Additional personnel: Cynthia Dall (vocals, guitar); Jim O'Rourke (cello); Ian O'Hey (chamberlin); Ron Burns, Jason Dezember (drums).

Personnel: Bill Callahan (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Cynthia Dall (vocals, guitar); Jim O'Rourke (cello); Ron Burns (drums).

Arguably Bill Callahan's finest work, WILD LOVE is a highly satisfying mix of the Smog mastermind's later, more expansive, keyboard-oriented arrangements and his early, grittier sound. He hadn't yet gone whole-hog into lush production (no children's choir like the one on KNOCK KNOCK), but the moody, orchestral keyboard textures that flesh out the sound mark a major progression from bare-bones lo-fi efforts like JULIUS CAESAR and KICKING A COUPLE AROUND.

As usual, Callahan is unremittingly morose, but his genius is in his ability to transcend his angst via lush, elegant melodies and a strange air of untroubled transcendence. One of the key elements of Smog's work is defined to crystal clarity here--nostalgia for the idyllic, blissfully ignorant childhood Callahan probably never had. His is a vision of darkness tempered by a loner's stark resolution, and WILD LOVE is Callahan's most compelling account of a life on the emotional skids.