Circle Pit
Bruise Constellation
Circle Pit’s 'Bruise Constellation' illuminates the gaudy subterranean sleaze of Sydney, but it’s also catchy as fuck, writes SHAUN PRESCOTT.
Circle Pit’s first show at the Hopetoun in 2007 culminated in Angela Bermuda apologising to her audience. The post-Kiosk duo of Bermuda and Jack Mannix were supporting Always, and for many people in attendance they were making their debut. It was horrendous, with an utterly smashed drummer, an awkwardly abandoned (and smashed) Mannix and an apologetic (probably smashed) Bermuda. When Always took the stage later on and proceeded to loop his own grunts for 30 minutes the bar staff were comparatively elated.
Rest assured that things have changed rather drastically since 2007. For one, Circle Pit was the anomaly then, whereas nowadays you can’t throw an empty stubbie in inner-Sydney without hitting an anaemic-looking hipster from a reprobate punk group. Secondly, then they sucked, and now they fucking rule. The duo has tweaked their line-up incessantly since that show, and here they’re supported by three members of now defunct Sydney group Atrocities, a change made since their R.I.P Society single from last year.
As with that single, there’s absolutely nothing controversial about Bruise Constellation. This is an album with swagger, confidence and deadbeat rock tropes, but it’s ultimately greater than the sum of its numerous indelible hooks. Mannix and Bermuda are blunt, yet tidy lyricists, who manage to inject life and truth into their starved urban personas, while carefully avoiding the type of excessive role playing that sets alarm bells ringing in the minds of the authenticity police.
“There’s absolutely nothing controversial about 'Bruise Constellation'. This is an album with swagger, confidence and deadbeat rock tropes.”
‘Speed Limits’ begins with Mannix declaring that he’s “young and ready to meet other guys on a casual basis”, accompanied by a riff that advises he already has. This is a song more montage than narrative: fringe-dwellers resigned to their edges, refuge found in Old Crow and Wild Turkey, losers “bashed on both sides of the border” and destructively revelling in the poignancy of being the outcast.
‘Infinity’ is heartbreaking, a lolling ballad of lovers in the city, evoking in its perfect four minutes the vagrant-strewn parks, the back lane toppled wheelie bins, the fast food refuse and pissed-on pavements of eastern Sydney. The song is notable for Bermuda’s sweet backing vocals which, elsewhere (and especially during ‘Hurricane’) sound like the hawking of a Comanchero’s junkie wife. Here they’re quiet, almost coy in their intimacy, and when Mannix sings, “It’s such a heavy world without you”, it’s a tremulous moment.
But it’s the songs that hit at full stride that characterise this record, and for every detonated fugue of a chorus (‘Hurricane’) there’s a song of illustrative verses, with ‘Another Trick’ replete with thinly veiled references to desperate hook-ups and “getting off my head”. It’s got a carefully poised tension that sways uncomfortably between celebration and devastation, a rare song that actually deserves comparison with The Velvet Underground.
Circle Pit is the type of rock band that most others are too lazy to be: aligned closely with tradition but replete with the type of individuality and wit, honesty and intimacy that is usually shed in favour of blindly channelling riffs already written. Bruise Constellation sheds light on the gaudy subterranean sleaze of a Sydney rapidly devolving into a Ballardian capitalist nightmare - all tidy swept streets, pedestrian free thoroughfares and oiled seven-to-when-you-pass-out workdays. It’s also the catchiest record you’re going to hear all year.
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Bruise Constellation is out now through Timberyard/Siltbreeze.
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Some nice back-handed compliments there, Shaun. 100 posts by sundown?
I'd give the album a listen but I'm too scared I'd be bashed up for being wacky.
bruce who?
what a great review.
Devil's advocate: Has shaun been swept up by the band image? It'd be an interesting twist on the Coke Pepsi album to give him this album, but have the riffs/''deadbeat rock tropes'' played by a few balding overweight men who spend night's arguing over whether their love for Mojo mag, or the record store is greater. And, indeed, whose love is greatest.
Alas, I am not Scientist God, and this argument will remain purely hypothetical.
I like your (hypothetical) point. All reviews should be blind tests, with the identity of the artists concealed until publication.
We could do a double blind crossover, where the artists are unaware of their ''target audience'' until they've released the record.
another stellar piece of writing...
There are some killer moments on the album like Infinity, Another Trick and Beginning And The End which deserve to be heard. The weaker moments do detract from it being a great album though...
IMG POTD
agreed
Another Trick = great track
i really like circle pit. i don't really like this reviewer's writing.
