A Three Ring Circus’ self-titled debut album felt to me like an orchestrated anxiety attack, or the soundtrack to Armageddon. It carefully (or rather, brutally) weaved (uhm, threw together) a bunch of sounds that result in a cacophonous, heavy atmosphere. Throw the disc in your player and track one, Cough Heard Through A Wall, transports you instantly to a field where you are getting pecked to death by sparrows, while other tracks make you feel like your caught in an undertow, drifting out to sea and drowning. That’s not to say I don’t love this album: It’s amazing. The mere fact that Ross and gang are able to paint a picture so vividly with mere strings, snare, and keys is astounding. The first time I listened to the album, I felt the percussive blows of the piano keys pounding at my core, the strings lifted me upwards, then downwards, and threw me all about, and the snare was the sound of falling rain or a thunderclap. Will’s shaky-tremolo voice flits in and out of action, sometimes overpowered by the tumultuous instrumentation, sometimes taking center-stage and crying into your ear an honest whisper or frightened yell. If by chance you manage to follow the intense stream-of-consciousness lyrics, it paints a picture of intense despair and mourning, seemingly nonsensical at times, but conveying strong emotions.
Tracks like “Angeline”, “Humphrey”, “Mural Ambiguity” and “Triumph of The Will” feature beautiful interplay between instruments, the right hand’s high-end notes on piano dancing with violin, while the left hand plays out the low-end to complete the picture. On these tracks, the vocals have a more prominent role: Will plays narrator to what seems to be a great depression tale, recollections of unrequited love, or stories about the collapse of society. The combination of Will’s unique voice and peculiar instrumentation contribute to the distinguished sound featured on the album, one that sets A Three Ring Circus apart from other bands today. I recommend this album to anyone and everyone who loves music, who appreciates little nuances in composition that make the songs we love more enjoyable, and those with a soft-spot for moody, heavy music.
((Pretty soon, I’ll have the 89.5 WAHS SPOTLIGHT of A Three Ring Circus up, probably within a week or two. Also expect the Dust Covered Carpet spotlight in the near future!))
