Reviews:
California's
Refrigerator returned from a two
year hiatus in 2001, with another album of minimalist lo-fi rock, Comedy
Minus One.
Allen Callaci's offbeat voice
remains the band's strongest asset. The band has certainly quieted down
since their debut How You Continue Dreaming. The acoustic-based "Never
Nowhere" is a calm, around-the-campfire type of song, as is much of the
album. The pace picks up slightly on "Freeway Close," led by
Chris Jones on piano. The organ on
"Twilight Show" creates a subdued feeling, combined with
Allen Callaci's restrained vocals.
The aura returns to an upbeat sense with "Open Fan Mail," with
Dennis Callaci returning to the
vocal chair. The slide guitar on "Little Red Riding Hood" is a different
sound for the band, yet it somehow sounds natural. "Retire the Ghost"
closes the album, and is appropriately haunting and reserved. Bassist
Daniel Brodo keeps a steady hand
throughout the album, rhythmically holding all of the pieces together. The
album was produced by
Steve Folta, and includes guest
appearances by
Folta and
Emily Marsh.
Stephen Cramer
(allmusic.com)
- from All-Music Guide
I've loved Refrigerator
for so long that hearing a new album from them is like replacing one warm
blanket with another. This lonesome downer rock quartet fronted by LA's
Callaci brothers is back with one of their most upbeat albums yet... but
don't let that make you think they're happy. They're still despondent,
introspective, slow to laugh, but when you're down and out, Refrigerator
will keep you company. Somewhere between Bob Dylan and Smog lies
Refrigerator.
Aquarius Records (store@aquariusrecords.org)
- from http://www.aquariusrecordssf.com/index.html
Someone has to keep the indie rock spirit alive so let’s hear it for
another Refrigerator album. I’m not sure if Allen can really take off his
shirt to these morose tales but I don’t necessarily want to think about it
either. Glad to see the Albert Brooks fetish has spread rampantly
throughout the Midheaven legions.
- Scratch Records (info@scratchrecords.com)
Down at the Sideshow of
Music, the crowds always moves on to the newest exhibit, attracted, like
moths to a crackling bug light, to the carny barker's siren call to get on
the latest and greatest. Crowding around what is proclaimed to be Fresh,
they barely notice as their wallets are lifted and hands explore their
purses to liberate cash in all denominations. Yesterday's Garbage is
today's Radiohead, the Prodigy replaced by Korn and Korn shoved aside for
the White Stripes while the next in line patiently waits. The barker's
voice diverts all attention from the older performers, patiently
perfecting their acts no longer under the spotlight or even noted in the
zinery, empty space in the atlas now.
Yet if you stay behind for a moment, ignoring the flashing lights and
garish posters telling you otherwise, you might be surprised at what
delights you may discover by those who pursue their art through sheer
drive and the need to shape sonic sand castles to be washed way in the
high tide of critical apathy. At the edge of the carnival on separate
stages out of the way you might come across Refrigerator-- paying special
attention to Dennis Callaci and Allen Callaci.
With his cassette (and now CD and LP occasionally) label Shrimper and his
band, Refrigerator, Dennis Callaci, with his brother Allen, spearheaded
the bedroom lo-fi movement of the early nineties by spreading the sounds
of countless bands and solo performers fiddling with their four tracks.
Through Callaci’s advocacy and network of Inland Empire and international
bands, we have been brought such treasures as the Mountain Goats, Good
Horsey, Noggin and Nothing Painted Blue, a spectrum ranging from pop to
noise -- a true DIY ethic celebrated. Along the way, Refrigerator has
evolved from its boombox sound primitive beginnings to their recent
release, Comedy Minus One. Refrigerator’s sound has always pivoted on
Allen Callaci’s seemingly earnest melancholy self-pity undercut with
subtle wit supported by Dennis Callaci’s simple, repetitive melodic guitar
structure. In some respects, each Refrigerator song is almost a sugar
coated dirge of unfulfilled or lost romantic desire. Their last album,
Glitter Jazz, should have been their breakthrough, shoving them into the
forefront of attention. Assisted by Franklin Bruno, Glitter Jazz fully
realized Refrigerator’s marriage of delicate, sweet melodies and
bittersweet vocals. With additional instrumentation, the record soared
through the shadows of Allen Callaci’s broken heart.
2 years have passed since Glitter Jazz made its appearance onto the midway
and was quickly forgotten. Since that time Shrimper has slowed down
drastically as a label and Refrigerator has sunk further into obscurity.
One might hope that their new album, Comedy Minus One, would resurrect
Refrigerator’s presence but that would probably be a pipe dream. Therein
lies the tragedy. Utilizing the same title as an Albert Brooks comedy
album, Comedy Minus One is another sad and downcast Refrigerator work
cleanly recorded on a 4 track in their living room. Whereas Glitter Jazz
was recorded in a full studio with electrically charged guitars, Comedy
Minus One is a more relaxed, acoustic affair -- a diorama of suburban
regret accented with occasional piano and cello flourishes. The album’s
cover captures the contents to a T. Upon the front one is first presented
with the four members wearing suits and ties, their faces masked in clown
greasepaint. All of them look up towards a floating red balloon except for
Allen Callaci, who is much shorter than the rest, who stares at the
ground. Each song is the moment after a joke no longer seems so funny
after all, half hearted punch lines buffeted by plaintive sighs. “Kill the
TV . . . . there’s no place to go.”
At the point I should stop, though I have only barely touched on Comedy
Minus One, providing the tiniest of tastes. At this point, as it always is
and will always be, the proverbial ball is in your court. Close your ears
away from the carnival barker’s verbal advertisements, and wander down to
the lest crowded exhibits. Past the dog faced boy and the crying bearded
lady, you may stumble across Refrigerator subliminally transmuting your
blank smile into a knowing frown.
Jack Cole (216.26.62.160)
- from
http://web.pitas.com/pataphysics/08_11_2001.html
A stripped-down acoustic record with
strings and bows wrapped around mistreated pianos and dobros, Comedy Minus
One continues in the direction of Refrigerator's previous record from 1999
Glitter Jazz. Recorded by Steve Folta at the Callaci compound over the
course of two years, the band was able to lay the shit down and cut the
floor up without removing any stitches, leaving well over 30 songs on the
recording studio room floor. Freshness assured! The band will tour the
North and Southwest in late fall 2001, and follow that with East Coast
dates in 2002. No other California band captures
the poignant raw emotion and pure spirit of indie pop better than
Refrigerator, who have the unique ability of supplanting upbeat homemade
melodies with deeply emotional and sometimes deeply disturbing lyrics -
which could stand on their own as fragmented poems of personal tragedy and
repair. With their music they become indelible masterpieces of redefined
elegance to pop indie quintessence. -Green
Mountain
- Refrigerator unplugged!
- Second album in a row with a bass-player
- a new personal best
- Even bitter industry cynics gotta admit
the artwork's adorable
- A band even Albert Brooks could love
- Midheaven Mailorder / Revolver USA (http://www.midheaven.com/front.html)
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