The Autumn Defense let down their guard on
Circles, their second album, to reveal the blue-green beauty trembling beneath. Less ambitious and far more intuitive, it's a mellow stretch of earthy folk-pop, where horns and strings are used because they sound nice, not out of a self-appointed duty to past musical idols. Between
John Stirratt's busy touring schedule with
Wilco and Pat Sansone's multitude of production engagements,
Circles exudes the ameliorative qualities of an escape record that was made during downtime, for downtime -- while mentally liberated from the pressures of the daily world, where the two writers could reflect upon the geyser of circles that is life. Sunny acoustics and vintage keys over lazy brushes set the character throughout
Circles. "The Answer" rolls out a strata of guitars that suddenly reminds the listener of an old
Gordon Lightfoot album, only to have the notion reinforced by the wave of strings and gentle background shakers that follow. "Some Kind of Fool" steals into brief moments of Pet Sound drama, with its bass-and-percussion breaks, but more often rides a '70s groove of vibes, Rhodes, and
Bread-like guitar effects. Though comfortably stoic on their second album, the Autumn Defense maintain the charm of a perennial explorer, for whom Europe is still far away, and the California sun could still bring love back. ~ Lisa M. Smith