Calico System Albums (3)
'Outside Are the Vultures'
Release Date 6/5/2007
Tracks 10
Label Eulogy
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
On their second album, St. Louis-based screamo kids Calico System only barely tweak the formula of their debut: deep-voiced screamer dude on the verses, higher-pitched sensitive guy handling the mildly anguished choruses, and the band playing roughly the 16-millionth permutation of quiet-loud-quiet since the Pixies first formed. That said, Calico System at least have the relative novelty of having one guy, Mark Owens, handling both the guttural and clean vocals. Plus, the quintet (recently expanded with the addition of second guitarist Rick Giordano) have the formula down to such a point that they manage to insert the occasional melody into the proceedings, as on the genuinely catchy chorus of the single "Running with Scissors." Overall, however, there's little new or different here, and They Live is strictly for devoted screamo fans. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide
'The Duplicated Memory'
Release Date 8/12/2003
Tracks 10
Label Eulogy
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
In the grander scope of things, there wasn't much time between the release of Thursday's Full Collapse and Calico System's The Duplicated Memory, and yet the latter seems to belong to some sort of school of screamo that the former had a big hand in creating. The ten songs on this album certainly showcase some diversity in the music and range in the vocals. And while it may seem strong in some ways, The Duplicated Memory is also weak in others. Many other bands seem to have a similar sound at this point in time, but the band seems to have an understanding of the importance of range and mixing things up. Since this is their debut album, hopefully they'll continue to learn and make improvements as time goes on. ~ Kurt Morris, All Music Guide
