The Calling – Camino Palmero

Review

Let’s be real: “Camino Palmero” isn’t reinventing the wheel, but The Calling manage to scrape together enough post-grunge swagger and emotional lyricism to keep things interesting. “Wherever You Will Go” is the undisputed sugar bomb here––the kind of track radio DJs adored and your teenage self probably had on a burned CD. Gritty guitars and just-polished-enough solos give the album some edge, but the band’s infatuation with romantic woes borders on cliché. Still, Alex Band’s vocals somehow carry even the most predictable lines, wringing out every ounce of drama.

There’s no denying the album is easy on the ears, and those arrangements are slicker than you’d expect from a debut. Critics couldn’t agree on whether these guys were the next big thing or just coasting on well-trodden themes, but listeners clearly didn’t mind––the record climbed the charts and netted a Gold certification. The Florence-inspired cover art earns points for style, even if it has nothing to do with heartache. “Camino Palmero” is proof you don’t always have to invent the wheel to get it rolling—sometimes you just need it to spin at the right moment. - Lauren