NYC’s Calla Keep Their Cool in Their Suave New Single “Pick Your Battles”

This time I’m standing my ground
They’re closing in all around
When every second counts
Pick your battles,
push your luck and see

The modern soul often feels worn and weary, dragged through the grime of a world teeming with manipulations and deceit. We walk roads paved with promises that crack and splinter underfoot, every step met with the murmur of hypocrisy from mouths that peddle polished lies. Deception coils through the air, a whispering wind that twists truths into tangled webs, while the dance of the political machine spins faster, fueled by hidden agendas and concealed motives. Yet, amid the turmoil, there remains a fierce determination—a strength of will that won’t yield. We learn to stand firm, with a knowing eye, saving strength for the moments that matter most. Action becomes more than urgency; it’s survival. And so, we fight for what we believe is noble, even as we navigate a labyrinth of complications, striving to lift our intentions above the quagmire and blaze a path toward something better, something true.

NYC stalwarts CALLA—Aurelio Valle, Wayne B. Magruder, Peter Gannon—rekindle their fire with Pick Your Battles, a song pulsing with urgency and defiance. Somewhere between Elliott Smith’s fragile strumming and the Dandy Warhols’ raw energy, it captures a world very much on edge.

For now, chaos reigns, conflict splinters the surface, and betrayal lingers with a bitter aftertaste. Amidst this upheaval, Pick Your Battles sounds a clear call for discernment, urging purposeful action even as noble intentions wade through murky waters. It serves as a fierce anthem for navigating treacherous times, a reminder to brace ourselves and hold steady. CALLA’s guitars, military-style tattoo drumming, hushed vocals, and plaintive synths capture this spirit—faint but resilient optimism shining through. Sometimes the way forward takes its time to reveal itself, yet persistence carries a quiet strength all its own.

Watch the video for “Pick Your Battles” below:

Listen to Pick Your Battles via Bandcamp below and order the song here.

CALLA sprang up in 1996, rooted deep in Texas grit before transplanting to the raw, restless rhythms of the Big Apple. In the pulsing heart of the East Village’s mid-90s music scene, they found a kinship, sharing stages with the likes of Jonathan Fire-Eater, Speedball Baby, and Interpol. Guided by mavericks like Kid Congo Powers, Michael Gira, and Matt Verta-Ray, they crafted a sound steeped in post-punk, garage, blues, and experimental edge. Late 1997 saw CALLA breaking boundaries, fusing vintage echoes with modern experimentation, carving their niche in Brooklyn’s alternative scene. Their worldwide tours carried them alongside The Walkmen, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The National, Secret Machines, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Cat Power.

Lately, Aurelio Valle’s foray into production and film scoring signals new creative chapters. Reuniting with Wayne Magruder and Peter Gannon, the trio channels that old magic, promising a fresh album, expected sometime next year.

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