This was rather a surprised to receive. Circus Act had sent a CD for review ages ago (you can actually find this in our stupidly extensive reviews archive), and I hadn’t heard a jot from them since and probably the fact that they existed hadn’t even entered my mind for several years. So when this turned up a giant cartoon ! appeared above my head. Unexpected. Anyways. In those intervening years, Circus Act have changed rather, not that I remember the previous CD that well, but I am pretty sure it sounds nothing like this. If I was a pro I would dig it out and listen to it again to be sure, but I ain’t no pro. Instead, Circus Act fire away on 4 pretty varied songs. Opener is the titular “The Shape of Drunks to Come” which batters away in a tasteful melodic hardcore fashion with a bit of a No Idea sound to it. Lots of melody, dual vocal action, occasional twinkle parts and a whole lot of good. Hot Water Music and Twelve Hour Turn and Small Brown Bike are comparisons. Sadly song two, “There’s No More Time to Look At You” is middle of the road Mainstreamo. Hackneyed old Far riffs strung together with irritating vocals. Your town has 50 bands that play songs like this. Not my thang. Luckily the band redeems itself fairly sharpish. The third song has a really long name that is not in English. It is a nice bouncy instrumental that recalls various post-Braid type stuff. Cheerful and upbeat. The last track though is fantastic, “Pay As You Talk”. It’s an angry slice of mid 90’s emo bombast with shouty vocals, and spoken word and twinkly bits too. Bob Tilton stylee! Very impressive. I love the breakdown part where it winds down to the end. Overall this is a good solid little CD, hopefully they’ll put their next release out a bit quicker than this one!
