The strong rock music of The Calling

Make no mistake about it, the era of the boy band is almost over. Why do you think those groups like a1 and Blue make promo trips to Manila and other Asian cities? They are trying to milk album sales in the Asian market down to the very last drop. This is because music buyers in Europe and the US of A now prefer the stronger stuff dished out by the likes of Linkin Park, Puddle of Mudd, Mudhoney, Black Crowes and other boy groups who move to darker, harder, louder and stronger rhythms.

The California band The Calling is one of the most powerful-sounding of the current lot. If you saw the picture Cayote Ugly, you will doubtless recall their brief performance of the power ballad Wherever You Will Go. Think exploding testosterone, raging guitars and the most anguished of wails from a brawny, sweaty jilted lover. The group scored a major hit on its first time out with the album Camino Palmero this year. The title of the debut effort comes from the Hollywood, LA street from which The Calling traces its origins.

The Calling is made up of Alex Max Band on vocals, Aaron Kamin on guitars, Sean Woo also on guitars, Billy Mohler on bass and Nate Wood on drums. Band and Kamin are the group’s songwriters. It is the music that these two create which puts the group a few rungs above today’s flock of rockers. The themes they use are nothing new but the anger with which they interpret ordinary emotions never fails to catch listeners’ attention.

Then, surprise! There is quite a discernible melody and well-thought-out lyrics. So we come to the verdict. Band and Kamin can really write and Band’s snarl carries a tune and the playing borders on the nearly exceptional. Not bad at all, not to mention the fact that the members of The Calling are also lookers in a boy band kind of way.

Camino Palmero has already produced two big hits since its release early this year. These are Wherever You Will Go and Adrienne. A third could be in the offing with the haunting Could It Be Any Harder. The gloomy Final Answer also has some potential. Other tracks included in the album are Unstoppable, Nothing’s Changed, We’re Forgiven, Things Don’t Always Turn Out That Way, Just That Good, Thank You and Stigmatized.

So there is now a hit album and two hit singles from The Calling. It is only logical that these guys should begin working on their next release, the all-important sophomore album that can make or break a band. But there is no word about that yet. Do you think that The Calling could be remixing, reanimating or recompiling Camino Palmero the way Linkin Park has been recycling [Hybrid Theory]? I really hope not, but there is always that possibility.

Backstreet Boys’ new album out

Meanwhile back to the boy band scene. There is still time for all of you out there to enjoy boy group pop music before the genre breathes its final gasp. I mean, only for the time being. Take note that this "death" is temporary because once a new generation of pubescent girls in need of singing idols surfaces again, there will certainly be lots of room for new boy bands in the hit charts. So, take time out to again enjoy the early output of what I believe has been the most successful from this recent batch, the Backstreet Boys.

The new album is titled Greatest Hits, Chapter One and it is a special double CD edition with a bonus karaoke VCD containing 15 BSB videos. This means that aside from listening to the hits of the Backstreet Boys, you can also sing along with them. Among the tunes included are I Want It That Way, Everybody (Backstreet’s Back), As Long as You Love Me, Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely, Quit Playing Games with My Heart, Larger Than Life, I’ll Never Break Your Heart, Shape of My Heart, Anywhere for You and More Than That.

Just a thought. Who among the members of the BSB will most likely give going solo a try just like Robbie Williams did after Take That and Ronan Keating did post Boyzone?