Search - Flare :: Circa

Don?t forget them

Teri Graves | the Lower East Side o' Manhattan | 11/09/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Flare's tiny new album is a strange thing. I discovered them through L. D. Beghtol's association with The Magnetic Fields. "Hmmm," I thought, "if he's good enough for Stephin Merrit, he's good enough for me!" But at first I was confused. I mean, like staggered. Flare sounds NOTHING like TMF, really. Not at first. But then you start to notice the melodies, the thoughtful lyrics, the pathos, the inventive arrangements. And then you can hear why Merrit chose L. D. to sing "Sentimental Melody" on the great "69 Love Songs" album. Beghtol's voice is not mainstream pop by any means, but its homely, plaintive quality will stab you right in the heart. And the way his sex-daddy baritone - and scary girlie high voice - works with the beautiful cello played by James Jacobs and the wonderful piano played by Charles Newman (and all the other weird things listed on the album's credits) make a startling and unique range of sounds. Flare's guitar and banjo player, John DeRosa, also has a great voice. His close harmony on "Save Me" is a high point. And though I don't know what a marxophone is, I know I want one for Hanukah.These guys rock! But don't tell then that, they'd probably just burst into tears. Long live Flare. Long live the ukelele. Long live the Lisbon girls."

Whispers in cathedrals

duke of harringay | dreary devon, england | 11/09/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is a divine darkness at work in Flare that puts me in mind of a peculiar gang of folkies spending their time playing at wakes. Armed with ukes, pianos and cellos, they travel the lands seeking out the saddest stories ever told, in the process turning them into plaintive songs that reverberate like whispers in cathedrals. The Circa EP has six tracks of the kind of beautiful melancholic world weariness that can only serve to ultimately uplift and is heartily recommended."

Music for all

Marc Gartman | New York, New York USA | 12/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i often wonder about the responsibility of artists to their art. one can say that they have only one responsibility and that is to simply create art as well as they can. but with that responsibility, i think, there comes another. that which says once one as created something important and meaningful and relevant and with that comes more (again) responsibilty. I think that with 'Circa' Flare has crossed over into the realm of important music. Much like another important band of the past 10 years, Low, one can dissect each and every one of the songs and find out which parts work better than others and etc but that is almost wrong in my opinion. This music as a whole ('Item' especially) are bold songs that cross over into new territory. It lives in the corners of music, right on the cusp of something not quite music at all. So, as far as a review goes, I give it five stars. This CD should be in everyone's collection. It is more a book than a CD. But there is, again, a resposibility and a task at hand for both the artist and the listener. This is not easy music. Those things in life that are hard are often the things that affect us the most dearly. The artist must continue to take bold statements like this and stand true to their ideals of what strong music should sound like. The listener also has a responsibility to listen to this music with both ears open, with their mind open. To sit and listen and learn from it. Life moves in so many directions opposite to music like this. Be proud knowing that you have heard this music. Give it the time you would a friend- take the time to bring it into your heart."