THE AUTUMN DEFENSE
Circles (Arena Rock)
Reviewed by Erick Mertz

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I've dubbed it "coma rock" for its trance inducing, saccharine sweet harmonies and strong ties to the 1970's AM radio singer-songwriter effect. No matter how high the volume goes, quiet seems always to trump the loud. Although the continent roaming duo Autumn Defense may not exactly be the inspiration of that distinction, they are perhaps the most shining example of that trend which seems swell in the American music underground.

John Striatt, an alt-country hero veteran of Wilco, and Pat Sansone are the forces behind this album Circles, a benevolent breeze of giant proportions. It is nearly forty minutes of some of the most beautiful falsetto vocals, rolled over a lush rolling guitars and hammond organs ever recorded. The work is full of blue skies - sincere ones - not those which sophomores sign their love notes with. "Iowa City Adieu" is one of 'those songs,' the type of sunset beacon that can unite lovers of divergent motive, perhaps mend boundary conflicts world wide. Take for example "Written In The Snow" with its cloying sweet nothings in tandem with "Some Kind of Fool" and the album begins to comprise a blatant love letter with the same warmth John and Yoko put into Double Fantasy.

Coma rock albums like this one stroll smooth, like a vacation taken traipsing through a month of moonbeams meadows. Love letters like Circles might be the antidote for the most cynical, bereft of inspiration, drawn from another better time.

© 2003 - Erick Mertz