"Fortune" is the excellent debut from the duo of Sara Lucas and Ryan Seaton, who go by the name Callers. With Lucas' subdued, yet strong vocals and Seaton's delicate guitar work, the band evokes the dusty intimacy of Mazzy Star, albeit with a stronger predilection for country, blues, and folk rock. Still, the smoky mix of sounds and styles on "Fortune" moves beyond any simple categorization and stands on its own as great music. The Callers' album is a powerful, yet brief statement that seems to linger just long enough to make a great impression.

One big asset of the album is its versatility, as it refuses to lock into any one style or mood for any length of time. This is not to say that "Fortune" isn't cohesive, because even with its variety, there is still a unified sense of purpose. In the first three tracks alone, the group plots a rich path. The opener, "Valerie," is a short song that begins with light acoustic guitar punctuated by electric guitar accents. This backdrop serves as a great introduction to Lucas' resonating, bluesy voice. This is followed up by a subtle, creeping song called "More Than Right." With it's gentle, lurching rhythm and strong electric guitar flourishes, it marches along into darker territory. Even in these moments, the album still feels inviting and warm thanks to the round, organic sounds of the group. Still, the Callers aren't content to tread water. To mix things up, their next track, "Rone," is a much sunnier piece. Perhaps this feeling is amplified thanks to its proximity to "More Than Right." In any case, Lucas' vocals soar on this light, pretty piece. Make no mistake, the rest of "Fortune" is also filled with little twists and turns such as these and the album unfolds like a purposeful and pleasurable journey with the Callers acting as guides. They make all the right choices as to when a sad or happy song will work, or when acoustic makes more sense than electric guitar. In short, "Fortune" sounds like an album and not just a random collection of songs.

Altogether, "Fortune" feels like a great soundtrack to a quiet late night, since the music is so understated, yet so hugely memorable and resonant. The music never seems overly blatant or yells in your face, but it never has to. It makes its statement with more delicacy. Each guitar line or vocal seems carefully placed to maximize its impact and as notes string into songs and songs become the album, the Callers grand vision is apparent. 8/10 -- Matt Blackall (23 September, 2008)