First Impressions are whiz-bang reviews of singles, 7″s, EPs, and LPs which are given a review after a single listen. This is a great way for TGEFM to showcase some of the releases which may not get a full review on their own.
Willow House Records, 10 Jan 2023
San Francisco band The Circulators have just released their debut. It’s a self-titled something (at 8 songs, and approximately 19 minutes, I’m not sure how to classify it) and at any rate, it’s a power pop-meets-punk rock-meets-garage rock blast.
The Circulators fits in nicely alongside 70s-era punk rock and the rough recording plays to the album’s benefit. There’s touches of Ramones and some of the guitars sound like something from The Heartbreakers. Some of the glam touches remind me of New York Dolls. I even hear a bit of early Donnas in some of this stuff. But the most apt comparison might be the sadly brief but now-legendary Exploding Hearts. Most of these songs have a bit more of a punk sneer than anything on Guitar Romantic, but this sorta feels like the punk rock cousin to that power pop gem. Each song is loaded with hooks and good pace and catchy vocal melodies. Some have spot-on guitar leads and others have memorable backing vocals. My favorite is probably “Broken Mirrors”, though the handclaps in “It Won’t Be Me”, the Ramones-style riffs of “Living Dead” and the buzzsaw riffs and angsty vocals of “Generation Next” all vie for that throne while listening. Even saying that, I don’t know how I can’t mention the glam-stomp tantrum “Can’t Get My Way” or the rock and roll riff-heavy “Nocturnal Boys”. There’s no dud in sight. This is something I’ll be listening to a bunch going forward. You’d be wise to do the same.
- Favorite Song: “Broken Mirrors”
- Album Release Date: 10 Jan 2023
- Purchase/Pre-Order/Pre-Save: Bandcamp
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ryan is a reviewer and news editor for TGEFM. He’s very secretive, he might be an alien.