I'm keeping my comments out of the EPIC thread for now, just to say that I'm really looking forward to listening to this!
oh, do these guys make records as well?
ho ho my little joke.
yep.
Can't wait. I have a 7: and a CDR and I need more. Great group. If they ever come to Hobart i hope they get trashed and make a mess so I can heckle 'em.
blind test = Invisible Jukebox in The Wire
Hey, I'm going to see X tonight (for the second time) and I could offer more examples of older groups (follically challenged or otherwise) that I love. As for being swept up by the image, I guess to an extent I have. It's an integral part of the band.
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that's cool franks, i wouldn't want you to sit through it again if you thought it was that bad! mutual respect, woo.
greg arraki can be pretty hit and miss - doom generation's tacky but fairly enjoyable. will have to listen to 'the classical'.
There's a new Circle Pit CD-R out. A few forthcoming vinyl tracks + 2 demos.
Controversial!
grouse! i like this band.
The CD-R is great. I got a copy at the USA fundraiser show before I left. It has Sewercide which I've heard at a few shows before and is awesome.
Tracklisting is something like:
1. Sewercide
2. We Do It For a Living
3. Neon Idol
4. Wicked Time
(may have the middle two around the wrong way, last one might be wicked, wicked time)
I only just noticed the Italian Greyhound in the corner of the sleeve! Totally redeems the album.
I'm looking forward to getting the album on vinyl...
Killer show tonight, they certainly know how to write a pop song and then twist all the awesome out of it. What a great band!
Into it? That doesn't make sense, and sounds rude. I mean, they play sweet as hell pop and really make it sound different, in a really good non-boring kind of way.
Where do you go online to find out about these type of gigs from your phone? M&N is no help and yourgigs.com.au is shit - anyone???
I know I can do a lot greater justice to this band than 'non boring' - unfortunately not tonight. Fun vs coherency battles, blargh.
You can put yourself down on mailing lists, or if you use it, become 'friends' with venues on facebook and be sent gig lists and event invites on a weekly basis.
SATURDAY JAN 22, 8PM. $10.
CIRCLE PIT 7'' LAUNCH.
GOODGOD SMALLCLUB
55 LIVERPOOL ST, SYDNEY.
CIRCLE PIT (live performance and exhibition)
JON HUNTER (of da Holy Soul)
DJ's NIC DE JONG & ROCK PIGGG WARNOCK
NEW PLANES MOBILE BOOK AND RECORD STAND
TOASTED SANGAS AND ALCOHOL DRINKS.
$$$$ BRING MONEY $$$$$
CIRCLE PIT ''SEWERCIDE'' 7'' LAUNCH
Australia’s Circle Pit return with a new single after their debut long player “Bruise Constellation” on Siltbreeze Records. “Sewercide” and the b-side “Roll With The Punches” are more in the heavy glam/proto-punk tradition of their first 7” and is a taste of what’s to come from their forthcoming LP “Wassup”. Recorded by Mark Nelson (The Stabs) at 3CR Studios, with mastering duties and additional Gary Glitter hand-claps by Owen Penglis (Straight Arrows). Co-released by Canada’s Sweet Rot and Australia’s R.I.P Society Records for their recent US tour as a one off pressing of 1000. Only 400 made their way to this great southern land so get in quick.
Circle Pit will be taking over Goodgod Smallclub Saturday January 22, playing a live set as well as exhibiting 80 hand drawn 7”s (which will be on sale for the first time) as well as other visually (and potentially sexually) stimulating artwork. The support act is Holy Soul guitarist and professional mad cunt Jon Hunter with two of Sydney’s most eligible young bachelors, Nic De Jong (Naked On The Vague, Whores) and Rock Pigg Warnock (BWBB’s, RIP Society) DJ-ing throughout the night.
The good people at New Planes Public Press (http://newplanes.tumblr.com/) will have their mobile book and record service set-up on the night so bring a shit load of money to spend on the new Circle Pit record, books, zines, toasted sandwiches and of course booze.
^^^TONIGHT^^^^^^^
what time are CP on?
this 7'' hasn't convinced me any further on CP. i like the verses and the vibe but the chorus doesn't go anywhere. maybe i'm too old....
What's with the skateboards on the poster? Does anyone in the Pit skate, now that Jai isn't in the band anymore? Bring back Jai you fucking shmoofters
On his JJJ guestbook, King RIchard Kingsmill wrote that he finds CIrcle Pit 'worrying'. That's a good thing.
and what's with the guns on the poster? does anyone in the pit even own guns now that gary's not in the band anymore?
I don't get it. Are you saying that the riff is gay?
no. his sayin that it's casual