Her Name is Calla
The Quiet Lamb
(Denovali Records)

The Quiet Lamb does indeed start off quietly. The instrumental introduction, “Moss Giant” begins almost silently, slowly building and setting a dramatic mood for the rest of the album. Every instrument closely follows the other, weaving tight melodies.

“Pour More Oil” immediately stands out. And somehow manages to make “this is going to hurt me more than you” sound like a revelation rather than a cliché.  “Interval One” is what you might be pleasantly surprised to hear if you put a seashell to one ear while listening to a predominantly string orchestra.  The apex of “A Blood Promise” comes around 3:38, and is a mash up of gorgeous echoing sounds that really get into your head.

“Condor and River” hits a peak with rising drum rolls, steady bass, and echoing guitars, all unexpected, judging from the song’s relatively quiet introduction. Then it swoops back down to near silence, dotted with soft piano chords. The vocals come in, the volume increases, more instruments are re-introduced, and the sound soars above itself. Both the music and lyrics tell a sad and suspenseful narrative of grim discoveries.

“The Union: I Worship a Golden Sun” features a cool bass groove, guitars, violin, and crash-heavy drums, all of which weave the album’s most directly rock-driven track. Over this, are the repeated lines that proclaim, “I worship a golden sun” ended with a provocative and notable “I worship a dying sun.”

Each song is unique and plays out a range of emotions, capturing your ears and your imagination. The band takes each song in a somewhat unexpected direction that is sometimes dark, but always beautiful. The Quiet Lamb is rich, dreamlike, unrestricted, successfully ambitious, and above all, epic.