David Blue – June 29, 2016 at 09:09AM
Tags:_AMERICANA
Tess Of The Circle have built up a notable live résumé over the past two years and Amplify is the culmination of many conversations held with fans whilst touring last year. Those fans wanted a sound that was a return to ‘real’. Not easy to find but this new album goes a long way to hitting the target. Opening with Love Is The Drug That You Crave, they’ve certainly amplified things and it’s far from what I remember of their last album. This is a big, booming opener and I like it!
They follow it up with I’m Not Ashamed and its electro-folk roots before assaulting your senses again with You Take Me Out Of My Head. This is not one of a series of polished songs. It’ll take you back to your rock roots and make you turn your volume up to 11 again.
Believe (Into Her Arms) is slower than most. It’s still got that raw feeling to it and one that will lend itself to the warmth of vinyl. This creeps up on you and you’ll be whistling the hook long after it’s finished. It features a plaintive vocal from Tess Jones, ably backed by stinging guitar from Lee Clifton.
The raucous Mother Daughter Son precedes Digging At My Bones, which will grow on you and is sure to be a concert favourite. It’s quite exhilarating and has echoes of flamenco but maybe that’s just me.
Face The Changes is steeped in classic British folk rock but they take it in a different route to come up with a freshness and vitality that is often lacking nowadays. It could be said that they are well on their way to setting themselves up as a credible British version of Kings Of Leon. Drowning Without You has string bending extraordinaire from Clifton. Jones’ vocal has all the classic rock requirements and the new rhythm section of Ben Drummond (bass) and Paul Stone (drums) provides the perfect bedrock.
The title says it all on Summer Rain, a song of rebirth. We live in the UK after all, so it’s not surprising that we have a song about seasonal weather. Jones implores it to “rain down” but I don’t it needs any encouragement.
The Waves Break Us Down has all the elements of folk and acoustic British rock. This short, plaintive offering finishes with “You say I don’t belong here, yet here I am” which sums up Tess of the Circle. They certainly belong. Things are rounded off with the superb, acoustic led This Higher Ground. Its simple folk drenched gentle rock will leave you wondering why they are not a bigger force. I certainly don’t.
David Blue.
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