CIRCA SURVIVE

Living Together starts immediately, with some heartfelt guitars before it quiets down so that Anthony can deliver some insanely unique vocals. "Attached means...Identity," is a beautiful part of the song. The guitar continues with its heavy but heartfelt sound. "Your rational mind is insane," sings Anthony, backed up by melodic guitar touches and tasteful drumming. The guitar work throughout is surreal, as it is in this entire album, almost like a modern Steve Hackett. And what's awesome is that while there are two guitarists, it seems as if both lead rather than having one on rhythm...the duties are split equaly and it really works. Especially at the end of the song, with the guitar squealing as Anthony asks, "would you trade your soul for gold?" Beautiful.

The next song picks up quickly (In the Morning and Amazing...) Check out the time signature change to 11/4 early on, and then again right before Anthony screams, "Infinite Silence!" That's magic. The song switches often and especially at the end there is a switch to 6/8 where everything slightly slows down to make a surreal sound.

The next song (The Greatest Lie) continues with similar guitar work, with more emphasis on vocals. There's some prominent bass in the mix. The most standout part would be the vocals..."Nobody's really there...Nobody's real." That hits hard.

We continue with a gem of a song (The Difference Between Poison and Medicine is in the Dose). Read the genius lyrics and check out the insane 3/4 drumming in the intro. The bass backs it up with some surreal thumping notes and the guitar runs circles around you. The chorus seems to switch time to 4/4 but if you pay attention it does not. The chorus is catchy and has great lyrics, and right afterwards, you're attacked by an onslaught of twin guitar, it sounds great. "Accomplishments are transient..." wow. And then the ending is powerful, an overall amazing song.

Next up: Mandala. It has a psychedelic intro before some absolutely insane drumming comes in. The guitar work here is also fun and trippy. The lyrics are also great and easily relatable. Overall, the drums are absolutely tasty on this track, let them carry you away. "Dance with me for I'll be leaving soon..." it seems like the drums are dancing here, check it out.

Travel Hymn offers some of the best vocal work and some mesmerizing guitar lines. The bass is interesting but unfortunately a little low in the mix. "Time starts to slow down!" Is an awesome vocal deliver, and the music seems to slow a little. The arrangements are definitely very orchestral. "Something set us off into the wrong direction, but within this particular space, time goes to waste..."

Semi-Constructive Criticism enters with a resonating guitar chord followed by some immediately hectic Mars Volta-ish jamming. I think there are two time signatures going on here. The interplay between vocals and music is great, especial "tinfoil forest," what great use of imagery in both the music and lyrics! The post-hardcore attitude in this song really takes the best the genre has to offer and makes it completely unique here.

The next song has a bit of a Gabriel-Genesis vibe (Kicking your Crosses Down), just a touch. The lyrics are golden here, and the choruses seem to take on a happier sound, it's marvelous. After the first chorus there is a tiny bit of surreal guitar and bass work and then it continues in the same vein. The part after "And all the voices sound just like you" feature intense drumming and a mood shift on guitars and bass, excellent.

The Title Track begins with some unique lyrics and then continues to offer what this band does best, although there are some really nice psychedelic touches that help make this an awesome journey. The choruses are so sentimental and heartfelt and even a bit disturbing, but it sounds great. "If blood is thicker than water then you'll drown quicker than we intend," is a disturbing lyric (nice internal rhymes) and the music really augments it. The part towards the ending is incredibly heartfelt.

Carry Us Away picks up off of the heartfelt ending and has a post-apocalyptic feel to it. It sounds great and is full or some orchestral guitar work throughout. Amazing interplay. This has a darker feel to it than most of the other songs, really nice.

Close Your Eyes to See is a beautiful title and it delivers. These are perhaps the best lyrics on the album (although each song has something awesome to offer). Full of imagery and provoking thought. The drums add their own little touches but the guitars really have this ethereal sound about, along with the basslines. "If we know each other, then why should it be so hard to make it stop?"

Finally, Your Friends are Gone (a depressing title) begins with a psychedelic 5/4 section and goes through some different sections before a very beautiful depressing ending. The midsection is one of the most ethereal on the album, but the ending gets even better than that in 6/8. Wow.

