CIRCUS

In 1974, Argent gave of their best with the studio album "Nexus" and an excellent live performance on "Encore". During the following year I waited with baited breathe for "Circus" but was bitterly disappointed. The title track is excellent and full of life but everything else on offer is without soul. I recall that they actually toured with real circus acts to promote this album ...Hmmm.. no wonder John Rotten referred to prog rock as boring a few years later, the rot (pun intended) was beginning to set in.

Send in the clowns

To say I was disappointed with this album when it came out would be an understatement. It was only then that I realised just how big an influence the recently departed (from the band!) Russ Ballard had on the music of Argent. Not only was his song-writing and singing so obviously missing, his quality control was too.

Rod Argent took over all lead vocals, and gave the album a much looser, jazzier feel. Rod is a highly accomplished and talented musician, but his vocal abilities are limited, hence Russ Ballard had previously been the main rock singer for the band. The loss of Ballard can been seen in many ways as paralleling the way Supertramp went when Roger Hodgson left. In that case too, Hodgson was the better singer, but Rick Davies, who has a similarly jazz based voice, chose to take on all vocal duties himself after Hodgson's departure.

"Circus" starts reasonably promisingly, with the keyboards dominant on the title track. From there on however, the album drifts aimlessly from song to song, completely lacking the tight distinctive sound of the Ballard era.

The days of Argent as a force in rock music were clearly behind them, and things were to go further downhill yet.

Russ Ballard's departure would prove a difficult task to overcome for Argent, as the group had not only lost a bonafide hit-maker, but their lead singer as well as their guitarist. So Rod Argent's solution came in hiring not one but two guitarists. Indeed John Verity came on as the vocalist and (second) guitarist, while John Grimaldi took over lead guitar. This would of course change considerably Argent's sound and direction. Graced with a good spacey tightrope drawing artwork from the band's own Grimaldi, being appropriate to the album's theme/concept, the rather overused and not original subject of the circus world. The album came out a few months after Ballard 's swan song, the double live album Encore, it could've not possibly have lived up to Nexus' standard, but over the years this one and its successor would get unfairly dismissed.

Emerging from the opening mellotron wash, a furious funky jazz-rock with Rod's Rhodes (I know! Too easy ;-) leading the way to a strange fusion of styles. Later then his piano and organ amid further tron washes give the title track a great presence, vocals appearing only the in the closing section. The 9-mins Highwire is quite a bit different, relying again on jazz-rock, but there are many elements not clicking very smoothly in placen with weak vocals, but the odd searing guitar solo. The closing Clowns is an atrocious multi-vocals cheesy AOR track with uninspired Moog overstaying its welcome by at least three minutes.

The almost 9-mins Trapeze is an excellent opener for the flipside, again relying on a funky jazz-rock reminiscent (of sorts) of Brain Auger's Oblivion with added mellotron. While again hardly perfect (Grimaldi again putting in some good guitar solos), this Rodford-penned track shows a j-r side of the band that was most likely impossible to expand upon with Ballard in the line-up. However the remaining Argent-penned shorter track fail to follow suit. Falling back on the faulty Clown on the other side, Sunshine is another atrocious AOR-ish ballad that probably gave this album its bad reputation. The Ring is a boring instrumental and Jester is a cracky RnR track but again questionable vocal harmonies.

To summarize this jazz-rock concept album (who would've thought this combination possible?) in a few lines is a bit short, but hopefully this review will help shedding a different light on it. You'd never have thought of argent as a jazz-rock group, right. Guess again. Definitely worth most proghead's reappraisal.

I think this album, along with Encore, were my first intro to Argent. It's unfortunate that often times when a major player such as Russ Ballard leaves a band, listners are reluctant to give the remaining members an honest listen. It must be difficult to carry on without feeling that they're guilty of plagerizing themselves. The remaining band members, in this instance, seem to be getting far too little credit! Taken on its own, this is a fantastic peice of work, unlike anything else. The band deserves credit. If you have this album burried away somewhere, don't let it collect dust, give it a chance! Ingenuity is a wonderful thing.

