Circa Survive - On Letting Go

LABEL:

Equal Vision

GENRE:

Indie/Experimental

RELEASE:

May 29, 2007

LENGTH:

45 min 29 sec

RATING:

In an attempt to be perfectly honest, I need to confess that Circa Survive's debut album Juturna was hands-down my favorite of 2005. It was a glorious, experimental indie-rock record that helped fill the audible void left in my heart by the modern music industry. And whenever a new band emerges, critics come out of the woodwork to feast on the newly exposed flesh. It's rather telling that I'd be one rich son of a bitch if I had a nickel for each time I heard or read someone complaining about how feminine and annoying Anthony's Green's voice is. Bitching aside, the best part about their debut was that I had discovered Circa Survive long before they had even announced plans for a debut album, and it was exciting to see which direction they would take. So when they finally announced their follow-up for 2007, it should come as no surprise that I was thoroughly excited, so much that my anticipation for it superseded my excitement for Bad Religion's new album, and for those who know me, that might be a hard pill to swallow.

Much to my delight, Anthony and company have yet to promise something they couldn't deliver. All 12 of On Letting Go's tracks are fantastic and, interestingly enough, seem to be unofficially divided into three groups of four, with each third bearing a style unique from the others. The first four songs are exactly what I expected from this album: quality tunes reminiscent of the fantastic songwriting of Juturna, only much more powerful, structured and listener-friendly. The clearest example would have to be the first single, "The Difference Between Medicine And Poison Is In The Dose," which was available online well before the album was released. The next four songs bring four new musical styles to Circa's resume, each being individually dynamic, constantly changing tone, pace and melody throughout.

The most notable addition is "Kicking Your Crosses Down," which is very slow and quiet, even by this band's standards, and punctuates the not-so-subtle undertones of the album, which seem to represent a critical and rather depressing view of religion. However, the actual opinions and intentions of the band regarding the subject are generaly difficult to decipher, as every once and awhile, they appear to be expressed on this record in an oddly positive manner. The last four tracks strongly resemble the previous release, boasting familiar ambient guitar work and vocalization that may not be as enjoyable to the casual listener as the rest of the album. However, the last track, "Your Friends Are Gone," is also one of the strongest, brilliantly building each verse up to a cathartic chorus, and ending with the song's equally relieving bridge and breakdown.

Amid the catchier sound, stylistic experimentation, and spiritually confusing content, Circa Survive has managed to create another masterpiece that should send all the fans home happy. Like its predecessor, I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first, but after a few listens, I was sold (to tell the truth, I hated Juturna the first few times I heard it). This highly anticipated sophomore release has more than lived up to its expectations and once again sets the bar dangerously high for a band that has already done so much in a relatively short period of time. While not a traditional sing-along record, On Letting Go always makes me recite the lyrics in my head when I listen, and is easily one my favorite albums of the year, leaving me with only one question for this band: what next?