Album Review: Circus of Power, "Vices"


Grunge rock from the gutter that owes a debt to the Stones and tips a wink at southern fried boogie along the way. Gates of Love starts proceedings the way they’re gonna continue. Good old fashioned rock n' roll with greasy hair and dirt under its finger nails. Desire/ Fire In The Night, Two River Highway, the title track Vices and on and on, lashings of slide-laced rock. Imagine what the Stones would sound like if they were in their twenties, not middle age.

No fancy production, straight up guitars, drums, and some harp, just like you'd get live. That's where these songs will really come to life; can't wait to see Circus of Power live. I know I've chucked a lot of shit at the States, but as long as it can still produce bands and albums as good as this I'll always end up eating humble pie.

No one person or song dominates the album; a real band record of real songs; none of the rushed twelve bar romps that often serve as fillers on albums in this vein. And no crass commercial cop outs either. You can feel the band enjoyed making this one.

Doctor Potion is the kind of song AC/DC used to write when Sir Bon was still with us. In fact AC/DC provide a good comparison for much of Circus of Power’s material, but not as plagiarists. I guess they come from the same musical roots.

So, kick off your cowboy boots, fill your glass with Jack and thrill to the groove of Circus of Power. Can we have some gigs please?


Simon Robinson
Riff Raff
May 1990
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