Label: 8-Leggy Delongy Format: CD
Basically, The Benelux Circus is a transformed constellation of The Entropy Circus. As always the Circus is centered around Zali Krishna. To get a clearer picture of what is going on do read my other reviews.
When we look upon the development from Entropy into Benelux Circus, we don’t see any radical makeovers. The spirit of Paddington Hard Stare is still not compromised. There is a clear trend that can be spotted: a gradual upward curve. No quantum leaps here, but rather a slow, steady and primarily determined pace. The last disc somehow perfected ‘the sound’, so to speak. This one on the other hand branches out. It explores new sonic territory. This is apparent on two of my favorite tracks, “The Sinking of the H.M.S. Mathilde” and “Come o Come Emmanuel”. “The Sinking…” is a piano based track with a warm and special feeling, needless to say it is also very trippy. “Come o Come Emmanuel” can only be described as listening to a gang of Gnostic-monks chanting in a secret chapel somewhere deep in the Syrian hills, and it’s not short of a mood enhancing filler piece. It’s really a great interpretation of the old Christmas carol in itself. Stirring. Bring on the monks Mr. Krishna!
Another element on this disc is a medley/epic. Now, The Circus doing an epic is a delicious idea to have for supper. But in this case it becomes more like a medley of two songs: “Air Supremacy” and ‘Fritware’, which maybe it is? But somehow it seems that The Benelux Circus wanted to take the leap into a ambitious, soaring and structurally thought out 20-minute composition, but didn’t really dare to take that step? What a shame.
At the end of the night this does feel like the most varied and complete recording by ‘The Circus’. It’s got the obligatory singalong in the shape of “(Ain’t Got Much Money You & Me But We Got) Toiletries”. There is the great guitar led instrumental in “Blues for Bozz Bozz”. And then there is just plain magic in the form of “Caesarea Philippae”.
The Call of the Wild: WE WANT THAT EPIC!
-Dag Luterek-
