moe.: Circle of Giants

Even though I have some experience with many of the bands, I really feel like I am dipping my toe into a vast ocean of new music. So, I am starting with the band moe. who are celebrating their 35th year together. Their latest studio album Circle of Giants was released on January 31, 2025. The band was formed at SUNY Buffalo and they have been a favorite on the scene since the 90s, and the band was signed to Sony/550 music and released two albums No Doy and Tin Cans and Car Tires before leaving Sony in 2000 (sound familiar echolyn fans?). Not only do they tour a lot, they are big on the festival circuit which is the lifeblood of the genre.

Things kick off with a good rocker “Yellow Tigers�, and the instrumental section at the end is exactly what I am looking for, some ripping organ, piano, and a hot guitar solo over the top. I am going to discuss the elephant in the room, as my biggest hurdle with jam bands in general is the vocals. The vocals here have an airy breezy quality about them but lack power and conviction. “Bat Country� gets things moving about 5 minutes into the song, and this is exactly what I am waiting for, great jamming between the guitar and organ, I can imagine this really taking off live. The slow simmering blues of “Giants� is nice, and here the band do build some tension as the soloing starts, that haunting organ sound works really well around the 4-minute mark. Three songs in and I am enjoying the extended instrumental sections, I hear the seeds of where this band goes live and work their magic.

Unfortunately, once I get beyond the first 3 tracks the issues arise. Starting with “In Stride� there is a sameness that permeates the music through the rest of the album, a mid-tempo feel where the band doesn’t change gears enough. I’d like to hear more interesting arrangements, as with the early tracks, there are good moments, but it’s too repetitive. Good examples of this are the endings of “Band in the Sky�, a beautiful piano motif, and the spacey closer “Living Again� which drag due to little to no variation.

Track List:
1. Yellow Tigers
2. Bat Country
3. Giants
4. In Stride
5. Tomorrow is Another Day
6. Don’tcha Know
7. Beautiful Mess
8. Ups and Downs
9. Living Again

Added: February 16th 2025
Reviewer: Eric Porter
Score:
Related Link: Band Website
Hits: 170
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]