Five (Circus Devils album)

Last updated
Five
Five (Circus Devils album).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 31, 2005
Recorded2005 at Waterloo Sound Recording
Genre Experimental rock, psychedelic rock, art rock
Label Rockathon Records / Fading Captain Series
Producer Todd Tobias
Circus Devils chronology
Pinball Mars
(2004)
Five
(2005)
Sgt. Disco
(2007)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Coke Machine Glow Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Five is the fourth studio album by the experimental/psychedelic rock band Circus Devils. Released in 2005, Five is considered among the band's least accessible albums due to the fragmented moods and styles and the experimental nature of the music. All songs on Five were written and performed by Robert Pollard and Todd Tobias.

Contents

Reception

The Detroit Free Press wrote, "Multi-instrumentalist (Todd) Tobias keeps things primal-n-futuristic while (Robert) Pollard's lyrics allude to the horrors of the human race in a way both cryptic and imaginative. Much like Gang of Four's attempt to wise us to the consumer world, Circus Devils forewarn of a world consuming us."[ citation needed ]

Bryan Roswell, writing for Coke Machine Glow, noted,

The previous (Circus Devils) albums were experimental, yet they somehow always kept at least one toe on the terra-firma of accessibility on which (Robert) Pollard has made a career. As such, these albums were wondrous romps through the slightly musically-disparate musical imaginations of its members. FIVE has Pollard and Todd Tobias amputating said toe, and the majority of the record is an over-indulgence of their prog-rock influences. They opt for experiment over melody and noise over rhythm. [2]

Music Underwater's David Tandy wrote,

Five often doesn't feature a single guitar, instead relying on Todd Tobias's trademark aural textures to create moods often bordering on ambient, a new and exciting background for (Robert) Pollard to ply his trade. The new contrast is captivating from the start. FIVE is an album of wonderful aural scope and intelligence, filled with emotion. Whenever Pollard attempts a style of music with which he's unfamiliar, the results are always at worst interesting; here they're nothing short of spectacular.

Track listing

  1. "The Bending Sea"
  2. "Look Between What's Goin' On"
  3. "Just Touch Them"
  4. "Artheroid Vogue"
  5. "Dog Licking baby"
  6. "Thelonius Has Eaten all the Paper"
  7. "Strain"
  8. "Animal Motel"
  9. "Future For Germs"
  10. "Effective News"
  11. "No Wonder They Don't Stand Tall"
  12. "We Taught Them Rock and Roll"
  13. "Eyes Reload"
  14. "Her Noise"
  15. "In The Mood"
  16. "Tell 'Em the Old Man is Coming Down"
  17. "Dolphins of Color"
  18. "Dreaming the Temple"
  19. "The Word Business"
  20. "Headhunter Who Blocks the Sky"
  21. "People Thing"
  22. "You Take the Lead"
  23. "The Other Heart"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guided by Voices</span> American indie rock band

Guided by Voices (GBV) is an American indie rock band formed in 1983 in Dayton, Ohio. It has made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard. The most well-known lineup of the band consisted of Pollard, his brother Jim, Mitch Mitchell, Tobin Sprout, Kevin Fennell (drums), and bassist Greg Demos. Noted at first for its lo-fi aesthetic and Portastudio four-tracks-to-cassette production methods, Guided by Voices' music was influenced by early post–British Invasion garage rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, punk rock and post-punk. The band has had a prolific output, releasing 35+ full-length albums along with many other releases, and has garnered a dedicated cult following. Their songs are known for their frequent brevity and for ending abruptly or intertwining with homemade sound effects.

<i>Bullhead</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Melvins

Bullhead is the third studio album by the American rock band Melvins, released in 1991 through Boner Records. The album has longer songs than previous Melvins albums. Before this, most of their songs were under two or three minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Pollard</span> American singer and songwriter

Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. is an American singer and songwriter who is the leader and creative force behind indie rock group Guided by Voices. In addition to his work with Guided by Voices, he continues to have a prolific solo career with 22 solo albums released so far.

The Music of North Dakota has followed general American trends over much of its history, beginning with ragtime and folk music, moving into big band and jazz. With the development of mass media, local artists in North Dakota, as in the rest of the country, saw a rapid loss of opportunity to create, perform, and sell popular music to the regional audience that had previously provided a market. Punk Music is a major genre in the modern youth scene of North Dakota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circus Devils</span> American rock band

Circus Devils is an American psychedelic rock band founded in 2001 by Robert Pollard, best known as the lead singer and songwriter of the Dayton, Ohio, band Guided by Voices. The band consists of Pollard, Todd Tobias, and Tim Tobias (music).

<i>Fiction Man</i> 2004 studio album by Robert Pollard

Fiction Man is the fourth solo studio album by American indie rock musician Robert Pollard, released in 2004. The songs recorded for this album were written during the same time as the material for Guided by Voices' 2003 release Earthquake Glue. Producer Todd Tobias plays almost every instrument on the album. This album marks a producing relationship between Pollard and Todd Tobias that would continue with Robert's future solo albums, including From a Compound Eye, Normal Happiness and others.

Todd Tobias is an American multi-instrumentalist and record producer, best known for his work with Robert Pollard and his band Guided by Voices. Other projects include Circus Devils, Kramies, The Library Is On Fire, and musical theater composer and lyricist George Griggs.

<i>Standard Gargoyle Decisions</i> 2007 studio album by Robert Pollard

Standard Gargoyle Decisions is singer-songwriter Robert Pollard's seventh release since the break-up of indie-rock band Guided by Voices. It was released October 9, 2007 alongside a second LP, Coast to Coast Carpet of Love. Pollard has described Coast to Coast Carpet of Love as exhibiting pop-sounding overtones, whereas Standard Gargoyle Decisions will feature more 'down and dirty' rock-and-roll. The album leaked on the Merge Records website on September 24, 2007.

