Calhoun

CALHOUN Falter Waiver Cultivate Depending upon what part of the country you are in you may or may not have heard of Calhoun yet, but when you listen you will know. You will know that Calhoun is picking up where many others have left off. Picking up and taking off to conjure breathtaking views with their sweeping wide open sound. A worthy companion to the ongoing landscapes and big skies of Texas, from where Calhoun hails. Singer and songwriter for the band, Tim Locke is well known amongst the Fort Worth scene for his work with bands Dead City Radio, The Grandstreet Cryers, Blue Skies Black and Coma Rally. In Calhoun, Locke soars to a new level of soundscape glory with a band worthy of his grand vision. Blending folk, rock and pop genres effortlessly leave the listener enveloped within the music and lyrics that in time can seep into the psyche, and take hold with its building grip. Falter Waiver Cultivate is Calhoun's third record and really the first as a full-time band. Grammy®-winning producer/engineer Stuart Sikes (The White Stripes, Cat Power, Hot Hot Heat) helped recreate in the studio the same crackling kinetic energy that has captivated live audiences throughout the band's native Texas and on its frequent forays across the country. Locke credits those audiences for persuading band members to truly dedicate themselves to Calhoun's ongoing success. "Everywhere we went, we could tell people liked our music, and we all really liked it too," he says. "We were doing other things on the side, but each of us chose to set those projects aside and give Calhoun our total focus." A focus and commitment that becomes quite evident when one experiences Calhoun live. Falter Waiver Cultivate reflects the newfound cohesiveness that developed while touring in support of Calhoun's 2006 self-titled album. "The last record was still basically a singer/songwriter record," Locke says. "I went into the studio with a bunch of songs written on the acoustic guitar and just had people I knew come in and play whatever they wanted. There were a lot of overdubs and a lot of drum loops, which I love, and it was a lot of fun.” "This record is basically the band," he adds. "It's not entirely live; obviously there are some overdubs. But it's the band and it's real. It's raw. Everything is quite dry. And it's the way we sound live. I've never made a record with so few tricks and it was a little terrifying." The "we" in Calhoun is Locke (lead vocals, guitar), longtime collaborator Byron Gordon (bass), Jordan Roberts (guitar, keys), and Mike Ratliff (drums). Together, their music has been described as "full of catchy melodies and irresistible hooks," and even as "gorgeous, melodic — sorta poppy, sorta rootsy, sorta rockin', really splendid music." You can call it what you will, but Locke says "We're just a pop band," he says. Then he laughingly concedes a nod to the root-rock and alt-country influences that others hear in the band's music: "Well, let's say we're just a pop band with a pedal steel thrown in occasionally." Calhoun will tour throughout the Midwest this spring, including a prime showcase slot at the SXSW Music Festival. Northeast and West Coast dates will follow in the summer. Check www.myspace.com/calhoun for the latest tour dates and band updates. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.