The Glasgow PodcART

Call Me Ishmael are a band that I have had ticking over in the conscious area of my music mind for about a year now.  As is so often the case, I stumbled across them by complete accident at a gig in the Admiral Bar one evening. They really impressed that night, with huge energy kicking guitars and a genuine enthusiasm that was completely free of pretension, creating instant likeability.  Addictive riffs and intelligently meandering melodies resulted in their secure place as my ‘ones to watch’.

The all important front man box is also ticked. Ryan Meloy naturally presents the perfect combo of slightly crazed eccentricity, humility and a rip roaring range of vocal attack which registers on the scale at heart tweaking polite elegance, right through to throat rasping bullets of almost visceral fire.  He effortlessly switches between the two, veins popping and eyes rolling as he flails about out in the crowd.  Some shifts around in personnel in the form of new drummer Rory and new addition Paddy on keys and percussion see Call Me Ishmael attacking exciting times as a 6-piece.

Without a doubt, I have been convinced by them live already, but is the energy and raw attack that I love about their performances captured in recording?  Let’s see.  The opener is a track I am already familiar with, and once you have heard it I guarantee it will be implanted within your head for the reasonably foreseeable future – ‘I am Stop, You Are Go’ is a tune that opens with a teaser of the chorus, and it is utilised to perfection as it grabs your attention instantly.

‘I am I am I am STOP … you are you are you are GO’ will take over your brain.  You are suitably warned.

The fluttering hi-hats drive this tune and create an impossible to fight, foot tapping, head bopping frenzy.  Despite what are relatively sombre and dark lyrical themes, even the coolest of cats amongst you will be dancing your own special brand of the happy dance on the inside. If not, you are dead inside.  You can also check out the impressive video that accompanies the track on the bands swish Myspace page – www.myspace.com/cmi

It is without doubt the right choice for lead track.  The energy of live performance is indeed captured, and the rawness is still clearly identifiable.  There are some lovely touches added in the production process of recording without ripping the track of its soul.  The story really comes across and the placement of the layered backing harmonies is so perfectly subtle and complementary of the main vocal.  This is a winning combo of addictive pop-punk sensibilities and believable emotive delivery…..TICK!!!!!! 

Thankfully there is no danger of an EP with a lead track propped up by filler.  As ‘Blood and Ashes’ kicks in with its quirky little stop start intro, the perfect level of anticipation is achieved and the scene set when the vocal barks into force.

’This is how the end will sound’

There are really great dynamics in this track, and it can be heard that everyone is putting their all into their part.  This is a band that are really enjoying themselves, and believe absolutely in what they do.  I love to hear that come across in a recording.  The production really is excellent, and if delivered in to the ears of the right people in the right places, it is sure to spark a great deal of label interest and buzz.  A common criticism of new music is often that it isn’t ground breaking, but does it always have to be?  Can’t it just be a band playing the music that they love?  We certainly have that here, and although certain folks may say Call Me Ishmael are not reinventing the wheel, they are certainly producing tunes that are unmistakably of their own design.

‘We Are So Far From Daylight’ gives us more of the same consistency, but the doubled up death growl vocal at the beginning placed low in the mix aside the vocal melody is not a success for me. A pretty lonely criticism in what has been a ferociously enjoyable listen thus far. This is still a strong track with a lovely build up section a couple of minutes in, with thudding drums, haunting keys and a tension building vocal repeated over and over before dropping back in to a full tilt cacophonous conclusion and particularly impressive vocals to close. 

The closing track ‘Fire the Tank’ is a complete change in mood and opens with an almost enchanting section of eerie keys and acoustic guitar, including what sounds like some very tidy finger tapping indeed. I may often be inclined at this point to say we have the token ballad, but on this occasion it is extremely fitting, as ‘Game of Kings’ plays through like a cohesive story.  Furthermore, it also builds to a lovely yet powerful distorted chord progression section in the middle which I didn’t quite expect, then ends beautifully as two melodic, intertwined guitars fade to a single burning slice of feedback, leaving the solid drums and almost choir like vocal fading into silence. Perfectly constructed bookends of fragility on this track bring to a close a thoroughly enjoyable, well crafted and dynamically varied EP. 

You can catch Call Me Ishmael Live all over Scotland this summer including our chosen festival of The Wickerman Festival. The boys play The Solus Tent! The official EP launch is in The Cathouse, Glasgow on June 30th. 

EP is available to buy physically with free poster on launch night and also from iTunes. 

Ally Burton

Photo by Megan Ansdell