circe link & christian nesmith - arcana - 2024
“... second progressive rock release ...”
intro
As a reviewer you sometimes have to pay import duties for a package from the USA while you have no idea who the package is from. It's a gamble because it's usually a promo CD of music that has nothing to do with our beloved progressive rock, and therefore really doesn't fit on progVisions. But now it turned out to be a positive surprise. The name Circe Link & Christian Nesmith didn't ring a bell, but the album cover certainly had potential.
Circe Link & Christian Nesmith (Son of Michael Nesmith of The Monkees) is a musical duo based in Los Angeles, California. They have more than 30 years of experience in the music industry, but the album 'Arcana' is their second album after 'Cosmologica' (2021) that is inspired by progressive rock, and in particular the prog from the seventies. The phenomenon of name dropping on an info sheet is a well-known phenomenon for me and I often have to laugh about it, but this time it's pretty much right. In short, we're talking about a progressive rock surprise from America.
line-up
Circe Link - all vocals; Christian Nesmith - all instruments
except: Drums by Christopher Allis / Keyboard solos on 'The Chariot' by Matt Brown
review
The theme of this album refers to the esoteric depths of inner contemplation by using the symbolism of the five tarot cards. So you can find the following five tracks on this album; 'The Tower', 'The Magician', 'The Fool', 'The Hanged Man' and 'The Chariot'.
The album opens with the track 'The Tower' and you are immediately introduced to the beautiful (angelic) voice of Circe Link. Although the delicate intro first makes me think of Todd Rundgren's Utopia, this quickly changes when the drums, guitars and synths create a seventies prog atmosphere. The organ and electric guitar in particular give a real Yes atmosphere, while later the vocals seem to be inspired by the band Gentle Giant. And we are only halfway through this track with a duration of more than 11 minutes. In terms of composition, it is all well put together, varied and captivating. Towards the end, the music becomes a bit more powerful and uptempo. In general, this is a song for fans of the music of Yes, and not the music they make now, but the music from the glory days of the seventies. A surprising introduction to a beautiful song.
Fortunately, the high quality of the opener is also preserved in the next track 'The Magician'. It is again a song of more than 11 minutes. Circe Link brings the vocals with passion and her beautiful voice does not bore for a single minute. In the keyboard work, the inspiration of the music of Gentle Giant sometimes drips through. As the track progresses, the tempo increases, which gives a nice transition at the next change of tempo. And then you are suddenly in the atmosphere of Genesis with the strumming guitars. It is not plagiarism but more the variation in atmospheres that are influenced by the prog of the seventies. The last part is more Yes oriented again. But the strong point of the music is that this melting pot of influences is poured into its own style.
That the music gets its own character is clearly audible in the song 'The Fool'. The above-mentioned influences are certainly audible here in the vocals (Gentle Giant), electric guitar, bass and keys (Yes), acoustic guitars and flute (Genesis), but it is more integrated into the whole. It is all very well put together. But your review already falls into repetitions. 'The Hanged Man' has the plucking Genesis guitars again. The vocal melodies are also worth mentioning, but this applies to the entire album. The menacing keyboard part also reminds me of Genesis, but Genesis atmospheres from a later period also gradually creep in. The intensity of the music is slowly increased. On the way to the next tempo change. The Genesis fan (yes, I have been listening to them for more than 50 years) in me is very happy with this song again. It develops into one of my favorite songs on this album. But that said, there are no weak songs on this album that surprised me.
The album closes with the almost 16-minute track 'The Chariot'. We immediately end up in Yes atmospheres again. This applies to both the guitars and the keyboards. Because the multiple vocal parts of singer Circe Link are an important part of the music of this duo, this gives the music its own character. The penultimate part of this long track is very atmospheric and Circe Link puts her stamp on the music here. The end of the track is again purely Yes oriented. And then we are talking about the period 'The Yes Album' and 'Fragile'. The fans of this timeless music, I think know enough. It is a worthy conclusion to a beautiful album.
conclusion
The album 'Arcana' by the duo Circe Link & Christian Nesmith arrived in my mailbox as a positive surprise. It is an album full of references to the golden age of progressive rock in the seventies. You can clearly hear the influences and inspiration of bands like Yes, Gentle Giant and Genesis. Partly due to the beautiful vocals of singer Circe Link, the music still gets its own character. It is not plagiarism but you feel the inspiration and amazement by/for the progressive rock bands of the seventies. In general, the Yes influences are the strongest on this album, but I am also happy with the inspiration by Genesis and Gentle Giant. As a fan who has seen all three bands perform in their heyday, it is of course not surprising that this fine album appeals to me so much. What remains for me, besides recommending this beautiful album, is to look for a physical copy of the 'Cosmologica' album.