Music Review: The Call – A Tribute to Michael Been

By Jeffery X Martin

When Michael Been passed away in 2010, it was a loss to true believers everywhere. Those who shared in his beliefs lost a spokesman, one who was absolutely transparent about the struggles of keeping your balance on the righteous path. Fans of Been’s band, The Call, lost the promise and potential of new music. Rock lovers in general lost one of the best, a man who went practically unsung during his career, yet one whose absence leaves a perceptible gap.

Been left behind a multi-faceted legacy; not only does his music endure, but so does the music of his son, Robert Levon Been, leader of the band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. In April of 2013, the heir apparent joined the old guard for a tribute concert to the fallen leader.

It’s apparent immediately that Robert Been is a distinctively different vocalist than his father was. The band tunes their instruments down an entire step to accommodate Been’s lower vocal range. Been’s vocals are oddly slow; he has a tendency to sing behind the band, pulling listeners along instead of pushing them to a frenzied peak. It’s as if he carries the weight of his father’s memory in his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

The set begins with fan favorites “Everywhere I Go” and “I Still Believe,” and it feels like the band wants to knock those two out of the way so they can move on to other things. The rest of the setlist heads for deep cuts and new takes on the old songs.

“You Were There” turns into a swinging mournful blues tune. Been takes the spotlight with a slow acoustic version of “You Run.” The high point of the album, and centerpiece of the show, is a rollicking, almost eight-minute long version of “Oklahoma” that threatens to burn the speakers down.

It’s the only time the band really lets loose, though, and a majority of the album feels overly respectful. While it is sobering to hear the son singing the songs of his dead father, there is also the fact that his father liked to rock. For the most part, Been’s vocals are laconic, filling in holes rather than taking the song over. This approach works to some extent on slower tunes like “Into the Woods” and “Red Moon,” but overall, it is a bit of letdown.

The Call was always a serious band, but they never failed to let their audience feel some spark of joy. Even in their most introspective and downbeat songs, there was a pulse of it, a glimmer of hope. And while it’s good to hear the old songs again, most of the interpretations of them come across as rote.

It is to be expected, though. For better or for worse, Michael Been embodied The Call. Even with his son in the captain’s chair, it’s still The Call featuring someone who isn’t Michael Been. This tribute album captures a beautiful sentiment, a grand attempt to show some love and memorialize a musician and his work. It ends up only showing how irreplaceable Michael Been is.

The Call – A Live Tribute To Michael Been was released on September 2 via Label Records/Lightyear/Caroline. The release includes a CD (14 songs), a special CD/DVD combo pack, and a Digital Deluxe version with 19 songs.