The list of drummers that have found their way from the back of the stage into the limelight is, well, it’s pretty short & mostly rooted in the post-prog pop landscape of England in the 70’s. This is an appropriate reference point for Cale Parks who has held down the rhythm and pulse in such critically acclaimed & adventurous “indie rock” bands as Aloha, White Williams & Cex. His solo work has, since it’s inception been a foray deep into texture, rhythm, pure sound and onwards into the heart of the song.

His 2006 album “Illuminated Manuscript” owes as much to his classically trained precision (He studied as an orchestral percussionist) as it does to his ear for melancholy, summoning comparisons with the repetition of Steve Reich, the sadness of Arvo Part & the electronic textures of Mum. 2008’s “Sparklace” builds all these aspects into a more structured whole indebted to the dark 80s british electronics of New Order and Depeche Mode. Never content to rest on his laurels, as Sparklace hit the shelves Cale has already finished the recording of his 3rd LP, “To Swift Mars” which will see release in 2009. This record will come to be seen as his mission statement, where he combines the textural lessons learned from his previous works with a greater mastery of songwriting and a more organic instrumentation.

Praise for Cale Parks

…the flow and sweeping scope of works like Radiohead’s Kid A or Bright Eyes’ Digital Ash in a Digital Urn...These recordings are soundtracks to Cale’s life, as if he plugged straight into his brain and encoded all of his thoughts and experiences directly into a masterpiece. -Insomnia Radio

…tracks range from wistful ambience conjuring Brian Eno to sonic explorations of cryptic lyrical enigmas. -Seattle Sound

If Phil Spector had teamed up with Brian Eno and Tortoise to make his holiday music. -SLUG

Cale's live percussion and fragile vocals add warmth to the otherwise-electro grooves, and the record is a perfect loop for drifting in an out of focus on hazy, lazy days. -Stereogum

…defies musical conventions and expectations, simply by augmenting them into greater, more eloquent forms. Given Parks' day-to-day gigs, however, defying expectation has to be expected. -Three Imaginary Girls