The series of archival
Broadcast
releases that began with
Microtronics - Volumes 1 & 2
,
Mother Is the Milky Way
, and the
BBC Maida Vale Sessions
didn't just provide more of the group's music for an eager audience -- it put the spotlight on their most playful experiments and their ability to translate their gravity-defying sounds into flesh-and-blood performances. By contrast, the final
release,
Distant Call: Collected Demos [2000-2006]
, brings
James Cargill
and
Trish Keenan
's music back to its essentials. While a collection of demos of previously released songs could be anticlimactic, the duo subverts expectations one last time. Compared to the haunting, unrealized visions of
Spell Blanket: Collected Demos 2006-2009
, these rawly captivating song-seeds offer a more focused listening experience that highlights the songwriting behind some of
Keenan
Cargill
's most beloved tracks. Pared down to just guitar and vocals, "Tears in the Typing Pool" still retains all its heartbreaking power, and the hiss and warp on songs like this and "Poem of a Dead Song" only enhance their memory-laden feel. Many of
Distant Call
's songs appeared in their finished forms on
Haha Sound
Tender Buttons
, a time of dramatic change for
's music. Just how much they were willing to reinvent themselves is evident on the demo of "Pendulum," which hovers closer to the lush sonics of
The Noise Made by People
than the stark psychedelic throb of its final incarnation. As on
Spell Blanket
, it's fascinating to trace the surprisingly prominent role of the duo's folk influences. The acoustic drift of "Flame Left from the Sun" evokes
Grouper
; the rippling arpeggios of the previously unreleased "Come Back to Me" cast a hypnotic spell; and the down-to-earth version of "Ominous Cloud" could almost pass for a lost freak-folk gem. At its best,
brings listeners closer than ever to
's music. Time and again, the collection provides reminders that the emotions within their songs are just as vital as the ethereal sounds. The title track is a stellar example of how much feeling
could imbue into a lyric like "I am your distant call" with a deceptively simple melody. "Colour Me In"'s demo is the audio equivalent of a gentle hug, while mischief lurks in the beaming harmonies of "Please Call to Book," a piece of whimsy akin to
that closes
with one final, previously unreleased treasure. Listening to
is often a moving experience, and there's an extra pang in knowing this is their last word. Nevertheless,
is a heartfelt farewell from an act whose inspired -- and inspiring -- music will always leave fans wanting more. ~ Heather Phares