Broadcast – Distant Call: Collected Demos 2000 – 2006 (2024)

Review by Heather Phares: The series of archival Broadcast releases that began with Microtronics - Volumes 1 & 2, Mother Is the Milky Way, and the BBC Maida Vale Sessions didn't just provide more of the group's music for an eager audience -- it put the spotlight on their most playful experiments and their ability to translate their gravity-defying sounds into flesh-and-blood performances. By contrast, the final Broadcast release, Distant Call: Collected Demos [2000-2006], brings James Cargill and Trish Keenan's music back to its essentials. While a collection of demos of previously released songs could be anticlimactic, the duo subverts expectations one last time. Compared to the haunting, unrealized visions of Spell Blanket: Collected Demos 2006-2009, these rawly captivating song-seeds offer a more focused listening experience that highlights the songwriting behind some of Keenan and Cargill's most beloved tracks. Pared down to just guitar and vocals, "Tears in the Typing Pool" still retains all its heartbreaking power, and the hiss and warp on songs like this and "Poem of a Dead Song" only enhance their memory-laden feel. Many of Distant Call's songs appeared in their finished forms on Haha Sound and Tender Buttons, a time of dramatic change for Broadcast's music. Just how much they were willing to reinvent themselves is evident on the demo of "Pendulum," which hovers closer to the lush sonics of The Noise Made by People than the stark psychedelic throb of its final incarnation. As on Spell Blanket and Mother Is the Milky Way, it's fascinating to trace the surprisingly prominent role of the duo's folk influences. The acoustic drift of "Flame Left from the Sun" evokes Grouper; the rippling arpeggios of the previously unreleased "Come Back to Me" cast a hypnotic spell; and the down-to-earth version of "Ominous Cloud" could almost pass for a lost freak-folk gem. At its best, Distant Call brings listeners closer than ever to Broadcast's music. Time and again, the collection provides reminders that the emotions within their songs are just as vital as the ethereal sounds. The title track is a stellar example of how much feeling Keenan could imbue into a lyric like "I am your distant call" with a deceptively simple melody. "Colour Me In"'s demo is the audio equivalent of a gentle hug, while mischief lurks in the beaming harmonies of "Please Call to Book," a piece of whimsy akin to Mother Is the Milky Way that closes Distant Call with one final, previously unreleased treasure. Listening to Broadcast is often a moving experience, and there's an extra pang in knowing this is their last word. Nevertheless, Distant Call: Collected Demos [2000-2006] is a heartfelt farewell from an act whose inspired -- and inspiring -- music will always leave fans wanting more. — AMG

Track List: 01. Tears In The Typing Pool [Demo] 02. Still Feels Like Tears [Demo] 03. Come Back To Me [Demo] 04. The Little Bell [Demo] 05. Distant Call [Demo] 06. Valerie [Demo] 07. Colour Me In [Demo] 08. Ominous Cloud [Demo] 09. Flame Left From The Sun [Demo] 10. Where Youth And Laughter Go [Demo] 11. Poem Of A Dead Song [Demo] 12. O How I Miss You [Demo] 13. Pendulum [Demo] 14. Please Call To Book [Demo]

Media Report: Genre: alternative folk, indie-rock Origin: UK
Format: FLAC Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec Bit rate mode: Variable Channel(s): 2 channels Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz Bit depth: 16 bits Compression mode: Lossless Writing library: libFLAC 1.2.1 (UTC 2007-09-17)

Note: If you like the music, support the artist