Dee Calhoun - Godless (Album Review)

Release date: July 10th 2020. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD

Godless – Tracklisting

1. Here Under Protest - 04:30
2. Godless - 05:52
3. The Moon Says Goodbye - 05:10
4. Hornswoggled - 04:20
5. To My Boy - 04:33
6. Spite Fuck - 05:50
7. No Justice - 03:49
8. Ebenezer - 05:41
9. Ride Away - 05:01
10. The Greater Evil - 05:41
11. The Day Salvation Went Away - 04:26

12. Prudes Puritanicals Puddles of Piss - 06:34

Review

Legendary Doom Metal Artist – Dee Calhoun – returns with his 3rd solo album Godless and it sees Dee on on fine form with an album that has 12 tracks to soothe your soul with. This is a deeply emotional and quite troubling album in places. As Dee lays his heart out here. Playing a more subdued acoustic style of American, Doom, Country and good old fashioned Outlaw Rock.

The album features Dee’s infinite wisdom which he’s built up with almost 40 years in the musical business and performing for great bands such as Spiral Grave and IRON MAN. This is Dee’s 3rd solo album and it’s good to see him continuing his excellent relationship with Argonauta Records yet again.

Godless is quite a spiritual album despite the name of GODLESS. As there’s a lot of deep meaningful lyrics that touch upon religious themes. The music is constantly captivating with Dee playing a wild style of Acoustic Rock that offers the perfect balance of different sounds and still keep the gloomy atmosphere thriving from start to finish.

Dee is joined by Iron Man and Spiral Grave bandmate, Louis Strachan, provided the bass tracks. Dee’s son Robert, “Little ‘Houn” Calhoun, appears on the record with percussion and backing vocals performances. So it’s good to see that Dee has made this a very close and personal affair and you can tell that on the lyrics for the majority of the songs.

Maybe 12 tracks is slightly too long for this album but it’s quite a powerful album that pulls no punches with the dark vocals and lyrical content that Dee has included on this album. The album is deeply soaked by the legendary Blues Rock scene as it’s steeped in a very cool and vibrant Blues Rock sound.

Standout songs on the album include – Here Under Protest, Godless, To My Boy, Spite Fuck, Ride Away, The Greater Evil and Prudes Puritanicals Puddles of Piss.

The “Outlaw” aspect of this album is perhaps the best part of GODLESS. As Dee writes and performs some of his best material when he’s in a more rebellious mood but though there are still plenty moments of emotionally charged acoustic rock to be impressed with.

GODLESS is wonderfully eerie and challenging in equal measure. So don’t expect an easy ride as this album offers no easy answers or solutions but a showcase for a Doom Metal Legend at the top of his game.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Mona at All Noir PR for the promo. Godless is available to buy on CD/DD via Argonauta Records now.

Links:

Official | Facebook | Twitter

Dee Calhoun - Rotgut (Album Review)

Release date: June 2016 . Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD

Rotgut – Tracklisting

01 Unapologetic

02 Rotgut

03 Not Everyone Wins A Prize

04 Little Houn Daddy Houn

05 Babelkowa

06 Backstabbed In Backwater

07 The Train Back Home

08 Sincerely Yours

09 Deifendor

10 Cast Out The Crow

11 Winter A Dirge

12 At Long Day's End

Band Members:

Dee Calhoun

Review:

Dee Calhoun has had quite a varied music career over the last 20 plus years or so. He's been the vocalist of Doom Metal legends Iron Man for the last 6 years. It's a role that he's excelled in over the last few Iron Man records with some superb vocal performances especially on their 2013 album – South Of The Earth.

Now Dee has released a solo album called Rotgut. An acoustic Southern/Blues/Country/Doom kind of album. Rotgut has a similar vibe to Scott Kelly and Wino's recent solo albums. So if you're a fan of those kind of albums then Rotgut will speak volumes to you.

The album can be a very hard album to listen to at times especially with the bleak subject matters that Dee covers. The lyrical content is bleak but one that also offers moments of hope. A very hard thing to do but Dee pulls this off with style and grace. Songs such as Unapologetic, Rotgut, Backstabbed in Backwater, Cast Out The Crow and At Long Day's End show that Dee has a keen eye for Americana based melodies especially when mixed with elements of Folk, Southern Rock and a hint of Doom.

Rotgut is an album that will take a few listens to fully enjoy the overall feel of the album. It's not an album that's going to appeal to everyone. These acoustic solo albums can be an acquired taste for me a times but thankfully Rotgut is an exception to the rule. As it's superbly produced and it offers the listener a vintage style of sounds.

The instrumental work is good throughout the album though there's a few moments where the guitars can sound a bit out of tune at times. Maybe that's just me but it shouldn't stop you're enjoyment of the album. You can tell that Dee has been influenced by Neil Young on this album as the track – Not Everyone Wins A Prize – sees Dee perform his best Neil Young style vocal performance. The song itself is a haunting and heartfelt melody as it takes aim at the heart-strings.

Little Houn Daddy Houn is perhaps one of the weakest songs on the album. It's a song that Dee perform with his own son Rob Calhoun. I can see why Dee included this song on the album as it's a tender experience that Dee could enjoy with his son. Though it feels out of this place on the album. I applaud Dee for including this on the album as it shows you the more paternal side of Dee that people may not be used to. Maybe I'm being too harsh on the song itself.

Apart from that minor complaint, Rotgut is a stunning solo musical odyssey that brings the audience closer spiritually and musically to the man himself which Iron Man could never do.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Barbara at NeeCee Agency for the promo. Rotgut is available on CD/DD from Argonauta Records now.

Links:

Official | Facebook | Twitter