Think Differently
‘Think Differently’ is the debut LP from the duo Callahan & Witscher. Jeff Witscher has been one of the most daring voices in American underground music for two decades, emerging through releases on Pan and NNA Tapes.
Jack Callahan's focused, uncompromising approach to sound caught the attention of both Demdike Stares label DDS and Swiss composer Jürg Frey, who took Callahan on as his first composition student. Fans of their individual work might expect opacity, glitches or rhythmic irregularities from their collaboration, but ‘Think Differently’ sounds like a pit bull in a convertible, a sand-kicking beach party, the dopamine hit you'd get from 311 or Smash Mouth. It's a punchy, crunchy, highly infectious record. How did Callahan & Witscher find their way from the ghostly fringes of avant-garde music to the gutters of American post-grunge hard rock?
In the words of Callahan: ‘At some point you need a stronger drug.’ The strongest feature of this stronger drug is the guitar. And not just any guitar, but a cheeky, infectious, happy guitar. Its presence is a drastic change for two guys who have made dozens of records over the years, not one of which contained a recognisable guitar sound. Alongside the cool breeze and hyperactive fretwork of Callahan's guitar playing, the songs are carried by proud, groovy vocals: all bark, all bite. Each song is a careful collage, light yet dense, embellished with gang choruses, soulful female vocals, auto-tune and whispery scratches. This accumulation almost manages to hide the album's strong undertone of dread.
‘Think Differently’ unfolds carefully, a slow-motion demolition revealing the anxiety of doubt, the exhaustion of touring, creative bankruptcy, wilful misunderstanding and the pain of worry. The juxtaposition of lyrical cynicism and sonic cheerfulness is no walk in the park, no bait and switch, no joke. After all, the silly bliss of Sugar Ray's ‘Fly’ overshadows a song about the death of Mark McGrath's mother. ‘All Star’ is about climate change. Most Sublime lyrics are a flop. But there's still room for a raised pint, for a silly grin. Like their forebears, Callahan & Witscher aim for maximum buoyancy, for sounds that warm and dazzle like an accelerated sunrise. Despite overdraft interest, despite bad art, despite self-doubt.
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$10.40Think Differently
‘Think Differently’ is the debut LP from the duo Callahan & Witscher. Jeff Witscher has been one of the most daring voices in American underground music for two decades, emerging through releases on Pan and NNA Tapes.
Jack Callahan's focused, uncompromising approach to sound caught the attention of both Demdike Stares label DDS and Swiss composer Jürg Frey, who took Callahan on as his first composition student. Fans of their individual work might expect opacity, glitches or rhythmic irregularities from their collaboration, but ‘Think Differently’ sounds like a pit bull in a convertible, a sand-kicking beach party, the dopamine hit you'd get from 311 or Smash Mouth. It's a punchy, crunchy, highly infectious record. How did Callahan & Witscher find their way from the ghostly fringes of avant-garde music to the gutters of American post-grunge hard rock?
In the words of Callahan: ‘At some point you need a stronger drug.’ The strongest feature of this stronger drug is the guitar. And not just any guitar, but a cheeky, infectious, happy guitar. Its presence is a drastic change for two guys who have made dozens of records over the years, not one of which contained a recognisable guitar sound. Alongside the cool breeze and hyperactive fretwork of Callahan's guitar playing, the songs are carried by proud, groovy vocals: all bark, all bite. Each song is a careful collage, light yet dense, embellished with gang choruses, soulful female vocals, auto-tune and whispery scratches. This accumulation almost manages to hide the album's strong undertone of dread.
‘Think Differently’ unfolds carefully, a slow-motion demolition revealing the anxiety of doubt, the exhaustion of touring, creative bankruptcy, wilful misunderstanding and the pain of worry. The juxtaposition of lyrical cynicism and sonic cheerfulness is no walk in the park, no bait and switch, no joke. After all, the silly bliss of Sugar Ray's ‘Fly’ overshadows a song about the death of Mark McGrath's mother. ‘All Star’ is about climate change. Most Sublime lyrics are a flop. But there's still room for a raised pint, for a silly grin. Like their forebears, Callahan & Witscher aim for maximum buoyancy, for sounds that warm and dazzle like an accelerated sunrise. Despite overdraft interest, despite bad art, despite self-doubt.
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‘Think Differently’ is the debut LP from the duo Callahan & Witscher. Jeff Witscher has been one of the most daring voices in American underground music for two decades, emerging through releases on Pan and NNA Tapes.
Jack Callahan's focused, uncompromising approach to sound caught the attention of both Demdike Stares label DDS and Swiss composer Jürg Frey, who took Callahan on as his first composition student. Fans of their individual work might expect opacity, glitches or rhythmic irregularities from their collaboration, but ‘Think Differently’ sounds like a pit bull in a convertible, a sand-kicking beach party, the dopamine hit you'd get from 311 or Smash Mouth. It's a punchy, crunchy, highly infectious record. How did Callahan & Witscher find their way from the ghostly fringes of avant-garde music to the gutters of American post-grunge hard rock?
In the words of Callahan: ‘At some point you need a stronger drug.’ The strongest feature of this stronger drug is the guitar. And not just any guitar, but a cheeky, infectious, happy guitar. Its presence is a drastic change for two guys who have made dozens of records over the years, not one of which contained a recognisable guitar sound. Alongside the cool breeze and hyperactive fretwork of Callahan's guitar playing, the songs are carried by proud, groovy vocals: all bark, all bite. Each song is a careful collage, light yet dense, embellished with gang choruses, soulful female vocals, auto-tune and whispery scratches. This accumulation almost manages to hide the album's strong undertone of dread.
‘Think Differently’ unfolds carefully, a slow-motion demolition revealing the anxiety of doubt, the exhaustion of touring, creative bankruptcy, wilful misunderstanding and the pain of worry. The juxtaposition of lyrical cynicism and sonic cheerfulness is no walk in the park, no bait and switch, no joke. After all, the silly bliss of Sugar Ray's ‘Fly’ overshadows a song about the death of Mark McGrath's mother. ‘All Star’ is about climate change. Most Sublime lyrics are a flop. But there's still room for a raised pint, for a silly grin. Like their forebears, Callahan & Witscher aim for maximum buoyancy, for sounds that warm and dazzle like an accelerated sunrise. Despite overdraft interest, despite bad art, despite self-doubt.