Eighteen months after keyboard virtuoso Rod Argent left the famous sixties band The ZOMBIES the single "Time Of The Season" from their last album "Odyssey & Oracle" topped the US charts and sold one million copies! There was a hugh demand to re-group The ZOMBIES but Rod Argent preferred to form his own band to make more progressive music. In '75 ARGENT made his most pro¬gressive and balanced album entitled "Circus". The Hammond organ (omnipresent on earlier records) has almost disappeared in favour of the electric piano (Fender Rhodes and Hohner), Mellotron, Grand piano and the famous Moog synthesizer. The album shows great sense of dynamics and splendid shifting moods: lush symphonic in "Circus" (swirling piano and flowing, a bit fiery electric guitar) and "Highwire" (great guitarsolo, culminating in a duel with Rod's Moog), slow and dreamy in "Clown" and "Shine On Sunshine" and fluent and powerful in the swinging "The Trapeze" (great skills on the Fender Rhodes piano) and "The Jester" (biting guitar and a funny piece of boogie woogie piano). Despite good critics the sales were poor but nowadays this fine album deserves renewed attention.

I've just obtained this and I am enjoying it much more than I anticipated. To my way of listening, this expands upon the best features of Nexus. I love "Tragedy", "Thunder and Lightening", and "Closer to Heaven" as much as the next person, but Russ Ballard and Rod Argent were holding each other back. Ballard wanted to write commercially-accessible material (which he does very well), and Rod wanted to venture further in the progressive direction. I often tell people that Rod is the perfect compromise between the over-the-top aggression of John Lord and the dry/cereberal stylings of Rick Wakeman. If you give Circus several fair hearings, I think you'll reach the same conclusions. -Eric Rogers

I'm afraid I'll have to go against popular opinion and say I believe this to be one of Argent's best album. Unlike most Argent fans, I wasn't too bothered to see Russ Ballard quit the band. I've always felt there was a dichotomy in Argent between Russ Ballard's more straight ahead approach to song writing and Rod Argents more elaborate and progressive leanings. Personally I prefer the direction Rod Argent obviously wanted the band to go in. With 'Circus' he had a free rein to do as he pleased, and in doing so came up with a very consistent and beautiful album.

The album consists of seven songs, each with a circus theme to the lyrics. The music is a ingenious hybrid of progressive rock, jazz rock and various other styles. Highlights include the fantastic and uplifting (no pun intended) 'Highwire', a nine minute masterpiece featuring an exhilarating guitar solo from John Grimaldi, and a nice Mahavisnu Orchestra-type moment with Argent and Grimaldi trying to outdo one another on their respective instruments.

The next track, the beautiful 'Clown' has to be one of the loveliest song ever penned by Rod Argent. I can only describe this gorgeous ballad as Debussy meets Stevie Wonder meets Queen. In my book this is one of the best Argent song, ever, and the stunning synth solo in the middle, accompanied by beautiful Queen-like vocal harmonies is divine. It's not flash, just very tasteful, especially the way it sings out over the Debussy-esque chord progression. It never fails to send shivers down my spine. Nice one Rod! Another highlight, for me, is the second ballad on the album, the whimsical,'Shine on Sunshine' shades of The Beatles about this one. Once Again there's beautiful and unusual vocal harmonies and a lovely gentle guitar solo that's just perfect for the song. It's a shame this album isn't appreciated more. Maybe now that it's finally been released on CD, more people will go back to it and give it the attention it undoubtedly deserves.

Thank you for reading this.From your friend and fellow lover of "The Progressive", The Mentalist. CREED!
. . .And may The Progressive of the history be only not as sin but creed to you all and yours!

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Posted Monday, August 29, 2005 | Review Permalink

The first Argent album without Russ Ballard starts promisingly enough with a deafening burst of Mellotron strings. And so it is for the first couple of tracks, both of which feature a mix of symphonic and fusion influences, all driven by Rod Argent's flashy keyboard work.

It runs out of steam quick. One listen to the fluff ballad "Clown" makes you miss Ballard terribly. Argent & Co. should stick to the prog stuff, as they just can't cut it with the song-oriented material, as "Jester" and the soporific "Shine On Sunshine" go on to prove. John Verity's vocals, uncomfortably like that of a Vegas lounge singer on the more balladic material, don't make matters any better. "Trapeze" is the only other saving grace.

