the old fox of '45
CD released on Autoclave Records CLAVE008
Released July 2004
The Old Fox of '45 is Calamateur's most assured and accomplished offering to date. The stylistic range is just as eclectic as ever, taking in underground rock, experimental electronica, post-folk and distressed pastoralism; but there's no hiding behind effects, no posturing. This is the sound of a man coming out of seclusion.
The Old Fox of '45 follows the release last year of the double length EP 'Son of Everyone' and marks a departure from it's predecessor's delicate acoustic stylings. The music sweeps assuredly from all out rock (Half Truth) to acoustic guitar strummery (Desperate Days) to far gone and out electronic experiments (a cover of the Blue Nile's 'Automobile Noise').
Tracklisting:
1. Half Truth
2. Automobile Noise
3. Hold Your Stare
4. Won't Last Forever
5. Son of Everyone
6. Here Beside
7. Your Rescue
8. Universal Rehearsal
9. Desperate Days
10. Your Rescue"...stunning...a work of beauty...Shivering, yearning epics...Buy it. 8/10." - Planet Sound
"...the aim is true and the heart is strong in this beautiful little record. 4/5." - The List
"... Super smashing great..." - Is This Music
REVIEWS IN FULL:
Planet Sound, Channel 4 Teletext
"Based in the Scottish countryside, released on the miniscule Autoclave label, Calamateur's stunning album is a work of beauty that deserves to make Autoclave very rich people indeed. What took Snow Patrol's 3 albums and 4 people to accomplish, Calamateur's Andrew Howie manages straight off with songs of desolate beauty underpinned with a savage hope. Shivering, yearning epics, as sublime as his Blue Nile cover is it's not the best song here by any stretch. Buy it. 8/10"The List
"Eclectic and more than occasionally brilliant, Calamateur is the work of one Andrew Howie, a lo-fi Scottish songwriter of no little talent. This is his first full-length release and it is peppered with great moments, from the Mogwai-meets-New Order of opener 'Half Truth' to the achingly fragile Sparklehorse crackle of 'Won't Last Forever'. Throughout 'The Old Fox of 45', Howie blends inventive instrumentation with simple melodies and a dreamy vocal to create a record which is both atmospheric and intimate. The pace is lethargic, but the aim is true and the heart is strong in this beautiful little record. 4/5."
Is This Music?
"It's hard to find superlatives to describe the music of Calamateur. Not because they're hard to come by, they've simply been used up in previous reviews! This, the first full-length album from Andrew Howie, is simply another triumph. With Calamateur less of an Oldsolar side project now, the stripped-down sounds are still as thrilling as ever. The album actually starts with a full band - 'Half Truth' creates a massive sound driven by pulsating New Order-style bass and an almost singalong chorus. There's a cover of the Blue Nile's 'Automobile Noise' here too, with an overloaded beatbox driving what's almost a one-man dance remix. The Blue Nile comparison was one I'd never made before but whether it's the voice, or the at times sparse production I can't be sure, but at times The Old Fox seems like it might contain some long forgotten/destroyed demos from the legendary Glasgow trio. There's a couple of songs from their previous album - the title track from 'Son of Everyone' is given more bells and whistles in the new production but 'Here Beside' retains the starkness of the original. The jarring percussion on 'Your Only Friend' slowly drags an enthralling listen to a close. I can only echo the words of Jim Bowen : "Super smashing great".Diskant
"Calamateur's CD album, The Old Fox of '45, is a lot less strange than Tiny Pushes Vol. 1, the only other work I've heard from them. Having said that, it's still pretty strange, if for no other reason than the incredible diversity of styles it encompasses. The first three tracks take in assured and polished REM-style melodic rock, noisy and glitchy vocal electronica and effortlessly swooning acoustic sadness. So it goes on, swinging from style to style, but never losing the core qualities of a confident voice, tuneful compositions and sharp, clean production. At times that clean production threatens to sap the soul from the music at times, but that's just the view of somebody with a slightly twisted and illogical view of independent music."Norman Records
"Speaking of Calamateur here is a new CD from them/him/her/it on Autoclave. Funnily enough the first track sounds like a lo-fi Snow Patrol the second track is a mad cover of the magnificent Blue Nile's 'Automobile Noise' from way way back in time. There's some nice pastoral guitar pop in here. Quite Scottish sounding."