Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The spectre of the fairy tale lives in all us, arguably we like nothing more than being thrilled by the chase of the wolf as its bristling hair is ruffled by the wind and the scent in its nostrils in enhanced by the perfume of Red Riding Hood and the opportunity to save the fable from those who only live to play games, those who seek solace in the pixel and the rising of the console.
Fairy tales offer an illusion to love; the fable rejoices in the ability to bring out compassion in the human heart and for Kalandra, the band that brings out these comparisons in their music, the urge to scratch away at the understanding of the complex emotion is to be seen in their latest single What Do You Know About Love.
The very nature of Kalandra implores those who find the way into their Nordic woods to ignore the snuffling in the undergrowth where the small furry creatures play and to look high in the branches, to seek out the sound supplied and wallow in the light that streams with broken patches through the trees. There is the Kalandra bird, its plumage rife with colour, its sentiment and beautiful call driven by the urge to add to the experience of the day and it is one that even the wolf below cannot trap or take down; What Do You Know About Love is the hidden message that sees the fairy tale breathe and take flight in the imagination and it is one that is bristling with respect as Kalandra make their way back into the hearts of the fans as the year dwindles to its inevitable conclusion.
The single is haunting, magical, full of honour and respect and yet high in the branches the dawn can be seen, the eagerly awaited debut E.P. appears in the distance and it is a sight that this single hastens with joy. What do any of us truly know about love, it is no fairy tale, it takes no prisoners and in the end it conquers all; unlike the wolf who is beaten and bested, What Do You Know About Love is agile and beautiful enough to soar high and offer a glimpse of Nordic heaven.
Ian D. Hall