Even if Russ Ballard was not the most prolific song writer of the band, it is true to admit that his absence is sourly felt in this recording.

In terms of prog, this album is a good follower of "Nexus". Of course, Rod is now fully on the command and even if the title track starts on the jazzy rhythm, it is a fine composition which should please any "Argent" fan.

It is needless to say that the keys parts are even more important as in prior releases. The whole bunch of possibilities (including some fine mellotron lines) is present: synth, piano and mellotron as I have already outline of course. This is an extremely good combination for the longest track available on this album to be honest.

The overall feeling when one listens to this album, is that it is more constructed than previous releases. In terms of music, it also meant that those heavy rock sounds were almost forgotten. Still, compositions are catchy, well crafted and superbly interpreted. "Highwire" is a definite highlight.

The quiet side of their music can be experienced as well. It doesn't belong to the most grandiose pieces of music they have ever written and a track as "Clown" is not one of their greatest track but, thanks to a very good instrumental part which raises the level, it is combined with above average vocal which are heading in the direction of the great "10CC".

This album is also the occasion for Rod to get in touch with some jazzier atmospheres. Not really my cup of tea during the long "Trapeze". The middle heavy part and the bombastic finale are saving it though. Not to bad a number at the end of the day (it is 1 AM right now.).

There is even a Beatles-esque melody ("Shine On Sunshine"), full of melancholy. It is of course not really what one was expecting from "Argent" but I have to say that it doesn't sound weak either. On the contrary, it only adds to the diversity of this album, which is pretty much decent so far.

It is true that I am missing these great organ and powerful solo which are alien here. One has to be satisfied with this new orientation which is quite interesting IMHHO.

Three stars.

The last two Argent albums tend to get written off quickly, which is a real shame as there's much wonderful stuff both on the Circus and Counterpoints elpees.

With guitarist/singer/songwriter Russ Ballard gone, the Argent musical direction was now left solely to keyboard man Rod Argent who all but jettisoned the straightforward song structures that Ballard preferred in favor of keyboard-heavy proggy/jazzy workouts, still heavily arranged but, happily, never solos-for-solos' sake.

Replacing the departed guitarist/singer was not one but two players: lead guitarist John Grimaldi (with lineage to the Royal Family of Monaco, no less - not many royal figures end up in prog outfits, do they?) and second guitarist and singer John Verity. The late Grimaldi was quite the nimble fingered guitar man, particularly aiding and abetting Mr. Argent in his jazz fusion leanings in no small way. Verity's singing voice is actually not too dissimilar to Ballard's, that is when you can actually hear him sing at all - Rod Argent himself curiously takes on all lead vocal duties here (save for bassist Jim Rodford on his own track Trapeze). Perhaps Verity joined the band after most of the sessions were completed - I'm not familiar enough with the band's chronology in that department.

Still, there are many fine PA moments and arrangements to be enjoyed on Circus. Both Highwire and Trapeze I feel are among this band's finest ever tracks. The two ballads, Clown and Shine On Sunshine, are unfortunately sappy additions to the show, however nicely arranged (maybe they had a 45 release or two in mind). Still, I wouldn't let those two short diversions keep you away from this otherwise excellent album.

For you keyboard nuts, Rod Argent utilizes every instrument in his considerable arsenal. And all are front and center with synths, Fender Rhodes and mellotron at the head of the line - the Hammond, not so much, interestingly.

If you enjoyed the Music From the Spheres track from their previous album Nexus (the band's most popular here at PA), you'll certainly enjoy Circus.

