HQ

2 years later after first cd,That was 4.5 star essential piece of prog. We have Hq Alan White is gone,Music on this disc has its ups and downs. Top Tracks- 1-If its not to late-It is not to late,To change your Perceptions on life. Never to late for change,Only late if you choose not to want to change.. Let your ego dininish the light out,World Creates more darkness. Like Morse says,We all need some light now. Turn on the light wash the darkness away

2)Ever Changing World-The world is ever changing,New things happen. Some good some bad,It is only our duty to pray,Keep the candle burning. To zap the the mosqutios,Who leech our every ounce of light out our boides. Leaves you with west nile virus aka our ego.

Artwork-2 Music-3 Production 4 Lyrics-3.5

Overall 3.5 stars out of 5,Lil above average disc. There debut,Was way stronger then this one. I hope you find this lil mini review helpful,Before you shell out money. If your die hard fan,Of side projects of Sherwood then this is for you then..

Circa:HQ by Circa is my first big disappointment of 2009! Circa: is typical band I called side project of Yes. The first album by the band was really excitement and it is something like good Yes' music. With this album the situation is completely different.

If someone with quite big name is trying to release new music, it's good to be really music. This album lacks of music overall. The first component of the music is melody. In Circa:HQ there aren't any melody or ideas. There are only four persons, who are playing their specific (for somebody not) instruments. I know very well these guys can play very well, but it's not enough for a mark above the minimum, because it's necessary a musical thought or as we know it songwriting. You cannot find anything of that here.There aren't songs, there are only samples of technique and singing. There are some ideas in some moments of some songs. There are melody in the refrains of two or three songs, but that's all! Nothing above the minimum mark!

Let me begin by contradicting the previous review. This Circa album is far, far better than the first one, in fact it is an exceptional album.

Now, I am one of those that can not hear anything Asia or related and the first Circa album did not even made it to my CD player. It was after I was forced to hear this one in a car that I did really paid attention to this band. The first Circa album is not my cup of tee, I won't even play it again.

First of all there are a few tunes in here that are incredible good, for Yes fans, Tony Kaye formations, there is plenty to like in this album, as there are so many well crafted organ parts, really a treat ! Just listen to the last cut, "remember aling the way" at 12:35 minutes long the one that stands out for me.

The guitar work is also notable and there are some parts that really makes you want for more.

One of the most tragic things in Prog Rock is its magical ability to find the worst singers available and the worst lyricists in the planet, I am happy to say that in both categories Circa performs very well.

In all one album that deserves better and prejudice, like the one I had just 'cos is Asia related will make you loose the oportunity to listen to une of the jewels of the year, along with Magma, Mouse on Keys, Forgas Band Phenomena, Kotebel, Umphrey's McGee, N.y.X , Gösta Berlings Saga, the decemberist, Zu and Miriodor.

Before being put down by the first review, make your own judgment, get a copy of this album and digest it , you might be as surprised as I was, 'cos I was not expecting such a good album from anywhere near any Asia related band.

They could last!

Circa's second studio album HQ is in my opinion a better album than the debut. In terms of sound, there is not much difference between these albums but the material is stronger this time and I find this album more memorable. Also, the focus has shifted slightly from catchy choruses to more instrumental workouts. As such, there is more substance in HQ compared to the debut.

The line-up has changed slightly with Jay Schellen having replaced Alan White on drums, but the rest of the band remains the same with Billy Sherwood on bass and vocals, Tony Kaye on keyboards, and Jimmy Haun on guitar. Sherwood, Kaye, and Haun all have connections with Yes. Kaye was of course one of the founding members of that band and played on their three first studio albums (and re-joined in the 80's and recorded a further four studio albums with them). Sherwood and Haun both participated in the creation of Yes' Union album in 1991 and Sherwood even co-wrote (and co-produced) one of the songs for that album with Chris Squire. Sherwood toured with Yes in support of Talk before becoming a full member for Open Your Eyes and The Ladder. (After that Sherwood also worked with Chris Squire in Conspiracy.) New guy Jay Schellen played with Sherwood before in World Trade and he has also played with Asia recently, another Yes-related band.

In the light of all this, it is fair to say that Circa is connected to Yes in several ways. It should then not come as a surprise to anyone that Circa sounds a bit like Yes. With a running time of over an hour, I feel that this album is maybe slightly too long for its own good, but there are no weak songs as such so it is indeed hard to say exactly what could have been left out. I feel that there is a bit more energy in this album compared to the debut and I enjoy listening to this one more. The songs are a bit more challenging and take more time to get into which os often true about progressive music.

Recommended!