Alright folks, time to be real. If you are perturbed by my initial thoughts, keep reading please!
When I first experienced Electro Cult Circus, they weren’t exactly my cup of tea. This conservative white guy with a suburban background doesn’t really gravitate toward burlesque enhanced things by default, and my experience seeing them at Worst Kept Secret Fest (my first Worst Kept a few years ago) didn’t do a ton to sway my opinion.
Over time, I have come to appreciate the effort that goes into creating an extravaganza that still seamlessly flows together. Add to this the fact that Casey Ward (“Oddfellow”) has been the only consistent member and listening to the new release I Wanna Know... is testament to how much is going on in that mind of his.
In fact, if I had to sum this band up in one word, it would be “extravaganza.”
The production and end result is so tight it is hard to believe nearly a dozen folks are involved with this record, but album opener “I Can Show You” lives up to its name, showing us just how this is possible. A little bit of everything here. A crash course in the sonic stylings of Electro Cult Circus all wrapped up in a neat four minute long package. “Summertime and the living’s easy” grooves and harmonies from Casey and the three gals that make up the vocal section (Sidenote: Once I heard vocalist Crys Darling sing a few lines of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” during a sound check at Live at the Garden Fest. A testament to the band’s coolness I think.).
“White Tornado” assumes that you’ve learned enough about the band in the album opener to want to continue and plunges you right into a journey that seamlessly meanders between psych rock and 90s sounding alt-rock. The harmonies here are almost reverent sounding. “Seething” leans more toward the alternative side, yet still functions as a song that I could see their belly dancer getting down to. “Gallifrey” is dreamy yet gets loud enough for your inner arena rocker. A straightforward, calculated jam session.
Electro Cult Circus have cemented themselves as a Columbus staple, and given the quality of this record, I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Sure, there will be those who aren’t that into their marketing techniques or edgy image, but I’m able to enjoy the music in spite of personal preferences I’ve had in the past about getting into this band. Also, this is one of the only local acts that hooping aunt follows actively, so there’s that! A worthy endorsement.
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