<i>Superman Was a Rocker</i> 2008 studio album by Robert Pollard

Superman Was A Rocker is the 9th studio album from singer-songwriter Robert Pollard. It was released on January 29, 2008. Superman Was a Rocker marks the first LP released by Pollard's Happy Jack Rock Records label. It differs from Pollard's past solo albums in that it is very lo-fi in comparison to his more polished releases.

<i>Sgt. Disco</i> 2007 album by Circus Devils

Sgt. Disco is the fifth studio album by the Ohio psychedelic/experimental rock band Circus Devils. The album was released first as a double-vinyl LP. The CD version of the album was released by Mike Patton's Ipecac Recordings label on August 28, 2007. Sgt. Disco features Robert Pollard on vocals and Todd Tobias on all instruments and atmospheres.

<i>Pinball Mars</i> 2003 album by Circus Devils

Pinball Mars is the third studio album from Ohio alternative rock band Circus Devils. The album, written as a mini-rock opera, was released in 2004. All songs were written and performed by Robert Pollard, Todd Tobias and Tim Tobias.

<i>Ringworm Interiors</i> 2001 album by Circus Devils

Ringworm Interiors is the debut album from the Ohio psychedelic rock trio Circus Devils. Released in 2001, the album is a collage of brash musical vignettes with moods ranging from aggressive and disorienting to haunting and dreamy.

<i>Ataxia</i> (album) 2008 album by Circus Devils

Ataxia is the sixth studio album released by the American alternative/psychedelic rock band Circus Devils on October 31, 2008. All songs on Ataxia were written and performed by Robert Pollard, Todd Tobias, and Tim Tobias.

<i>Gringo</i> (album) 2009 album by Circus Devils

Gringo is the seventh studio album released by the American psychedelic rock band Circus Devils in 2009. All songs on Gringo were written and performed by Robert Pollard, Todd Tobias, and Tim Tobias. The first all-acoustic album released by Circus Devils, Gringo is a song cycle in which each track recounts a moment in the life of a nameless drifter known only as "the Gringo." The moods on the album range widely between jubilant to melancholy to mean.

<i>Crickets: Best of the Fading Captain Series 1999–2007</i> 2007 compilation album by Robert Pollard

Crickets: Best of the Fading Captain Series 1999–2007 is a collection of songs from releases in the Fading Captain series of Dayton, Ohio rock singer-songwriter Robert Pollard. Pollard launched his Fading Captain series of record releases in 1999, eventually releasing 44 works before ending the series in 2007. The compilation Crickets was the 44th and final release in the series. The series included albums, singles, and EPs, and featured collaborations with musicians including Tobin Sprout, Mac McCaughan, Doug Gillard, and Tommy Keene.

<i>Mother Skinny</i> 2010 album by Circus Devils

Mother Skinny is the eighth studio album released by the American psychedelic rock band Circus Devils in March, 2010. All songs on Mother Skinny were written and performed by Robert Pollard, Todd Tobias, and Tim Tobias. The album is a return to the aggressive rock sound of the band's earlier albums, following the mostly acoustic 2009 album Gringo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perfect Pussy</span> American rock band

Perfect Pussy was an American rock band from Syracuse, New York. The band consisted of vocalist Meredith Graves, guitarist Ray McAndrew, drummer Garrett Koloski, bass guitarist Greg Ambler and keyboardist Shaun Sutkus. The band was known for its "frenetic brand of punk and raucous live shows" and has been described as "the most important punk band to come out of Syracuse since Earth Crisis."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francois Van Coke</span> South African musician

Francois Badenhorst, better known by his stage name Francois Van Coke, rose to fame as the front man of South African rock bands Fokofpolisiekar and Van Coke Kartel. On the 8 April 2015, Francois launched his self-titled debut solo album and kicked his solo career into gear with the release of – Toe Vind Ek Jou featuring Karen Zoid. It was the first Afrikaans album and single to simultaneously jump to number one positions on the South African iTunes Store. The song was downloaded more than 20,000 times on iTunes, achieving Platinum status as a single. The music video for "Toe Vind Ek Jou" was viewed over a million times within six-month and was announced as the biggest Afrikaans music video of 2015. His second album, Hierdie is die Lewe followed in 2017 and in 2018 he released a collab-EP, Francois van Coke en Vriende featuring collaborations with Die Heuwels Fantasties, Early B, Laudo Liebenberg and Jack Parow. The first season of his TV show, Die Van Coke Show, aired in 2018. His third solo album, Dagdrome in Suburbia, released in October 2019. He has a daughter named Alex, age 5–6, and an infant boy.

<i>Zeppelin Over China</i> 2019 studio album by Guided by Voices

Zeppelin over China is the 27th studio album by American indie rock group Guided by Voices. It was released on February 1, 2019 on the Rockathon Records label and was recorded at Magic Door in New Jersey, Serious Business Records in New York and Stillwater Lodge in Dayton, Ohio. The double album received mixed to favorable reviews from critics scoring 65 out 100 on aggregate website Metacritic and four out five stars on AllMusic, with several critics commenting on the positive output of the band's current lineup.

<i>When Machines Attack</i> 2013 album by Circus Devils

When Machines Attack is the tenth studio album from the American psychedelic rock trio Circus Devils. The album, which has an abrasive, aggressive sound, was released in 2013, in conjunction with the album My Mind Has Seen the White Trick, which in contrast to When Machines Attack, has a gentler music style. All songs were written and performed by Robert Pollard, Todd Tobias and Tim Tobias.

References

  1. "Five". AllMusic . Archived from the original on 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-10-04.
  2. 1 2 "Circus Devils Five". Coke Machine Glow.