Search - Shadow Circus :: Welcome to the Freak Room

STEP RIGHT UP!

Mr. C. J. Harrison | Dartford, Kent, England | 03/13/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a mission statement, "Welcome to the Freak Room" certainly makes it's point. There's just the right amount of classic prog schtick, and the influence of "new classic" prog acts abounds. Stellar guitar and keyboard work form the backbone of this record, whilst the somewhat tentative yet engaging vocals suck the listener in. As a debut, this cannot be faulted. This reviewer is reminded of The Flower Kings through the vocals and the easy sense of humour present in the arrangements. Shadow Circus tread the fine line between complex and accessible with ease - melodic hooks fly in from left and right, coupled with more than a few "WOW" moments. The album benefits from above average production, with some wonderful guitar sounds and crisp clear drums.



All in all, a storming debut. Let's hope this lot knock out the overblown double-disc concept album we all know they've got in them. I can't wait to hear the singer let rip.

"

Welcome to the Freakroom

George A. | Fall River, MA United States | 03/14/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""The wails of a lifetime were gathered in it (the train's whistle) from other nights in other slumbering years; the howl of moon-dreamed dogs, the seep of river-cold winds through January porch screens which stopped the blood, a thousand fire sirens weeping, or worse! the outgone shreds of breath, the protests of a billion people dead or dying, not wanting to be dead, their groans, their sighs, burst over the earth!"

"Something Wicked This Way Comes" by Ray Bradbury



The Shadow Circus has come to town.

And on repeated listens to "Welcome To The Freakroom", an astonishing accomplishment seldom found or given attention in modern music is revealed: this is a work that has been crafted with precision and care and performed dynamically in deference to an emotionally charged (and potentially melodramatic) psychological journey, and is developed across the narrative scenarios of the six songs comprising this "album" through the aesthetic language of multiple artistic mediums. Musically, there are no flourishes out of place, nor is instrumental upstaging present. Instead we are treated to the incremental repetition of sonic themes introduced and developed in, at one moment, a painterly way, and then quite suddenly transformed into film score. The performances are assured and confident and exciting in bringing to life the whimsy and the grave, the elegy and the elation, the urban and the pastoral, the decadent and the sublime sonic canvases and palettes presented here. Lyrically, though not a "concept" album in prog's purest sense, a story is told through the unique, and quite impressive, use of theatrical dialogue technique: we come to know the singer/narrator intimately as each song is written and performed through monologue, soliloquy, direct conversation ... and even spiritual audience with the ego and id! In narrative construction it is literary, and reminds one of Sherwood Anderson's "Winesburg, Ohio", in that we witness the development of a character through individual stories designed to highlight particular momentous revelations in the life of that character, and from which we are able to come away with the experiences of another's life epiphanies and, hopefully, gain perspective on our own. With this in mind, and since this is not a work designed for and presented by the written word or stage, I must turn to another medium to focus my impression of this debut; the great Russian filmmaker Andrey Tarkovsky, when asked to describe his visionary body of work replied that he was "sculpting in time". Yes, I believe that this is the most accurate. This is sculpting in time.

This is Shadow Circus.



It would be a colossal disservice for me to front this album as a cerebral exercise - hell no! "Welcome To The Freakroom" is a blast to listen to, and contains a treasure trove of classic 70's rock and prog rock musical references: from the stadium bombast of Queen, to the organ pumping drive of Deep Purple, to the plaintive wail of a David Gilmour solo, to the keyboard flourishes of ELP, to the idiosyncratic attack of Tull, to the urban angst assault of The Who, to the depths-of-the-earth rythmn section momentum of Led Zeppelin - to name but a few ... hell, there's even a sequence that marries the opening revelatory opus of Rush's "Xanadu" to the bluesy approach of "The Fountains of Lamneth"! Okay? If you have been searching for a new band that possesses all of the lyrical and musical challenges - the essential qualities - that made you fall in love with progressive rock music, then look no further. "Welcome To The Freakroom" is a wonder of a debut by five accomplished, experienced and, as immediately apparent here, serious musicians: John Foltana, David Lawrence Bobick, Corey Folta, Matt Masek, and Zach Tenorio have all given notice and staked a claim as a band of substantial merit ... and as one to watch. This is the real deal, folks. Come on in for the ride of your life.



Rating 3.8 (out of five) due to production values alone (couldn't just give it a 3.5) - this is more than "Good", and should be a very welcomed addition to any collection ... a very promising debut of an interesting and unique vision.

"

A BOLD DEBUT

ProgDog | 11/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Grab a bag of popcorn, your cotton candy and maybe some roasted chestnuts. The Shadow Circus has arrived.



Blending pop sensibilities seamlessly with progressive elements, Shadow Circus explode onto the growing U.S. progressive scene with a 6-track debut album, "Welcome to the Freakroom." The album touts not only a chart-friendly pop-prog hit, but also an epic spanning almost 12 minutes. The album is an extravanganza of prog-art-rock.



From the opening moments of hearing the rather sinister welcome of a twisted circus master to the closing of the multi-part "Journey of Everyman," Shadow Circus deliver a sound that is at once recognizable and innovatively exciting. Their fresh, almost innocent approach to prog smacks of the sincere love they all have for the music. Lead singer David Bobick, a charismatic performer with an academic and professional background in musical theatre, presents full-fledged characters in each of the pieces by this quintet of remarkable musicians. The band negotiates full, arena-sized power chords charging at you in ring number one, intricate and approachable improvisations in ring number two, and, in ring number three, catchy melodies and hooks that keep you seated under the big top.



Front-man guitarist John Fontana's love of classic progressive groups such as Emerson, Lake and Palmer and Yes forges Shadow Circus's music as not so much an homage to the prog giants of the past, but as a fine example of the progressive rock renaissance currently happening throughout the world.



Much of the depth of this band's art resides in their musicality. Lyrically, the album covers various artistic (sometimes personal) issues. "Radio People," an infectious power-pop-prog romp, berates the homogeneity of pop culture today. Ranging from critiques of becoming clones through iPod culture to journeys within the soul, "Welcome to the Freakroom" is a satisfying listen and an extremely strong entrance into the prog realm.



Focussed on eventually touring through Europe, the band plans on releasing another album before the end of summer '08. Prolific hopes? Maybe.



While the only complaint about this album could be that it is "short" compared to most CD's today, remember that a traditional single record release in prog's heyday was not much longer than 40 minutes. Shadow Circus deliver quality, and with a new CD in the works for next summer, plenty of quantity.



Highly recommended and most likely to be a top pick for 2007.

"