Thank you so much, Jordan Blum and Rock & Roll Globe for the review of CircuLive::NewView, giving the CD/DVD/Blu-ray product 4.5/5 stars!
“Spectacular ability to merge elements of classic 1970s icons like Genesis, ELP, Yes, and Camel into their modernized edge and efficacy…..a must-own set for fans…..a communal, two-way street sort of vibe between the musicians and audience from start to finish…..performed impeccably…..exemplifying Circuline’s knack for strong songwriting, dense harmonies, and tastefully elaborate arrangements…..how much the band has accomplished in only a few years…..more than worth the price of admission…..a superb document of Circuline’s appearance at ProgStock.”
Thank you SO MUCH, “Poppa Shane” P. Shane McAfee, for this super cool, GREAT review of CircuLive::NewView, on your “Auditorium One channel!!
Here are some excerpts of the transcript……
“…..bands like Rush, Kansas, and the Dixie Dregs have been in my music collection for years.
After a nice introduction, Circuline goes into Soleil Noir which, to my ears, seems like the next stop from Rush’s YYZ and gives a great first auditory view of how well the band members of Circuline mesh together as a unit. Natalie Brown goes into the song One Wish with a voice that is equal parts of Grace Slick, Marty Balin, and Annie Lennox.
Sharing the lead vocals is Billy Spillane whose range and vibrato are somewhat reminiscent of Dennis De Young especially on the song Forbidden Planet which would be perfectly in place on Styx’s album Equinox. This is, of course, in addition to the rhythm guitar layering provided by Spillane throughout the set. Actually, I would say that Forbidden Planet and Summit are two standout songs where the band really shows some of their best work as a unit both vocally and instrumentally.
Bassist Joel Simches leads the listener into the song Nautilus with a cool bass solo intro that is equal parts of Andy West, Jack Bruce, and Jaco Pastorius.
Guitarist Alek Darson provides great layering by instinctively knowing when to lay back and when to lay it all on the musical table. Darson’s guitar work is like listening to Jeff Beck play with Neal Schon.
Drummer Darin Brannon provides great support throughout the set without using a bunch of busy fills or drawing too much attention to himself. This only changes when Brannon and Andrew Colyer do some head cutting on the simply titled Piano Challenge.
At the end of their set,keyboardist Andrew Colyer introduces the band members to the audience, Circuline closes the set with Stereotypes. Every band has that one song that makes a great set closer and Stereotypes is definitely the one for Circuline.So, if one were to ask me what were the standout tracks from New View, I would say that Forbidden Planet, Summit, and Stereotypes were the ones that melted my face off. I would go so far to say that any live concert Circuline does would be incomplete without those three songs in the set list.
One thing that comes across very clearly is the theatrical quality of Circuline’s live sound. New View sounds like it could easily be a soundtrack for a rock musical. This is no surprise given the ties that some of the band members have to the world of theater. This includes their cover of the Sound of Contact song Pale Blue Dot; a song that made me think of Zaphod Beeblebrox entering the Total Perspective Vortex.
Circuline have definitely acquired a new fan in me with the release of New View which I rate as an absolute SMASH! This album will be right at home alongside my other albums such as Dixie Dregs Bring ‘Em Back Alive and Rush’s Time Machine. I have had the digital copy for 3 days now (as of this writing) and I have listened to it every day since I got it. If you are a fan of any of the bands that I mentioned such as ELO, Jefferson Starship, or Kansas, I recommend you go to Circuline’s webs site at https://circulinemusic.com/ and get your copy of New View. If you aren’t familiar with those bands and want a well orchestrated soundtrack to any given day, check this album out!
I want to give a last bit of kudos to the band for the tiered level pre-order bundles they offered leading up to the release of Circulive: New View. It was a brilliant move within the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic to keep their current audience engaged and acquire a wider fan base. The end credits of the Blu-ray as well as the liner notes in the case provide great amusement from serious musicians who don’t take themselves as seriously as they do their music.”
Again – thank you so much, “Papa Shane” and Auditorium One for this FANTASTIC review!
http://www.CircuLiveNewView.com – Thank you so much to all the people who Pre-Ordered our new CD/DVD/Blu-ray, plus all the Exclusive Pre-Order autographed merchandise! We look forward to meeting you in person when the time is right. Thank you for your order, and thank you for supporting our international, independent, modern cinematic progressive rock band! –Andrew, Darin, Natalie, Billy, Alek, and Matt New York / Toronto / Los Angeles
Thank you so much to Geoff Feakes for the glowing review of CircuLive::NewView – a score of 8.5 out of 10!
“The vocal arrangements give Circuline’s sound an extra dimension…..an appealing combination of vocal melodies, that have a contemporary, mainstream rock vibe, and retro-prog instrumental sections…..Natalie and Billy dueting superbly…..blistering guitar accompaniment…..a masterclass in guitar and keyboard dynamics…..Natalie proves you can dance to prog.
Piano Challenge reveals itself to be a face-off between Colyer and Brannon as they playfully attempt to outperform each other with their joint piano skills…..For me, it’s the highlight of the show and it also goes down well with the appreciative ProgStock audience.
The Drum Feature at the end of Forbidden Planet is a visual treat with a skin-thumping display from the entire band (with the exception of Natalie who sticks to tambourine). It’s a throwback to the stage theatrics of Gentle Giant and Yes‘ live performance of Ritual.
Like CircuLive::Majestik, this is a fine, and thoroughly recommended testimony to Circuline’s stagecraft and their superb material. Newcomers Darson and Simches are real assets, raising the already impressive musicianship to a new level. The performances are tighter, as are the vocal arrangements. Despite the absence of new songs, the arrangements sound fresh and the Piano Challenge and Drum Feature are entertaining additions to the set. Although the musical comparators mentioned above are all British and very 1970s, Circuline compare favourably with contemporary, home-grown acts like Glass Hammer, Spock’s Beard and Kansas.”
