Library Rock's Backpages

The Man Behind the Smog

Ben Thompson, Ways of Hearing, 1998

BILL CALLAHAN HAS BEEN releasing strange and disturbing records as Smog – both on his own and with various accomplices, most notably erstwhile soulmate Cynthia Dall – since as long ago as 1988. But for all the sterling virtues of intimidatingly homespun earlier efforts like 1993's Julius Caesar, it is in the more formal settings of his later work that his startling gifts are shown to their best effect.

Total word count of piece: 1318

Subscribe

Becoming a member is easy. Membership gives you access to all the thousands of articles in the library.

Click here to go to Subscribe page.

Click here for academic and other group subscriptions.