Secrets - Circus Envy Album Review

Circus Envy

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Album Review

The only Circus Envy I had heard of up until recently was a track off the REM album 'Monster'. No reason for mentioning that other than the fact that I had never heard of the alternative folk-based band by the same name. (Get on with it!)

Well, they have a decent following and have recently had an amount of radio airplay on all things Radio 2 so it's time to get up to speed with these guys.

Hailing from Yorkshire, we have five friends playing mainly acoustic sounds in a traditional old school folk way but with the modern twist that comes with a touch of folksy rock. It's a pleasant sound that grows over time, hence the growing band of followers.

'Secrets' is the follow up to the EPs 'Take Me Home' and 'A New Dawn'. The album is easy on the ear, full of blended harmonies and a very silky clean finish. Not as raw as other folk albums I've heard in the past. It's not throaty singing, gravely or rough but very eloquent and almost angelic vocals from lead man Leigh Hirst.

I read somewhere "it's music for music listeners, sweet and simple," which is right. The tracks that do it for me would be 'Last Cigarette', a quick tempo lively song and 'Three Score and Ten' which brings in plenty of fiddles and mandolins, reminding me of some traditional Irish B side by an early day Pogues. Happy days!

To be heard on Radio 2 near you soon.

Mat Radbourne