Callooh! Callay! …these nonsense words are used in the Lewis Carroll poem, ‘Jabberwocky’ but here on the UA campus, many will notice it from the blitzkrieg of fliers found everywhere during the last spring semester. What exactly is Callooh! Callay! … For one, it is an exclamation of joy, but it is also proof that not all music on the UA campus is confined within the Moody Music Building. There are a ton of other outlets, and if you can’t find one - simply make your own! It would seem that is what New College junior Adam Morrow did.

This is not to say he did so especially consciously, in fact, he says the band “was a slow starting group.” Actually Callooh! Callay! started in some form almost two years ago when dual-lead guitarists Morrow and Dan Walker, a student from Shelton, began playing acoustic sets together in coffee shops and other like-minded venues.
After a few encounters with bassists and drummers, Natalie Jensen, Moore’s current girlfriend and New College senior, stepped in as the next permanent member. According to Morrow, the addition of Jensen’s bass and her ability to add a strong vocal harmony really, ‘filled out the music.’ The only key ingredient left was the rhythm. “Two or three drummers later, we had kind of given up on rhythm folks,” said Morrow.

Bowen Robertson, a rising junior studying elementary education, contacted the group. A member of the UA Million Dollar Band drumline, Robertson moved from performing at Bryant Denny to booking gigs with Callooh! Callay! And Callooh! Callay! got a drummer. Finally, they had a steady lineup.

With the addition of a drummer, Morrow admits the game has changed a little, but is quick to claim that they ‘work in four equal parts.’ The band’s process is described as starting with a concept from either Morrow or Walker, which is then brought to a rehearsal where Jensen and Robertson begin working on their parts to put with it. Lyrically, Morrow jokes, it is all on him, ‘for better or worse.’ He goes on to explain. “Nat screens everything first. She has to approve for it to even be an option, in my book. And so that's kind of how that slowly comes together,” said Morrow.

The sound has been described as a folk-indie vibe, and after listening, that becomes quite obvious. For those interested, a live recording of the group is available from the band’s facebook fan-page. It plays with a slight rock/slight country vibe, much like current indie faves Jenny Lewis (of Rilo Kiley) and, more similarly, Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes). Especially on the tracks titled, ‘Dying Doves,’ and ‘Sycamore Tree’ the Oberst influence is felt, drawing many audible parallels to the feel of the critically-acclaimed Bright Eyes release I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning.

All of the other bands’ musical sway never seems to detract from the Callooh! Callay! sound. Even when performing covers (Bright Eyes for example), Callooh! Callay! maintains their sound — not to mention a penchant for interesting construction, shown strongly in the teaser of an opener ‘Antiquity.’ Morrow is quick to establish that Callooh! Callay! is not a jam band—they have a more structured sound, with more forethought than found with most jam bands.

“We don't think that it’s wrong to do a bit of an exchange on stage, or have a song not sound perfectly the same from one show to another,” said Morrow. “These are the times that usually just make me smile and laugh—and usually make a show what it is.”

For them, it is about the energy and love of music. “We love playing together - crowd or no crowd,” said Morrow.

Anyone who wants to check out Callooh! Callay! in action will have to wait for the fall semester to roll in, as there are no set performances as of yet. However, the fall also [hopefully] brings the release of the bands first EP, and hopefully a wide-spread of the shout of, “Callooh! Callay!”

by Colin Whitworth