VARIATIONS ON A DREAM (AS ART ROCK CIRCUS)

I am as much a fan of strange time signatures and music moving in strange directions as the next proghead, but with this album it seems that I am somewhat missing the point. This just doesn't feel like a full-blown release to me, as if there isn't something not fully formed. Part of that has to be down to the production, the quality of which seems to vary greatly throughout the album, as well as the music itself. There are passages, and indeed songs, where this is truly striking. There is a great deal going on, and it all makes musical sense. Who needs vocals when the music is as complex and dynamic as this? But, there are other times when it just doesn't seem to gel, and to my ears 'Variation 7' would have sounded even better without the bass, as the drums and vibraphone do enough to more than carry it through.

Overall, it is an album that to me contains a lot of promise, with Zappa and ELP being just two of the many influences on display, and the use of disharmony and repeated melodic structures are mostly well done, but overall this is an album that I just couldn't warm to. It isn't right to give this a 2, but also it doesn't really justify a 3, 2.5 would be the right measure in this instance.

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Posted Saturday, March 15, 2014 | Review this album | Report (Review #1148688)

US band ART ROCK CIRCUS has been a going concern for more than 20 years at this point on time, with guitarist Miner and bassist Manning the sole members that have been with the band since the beginning. Five albums have been released under this moniker in those years, and "Variations on a Dream" is the most recent of these. This production was released in 2013 through the indie label Tributary Music.

While the music of Art Rock Circus as presented on this album is a somewhat chaotic, but ultimately enjoyable take on retro-oriented instrumental progressive rock, the recording quality of this material will most likely narrow down the potential audience of this album. Those who enjoy the giants of the '70s, and perhaps bands like ELP first and foremost, are a likely key audience, as long as they are able to appreciate material also when recorded, mixed and produced in less than ideal quality, with words such as lo-fi and demo quality defining the greater majority of the material in that specific context.

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Posted Saturday, May 23, 2015 | Review this album | Report (Review #1418811)

Art Rock Circus returns with a follow up to their critically acclaimed "Tell a Vision" (Tributary Music Label 2005) The new CD "Variations on a Dream" is a throwback to classic 70's golden age progressive rock that focuses more on a blending of organic stylings and classic instrumentation. What ... (read more)

Report this review (#1083908) | Posted by Surrealist | Sunday, December 1, 2013 | Review Permanlink

You can slightly say that throughout the music history there were/are albums lacking on the production, albums that weep for better production. Art Rock Circus' fourth studio release is one of these albums. Released this year on Tributary Music label, Variations on a Dream is the band's first ... (read more)

Report this review (#1083194) | Posted by JohnNicholson | Friday, November 29, 2013 | Review Permanlink

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