Overall, this album works so well due everyone's cohesive effort. The biggest problem is definitely the bass, it's too low on the mix and it's doing some really nice things. But besides that, the album is surreal and maybe I'm crazy but it reminds me of early Genesis, it's great. The lyrics are easy to relate to and ultimately, the music is very enjoyable...a great album. What's awesome is the songs work individually and even better as a whole.

Both guitarists Colin Frangicetto and Brendan Ekstrom work perfectly with one playing a melodic, shoegaze-like wall of sound and the other playing melodies influenced by heavy noise resulting in an almost dream like atmosphere. Even the melodies have more substance than the typical post hardcore band and manages not to be over used and dull, especially when they play in clean. A really good example of this is in the fast paced "In The Morning and Amazing". I would even put it up to par with Thrice's Teppei Teranishi's playing. Very unique approach of melody and atmosphere that I would like to hear more often.

However, the first four songs are really the peak of this album, afterwards, the music becomes dull and while Steve Clifford isn't a bad drummer, he tries to be technical and just doesn't work that well, especially in the decent song "Kicking Down Your Crosses".

A very well idea on paper that wasn't executed very well, however, the first four songs here are quite impressive compared to what is in this genre nowadays.

6/10

2(+), consider that 1)I have heard a lot of music like Circa Survive is making here (genre popular these days), 2)There's not much Prog in this music, if there is something 3)it's quite repetitive. No from me on this one.

But if you are expecting something on par with Circa's former work, you won't buy this album.

Compare these lyrics from "Stop the Car" off Juturna:

"Spinning lights, don't be scared, You have given so much more. Spinning lights, take me there, He has risen, pull me under. Don't stop talking to me, I haven't been listening."

with "Imaginary Enemy:"

"You're so careless, careless. How did you get so ungrateful? You treat me like I'm a disease and it's been killing me."

As you can see, the lyrics have downgraded tremendously, and this trend continues with every other element of the band. I'll work from the bottom up. Steve Clifford's drumming on Juturna is fantastic; on OLG, god-like. He opens solo on "The Difference Between Medicine and Poison..." and that groove alone stands to prove his prowess as a drummer. Compare that, or any other groove on OLG, to Blue Sky Noise, and you will find a poorly simplified, poorly recorded sound that doesn't belong.

Being a bass player, I have always been envious of Nick Beard's style and sound. That stops with Blue Sky Noise. When Beard is audible, he does not groove. He sounds crunchy and disconnected, overlooked. Colin Frangicetto and Brendan Eckstrom, Circa's twin guitarists, seemed more interested in making up crummy build-ups than focusing on their tone and playing. They don't sound like they've developed as musicians.

Of course, Green's singing is respectable as always. He has the kind of powerful, unique voice that can cut through lame instrumentals. Unfortunately, his vocals are dumbed down and over-mastered. Gone are the subtle harmonies and counter-melodies of his former work. He sounds like he's trying too hard.

And that is another common thread of BSN. This sounds like a hastily mastered, poorly written album by a new band trying to get their sound out, not like established musicians with a dedicated fan base that are broadening their horizon.

If you took any band that had two strong albums on a respectable indie label like Equal Vision, and gave them a massive contract with Atlantic, change would be expected. If you were to take said band and give them the opportunity to work with people like David Bottrill and Rich Costey, a year devoted to writing alone, and a massive major label contract, you would expect a great album. Mainstream? Yes. Easier on the ears than their former work? Yes. The shoddy, inebriating, poppy-bull[&*!#]-schlep that is Blue Sky Noise?

No.

Long time fans will still recognize what they fell in love with but with more crisp, energy and aggressiveness.

The first track "Living Together" is a great opening to the album since it demonstrates what they are all about. Some parts are energetic and distorted and others more clean and calm. You can hear the different tracks I was talking about above.

Most of the tracks stand on their own having that special thing but some of them just pass by but are still really good. The first songs are the best and gets you hooked to the music and you let yourself go flowing through the last songs which are the ones that are less "hooking". That's why I only gave the album 4 stars.