Woke on a Whaleheart is the first record released by Bill Callahan under his own name instead of his nom de plume Smog

Smog (band)

Bill Callahan , is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, who has also recorded and performed under the band name Smog. Callahan began working in the lo-fi genre of underground rock, with home-made tape-albums recorded on four track tape recorders...

. It was released by Drag City

Drag City (record label)

Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label. It was established with a Royal Trux release in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois by Dan Koretzky and Dan Osborn.Drag City specializes in experimental indie rock acts...

 on April 24, 2007 and released a week earlier in Callahan's home state of Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

. A single, "Diamond Dancer

Diamond Dancer

"Diamond Dancer" is a single by Bill Callahan from his 2007 album Woke on a Whaleheart....

," preceded the release of the album on March 20, 2007.

The arrangements of labelmate and former Royal Trux

Royal Trux

Royal Trux was an American alternative rock band from 1987 to 2001, founded by Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema .-History:...

 vocalist and guitarist Neil Michael Hagerty are featured on the album, and Callahan's band consists of vocalist Deani Pugh-Flemmings, guitarist Pete Denton, violinist Elizabeth Warren, percussionist Thor Harris

Thor Harris

Thor Harris is a musician, painter, and carpenter. He is the percussionist for Shearwater , a band from Austin, Texas. He has performed with Bill Callahan, The Angels of Light, Lisa Germano, Gretchen Phillips, Devendra Banhart, Rebecca Cannon, Rob Halverson and Swans...

, bassist Steve Bernal, and keyboard/lap steel player Howard Draper

Shearwater (band)

Shearwater is an American indie rock band formed in Austin, Texas in 1999 by Okkervil River members Jonathan Meiburg and Will Sheff, although Sheff is no longer with Shearwater.-History:...

. The album was recorded by Jeremy Lemos, who previously recorded the Smog

Smog (band)

Bill Callahan , is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, who has also recorded and performed under the band name Smog. Callahan began working in the lo-fi genre of underground rock, with home-made tape-albums recorded on four track tape recorders...

 albums Rain on Lens

Rain on Lens

Rain on Lens is Smog's ninth album, released in Europe on September 17, 2001 on Domino Records, and a day later in North America on Drag City. It is the first release under the alias ', and the first album artwork which featured a picture of Bill Callahan himself on the cover...

 and Supper

Supper (album)

Supper is Smog's tenth album, released in March 2003 on Domino Records in Europe and on Drag City in North America under his then-alias '...

. Woke on a Whalehearts sound, according to Callahan, touches upon "gospel, tough pop and American Light Opera."

Joe Grillo of the art collective Dearraindrop

Dearraindrop

Dearraindrop is an artist collective based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. Dearraindrop incorporates diverse disciplines that work together to create multifaceted sculptures and installations. Part of the collective's operating philosophy is modeled on the idea that our greatest human capability...

 created the album artwork.

Track listing

All songs written by Bill Callahan.

1. "From the Rivers to the Ocean" – 6:35
2. "Footprints" – 2:47
3. "Diamond Dancer
   Diamond Dancer
   "Diamond Dancer" is a single by Bill Callahan from his 2007 album Woke on a Whaleheart....
   
   " – 4:00
4. "Sycamore" – 5:35
5. "The Wheel" – 4:03
6. "Honeymoon Child" – 4:40
7. "Day" – 4:32
8. "Night" – 3:04
9. "A Man Needs a Woman or a Man to Be a Man" – 5:13

External links

• Woke On A Whaleheart recording session photos