2007

Circa is the brainchild of former Yes sideman, producer and member Billy Sherwood, a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter in his own right. H ...

2007
Provided By:The Daily Vault

2007
Circa:
Independent release, 2007
http://www.circahq.com
REVIEW BY: Jason Warburg
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/04/2007
One of the fun things about any vibrant musical community is when you start seeing cross-pollination – players of compatible musical perspectives and tastes coming together in previously unimagined formations. In the ever-fertile prog-rock arena, the latest evidence is Circa.
Circa is the brainchild of former Yes sideman, producer and member Billy Sherwood, a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter in his own right. Here he plays the role of bassist-vocalist in the John Wetton/Chris Squire tradition, collaborating with fellow Yessians Alan White (drums/vocals) and Tony Kaye (keyboards), with Jimmy Haun (credited on Yes’ Union album and the Sherwood/Squire project Conspiracy) taking the guitar slot.
The end product of this semi-supergroup’s collective vision is a rich stew of modern prog that might feel a touch predictable in places but overall is very tasty. What’s exciting for the longtime Yes fan is just how thoroughly this disc is infused with the Yes sound and ethos. Sherwood, who has played with Squire in both Yes and their side projects Conspiracy and World Trade, does a virtual Squire impression here, his bass lines prominent and energetic, his vocals full yet airy. White and Kaye are White and Kaye; this is a compliment with no elaboration necessary. And Haun is a revelation, a musical chameleon who does a better soaring-slide/nimble-classically-inclined-fretwork Steve Howe impression than anyone I’ve ever heard, while at times also managing to channel his inner Trevor Rabin into some flashier runs.
The end product sounds a bit like Cinema (the pre-Anderson/not-yet-Yes early-80s Rabin-Squire-Kaye-White grouping) with a more prog-inclined guitar player, or perhaps
Asia if Squire had taken Wetton’s slot and they’d played actual prog music. (Side note -- Rabin actually co-writes two songs on this disc, though he doesn’t play on it at all.) Or maybe they just sound like Circa…!
Lead-off track “Cut The Ties” opens with delicately picked acoustic notes that transition quickly to a bounding Squire-esque bassline with prominent
Hammond from Kaye and a speedy descending electric hook from Haun. When Sherwood’s big, airy vocals come in and the songs drives forward you get a sense of the potential present; this dynamic, catchy and thoroughly winning track tops anything the Rabin edition of Yes ever produced.

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