COUNTERPOINT

This 2016 album was the second release from Circuline, and as of 2022 their most recent studio effort, although there have been some live releases and of course keyboard player Andrew Colyer has been working with Robert Berry in 3.2. Coming to this album fresh, one can hear just why Andrew was invited to take part in that band given he is so obviously influenced by Keith Emerson, and there are times when Circuline do come across as a more commercial outfit than ELP but following in similar veins, which given they originated out of a covers band is perhaps not that surprising. However, there is a much stronger focus on vocals and vocal harmonies which definitely takes the music in a different direction. The line-up at the time was Andrew Colyer (keyboards, vocals), Billy Spillane (lead vocals, guitars), Darin Brannon (drums, percussion), Natalie Brown (lead vocals), Paul Ranieri (bass, bass pedals) and Beledo (guitars) yet they also felt the need to bring in additional guitarists for different numbers so there are also appearances by Randy McStine (Lo-Fi Resistance), Matt Dorsey (Sound of Contact), Doug Ott (Enchant), Stanley Whitaker (Oblivion Sun), Ryche Chlandra (Flying Dreams), Kamran Alan Shikoh (Glass Hammer) and Alek Darson (Fright Pig) (on the rear cover of the CD they not only credit the guitarists but also state which bands they are in, which is nice).

The result of all these musicians is an album which is quite bombastic, full of sound and even double-tracked drums (listen to "Forbidden Planet" where that works incredibly well). The keyboards have a major part to play, while with all those guitars it is a heavy album in some places, yet the arrangements are key with plenty of space and lots of room to move. The vocals are superb, with the two lead singers swapping roles and harmonising with the other when the time is right, and the overall impact is that of music which is all-encompassing and wrapping around the listener, very strongly Seventies influenced, and I can imagine myself as a teenager sat on my bed playing this while looking at the album artwork and lyrics.

Songs such as "Hollow" seem to have everything, with piano runs, great vocals, over the top guitars, and a knowledge that here is a band who are always in total control. For those who have somehow missed out on Circuline then that is a wrong which must be righted and let us hope there is a new studio album coming soon.