BIRTH

Given the 9 years recording hiatus, it's perhaps not surprising that this English outfit has moved in a new direction. The CIRCULUS sound remains folk based for the most part, with plenty of synthesized accompaniment as before, but the influence of neo folk and ambient styles are evident for the first time.

The opening number 'The Ecstasy of Digging in Graveyards' signals the shift immediately, with vocalist Michael Tyack's new narrative style and a minimalist approach musically. While it works well here and on the mystical 'Seeking out the Sacred Sites' and 'Stories from my Book of Dreams', what should be the prog centerpiece, 'Creation Wears a Golden Coat', at 10+ minutes, is at least 3 or 4 minutes too long, and I'm being generous. While the running time is higher than past efforts, the repetitiveness and the higher ratio of instrumentals do pad the output. Luckily, both the medieval 'Scarlatti', with its harpsichord-ish leads, and the space age 'Earth Disco' triumphantly confirm the band's continued prowess. In the meantime, the single, 'Tintagic', is nigh as delightful as anything we've heard from them, whimsical and addictive in both lyric and melody.

One aspect of Circulus remains intact, their ability to distinguish themselves in a crowded field while never quite threatening to capture the flag. On most days, that's good enough for me, and reason enough for them to be born again in whatever form.