SXSW 2012

Calhoun’s music has been described as catchy, irresistible, gorgeous, melodic, sorta poppy, sorta rootsy, sorta rockin’, and, in general, really splendid music. You can call it what you will, but lead singer Tim Locke says, “We’re just a pop band.” Then he laughingly concedes a nod to the root-rock and alt-country influences that others hear in the band’s music. “Well, let’s say we’re just a pop band with a pedal steel thrown in occasionally.” Formed in Fort Worth, TX in the spring of 2004, Calhoun began as a collection of friends fleshing out the always-welcome singer-songwriter three-minute manifesto. After percolating for two years, a self-titled debut album was released providing an auspicious glimpse of the “songwriter-of-the-year” accolades that would follow while spawning instant fan favorites “These Are The Dead Days” and “Bright Eyes”. In 2008, Calhoun followed up the ‘Gray/Blue’ record with its second critically acclaimed album Falter Waver Cultivate, produced by Stuart Sikes (White Stripes, Cat Power, Walkmen). With stand-out tracks “Breathe,” “Apocalypse (A Love Story)” and “The Earth Has Lost Its Hold,” the group toured extensively in support of Falter, sharing the stage with the likes of Helio Sequence, The Whigs, Phantom Planet, Explosions in the Sky, Elf Power, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Tankus the Henge and Bishop Allen. Following a whirlwind of hotels, late nights and miles and miles of ubiquitous signposts, the band took a year off to recalibrate their road-tested engine before returning to the studio in 2010 with producer James Barber (Ryan Adams) to record their new expansive 12-track opus, Heavy Sugar. Ever-evolving, Calhoun’s flawless technique, dazzling tone and passionate visceral lyrics take center stage once again on the propulsive immediacy of “Don’t Let Go,” the heavenly sparse beauty of “Lioness,” the lazy-day Americana of “The Engineer,” (reminiscent of Wilco/The Jayhawks) and the first single/video “Knife Fight” Instrumentation Tim Locke – Vocals, Guitar Jordan Roberts – Synth, Harmonium, Guitar Toby Pipes – Synth, keys, Backing Vox Josh Hoover – Drums Nolan Thies – Bass Discography 2004 – The Year That Never Was LP 2006 – Calhoun LP 2008 – Falter • Waver • Cultivate LP songs such as Breathe and Apocalypse(A Love Story) still get airplay in D/FW on KXT and KDGE. The Earth Has Lost Its Hold was prominently featured in a season 3 episode of the NBC hit series “Chuck” 2011 Heavy Sugar LP The songs “Horsefeathers” and “The Engineer” receive heavy rotation on 91.7 KXT in D/FW and “Knife Fight” is being played extensively on SpyFM in OKC and KSGR in Austin and was featured heavily in the season opening episode of the WBs One Tree Hill.