The Call honor their late frontman on ‘A Tribute to Michael Been’

‘A Tribute to Michael Been’
The Call (Label/Lightyear/Caroline)
4 stars out of 5

The Call were one of the great alternative rock band’s of the 1980s, churning out a series of terrific albums that still sound great three decades after they were released. When frontman Michael Been succumbed to a fatal heart attack in 2010, it appeared as if The Call’s story was done for good. Not so fast, my friend.

Robert Levon Been, Michael’s son and founder of the terrific Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, wanted to pay tribute to his late father’s musical legacy. He joined original members Scott Musick, Tom Ferrier and Jim Goodwin at Los Angeles’ famed Troubadour last year as The Call reunited for a tribute concert to their late frontman with the younger Been serving as guest vocalist. The remarkable “A Tribute to Michael Been” documents that show.

The band mesmerized the crowd with songs from their entire back catalog and Been does yeoman’s work filling his father’s shoes. It’s so nice to hear classic cuts like “Everywhere I Go,” “I Still Believe,” “Turn a Blind Eye,” “You Were There,” “Let the Day Begin” and “The Walls Came Down” performed live and they underscore just how talented The Call were during their hey day. (Jeffrey Sisk)