Monday, January 16, 2023

The Circulators - self titled


The word is spreading fast on The Circulators: rave reviews on Just Some Punk Songs and Add To Wantlist, airplay on Shake Some Action with Alex Kish, an endorsement on Facebook from the mighty Greg Mongroll....Friends of mine are flipping for The Circulators — and with good reason! This foursome out of San Francisco has come seemingly (but not actually) out of nowhere with a debut mini-album that rips hard in an old school punk rock and roll style. The self-titled release is available on cassette tape from Willow House Records and in digital form from The Circulators' Bandcamp. Of course I'm always a sucker for the '77 punk thing, but The Circulators bring something a little extra to the table. They definitely deliver the raw energy and rock and roll attitude that you'd expect given the band name. But for a band with a "snottier" approach to punk rock, they have surprisingly catchy tunes and an unusually well-developed pop sensibility. The Dead Boys are an obvious inspiration (listen to "Can't Get My Way"), but I love how that influence gets combined with the Ramones on songs like "Living Dead." Some tracks (like "On the Loose") lean more traditional fast and furious punk rock and roll; others (such as "It Won't Be Me") are darn near power pop. Am I the only one who hears "Wired Over You" and thinks "poppier Saints"? All I know is this: any band that reminds me of Teenage Head is cool in my book! This is a great little album from a band that's poised to make some noise in 2023 and beyond. And at just $5 for a download or tape, the price sure is right!

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