Walsh: The musical inspiration for “Not Up to Much” was a blend of The Byrds, Badfinger, and The Saints. I'm also a big Brendan Benson fan, who definitely had a big influence on this song. He has a lot of songs that are quite up beat musically but have darker lyrics in contrast, I've always loved that.
When the musical backdrop is major key and up-beat, it can offer some extra license to explore darker lyrics without the song feeling too laborious. “Not Up to Much” is about someone revelling in their descent into nihilism.
The character in the lyrics takes the tragedy of their life, their apathy, their social isolation, and uses it as an excuse to give up, blame others, and crack a wry smile while they do it.
PH: I read that you guys built a home studio in rural Ireland and this song is recorded entirely in your home studio. Can you tell us a bit more about that experience?
Walsh: We've only ever recorded our own music, we've never been in a proper studio. I've always been somewhat of a wannabe DIY producer. During the covid lockdowns I just started hoarding recording gear, got a reel to reel tape machine and tried to take producing seriously. In my experience the best way to learn is to schedule a release of music you've self-produced and just force yourself to figure it out. I record a lot of my friends' bands too like Unstuck, I track and mix all their stuff in our studio.
PH: What is your creative vision as a band?
Walsh: We would love to be a band that sounds like everything and nothing you've heard before. The challenge is to make music that is rooted in the rock n roll tradition without sounding pastiche or retro, our favourite bands have always managed this. I think true creativity comes from walking the line between utility and novelty, familiarity and freshness.
PH: What’s your goal this year?
Walsh: Our main goal this year is to keep recording and releasing new music. We also hope to play more shows, particularly outside Ireland. We've got some dates in London coming up which will be the first time we've played abroad so we're really exited for those.
PH: What is the one thing that you’d like your fans to know about you?
Walsh: When we're not playing music we're probably playing golf.
In The Middle “Brain Games”
Mesmerizing melodies journey through retro sonic landscapes, In the Middle explores the idea of a game of survival if one were to step into the maze of one’s mind in “Brain Games.” Visually stimulating, they step into the state of audio-visual interaction, taking listeners to a multi-dimensional ride with many surprising encounters. The recurring melodic motifs seem no coincidence, while it intrigues you to delve deeper into your own thoughts, it also evokes new ideas and perspective. Beyond its luscious, addictive sonic view, there seems to be a deeper game, one only you could see. “Brain Games” is definitely a track that haunts you and intrigues you to come back. Like an ever-changing maze, there’s always a deeper secret left for you to uncover.
World-building through songs is an interesting, and “Brain Games” gives you the first sonic taste of the world inside one’s brain. Logical and sensuous. Clarity runs the risk of overthinking. Inspiration comes with each new realization, but the mundane and the ordinary sits in most of the day. There are so many areas to explore in the audio-visual world of “Brain Games.” Sits with it, and you’ll find your brain relating to it.
The titular single marks the first release from In The Middle’s upcoming debut album Brain Games. Brain Games is a multi-faceted project, where In the Middle combines their love for music with comics. To accompany the concept album, they will launch a comic book that dives deeper into the lore of the album. If you love music and at the same time enjoy comic books, Brain Games will definitely bring you a lot of fun.
Punk Head: I love the idea of world-building through an album of songs. I’d love to know more about it! Base on the first release “Brain Games,” whats can fans expect from the rest of the album?
In the Middle: Thank you! Fans can definitely expect to hear a lot of different genre influences in the remainder of the album. What’s pretty cool about a concept album is that there’s so much cohesion within the storyline already that it gave us a bit more room to experiment with different sounds. We really feel like there is something on this album for everybody because of that. There’s also a lot coming up in the remaining comic book chapters that take fans through the lore of the album, and there’s a big twist at the end that we think will really shock people.
PH: How did the idea come to you? And did it evolve through time?
In the Middle: The idea definitely evolved over time, and while we knew we wanted our first album to be a concept album, it took a while for that idea to come to life. It’s hard to say the exact moment when we came up with the idea for “Brain Games,” but there were definitely a few big moments where a song would come together and inspire a major part of the storyline. We’ve been building this fictional world for a few years now and it’s slowly come together in a way that we couldn’t have imagined when we first started.
PH: What are some challenges you faced while making the album?
In the Middle: We wanted to create a cohesive storyline that people could really dive into and get lost in. If we had unlimited resources, we probably would have made an entire movie for this album, but as an independent band we had to adapt to what we had. We chose to tell the story in the form of a comic book because we felt it was the best way to tell the whole story in a creative and engaging way that fit within our abilities.
PH: What are you most excited about this project?
In the Middle: What we’re most excited about is seeing everybody’s reactions to the album and interacting with fans. We’ve had so much fun online interacting with people over music, theories on the album, and even memes. We can’t wait for live shows and meeting fans in person.
PH: One message that you’d like to share with your fans and listeners out there.
In the Middle: Thank you! You all are what keep this project going and we appreciate the support endlessly. There‘s so much to come with this album and comic book, and we’re thankful that you’re here with us.