The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
16
new
SPILL TRACK OF THE MONTH: TRASHY ANNIE – “GOD SAVE THE QUEEN”
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: JUSTIN HAYWARD @ THE DANFORTH MUSIC HALL, TORONTO
SPILL FESTIVAL REVIEW: MOVEMENT MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023 @ HART PLAZA, DETROIT – MOODYMANN SETS THE MOOD
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MOON BLUE – THE MOONLIGHT DISCO
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KASSI VALAZZA – KASSI VALAZZA KNOWS NOTHING
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MAUD THE MOTH + TRAJEDESALIVA
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PERE UBU – TROUBLE ON BIG BEAT STREET
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: AJJ – DISPOSABLE EVERYTHING
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FREE REIN TO PASSIONS
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOE PERRY – SWEETZERLAND MANIFESTO MKII
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FISHBONE – FISHBONE
SPILL NEW MUSIC: MOBIUS RADIO – “THE MORE YOU KNOW”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: TARA MACLEAN SHARES HEARTBREAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL NEW VIDEO FOR “THAT’S ME”
SPILL NEW MUSIC: JANE’S PARTY – “SHIPS ON AN OCEAN”
SPILL FEATURE: OVERCOMING ADVERSITY, EMERGING VICTORIOUS – A CONVERSATION WITH ROBBIE LITCHFIELD OF SAVING VICE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • Track Of The Day
  • Track Of The Month
  • Books + Movies
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • Track Of The Day
    • Track Of The Month
    • Books + Movies
    • About
Album Reviews
245
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CRASH VEGAS - BRAVE NEW WAVES SESSION
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THESE NEW PURITANS - INSIDE THE ROSE

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BEAT CIRCUS – THESE WICKED THINGS

Beat Circus

Beat Circus
These Wicked Thinks
Innova Records

Ten years following the release of Boy From Black Mountain, Beat Circus has re-emerged from the depths of a hiatus to bring the third and final instalment of the so-called ‘Weird American Gothic’ trilogy to light. Tied together through a common aesthetic, narrative, and atmospheric exploration of American culture and folklore, 2019’s These Wicked Things is far from the long-awaited finale to a compelling storyline.

What the album is, however, is the bookend to a montage of sorts, shining light on traditions and vibes which round out a more holistic image of the American spirit exposed throughout the trilogy. Delving deep into influences ranging from Italian filmmakers like Dario Argento to southern/Mexican desert music and, unsurprisingly, American folk music (among many others), the album pulls together a shadowy and introspective undercurrent of the country’s cultural traditions.

With a typically layered and broadly instrumented sound, Brian Carpenter, the composer and multi-instrumentalist bandleader of Beat Circus, has once again managed to reinvent the sound of his act without losing the atmospheric continuity of the album sequence. With a mixture of instrumentals and narrative songs, inspired by his soundtrack for the 2014 play ‘The Barbary Coast’, the LP is a well-orchestrated exploration of a deep and immersive headspace that fluctuates between extremes without pushing too far in any particular direction.

Given the ambitious musical scope of the project, the continuity and progression is less fluid at some times than others, infrequently coming across as heavy-handed. However, these moments are generally exceptional in a record that does well to tie together often disparate atmospheres. From the garage-y, upbeat ‘Just Lost A Dream’ to the unfocused collapses into instrumental texture on “Childe Roland To The Dark Tower” and the epic driving force of the titular song, the album twists and turns wildly which each successive track without (completely) losing control.

Impressively put together as a holistic work, with lots of production-based ear candy to be enjoyed, Beat Circus’ latest effort successfully overcomes the challenges and flaws inherent to a work of such ambition. It seems natural, then, that the most room for improvement lies in the ability to move gracefully and effortlessly across the broad range of highs and lows found on the record, though it must be emphasised that Carpenter is already fairly successful in this regard. A thoroughly enjoyable and rich album, it probably won’t get as much attention as it deserves.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016 twitter_flat_2016

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

* Mandatory Field

Check your inbox or spam folder now (just in case!) to confirm your subscription.

