Smog: Knock Knock : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Bill Callahan, the singer-songwriter known as Smog, used to be indie rock'smost pathetic misery goat, moaning beautifully tragic ballads like "ChosenOne." But on 1997's Red Apple Falls, the wolfboy began to mature, andKnock Knock is superbly assured folk-rock splendor. It's a song cycle aboutrural love gone bad; Smog still sings like he has trouble cutting his ownfood, but the tunes seem to involve actual emotional contact with anotherperson, quite a breakthrough in indie-rock terms. Knock Knock beginswith the hopeful anticipation of "Let's Move to the Country" and crashes with"Hit the Ground Running," the catchiest song about fleeing the country sincethe Velvets' "Train Round the Bend." Droopy acoustic gems like "TeenageSpaceship" illustrate the narrative with piano and violin; a children's choirappears on "No Dancing." The moral of the story is "If someone offers you somesugar/You should eat it," and if it can happen to Smog, Knock Knocktruly offers hope for everyone. (RS 805)

ROB SHEFFIELD