The Autumn Defense
Circles

(Arena Rock)

First Appeared at The Music Box, February 2004, Volume 11, #2

Written by John Metzger

When bass player John Stirratt isn’t busy helping Wilco sculpt a new image for rock ’n‘ roll, he’s performing with multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone in The Autumn Defense. While the latter group’s sophomore effort Circles isn’t really in the same league as those from Stirratt’s primary project, the album still finds ways to stand on its own accord. With its rich harmonies and gentle melodies, it’s an understated and often quite gorgeous affair that easily recalls the type of AM-radio, singer-songwriter fare that was popular during the late ’60s and early ’70s. As acoustic guitars and reflective keyboards converge in a delicate dance of eternal dejection, it’s impossible not to think of Harry Nilsson, America, Cat Stevens, Bread, Jim Croce, John Lennon, and The Beach Boys — all rolled into a single somber entity. There are moments when the ensemble seems nearly ready to delve into the atmospheric elements that have made Wilco’s music anything but typical — the manner in which the Silence’s percussion crashes like waves on the shore, the swirling pop of Some Kind of Fool, or the lush orchestration of The World (Will Soon Turn Our Way), for example. In the end, however, The Autumn Defense comes up somewhat short, but even if, when all is said and done, little from Circles stays with the listener for any length of time, that doesn’t make it is any less heartfelt or enjoyable. ½

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Ratings

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2004 The Music Box