Circulatory System Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Beginning with the rumbling and enjoyably bass-heavy "Woodpecker Greeting Worker Ant" -- a title that may explain the air of gentle threat throughout, despite the concluding voices of winsome cheer -- Signal Morning finds a veteran of Olivia Tremor Control, Will Cullen Hart, with help from not only all his former bandmates but fellow travelers from Neutral Milk Hotel, returning to the Circulatory System name after a break of eight years. The fact that one of those fellow travelers is Jeff Mangum will be reason enough for that performer's rabid cult to take an interest, but this is neither a supergroup nor a full reunion of Hart's older band. It's just Hart working within the psych/experimental/indie vein that made Elephant 6 a byword for many (and which helped lay the groundwork for the even wider acceptance of acts like Animal Collective), though there is something unusual about hearing a performer now working with influences at two times' remove -- the late-'60s period of randomly playful and experimental rock that helped drive the Elephant 6 collective forward and that own scene's now decade-plus legacy. As a result, songs like "This Morning (We Remembered Everything)" and "Blasting Through," though enjoyable, simply aren't as much surprises or striking new steps as they are reinventions and revisitations -- chaotic arrangements that turn on a dime, sweetly voiced melodies, intentional burying of clean hooks, and sudden contrasts between songs and performances. One of Hart's sharpest decisions is to keep everything short -- 17 songs over the course of 45 minutes, which if not quite Ramones level is still pretty brisk -- while ensuring each piece has its own individual character (thus "Electronic Diversion" really does sound like that). ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
'Circulatory System'
Release Date 8/28/2001
Tracks 22
Label Cloud Recordings
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Circulatory System, Will Cullen Hart's first post-Olivia Tremor Control project, was a dense, dense record. Long known for his complex walls of sound, Hart plunged full-on into the ProTools ether, often layering well over 50 tracks of sound for each song. The result, oddly enough, was so cohesive -- and sometimes flat sounding -- that it was often hard to tell what went into a specific song. The album had a depth that was often exceedingly subtle, especially without headphones. Inside Views, released on Hart's own Cloud Recordings label, presents Circulatory System anew. It's not a remix project in the traditional sense -- as with the OTC's Black Foliage, Hart prefers the term "reanimation." So that's what it is. The album rearranges much of the material, drawing out different elements, cutting up tracks, and reordering the songs. Surprisingly, Inside Views sounds deeper and more varied than Circulatory System itself did. Perhaps it is a more satisfying listen because the listener has to do less work to untangle the rich layers of toy pianos, kazoos, tambourines, cellos, bird sounds, and other assorted noises. There is a more conscious attempt at creating a varied sonic picture. In general, the music feels less dark than its predecessor, as one becomes aware of the myriad sounds that went into the making of the disc. Hart has said that Inside Views is meant to be played in shuffle mode -- quite the opposite of his usual concept album song meldings -- though the disc flows perfectly fine by itself. Hart is a master sculptor, and Inside Views is a cool glimpse into his workshop. ~ Jesse Jarnow, All Music Guide