5 Stars. Not burdened with any particular affection for the prior Argent line up prior to recording this-I've enjoyed this from the first time I heard this 30 or so years ago to now. I still delight in the outstanding harmony singing the quality of which is not really challenged anywhere else in the Prog world as far as i'm concerned. Fab drumming, rocking piano works and a must for any serious progger. The individual instrument sound is upfront and near and gets better the louder it's played. I still listen to this album often and enjoy it every time. Very few bands will get near this heart felt, passionate, rocking quality. 5 stars for this album-always has been, always will be!!! ! I hope they are proud of this work. Had the joy of giving a copy to Mr. Francis Dunnery in 2008 who'd not heard of it prior. It's always great to hear great new music...even if it is 30 years or so old. Get it and don't worry about the whinging from the other reviewers. I don't hear anyone missing on this and had someone stayed, when in fact they left, probably would have ruined this fabulous, original work!

I must agree with Johnny! This is the best Argent album by far for me. I have had it on vinyl only for the same 30 years as Johnny. I have been playing it over and over ever since. What fab harmony singing and I love the mixed rhythmic pulses throughout the opening number. It is full of little gems of ideas. Maybe not all get developed as far as they might but I just love listening to it. I often play it through 2 or 3 times straight. There are very few albums I own I would do THAT with. If you don't know it - I urge you as a seeker of musical treasure to find it and listen... It has to be 5 stars. (Dav)

I don't claim to be an expert on Argent. I just want to make that clear. I have followed him, somewhat, through the years, starting with The Zombies and into the stuff he did with his namesake band. However, I do think that I have come to some sort of conclusion and that is that the urge to express himself within the boundaries (or lack there of) supplied by the progressive rock genre came creeping up on him. Right up to "Nexus" (the album prior to "Circus") the music was sort of straight forward and not really all that progressive. However, on "Circus" he finally embraced the genre and made an album of pure prog bliss. At least that is what I surmise.

"Circus" is a concept album concerning different areas of performing within the circus. I love a good concept album. It's so prog. The whole album is tightly played and doesn't let go of me for the duration of the album. 37 minutes of extremely tight playing and joyous spirit. There are three tracks that really do stand out amidst these seven wonderful tracks. "Circus" (fantastic overture and pure brilliance for 3 minutes and 50 seconds), "Highwire" (with playful keyboards that turns into drama and suspense at circa 5.40) and "Trapeze". The latter is the pièce de resistance on the album. Amazing instrumentation and full of jazzy progressive drama. AT 5.06 there is a fantastic 10 seconds long section after which the band heads into an amazing hard rock/jazz rock jamming but only for 40 seconds. Bliss! It is that sort of spicy ingredients that fills my cup. "Trapeze" is wonderful. Jazzy, hard rocking and thumping basslines. Lovely!

There are other tracks well worth hearing, such as the gentle "Clown". Beuatiful! Or "Shine on sunshine", which is the finest song Queen never wrote with a prominent mellotron. "The jester" acts as the finale, rounding up the visit to the circus. A great track in it's own rights.

The inclusion of John Verity is a brilliant move. He has such a great voice and delivers passionate vocals througout. Well worth mentioning is the abundance of keyboards. Mellotron, organ, electric piano and moog. What more could be asked for? The bass is great, as are the drums.

I must mention the striking cover. A man on a highwire, way up in the ceiling of the circus tent. Two or three colors, drama and beauty. Evocative, maybe that's the word? I can look at the cover for hours. Simply beautiful.

The progressive rock provided by Argent on this album is very jazz-rock and very warm. It is a work of love and passion and I find that it is one of a kind in the discography of the band. You will find progressive touches and flourishes on nigh on any album by Argent (especially "Nexus) but not as focused, devoted and full blown as on "Circus". This album holds a very dear place in my heart and for every listen I walk away with a new experience, a titbit I haven't heard before. A great, underappreciated, somewhat forgotten flower in the garden of progressive rock.

There are points on Circus, especially on the first two songs, 'Circus' and 'Highwire,' where the album sounds like a clever parody of fancy-pants concept albums. The sometimes histrionic lead vocals, echo-chorus backing vocals, and grandstanding synthesizer leads aping guitar solos - - it almost sounds like someone did too good a job at Spinal Tap.

But in a strange, Poe's-Law way, Circus is, by definition, pretty good: after all, it does mimic 1970s concept albums without plagiarizing any single 1970s concept album.

