Bill Callahan - Apocalypse (Drag City)A voice like gravel, an in-tray full of melancholy, and over two decades in the business… what could possibly go wrong with this latest Bill Callahan release? Well for a start, it doesn’t really go anywhere. It all sounds very meaningful, and the music is at times beautifully composed, but at a certain point you stop and think “what is he actually saying?”. In other words, it is somewhat self-indulgent, and perhaps the most poignant line is “you must reap what you sow – or sing”; as though Callahan has postponed his destiny by singing about his grief rather than dealing with it. Full of introspection, this album reflects a very personal “apocalypse”.
