Review Text
Calling Cadence is a rare band in our increasingly digital world: they have recorded their intriguing new album all-analog without a single computer. This "old school" approach provides a listening experience unlike anything else in modern rock today. Calling Cadence the album's debut single, "Throw My Body," is a powerhouse of musicality, swirling late '70s rock, soul, and modern pop into an intoxicating blend of California summer bliss. Calling Cadence is made up of singer/guitarist/songwriter Oscar Bugarin and vocalist Rae Cole, with accompaniment by a wrecking crew of West Coast studio pros that represent the foundation of the Los Angeles music scene. This combination of authentic vibe and analog warmth makes Calling Cadence an instant American classic album. This is an authentic, full-analog recording. Entire songs are performed almost entirely live to tape. Though live analog recording is a more challenging process, doing so here was a conscious decision made by the band and producers David Swartz and Matt Linesh (of the famed Hi-Res Music label) because of the incredible caliber of musicianship, as well as the studio being a full-analog facility. Recorded on 2" magnetic tape through a Studer A827 tape machine, then mixed analog through a 1972 API console through a world-class collection of outboard gear and effects, the tracks were finally mixed down to 14" magnetic tape on an Ampex ATR 102 tape machine. The 14" reels were then taken to acclaimed mastering engineer Kevin Gray, who cut the lacquer from the original master tape. Not just another "stuffy audiophile reissue," Calling Cadence is a rocking, soulful trip full of evocative lyrics, earworm hooks, and a retro vibe perfect for the lovers of '70s music and modern vinyl music. It is unlike any you have ever heard in contemporary music.
