Circle — Manner
This album was the first album to be released purely on US shores, and it’s clear the that the band are trying to tone down & focus their often sprawling & repetitive tracks into more conventional song structure that often take in a fairly set verse/chours type structure. On the first few plays through I felt a little underwhelmed by the whole thing, as it seemed to lack the spark & flare of a great Circle album. But the more & more I’ve played it, the more I’ve found myself very much enjoying the whole record, as ‘yes’ it does offer up a more compact/ safer version of the bands sound, but each & every one of the six songs manages to weave in that distinctive Circle gene to it’s make-up.
The six tracks here last between just over the four minute mark, to just over the nine minute mark. Opening up the album is “Lintu Joe”, and it's a moody mixture of: 1970’s lumbering rock riffing, & almost funk licked stop 'n' start bass/ gitar work. With sudden darts of spacey synth textures & dips into tinkcling/ sustained paino/gitar runs, which bring to mind taut soundtrack music from a 70’s crime drama. This is all topped off with Mika Rättö wabbling & theatrical finishing vocalising.
After this we have “Blue King”, which I guess is one of the most commercial/ instant Circle tracks I’ve heard- it’s built around a simple, memorable & fist pumping 80’s metal riff that has almost pop rock simmer to it, the track features English vocals & a hum along chours that takes in the chant ‘break down or you just collapse”. Track three is a cover version in the form of “Here Come The Warm Jets”, which find the band stretching this Eno classic out into a blissed-out, repetitive & vocaless Circle soar & stomp.
“Fantasy” is next, and this I guess is one of the more weird tracks here- it starts with a mixture of climbing & weaving jazz organ, & 1970’s rock riffing. Then just when you think you got where the tracks going, it shifts into the verse which mixers together taut bass work, wondering & showy theatrical classic/ jazz tinged piano runs, that are all topped off with Mika Rättö warbling & flamboyant vocals, befoe we soar-up into the chours that sounds like weird & operatic take 1980’s AOR.
After this we have “Mustaa kultaa” which finds a pumping 1980’s metal meets status quo like riffing, with epic & dramtic sci-fi effect lined vocals. Then finishing off the album we have the longest track here “Potero”, which starts off with a mixture of pumping yet locked Doors like organ work that’s weaved with a 1980’s AOR synth line. When the vocals come in the guitar & bass joining in too this odd sort of waltzing/ ballerina gone prog rock/ 80’s AOR vibe of the track.
I’d say for long term fans of this project “Manner” is very much of a grower- it’s more conventional & at times commercial song structures may at first disappoint, but do preserver as each track here is full of rewarding & quirky Circle touches. And for those who have not yet heard any of this great & distinctive bands work- this is the perfect, relatively compact & user friendly introduction to the work of Circle, and I can whole heartily recommend it.