Review // Caleb Groh - Bottomless Coffee
Monday, April 2, 2012 at 6:59AM 
Words // Scott Pingeton
Caleb Groh was in high school when he released his first record under the Happiest Lion moniker. While promising, those songs were clearly the work of a songwriter still finding his voice. On his new album Bottomless Coffee, it's clear that Caleb Groh has found his voice.
Eschewing the Sufjan Stevens influence of his previous work, Bottomless Coffee takes on a looser, rootsier vibe and a more mature sound. The record opens with "Bathsheba Blues" which begins as a slow, solo lament before opening up with a full-band, widescreen arrangement with plucked strings, ethereal backing vocals and a brushed snare beat. "Catastrophic Culprit" is a vintage Ryan Adams country-rock joint, tongue-twister lyrics and a rambling, rollicking tune. Alternating between melacholy, cinematic atmospherics and roots rave-ups, Groh paints his landscapes and portraits in sepia tones. The laid-back vibe of these songs almost distracts from the smart, almost-poetic lyrics. Whether it's a fragile ballad ("Hapless Dreamer") or a Crazy Horse-esque jam ("Smitten"), the lyrics are a focal point without being overbearing. At 14 tracks the album is long, but never drags -- there's enough variety and the songwriting is strong enough to maintain interest throughout.
So, the kid grows up and delivers a wholly successful record - I guess it shouldn't really be a surprise, but it's still exciting to watch a songwriter come into his own. Bottomless Coffee is one of the best straight-up indie-folk albums I've heard so far this year. Do yourself a favor and grab this for just $5 from Caleb Groh's bandcamp page.
