HEAR THIS: Calf
Newcastle-based alt-rock band Calf does this funny thing with their song “Feeder,” initially fooling listeners into thinking that the next four minutes will be a Mumford and Sons track. But Calf strays a different path in the following minutes, reminding one of their past lovers while contemplating life on the cigarette butt-cluttered sidewalks. “Ninety Ninety Fear” has a kind of college sound to it that creates the atmosphere of a strange party where hooligans drop out of windows to fulfill bets. Quirky guitar licks that sometimes channel Dinosaur Jr. and crashing cymbals that feel like shattering glass (“Try”) make their EP Nineteen Ninety Fear a worthwhile listen. Calf’s sound brings back the times where being out of your mind meant something wonderful.