Don Caballero - World Class Listening Problem (10 tracks) +Album Reviews

Apparently Damon Che IS Don Caballero

M. Leber | Chicago, IL | 05/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know whether you call me a true Don Caballero fan or not. I own most of the albums, but I've only seen them live once. It might have mattered that Damon Che was the only continuing member, if this new album was no good -- but it is one the best Caballero albums period!! It's tight, muscular... and Damon is an avalanche on the drums. I absolutley cannot wait to seem them perform this material live! Every Caballero album has a different feel to it. As far as I am concerned this is one of the most accessible, and it still clearly employs the Don Caballero technique."

Excellent CD

Salmonax | ATL | 05/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For the readers of this review, I only own "For Respect", and "Don Cab 2," so my scope of the Don Cab collection is somewhat limited. All that aside I really enjoyed this CD. I'm not a big fan of "Math Rock," (It is somewhat monotonous and annoying, but that is my limited opinion.) Gone from this CD are the one note screeches and discordant "melodies" of Don cab 2 (I could only stand to listen to songs 1, 3, the first half of 4 and 8 on that album.) WCLP is more melodic and cohesive, however it still has some of the old Don Cab sensibilities. This is one of the few albums that I listened to all the way through and then listened to again. I would recommend this to any instrumental music lover, however it may turn off the true Don Cab fan. And that is my one and a half cents."

Holding pattern(s)?

fnord77 | edinboro, pa, altered states of america | 07/01/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'll admit that I felt somewhat skeptical about the release of this album when I initially heard of its release. Could it be Don Cab without the original members all present? Was it blatant cashing in on the band's history? Does Damon Che actually possess eight arms? Happily: yes; no; jury still out, respectively. I enjoy the abum, the protean elements that comprise both Don Cab and Creta Bourzia are all present and form a rather tight straightforward unit more reminiscent of For respect..., rather than II, in my humble opinion. Opening salvo "MMMM, acting" is arresting, its three distinct movements mapping out what this iteration of the Don is capable of. "Lowered the twin", "Palm trees", and the title track are all excellent additions to the Don Cab canon, sleek and relentless, but" Savage Composition" is by far the centerpiece of the album, epic without being overbearing, and closest to the spirit of previous efforts. The rest of the album is average, and could possibly have done with some editing, But "bozzo jazz" is a wonderful closer, spacey freak out rockiness abound. The best part of the ensemble Is Che's skinwork, of course, and the way the drums were recorded only enhances this: dry and very clean, almost jazz like in its economy. So, buy it and enjoy it for what it is, and I think we'll see something more expansive from this unit once they really have some time to progress. Embrace the prog, people!"

Excellent for most, average for don cab

Bradley Leland | 06/15/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am going to avoid discussing my dismay over the lineup change or other 'politic' formalities regarding this album (The new players seem to attempt a kind of replicated sound of the old players. I miss the old players). I am just going to say that, although this album is very good by anyone's standards, it is not the leap into new brain-bending territory that all prior Don Caballero albums have been (From II on, anyhow). In fact, it seems like an attempt to summarize all of the basic functions of the earlier don cab; to distill the unique qualities of each album into one. It does this without charting new territory at all. This does not make it a bad album at all, but I personally was just a tiny little bit disappointed that they didn't make another album that I would want to listen to for months on end. Their last two albums, What Burns and especially American Don, made all other music seem obsolete and sophomoric, in a way. After those albums, this one was downright predictable. On the other hand, If you found American Don and/or What Burns to be a little too out there, but you really love II, then you will thoroughly enjoy this album because it contains the most straight up "rocking out" that Don Cab has come up with since II."

Some good, some bad--but more Good!!

C. Hamilton | Charleston, SC | 05/17/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"WCLP is a great return for Don Caballero, back after a long break with an almost completely new line-up. This does not sound like the Don Cab of old, at least not all the way. What is here, however, is great instrumental rock, and worthy of your money.

This album isn't perfect, but I did give it four stars, so in my opinion the good definitely outweighs the bad. First, the good: it's still Don Caballero. The music is tight, interesting, and complex. This album starts out with a few tracks that are a bit crunchier than we've heard in a while. There's less noodling around and more attention paid to songcraft. For me, this is a plus, as it seemed that sometimes the DC of old would get lost in its own songs, without a clear direction. The songs on WCLP have a bit more structure behind them, and to me this is probably due to the fact that the new guys are still feeling their way together. I imagine that, were DC to stick around for a while, as the musicians composed together more there would be more chance for experimentation and freeness.

As the album progresses, the songs get a bit lighter. This is where long-time fans might have a harder time adjusting, because this takes the band in a new direction. These songs in the middle are very structured, with recognizable sections, melodies, and chord progressions. This doesn't mean that DC is ready for Top 40 radio, though! The essential elements are still there, just in a softer vein.

The last two tracks are a return to form, and offer what I think might be the best chance for new things to come. These last two songs are also closest in sound to the earlier DC recordings, and I don't think fans will disappointed in these two in the slightest.

As I said, there is some bad news, though. Maybe it's because of what I referred to earlier, the relative freshness of these guys composing together (I know they've played together for years, but still composing together as DC is a newer thing for them), but the music is overall less complex. It's still "mathrock", but it ain't calculus! It's more of a remedial Algebra II course, with some interesting time signatures, but way more 4/4 than I would've liked to hear. It's still more interesting and complex than about 98% of anything else being produced these days, but it's not a counter's delight.

The best news, though, is that Damon Che is still the centerpiece, and his drumming is just as good as it ever was. For many DC fans, this fact alone is enough to make this a worthwhile purchase. And if you're a newcomer, his drumming alone makes this album, and all other DC records, worth buying.

"

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