Circuline on CFRC-FM Canada
Thank you so much, Hugh Ambrose, for playing Circuline’s music on your rock radio shows, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada!
Circuline on ARFM – Nottingham, England
Thank you so much, Shane Carlson, for playing Circuline music on your “Rock On with Shane Carlson” show, in England!
Music Connection Magazine Features NewView Virtual Tour
Thank you so much, Music Connection Magazine and Eric Harabadian, for featuring Circuline in your November 2020 Livestream Reviews, for our 15-date, 45-Event NewView Virtual Tour!
We are reproducing the entire article here for your ease of reading:
Material: Circuline is a modern rock band that puts the emphasis on harmony, melody and good song structure. Drawing heavily from the progressive rock tradition, they jam with the best of them. But the melodic essence of their tunes is key, and will resonate with you for some time to come. Shades of YES, ELP, The Moody Blues, early Jefferson Starship, Curved Air, Steve Hackett and many other elements factor into their unique and original sound. The theatrical sci-fi-like “Forbidden Planet,” “Inception’s” stratospheric arc, the jazzy “Summit” and the incredibly cinematic “Stereotypes” display the wide range of this mega-talented troupe.
Musicianship: The merging of several ingredients and disciplines creates their cauldron of creativity. Colyer is a Juilliard-trained pianist who mans an impressive bank of keyboards. His composing, arranging skills and ability to coax a plethora of otherworldly sounds out of his instruments is jaw-dropping. The same can be said for Brown and Spillane’s front line vocals. Their singular and harmonic exchanges provide a rich and exciting choral effect. Brannon’s drumming intrepidly weaves through all the accents and tempo shifts providing back beat, and even stepping out front for a solo spot. Darson comes from the Hackett/DiMeola/Fripp school of guitar and, along with the versatile low end of Simches, rounds out this ensemble in a grand manner.
Performance: From September through early October 2020 the band has been promoting their new album “Circulive” with an exclusive Facebook Live “New View Virtual Tour.” Via their FB site, audiences have been treated to video premieres and behind-the-scenes online chats where the band talks live about the making of the videos. These weekly installments really seemed to connect with fans as the chat room was consistently active and engaged. The video premieres showcase the band performing at various venues in the U.S. and Europe. Throughout these performances there is a true team spirit that is evident. Everyone checks their ego at the door and the result is a shared experience between the ensemble and their audience.
Summary: Circuline is a progressive rock band that seems to really connect with their fans. And, during these unprecedented times, this “New View Virtual Tour” further displays their “out of the box” resolve and approach.
The digital online version of this article was originally published on October 26th, 2020. Here is the link:
Progessor Gives “CircuLive::NewView” 5-Star Review
Thank you so much, Progressor (Uzbekistan) and Kev Rowland, for giving CircuLive::NewView a 5-Star-Review!!
Here is the entire review, reprinted in full:
Released last year, this triple CD/DVD/Blu-ray captures Circuline at 2017’s ProgStock Festival.
I was sent this as an audio download to review, but I also ended up with a physical copy and I am so glad I did, as seeing the full package is quite something. As well as the digipak containing the discs and some basic information, my copy came with a full colour glossy 28 page A4 programme which contains loads of photos, information about the history of the band, details of everyone who ever played with them, why certain changes were made in line-up, and so much more.
Although I have been playing the audio a great deal recently in time for the review, I actually first played the Blu-ray with the audio commentary turned on, and it is exactly what it purports to be, various band members talking about the show, why certain pieces were played, the history and so much more. I have always enjoyed these as they never cease to add so much more to the band, providing a far more rounded view to outsiders like me, and that is again the case here.
It was recorded at ProgStock, so it is a given that the camerawork and audio quality are first rate, and by 2017 they had released two albums (I have not heard the second, need to rectify that) and had been touring them hard both in America and the UK. Additionally, much of the band had originally worked together as a covers group playing prog classics (keep an ear out for bits and pieces which make their way into this set unannounced), so they all know what they are doing and were confident in their own abilities and knowing the audience would be very much on their side.
