Plume Giant: Callithump

Plume Giant’s Callithump takes off and doesn’t look back. Kicking off with “Kenisco Dam” it barrels along, infusing genres at will while maintaining a very peculiar sound. Coming off as a more traditionally-rooted Grizzly Bear, these 11 songs brim with a personality of their own. With orchestral strings undercutting the melody and providing the ambiance on songs like “B Side Baby”, it’s hard not to be both impressed and immersed. “We Got It Made” introduces piano into the mix before a brilliantly charted horn part provides some more pizzazz while managing to feel natural, not intrusive or overwhelming the song. It’s this kind of commitment to craft that makes Callithump a joy to listen to. Yet the band has difficulty transcending a particular type of song. Until they can learn to do that, they’ll always be verging on complete excellence but never achieving it.