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Review Summary: Oh Anthony, you will never disappoint me, right? With every Circa Survive album I go through the same ol' cycle: not liking it at all, enjoying a couple of songs, loving the whole thing to death. With The Amulet it went straight to the last stage for me.
It's beautiful without being cheesy, it's ambient without being boring, it's cohesive without being monotonous. I consider Descensus a bit empty and Violent Waves too ambitious, both had theirs moments, but overall left me wanting more. So the latest album is a balancing act, a ventriloquist trick: it shows too little, but offers so much. In the end, you either get fooled by it or pass it by uninterested. And I think it's the sole essence of the band and it's been like this from the very beginning. In a nutshell, Circa Survive is a paradox, always an alien in a hostile environment: prog rock in a hardcore moshpit, post-hardcore playing in an elevator.
But sadly, it's still a decline. I would be so surprised ten years ago listening to On Letting Go if someone said to me: it's gonna be all downhill from here for this band. But the truth remains. Like it or not, identity crisis for Anthony Green and friends has become the identity. Juturna was a blistering moment in time forever carved into subconscious that makes you embarrassed at night, Amulet is a distant memory half of which isn't even true anymore, and other half is filtered so much it doesn't have any taste or smell. Substance is missing (pun intended) and the band is in a dire need for a substitute. It's not here, but they will find it, eventually.
In the meantime, the shell will remain as beautiful as ever.
| other reviews of this album |
Sowing STAFF (4.1)
A tightly woven, thoroughly gripping experience that continues to reveal its depth with each success...
Dillon T. (4.5)
A beautiful and cohesive experience that is constantly driving forward....
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Album Rating: 4.0
good soundoff
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
This band really just needs to keep the post-hardcore/indie rock/indie folk aesthetic they has going on Blues sky noise. Gimme a blue sky noise 2 damnit
This is cool too.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
Nahh, songs like Premonition of the Hex and The Amulet really bring the substance for me, there's plenty of that in here. Good review, although I disagree with plenty of it.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Agreed that on letting go was thier high point. Saw them play that in it's entirety last February and it was epic
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
I would say that this is a high point too, it kinda reminds me of that record.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
How many 2017 5's have you dished out in last 6 months, faraudo?
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
This thing is excellent!
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
This album is probably just the same shtick they always do, but I might give it a go soon.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
"How many 2017 5's have you dished out in last 6 months, faraudo?"
Not enough.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
I always un-five a lot when i'm making my year end list, so plenty of those are just momentary.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
u dun geddid
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
I checked and you have over ten 2017 5's. You get hyped hard, dude haha. I'm not judging you for it, I don't care how users rate; it's different for everyone. I just noticed you 5'ing and commenting on a bunch of albums I've found underwhelming this year.
Back half of this album was pretty solid, first was fairly listless, imo.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
PS, no offense, but this review is pretty poor. Seems very biased. I don't think this band is anywhere near an identity crisis.
This sounds like Circa, the album before sounded like Circa, the album before sounded like Circa and so on to varying degrees of quality.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
On second listen I remembered each of these songs better than their last one's more bland points (Quiet Down, Sovereign Circles, and Always Begin) and now after like 7 full listens (more or less) I'm fairly confident that this is their 2nd best album. I like the cohesiveness of this a lot and each track is memorable
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Tracks tiered
S: The Amulet, Flesh and Bone
A: Never Tell a Soul, Rites of Investiture, At Night It Gets Worse, Premonition of the Hex
B+: Lustration, Tunnel Vision
B: Stay, The Hex
with the title track probably being a top 10 track for them and Flesh and Bone definitely top 15 or 20.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
"I checked and you have over ten 2017 5's. You get hyped hard, dude haha. I'm not judging you for it, I don't care how users rate; it's different for everyone. I just noticed you 5'ing and commenting on a bunch of albums I've found underwhelming this year.
Back half of this album was pretty solid, first was fairly listless, imo."
Hahaha yeah dude, I get carried away sometimes, that's why I downgrade most of them by the end of the year. But some of them stay. It's been a great year so I'll blame it on that.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
Btw, what are those albums you found underwhelming?
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
The National, Brand New and Manchester Orchestra; all bands I love and I think I gave all of them 3's.
| | | Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off
Well, maybe they'll grow on you at some point. Or maybe they'll grow off me, who knows man.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
Only one I can really see growing is Manchester, the other two feel hopeless to me.
Anyway, finished this album and I'm pretty happy with it. Back half is way better though. A hard 3.5 for now.
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