Reviews
Artist: Circus Envy
Album: Secrets
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 12
Website:http://www.circusenvyband.com/
I've been impressed by the output of Circus Envy. If they played music with a more Irish bent, I'm sure they would have been getting comparisons with U2 and bucket loads of prime time airplay, however their style of contemporary folk rock comes with a more English flavour and for some reason that doesn't seem to carry the same kudos with radio programmers, god knows why.
One of the key strengths of Circus Envy is their interpretation and arrangement of songs, self penned and covered, they seem to be able to wring every bit of fine detail out of a number and then go back for more. They are really tight as a band, they move forward as a unit with a real sense of purpose, they know where the song is going and aim to get in there in the best possible condition.
An important part of that is keeping the songs clean, avoiding the clutter and making sure a song sounds fresh, something they do with a fair amount of aplomb. "Secrets" sounds as though they are keeping the songs simple even when they're not. Listen to the harmonies, pick up the subtle change in the relationship of the voices, it keeps the material on the edge without a fear of tracking across to the wrong side.
The instrumentation of the album is interesting as lead instruments are swapped in and out, fiddle to guitar to voice and back again. It's more noticeable on the rockier numbers, but it sits that below the surface on the more emotional, more soulful songs as well, top quality musicianship throughout.
The band draw on a number of songs from around the Humberside and Lincolnshire area, including "Three Score And Ten" a song about the events of 8th and 9th of February 1889 when bad weather sunk seven fishing boats and took over sixty lives. It was a song the band generously lent to Fatea for our "Windswept" compilation and a song we are particularly proud to have featured.
As with many folk albums a lot of aspects of the human condition are touched upon, love, loss, sex, suicide and abandonment, not necessarily in that order. It brings about an album that is not only highly listenable, but one that has a real power and more importantly, one that you will want to keep on coming back to.
At the moment it's only available as a download, but hopefully, and if there's any justice, it will become available as a physical release as well. Definitely find the time in your busy lives to check this out, you'll be well rewarded for your efforts.
Neil King