oh it's for sure more out there than TTN. But at that point in time people were just wanting SOMETHING from Anthony.
For sure. I guess what I mean is that I'm surprised to see how it took off compared to all the other bands making music with their scene. Juturna feels so fresh.
Yeah I totally got what you meant with your first comment and I agree because that album is weird. Mine was kinda in response to Micahs. Circas a grower for a lot of people I think because they're really un-straightforward alot of the time. Anthony's voice probably did catapult them forward. He's just always been undeniable. But I also think people clicked with circas instrumentals too after a quick buffer period.
I had pretty much always loved TTN when I discovered that EP and this scene in 2008. I started listening to Circa in late 2009 because I was super disappointed by Saosin's ISOSG. It took me a couple months to get used to Circa's sound and Anthony's voice in Circa, but I'm so glad I went out on a limb and asked for Juturna and OLG for Christmas in 09. I figured I liked them enough at the time and I was all about buying cds as an incentive of listening to new music. Whatever wasn't clicking with me before did the very first time I listened to both those albums in full. Easily one of the best gifts I ever received from anybody in my life haha
I can't remember which came first for me between Saosin's Self Titled (which I loved) or Juturna. What I do remember is seeing the commercial for Juturna with a clip of Act Appalled playing on Fuse and thinking, "huh, that dude definitely sounds like a girl." ... Please forgive 14 year old me.
Saosin's S/T came first for me. That album changed the way I listened to music back in 2008 and ultimately got me into Circa Survive and Thrice. The rest is history. And when I first listened to Circa Survive I thought they just sounded like a girly Saosin and I wasn't into it at all. I was definitely problematic back then and I'm so glad I've matured as both a music listener and, more importantly, as a person.
I bet there are a lot of people like us that used that Saosin LP as a stepping stone into this side of post-hardcore (or whatever you want to call it). That album changed my life as a 15 year old. Still some jams on it today.
Oh yeah. I still think it's a good album even though I_ve cooled on it considerably. That album was also responsible for sparking my interest in becoming a drummer in the first place. I owe a lot to that band.
I may be one of the few who got into Circa first. I enjoy the Saosin LP for what it is, but almost consider it a guilty pleasure. Cove's lyrics and vocals fall so far short of Anthony's that I'd rather just switch to TTN 95% of the time. I do wonder how good the LP could've been with his vocal melodies and lyrics. There are plenty of good riffs, but Cove just makes the whole thing feel cheesy and commercial.
Descensus has been hitting me hard lately. I've been revisiting it, and the rest of the discography, a lot since The Amulet was released and I think I can finally come to terms with it being my favorite album by band. The topics of addiction and the aggesssive, often times "lost" tones of the record really resonate with me. I've never connected the two until last week, but it reminds me a lot of what I go through with trichotillomania and it's an extremely cathartic record for me now because every subsequent listen has another lyric I find myself connecting to. This band is absolutely stellar. The fact that so many of their records bounce between my favorite at all times, and how powerful they are to so many people and how they've impacted so many of their lives. I hope many can grow to adore The Amulet as much as I like Descensus or how one loves any other record from the band. They put out crafts of work that I will see myself valuing for as long as I can appreciate art. I love this band.
ok after listening to this every day multiple times a day for a couple weeks.... OLG > BSN > The Amulet > Juturna > Descensus > Violent Waves
I'm listening to BSN again, and Frozen Creek and Spirit of the Stairwell still don't do it for me. I'm also way more into I Felt Free and Imaginary Enemy than most of you are. If this was a 10 track album excluding those tracks it would probably be my favorite, but I really think it is behind OLG, Descensus, and The Amulet for me. Probably equal with Juturna, and then Violent Waves at the bottom. It really is so close to the most recent two, but I feel like those are so strong front to back with no filler. Also I think Fever Dreams is easily the most adventurous they get on this record, and it is incredible as a result.
I get that the subject matter is very gut wrenching, but something about the production works for the louder songs, and it makes the softer songs sound too sterile.
Preach. As someone who has gone through multiple miscarriages with my wife, it hits harder than anything
I think TTN was a big reason I got into the "scene" too. That, Thrice, The Fall of Troy, and Chiodos I think we're my first post hardcore or whatever. I was 15. Circa always seemed to distance themselves from most bands in the scene even early on I'm remembering.
Yeah, To Trixie and Reptile and FCPREMIX came up on my Spotify Time Capsule the other day (Saosin's It's Far Better to Learn as well), and Circa didn't have the pop sensibilities of those other ones, and maybe that's something that has made it's staying power longer than some others. TFOT still rules though. Chiodos have aged worse than any band from that period though, Craig Owens sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me now, and I used to LOVE them. EDIT: I don't know if pop sensibilities is really the right term, because Juturna is definitely catchy, but there's something that makes Juturna less immediate than those other albums, and I think whatever *that* is, helps it have better staying power.
Likely unpopular opinion: every record since BSN has had at least one melancholy, stripped-down track. "Flesh and Bone" is probably my least favorite, behind "Spirit," "Think of Me," and "Nesting Dolls." I really like all three of those, even though I vastly prefer weird/spacey Circa, in general.
I could never get into anything Craig Owens has done. I can't stand his vocals. I knew a ton of people who were into Chiodos when I was in high school and I tried so many times but could never get into their work with Owens. I think their best album is the one without him.
I relistened to chiodos recently because of the unpopular opinions thread, I never realized how massively insecure he is. He literally screams "maybe YOURE the one who's overrated!" At some point. It totally would only appeal to angst confused teens, does not hold up well.
True story: my girlfriend's therapist dated Craig Owens in high school. She actually gave Lauren (my GF) a copy of their first ever demo. I haven't heard it, but she said it sucks.