The answer is a sinister ‘yes’, if a new album Circu5 is anything to go by.
Circu5 is the project of British multi-instrumentalist, Steve Tilling.
Five years in the making, the debut album features guest performances from Dave Gregory (XTC, Big Big Train), Phil Spalding (Mike Oldfield), Matt Backer (Julian Lennon), Alan van Kleef (Rachel Stamp), Johnny Warman (Peter Gabriel) and Andy Neve (Steve Hackett).
Songs like My Degenerate Mind, Stars and Blame It On Me recall Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age at their snarling best. Elements of the five-part prog epic The Chosen One evoke King Crimson, Rush and Yes, and the time changes of Cardiacs.
Meanwhile, tracks such as Coming Home, Strings, and The Chosen One – Baptism and Ascension draw comparisons to Jethro Tull, Radiohead, Jellyfish, and Nick Drake, respectively. Space-rock poetry conjuring Hawkwind gets a look in with the apocalyptic Days Erased. And funk grooves reminiscent of King’s X feature in The Amazing Monstrous Grady.
Steve said: “The album mirrors the ups and downs in my life while making it.”
“There were dark times, but everything ended positively. I wanted to make an album that’s fun to listen to but has a good story for those who like to dig deeper.”
Clues to the story are dotted throughout the album, but Steve is happy to give away the essence.
Tilling adds: “It traces the life of a child raised as a psychopath in a secret government organisation, which aims to cure the condition while harnessing positive traits for certain roles. The character discovers the truth as a dysfunctional adult – with catastrophic consequences.”
The CIRCU5 album is released on 15 September by ST Productions, and available on CD with a 28-page booklet exclusively from Burning Shed (burningshed.com).
The album is also available from all major download and streaming services, including iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, Amazon, Rhapsody, Tidal and Deezer.
To find out more, visit www.circu5.com.
