The first time we ever saw Bill Callahan, the people we were with kept asking if something was wrong, like looking bummed while listening to bummer jams about life was a bad thing. Our answer was that we were actually chilling. This is emotionally effecting music, so empathizing with Callahan's insightful baritone is exactly where we want to be. The next time we saw him was at Other Music. He was doing a record store tour with his tiny guitar, joking with the audience in the same voice he sings with. Half the people were bootlegging the intimate show (bootleggers from that Other Music thing a couple summers ago, holler at us!) The Daytrotter session doesn't feature anything from Apocalypse, Callahan's latest album—instead pulling organically from older releases. It's better this way. Callahan is at his best when he's presenting an alluring view of a sad world, living in Texas, writing complex, semi-awkward songs about how life is weird and fucked up and confusing with adult perspective.
Download: Bill Callahan's Daytrotter Session
