Despite great critical acclaim due to
their literate,
passionate rock, praise from some well-respected contemporaries, and a
string of strong releases, the San Francisco band the Call never quite
escaped cult status. The predicted breakthrough to a wider
audience
never quite materialized.
Formed in the San Francisco area in 1980, the
quartet, led by vocalist/guitarist Michael
Been, released their self-titled debut in 1982 and earned positive
reviews. The following year, the band issued Modern
Romans and managed to broaden their fan base when "The Walls
Came Down" became a minor hit single. In 1984, keyboardist Jim
Goodwin replaced bass player Scott
Freeman to round out the lineup for the release of Scene
Beyond Dreams, which despite receiving more critical acclaim
failed to build on their commercial momentum. Reconciled followed in 1985
and featured guest appearances by Peter
Gabriel (who had once referred to the band as "the future of
American music") and Robbie
Robertson. Both "I Still Believe" and "Everywhere I Go" achieved
significant airplay on college rock and AOR stations, giving a boost to
the band's profile.
The Call scaled
back a bit from the anthemic feel of Reconciled
for Into
the Woods and managed to score again at college rock outlets
with the somber "In the River." Been
took time out from the band in 1988 to appear as the apostle John in
Martin
Scorcese's film "The Last Temptation of Christ."
The band switched
labels from Elektra to MCA in 1989, edging back into more
radio-friendly territory with Let
the Day Begin. The rousing title track became their
biggest hit
to date, topping the AOR charts and reaching number 51 on the pop
charts, propelling the album to become their highest-charting release
as well. Despite the success, when they returned with Red
Moon, the Call had
musically scaled back once again, embracing an
organic, roots-oriented sound that recalled the
Band (not surprising, as that act's Garth
Hudson and Robbie
Robertson had both guested on earlier albums).
Perhaps their most mature and fully-realized album, Red
Moon made little impact beyond the
Call's core audience
(despite Bono
lending vocals to "What's Happened to You?"). Been
tested the waters as a solo artist and released the harder-edged On
the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough in 1994, managing to gain a
bit of airplay with "Us." The
Call was given the compilation treatment
on a couple of releases in the '90's, and they reunited for Heaven
& Back and a tour in 1997. They subsequently issued a
live
record, Live
Under the Red Moon, three years later.
source: Tom
Demalon, www.allmusic.com |
