Wrecking Ball

No band has charmed audiences quite so thoroughly and seemingly out of nowhere as The Latenight Callers in the last year or so. It’s hard not to be charmed by the Kansas City/Lawrence quintet. In addition to being one of the tightest working units in the music community, as well as consistently the best-dressed band in town, The Latenight Callers are possessed of an aesthetic unique almost to the point of idiosyncrasy, and they have it down pat.

The word most commonly used to describe the Callers’ sound is “noir,” and that fits. Of course, there’s more to it than that, as evidenced by the four songs on their new release, “Easy Virtues.”

For those who have missed out on the band live, think Black Heart Procession, but with a greater emphasis on danceability and sultry female vocals. Alternately, one could imagine Wall of Voodoo, but with the synths replaced by organs and the endearing geekiness ditched in favor of swanky, seedy sex appeal. However one is inclined to describe it, The Latenight Callers have a sound that is refreshingly evocative, and not quite like anything else, locally or otherwise.

The first track, “The Mad Season,” opens the EP with a feel that conjures streetlights reflected in damp pavement with sirens in the distance on a late night heady with booze and betrayal — but you can dance to it.

The band’s first EP was great, but by the second song on “Easy Virtues,” called “Electric Park,” it’s clear the new release has a more coherent feel. That first EP was recorded by baritone guitarist/bandleader Krysztof Nemeth and vocalist Julie Bernsden before The Latenight Callers were a full band or had played a single show. That the band has become a formidable live act since is evidenced on “Easy Virtues.”

“Calaveras” begins with a near-perfect sample that sets up the song’s somewhat sinister, Southwestern feel. The final track, “Wrecking Ball,” may be the best song on “Easy Virtues,” complementing the swank and swagger with lovely, somewhat forlorn vocals.

Particularly impressive is the band’s skill at arrangement. With so many moving parts, such as layered vocals, keys and drums, as well as electric, baritone and bass guitars, songs could easily become cluttered or even collapse on themselves, but The Latenight Callers are remarkably gifted at weaving parts in and around one another, creating an uncanny, lush atmosphere. Rather than feeling overly dense, “Easy Virtues” has a way of revealing something new with each listen, which should keep these four songs intriguing for some time.
-J.Howell