February 2, 2001
Aaron Calhoun conjures up a bit of Chris Isaak's mystique on his new release,
a set of 10 dreamlike songs that showcase his somewhat oblique lyrics and moody voice.
"Sunny Rays" settles into a subdued, bluesy groove, while "Safe in My Arms" is a melancholy crooner.
Calhoun's voice is plain but smooth, perfectly complementing the understated arrangements.
His band deserves a nod as well; it's not easy to play as cleanly and quietly as his rhythm section
does and still keep things interesting. Eric Flores throws in a tasty guitar solo on "Ain't It a Shame," and
keyboards meander in and out for a bit of tension. Get ready to hear this disc on KGSR;
any AAA station worth its salt should be grabbing this CD like Homer Simpson would a doughnut.
-- Jerry Renshaw,
Austin Chronicle
February 28, 2003
Aaron Calhoun's Smoke & Ash CD is not safe -- from the first note of the
first song, his voice and lyrics take you someplace out-of-the-ordinary. A
place where cookie-cutter singer/songwriters don't exist, and words are
worth listening to. I see and hear a lot of artists and a lot of CDs.
Aaron's Smoke & Ash is simply refreshing.
-- Teresa Ferguson,
K.U.T. Radio Austin
April 29, 2001
...we loved it -- the instrumental playing and the lyrics, all presented low key, melodic, inviting.
I think my favorite is the first, "Fall from Grace," but they are all wonderful to listen to...
[Aaron] combine[s] musicianship and social conscience in an admirable way.
-- Howard Zinn, historian.
March 4, 2001
The CD Smoke & Ash by Aaron Calhoun contains a lot of religious and socio-political undertones.
The song "Safe in My Arms" has a real Spanish flair. It reminded me a great deal of Ottmar Liebert.
As I listened to this song I envisioned Spanish flamenco dancers with castanets dancing.
The song "Crawl to the Surface" had a real jazzy, blues and rock sound.
Calhoun's songs make the listener think about life, addictions, and love.
The songs are deep like poetry. "Sunny Rays" talks about being down and out, explaining how
life is like a big gray sky sometimes as one waits and wonders when better days will come.
The is one CD that is meditative and great to play on those cold, wet and melancholy days of winter.
-- Insite Magazine
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