Beat Circus / Boy From Black Mountain
Album: Boy From Black Mountain   Collection:General
Artist:Beat Circus   Added:Nov 2009
Label:Cuneiform Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2010-01-17 Pull Date: 2010-03-21
Week Ending: Mar 21 Mar 14 Mar 7 Feb 14 Jan 31 Jan 24
Airplays: 1 1 2 1 1 2

Recent Airplay
1. Mar 17, 2010: public noize racket
As I Lay Dying
4. Mar 03, 2010: Lost Verses
The Course Of The River
2. Mar 10, 2010: Probability Special
The Quick And The Dead
5. Feb 12, 2010: The Songsmith Show
The Life You Save May Be Your Own
3. Mar 05, 2010: The Songsmith Show
Petrified Man
6. Jan 29, 2010: The Courtesy Flush - yakusa mama edition
Judgment Day

Album Review
Adam Pearson
Reviewed 2010-01-03
Ensemble, sprawling, orchestral gothic country. Takes punk rhythms, chamber pop instrumentation, and American gothic atmosphere, and snorts out a surrealist, swaggering, cartooney Spaghetti Western romp. Not the usual Cuneiform roster entry for sure. There’s a tinge of a Spanish sound with the horns, some great vocal moments, and strong, diverse instrumentals. There’s a lot of variation on here, and a lot worth your time. Luke would like this. YIF would like this. For fans of Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, Nick Cave, Gogol Bordello, circuses, Ennio Morricone, Jay Munly, Appalachia, rusted pick-up trucks, rockabilly, and overwhelmingly energetic live acts. No FCCs.

*1. Lush string introduction, tuba, accordion, trombone, cello, swooning violins, easy to like, melodic, orchestral pop. Vocals sound a bit like the Decemberists, though. (4:16)
2. Upbeat, snarling Western stomp with repetitive harmonica, Larkin Grimm guests on backing vocals, also features a choir. (2:59)
3. More of a relaxed guitar strum, plucked violin ascending and descending notes, slower ballad about the frontman’s son’s autism. (5:48)
4. String-led, guitar-centric, uneasy instrumental with horns. (1:25)
*5. Harmonica prevalent again, big banjo on this one, backing females, builds to an anxious big choral moment. (3:43)
6. Very fast tempo, country bluegrassy, epic hillbilly anthem with handclaps and repetitive yodels; like spittin’ in a jar while sitting in the Appalachian sun. (4:13)
7. A little simpler, fast banjo plucking alongside backing female vocals, slower fiddle sound. (3:27)
8. Instrumental with lush strings, western guitars, harmonica, a little bit ominous. (1:45)
*9. Furious violins strike, tubas, fast-paced, snarling, rhythmic Western rock that recounts a murder story. (5:00)
*10. Instrumental with Eastern squalls (like off the instrumental half of Bowie’s “Heroes”), bizarre other language chanting by children, strange horn/string interplay. (4:11)
*11. Slower one based on a plucked violin pattern with ringing, gloomy strings and simplistic guitar parts. (3:55)
12. Instrumental. Heavier guitars and drumming comes in after autistic string intro work lays the foundation, probably the only song on here that is electric guitar/distortion oriented. (3:48)
13. Accordion, off kilter layering of strings, feathery female backing vocals, nice dreamy end of the album. (1:59)

Track Listing
1. The Subway Train   7. Saturn Song
2. The Life You Save May Be Your Own   8. The Course Of The River
3. Boy From Black Mountain   9. The Quick And The Dead
4. Clouds Moving In   10. The Sound And The Fury
5. Petrified Man   11. Judgment Day
6. As I Lay Dying   12. Nantahala
  13. Lullaby For Alexander