Her Name is Calla New England
Posted In: Her Name is Calla, Her Name is Calla - New England
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Whilst we put together a full review for Her Name is Calla’s upcoming new album ‘The Quiet Lamb’, we thought we would wet your appetite with this stunning short film…
Formed some years ago out of a desire to create music that had a more emotional core, Her Name is Calla have since expanded to a six piece – seven if you include the occasional addition of cello. The music they make is the music they want to make. Encapsulating brass, strings, pianos, oddities and anything else at their disposal, they craft songs and music that have a heart. That heart may not always be the one people are used to – not the bright red shining symbol of love and hope – but a heart that seems somehow more personal than clichéd.
Touring with iLiKETRAiNS at the back end of 2007 as a four piece, they found a life they could fit into. Playing to sold out shows and finding new friends. Being immersed in the music. That year also saw the release of the ‘Condor and River’ on Loom, and ‘A Moment of Clarity’ on Gizeh, two records that won the band a great deal of critical acclaim. These were followed in 2008 with the mini-album, The Heritage. Again, the critics loved it, those that heard it loved it, and slowly more and more people caught on. Playing shows up and down the UK through 2008 the four piece gradually expanded to include cello and trumpet.
A show at Holy Trinity Church in Leeds signalled the end of live gigging for a while. It was time to write. Time to write their debut full-length album. Early 2009 saw the addition of violin, and experiments with accordians and out of tune organs. The material started taking shape. A number of songs were written and recorded and found their way onto a limited DVD release. Collaborating with Ashley Dean, AKA Broken Pixel (ex-iLiKETRAiNS), resulted in the dark and macabre tale set to the track, New England – the centrepiece for the DVD and often the theatrical closer to Calla’s live sets.
In 2009, Calla’s current manifestation in sound form consists of manifold instruments, including but not exclusive to: guitar, violin, drums, cello, bass, trombone, cello, trumpet, piano, and live electronics. Summer 2009 saw the re-release of The Heritage on CD and vinyl in Denovali (with new artwork for the European release), whilst winter saw the recording of new tracks, and re-construction of old favourites, for Calla’s first full-length album, the eagerly awaited The Quiet Lamb.
Even at this point, as the tracks and band members come together to create an example of Calla’s form, a definite unveiling of Calla’s identity seems out of reach. But, somebody once said that beauty is the perfect balance of order and complexity. HNIC may not be aware of this insight, their music is nonetheless a manifestation of it.
It’s a long process, and one that Her Name is Calla take no shortcuts on. The end result is something they are all very excited about. Excited about creating the music, about playing the music, and about getting back on the road again.
Damn straight. New album is beautiful, you’re in for a treat.
[...] Whilst there is of course a pervading melancholia to the set, inevitable given the provenance of some of the songs, it doesn’t feel maudlin or depressive to me. As you would hope there is a real sense of progression from earlier recordings, greater sensitivity in recording, Tom Morris’ vocals sounding much stronger and more assured, the greater use of horns and strings add splendid layers to the sound, altogether a much more grow-up and mature affair. An interesting little history of HNCI can be found here [...]