There are also points on Circus where I wish the album had no vocals, or that the words were sung in some language I didn't understand. Musically, some of the compositions are good. For example, the melancholy 'Clown' might have said the proverbial thousand words without any words other than the title; conversely, the near-funk-fusion of 'Trapeze' is very good, but its 7/4 meter hardly evokes the motion, or any other aspect, of a trapeze. Actually, 'Trapeze' exemplifies a core problem of Circus: the concept has to be force-fit in places.

And then there are points on Circus, specifically on 'Shine on Sunshine' and 'Jester,' where the group seems to be genuinely trying to sound like Queen. Between these two songs is the semi-ambient synthesizer piece 'The Ring' - - go figure.

Circus is not a total calamity; 'Clown' and 'Trapeze' are pretty good when you look past the lyrics, for example. But I can't recommend it to anyone other than Argent enthusiasts, and I have to believe that they already have it. For everyone else, I'd suggest looking into some of the concept albums by Alan Parsons Project or Electric Light Orchestra.

I was recently in a record store in LA where I saw this record for 5 bucks and picked it up (which inspired this review). Despite the departure of vocalist Russ Ballard, Argent's "Circus" is an outstanding record. Released in 1975, the band was going through some growing pains (with the loss of the aforementioned Ballard), but nonetheless they delivered an underrated effort that deserves much more praise. Keyboardist and band leader, Rod Argent, took a much jazzier approach here with extended jams and heavy progressive instrumentation. New vocalist, John Verity, sounds great on here and I actually think his vocal style fits the band way better than Ballard's.

Opening out with the smothering mellotron and electric piano work on "Circus" (the eponymous track) gives a very promising start to the album. Immediately, you can see that all of Ballard's influence has been relinquished from the band as they burst into a Floyd-ish jam. Suddenly a piano interlude from Argent leads into the lyrics about the concept of the album. Following the strong opening track, the 9-minute "Highwire" is an absolute highlight on the album. The song is predominantly driven by mellotron and Fender Rhodes once more (however there is also an underlying piano there the whole time). The vocals on this track as smooth as silk, and so are the harmonies (which are implemented very impressively by the band). At around the 5:40 mark the song takes are dramatic high octane turn, and becomes a high intensity jam by the band which sounds amazing. The band plays a more fusion-esque style with looser chords, yet it is somehow super tight as the guitar and moog trade solos. Closing with the main theme from the beginning, the song transitions in the final song on side 1, "Clown." I really don't understand all the hate this track gets from the prog community. Opening with vibrato guitar and solemn piano, the song paints the sad memoir of a circus clown. The harmonies between the band as Argent sings "And who can doubt this painted fool who walks upon this circus stage is just a clown?" are absolutely masterful. The moog solo that closes the song is also very cool and great work from Rod Argent.

Continuing the "Circus" theme on side 2, "Trapeze" kicks off with a guitar and organ riff which is swept into an extremely proggy 7/4 time signature. Its a really interesting song without too many vocals and to be honest I really like the cowbell and bassline that carries the song. My only issue overall would be that the band wanders aimlessly through a jam on the 7/4 section for way too long. After the soloing from Argent on the Rhodes, the main riff from the beginning carries the band into a grand bridge section that sounds really awesome with heavy organ...Then the 7/4 comes back. Great idea on this track, just a bit overplayed and repetitive. Subsequently, "Shine on Sunshine," is the band doing their best Queen impression with added mellotron. The harmonies here are very reminiscent of anything off "Night at the Opera" with a jazzier feel. It's a nice little mood change, as is 1-minute Rhodes interlude "The Ring." The album closes with "The Jester" which opens with a "Pinball Wizard" feel and also a very Queen-esque chorus again. I like this one a lot better than "Shine on Sunshine" though because the keyboard melody and moog work on here is super impressive from Argent.

I think this album is over-hated by Proggers and is jampacked with infectious melodies and real sleepers. There isn't any single "weak" track on here (not including the throwaway "The Ring") and despite change in vocalists I think the band didn't really miss a step. Unlike their classic era records such as "In Deep" and "All Together Now" this LP doesn't have any of those horrible Russ Ballard boogie woogie songs which is an improvement in of itself :) Awesome record here and definitely a highly recommended one for a chill listen.