The real question is not whether machines think but whether men do. (B.F.Skinner) As promised some impressions of Califone's Sometimes Good Weather Follows Bad People Califone are from Chicago. In the recent past Chicago has become known for avant-garde rock music made by groups like Tortoise, The Sea and the Cake, Gastr del Soul etc. But whereas those bands till the field of mainly instrumental electronic rock music Califone blend American rural styles like blues, bluegrass and country to create their highly original experimental music . They make me think a little bit of the Chicago Blues, the electrified tamed urban version of the original animalistic Delta Blues. Tortoise and co. on the other hand often indulge in masturbatory 70s jam sessions reminding me often of l'art pour l'art. In one sentence Califone's music is very human and has got a soul whereas the music of those other bands from Chicago feels sterile and artificial in comparison. That is not to say that what Califone is doing is easy listening. They decompose the heritage of American folk music with percussion and synthesizer. Most songs are slowly flowing rivers with Rutili's restrained mumbled sprechgesang accentuating the relaxed atmosphere. Like the Beta Band in slow-motion. Electric Fence is a good example of their music. Trembling programmed effects merge with a rattling steel drum sounding like the beating of rusty wings, keyboards and a distorted guitar. Lyrics like "you sleep like an angel with sparrows beneath your eyelids" add to the mystery. The percussive sound collage to hush a sick transmission involving a trash can and a bag of nails(!) as instruments on the other hand is close to things Tom Waits has done on Bone Machine. Occasionally Rutili's voice becomes nerve-racking (st.martha let it fold) but overall it fits very well with the music. The versatility and the imaginativeness of the band is shown on tracks like down the eisenhower sun up w/mule where the guitars could be taken for sitars and the listener feels like being on a fair. This record is like a cashew nut, hard to crack but very nutritive and addictive once the shell is opened.