The album is as one would expect from a prog band: they are able to replicate onstage the huge complexity of their music while also taking it to another level. It is multi-layered, multi-faceted, yet always immediate, allowing the listener to get deep inside the music the very first time of playing it. The PR company describes the band as “two theatrical lead vocalists, a keyboard player from Juilliard, a versatile rock virtuoso on guitar, a zany bass player from another galaxy, and a drummer with progressive rock in his DNA.” That does not really give them the kudos they deserve, for a wonderfully entertaining and enjoyable set.
There are very few international acts (even in normal times), and even less prog acts (stand up Yes and Steve Hackett) who make it down all the way to Aotearoa, so I know the likelihood of ever seeing Circuline in concert is very small indeed. However, this wonderful set allows me to play the concert on a big screen and revel in a very professional and exciting crossover commercial progressive rock band who are a sheer delight from the beginning to the end.
Five Stars (out of six).”
Published May 2021
http://www.progressor.net/
http://www.progressor.net/review/circuline_2020.html
Thank you so much, Kev Rowland and Progressor online!
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Music in Belgium Gives 4-Star Review to “CircuLive::NewView”
Thank you so much, MUSIC IN BELGIUM and reviewer Philippe Thirionet, for this fantastic 4-Star (out of five) review! We’re reproducing the entire article in English, via Google Translate, below.
It is indeed an ultra complete Live box set that is given to us by the New York group Circuline which since 2015 has been navigating between progressive rock, cinematic rock or even crossover-prog and classic-rock with here near of 13 compositions available in 3 distinct formats. So let’s dive into this imposing preciousness with first of all the analysis of the CD opening on an intro then, the music of the group begins with first of all a nice bass sound that serves as a door to ‘entry to a rather classic rock-progressive with also modern and atmospheric synths which, offer a very melodic note to American rock … a progressive in fact where the synths twirl sometimes recalling the great Genesis . Between the songs it’s Natalie Brown who thanks the audience and suggests the songs that will be played. But enough talk, I therefore offer you two first ‘promo-clips’ to listen to, to discover the group and its music:
Where we perceive a rock both tinged with folk, progressive but also classic-rock since here, we find acoustic passages like certain more neo-classical moments, when the piano is heard. Overall this is a music that represents well it seems to me an accessible and multifaceted rock because obviously, the group is able to tack between genres while keeping in focus the will to build a Classic-rock where we feel the imprint of the seventies via the sound of the organs without counting, neo-classical or progressive scents see heavier passages come to flesh out the sound content of our Americans. And I have not yet talked about the vocal part where, the song of Natalie is regularly added to choirs carried by one or the other protagonist who accompanies the beautiful, song and vocal harmonies perfectly complementing the musical picture of this concert given in fact in 2017! In fact you could find other promotional extracts on YouTube but what I offer you is a complete composition resulting from this stage performance:
This will allow you on the one hand to see the impressive material on stage (you will be able to see it again of course when the DVD is broadcast) and on the other hand, a complete performance next to a song dating from 2016 with also beautiful instrumental passages! The whole album is in the image of a colorful performance where each protagonist is in his place, masters his subject and therefore offers a musical game and / or a vocal work without reproach while remaining in a rather classic niche. rock or progressive.
Other extracts are of course available, I offer you one by the way, with one of the last compositions of the concert captured for the occasion:
Clean and well done work that does not suffer from any false note, but let’s move on to the DVD which obviously offers us an additional dimension with the image of the scenic performance which shows us even better all the logistics on stage but especially all the professionalism developed by the whole group. The sound-image capture is impeccable and therefore worthy of a quality DVD, the same of course for the Blu-Ray version which perfectly complements a most complete and successful box set!
In the end Circuline offers the fan the best-off par excellence but also the perfect ‘Live’ album which will obviously delight all the followers of the group but which also, will serve as a starting point for all those who want to discover the American formation. In terms of classic-rock, classic progressive and American rock, this is a must!
This article was originally posted online on November 22nd, 2020: