Circus – Circus
Locomotive Records – 2004
By Jason Jordan
Contrary to what you might believe, I did not adopt my moniker after being exposed to
Circus. Actually, for those of you that aren’t aware, the phrase “Circus Brimstone” is a song, which was penned by
The Flower Kings. Back to the matter at hand – though –
Circus is nicely done, but the band is perhaps more unintentionally comical than I’d prefer them to be.
I don’t know what it is about Spanish, as a language, that makes it inherently funny when combined with music; maybe the synergy is just unnatural. Still, I may react differently because much of my academic life has been spent in a classroom studying the aforementioned tongue. Despite my ranting,
Circus are surprisingly cool. “Otra Voz” sounds vaguely similar to
Discouraged Ones-era
Katatonia, only musically. The vocalizations – as you can imagine – are stylistically different. “Claudia” fades in, and relies on a solid melody line while utilizing keys for piquancy. The smug vocals are too dramatic in some places, however. “Dos Mentiras” took me aback with its pleasing balance of harmony. “Mientras Me Armo de Valor” is the requisite ballad. “Interior,” and its success, hinges on the edginess and unsettling synths found within; unfortunately, the verses are on the weak end of the spectrum. The album ends with the subtle “No Soy Yo.” In between are many tracks that are not unlike the rest of the record’s compositions. In other words, you know precisely what you’ll get.
I can’t fathom being impressed with
Circus at this point, but I am optimistic about where they’re seemingly headed. Arguably, it’d be advantageous for them to sing in English: audiences may be more receptive. I hope that we’ll witness greater things from this group in the future, nevertheless
Circus isn't as fun as its name implies it will be.
7/10
Official Circus website
Official Locomotive Records website
