RAKENNUS

"Rakennus" (= a building) is another Circle live record from the past. It was recorded from Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Charlottesville, Virginia during their US tour in 2007. In their wiki sites I read that they`ve have recorded all the gigs from that tour. So I got aswer to my wondering in last review, they haven´t (yet) released all they`ve recorded. It´s of course possible they will release more material from that tour in the future, quite recently they`ve released two albums from their european 2014 tour. This album, like many Circle live albums includes quite much improvised material.

After ambient intro from Panic-album they start to play "Uusi Uhraus" (= a new sacrifice). It´s one riff song with Mika singing nonsense. Next comes their satisfaction "Nopeuskuningas" (a speed king) (Mika has said in one interview that he can´t understand why Stones plays Satisfaction all in their gigs. Maybe Circle hasn´t play Nopeuskuningas in all their gigs, but it has stayed in their live set almost twenty years). It is played quite the same way as in studio album "Sunrise", although the end of the song has more intensity than studio version. Then comes "Tulilintu" (=firebird) from "Tulikoira"album, it´s faster but other way quite the same. "Tuhat" is quite beautiful improvisation with Jussi singing nonsense. Next "Virsi" (=hymn) starts like Finnish hymns, but soon listener might think they are making parody of it, but I think they´re totally serious. After festive beginning song goes into very strange, uptempo trip. As far as I know they´ve never made studio version from this very weird song, but it is also in other live records from the same time. "Point" is probably version from their first e.p. song, but I´m not sure because never heard that e.p. The direction goes again to fast heavy. "Murheenkryyni" (=troublemaker) is early version from "Hollywood"-album song "Suddenly" with Mika singing something else. I like it as much as that Hollywood-song. Encore song "Kaappikellon Kummitus" is just a funny piece only keyboards and vocals. It´s quite amazing how audience can clap their hands totally out of beat and Mika still can stay in beat. Also I think Mika´s enthusiastic comments in Finnish have wondered the US audience. He says for example after gig "now let´s put the beer on the machine".

This live album is not Circle at their best but not also their worst. As usual, they play very well. Album is little bit poor way recorded, probably through the microphones on the stage because you can hear also audience talking specially in the silent places. But I like the sound of the album, it´s like they´re playing in my living room. Probably this album interest more punk music fans than proglisteners.