Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Circus No. 9 refuses to be pinned down. You certainly can’t label them a traditional bluegrass outfit as several of the songs on their new self-titled album utilize instruments familiar to the style in decidedly non-traditional ways. You can’t say, however, that they aren’t a bluegrass band. They are. They are a lot of things and that’s just one.
URL: https://circusnumbernine.com/
They are expert songwriters and work together as an unit. There’s no single member carrying the creative load and essentially commandeering the band as a de-facto solo project. Everyone contributes. They understand and utilize songwriting elements from other styles in their own work without sacrificing the rustic and intimate quality of their bedrock sound. The band mixes a handful of instrumentals in with the lyrically driven tracks, and it makes for a compelling blend.
“To the Lighthouse” starts the album. The instrumental introduces what will soon become a familiar trajectory for the release as there’s some initial scene-setting before segueing into the first of a few gradually ascending peaks. Their take on traditional music, especially within the folk tradition, isn’t a wrecking ball mentality so much as more a repurposing.
They are, however, more than capable of inhabiting the same purist realm as more retro-minded bluegrass acts. “The Place That I Call Home” mines many of the same musical riches that have powered countless bluegrass classics since time immemorial but, even here, there’s repurposing. The lyrics are grounded in the present while utilizing a diction that any longtime fan of the style will recognize. Ben Garnett is, arguably, the creative center for the band on this release, given his role as producer on top of his contributions elsewhere. His powerful yet understated presence fills the performance.
“Headphones” moves from wide-open passages brimming with light into darker and more nakedly percussive moments. The intensity is the same across the board, manifesting itself differently obviously, and there’s a sort of steady rolling quality in the arrangement listeners will latch onto. A lot of people are going to love “Forever More” for multiple reasons. The instrument sound they achieve for each player is worth the price of admission alone as they quickly hit the bold standard it implies reaching with its scratchy old record opening. Its melodic excellence lingers long after its final note.
“Unfinished Business” is one of the best instrumentals, an ambling but never unfocused jaunt showcasing their ability to subtly shift moods. These pieces are steered by the same artistic sensibility guiding the songs with vocals and the track list sequencing is a crucial reason why they should receive the attention they do. They are essential pieces of a larger whole. The fiddle casts a ghostly presence over early passages in “Joy of Learning” before mandolin and guitar enter the picture. There are light near-phantasmagorical touches during the instrumental that will leave a mark on listeners.
“Scaffold Song” concludes the band’s self-titled effort with a more traditional offering than most of the aforementioned songs allow. They welcome guest vocalist Aoife O’Donovan into the fold for this expansive and layered performance; her harmony vocals are an essential part of what makes it such a well-chosen finale for one of the year’s best all-around albums, genre be damned.
Brent Musgrave