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BEAT CIRCUS – THESE WICKED THINGS

Author

Andrew Marrocco

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
10
8.0
Total Spill Rating
10
Total Fan Rating
1 rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviewsbeat circusinnova recordsthese wicked things
album review, album reviews, beat circus, innova records, these wicked things
About the Author
Andrew Marrocco
Based in Montreal but raised across Western Europe, Andrew feels at home both everywhere and nowhere. Having picked up the piano at age four, he has since gone on to add clarinet, saxophone and guitar to his musical arsenal. As well as crafting music, Andrew spends a lot of time listening both at home and in live contexts. Rather than focusing on a particular style or calibre of artist, he is keen to explore music of any shape or size. Outside music, Andrew's passions lie in philosophical writing, visual art and sharing positivity with the world around him.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviewsbeat circus
 
9.0
Sparks
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE

by Aaron Badgley on May 26, 2023
Sparks The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte Island Records The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte is Sparks 25th studio album, and their first since 2020’s very successful A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip. They have gained a new audience, thanks in part to the [...]
 
8.0
Moon Blue

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MOON BLUE – THE MOONLIGHT DISCO

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 26, 2023
Moon Blue The Moonlight Disco 777 Music There are two ways by which an artist can make the title of his record fit perfectly with the music within. One is to compose the music and then find a fitting title, the other is the have the title in [...]
 
8.0
Kassi Valazza
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KASSI VALAZZA – KASSI VALAZZA KNOWS NOTHING

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 26, 2023
Kassi Valazza Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing Fluff & Gravy Records Portland, Oregon artist Kassi Valazza defies the title of her latest album – Kassi Valazza Knows Nothing. She actually knows quite a bit it seems, and one of the things [...]
 
8.0
maud the moth + trajedesaliva
8.8

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MAUD THE MOTH + TRAJEDESALIVA

by Ljubinko Zivkovic on May 26, 2023
maud the moth + trajedesaliva Bordando el Manto Terrestre Time Released Sound Now, we’re talking about some serious dark stuff here. Yet, it is the kind of dark stuff that actually enlightens and makes the true darkness go away. Bordando [...]
 
9.0
Pere Ubu

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PERE UBU – TROUBLE ON BIG BEAT STREET

by Aaron Badgley on May 26, 2023
Pere Ubu Trouble On Big Beat Street Cherry Red Records One could be forgiven for being confused as to what the actual year is when Sparks, Pere Ubu, Yes, and Jethro Tull are releasing new music. And it is a most excellent confusion. David Thomas [...]

Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SPARKS – THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE
9.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MOON BLUE – THE MOONLIGHT DISCO
8.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: KASSI VALAZZA – KASSI VALAZZA KNOWS NOTHING
8.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MAUD THE MOTH + TRAJEDESALIVA
8.0
8.8
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PERE UBU – TROUBLE ON BIG BEAT STREET
9.0

STAY UP-TO-DATE
WITH OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!

* Mandatory Field

Check your inbox or spam folder now (just in case!) to confirm your subscription.

Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Track Of The Month
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2023 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL NEWS: RINGO STARR AND HIS ALL STARR BAND ADD DATES TO SPRING 2023 TOUR
7835
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: METALLICA – 72 SEASONS
3641
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JETHRO TULL – RÖKFLÖTE
1495
 
SPILL FEATURE: LOVE THAT WE WERE LIVING – A CONVERSATION WITH JUSTIN HAYWARD OF THE MOODY BLUES
1348
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DELERIUM – SIGNS
1209
 
SPILL NEW MUSIC: EMMA ARMSTRONG – “MAYBE PROBABLY NEVER”
1101
 
SPILL FEATURE: RECOLLECTION IN TRANQUILITY – A CONVERSATION WITH JOHN FOXX
837
 
SPILL FEATURE: THE GIRL IS CRYING IN HER LATTE – A CONVERSATION WITH RUSSELL MAEL & RON MAEL OF SPARKS
834
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE KINKS – THE JOURNEY – PART 1
693
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE WHO – THE WHO WITH ORCHESTRA: LIVE AT WEMBLEY
687
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DAMNED – DARKADELIC
617
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: CROWN LANDS – FEARLESS
500
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DEPECHE MODE – MEMENTO MORI
497
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES