Few have heard of Calibretto. Even fewer people have heard them. That's really too bad, cause they have done something so original and enjoyable, maintaining indie spirit. The new EP "Dead By Dawn," is in my opinion, their best work to date. Calibretto combine ingredients of indie rock, horror, punk-rock, and surf, for fans of Violent Femmes, The Dead Milkmen, etc. This EP visits the keyboards section quite extensively. The haunted cathedral-style, and churchbells sounds that come as a result, give more atmosphere to the song, and most likely are responsible for the whole horror sound. Make no mistake, this is a dark album. With song titles like "Bleeding On The Floor," "Misanthropy And The Full Moon," "American Psycho," and "Don't Go Into The Woods," you can't help but be amused by this CD. Even though this wasn't meant to be a concept album, I believe a little bit of work could have made it one. My personal favorite tune on this amazing EP is "Don't Go In The Woods." It's slower, but just as creepy. " "Don't go into unknown places / Young girls vanish without traces / I could not let this happen to you / But if you leave me / Know just maybe / Strangers in the dark are waiting / When you're gone, there's nothing I can do" is a good example of the type of lyrics to expect from this EP. The obvious punk-rock influences can be heard in "Bleeding On The Floor" and "When I Think About You," which is the "happy song" of the album. It's really a good time song, with group vocals in the background, chanting/singing "when I think about you!" If you like mundane music, go listen to something else. If you want music to that puts itself on the line for the listener, get this digi-pack beauty. Rating: 4/5
09.10.04