Originally published by L.S. Media. November 27th 2011.
L.S. Media Rating *****
The name Alexx Calise might not mean a lot to the music lovers in Britain, yet. However this multi-talented woman who has had two critically acclaimed solo albums including the tremendous In Avanti has teamed up Dennis Morehouse to form the band Sound of Cancer and the result is astonishing. The combination of these two separate and maverick style musicians have produced an album of such daring and insanely good quality that it makes you wonder why it took so long to come up with No Vampires in Gilroy.
From the children’s laughter at the very start of the recording there is an element of mysterious beauty that frames every track and yet is tantalisingly dark enough to leave you chilled and with lyrics that will stun you as you breathe in the musical poetry that encompasses the overall album.
It’s hard to talk in such glowing terms of an album without people wondering what the fuss could be about but give it one listen, just one and let the music, the wonderful voice grab you, I defy you to be disappointed because it will be impossible to be so.
There are so many tracks on the album that could stand out on their own and away from the album as single tracks but they belong together, as do Morehouse and Calise. Each from different worlds but on tracks such as Love, Stripped Me and the elegantly cool Confusion the love of playing with and off each other there is a feeling of mutual trust in each-others ability that stands out. So much so that it reminds me of the days when I used to listen to the Tommy Vance Show and hear some great tracks for the first time, the music of my childhood has an equal.
There can be no getting away from it, the combination of Alexx’s breathless and stunning vocals really should be making this woman a household name. Coupled with her fantastic guitar work and Dennis Morehouse’s drum technique should mark out No Vampires in Gilroy as the best album produced in America this year but will undoubtedly lose out to the established artists whose name, fairly or unfairly carries weight.
No Vampires in Gilroy is an album of rare beauty and musical timing from one of the most stunning of vocalists in America today. If this band ever manage to get to play in Britain. I would recommend attending it like a shot. As a reviewer and as a critic five stars is too low but this is one album that truly deserves another star just for the pure balls and stunning work. More please!
Ian D. Hall