Description:
Review
moe. has always been fun. Now, it entires its serious-but-fun phase with its 14th studio album, Circle of Giants, which, coming 33 years after Fatboy, stands alongside 1996s No Doy and 98s Tin Cans and Car Tires as among the best of the groups discography.
The veteran group has undergone some serious changes and Circle marks its first LP as a sextet with the arrival of Nate Wilson, who adds keyboards, flute, songwriting and a fourth lead voice to complement guitarists Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier; bassist Rob Derhak; drummer Vinnie Amico; and percussionist Jim Laughlin.
Wilson makes his presence known early on his opening sludgy rocker Yellow Tigers before adding flute to the following, Tullesque Bat Country. And that sets the tone for Circle of Giants, which features an older and wiser moe., on its first LP since Garvey suffered a stroke and Derhak lost his son to suicide, but also a heavier and proggier moe..
The moe. of 2025 is also a more-serious, less-carefree band, battered by life but still committed to making music and improving its studio work to match its peerless efforts on stage.
As such, Circle of Giants presents moe. not as a jamband, per se - though some numbers reach the seven-minute mark - but as a rock n roll outfit reaching a late-career peak.
Which is to say moe. sounds like a studio band singing of taking what comes on In Stride and Tomorrow is another Day; accepting flaws on Doncha Know; and showing gratitude on Beautiful Mess. While these songs will almost certainly be played on tour, they will just as certainly sound much different when played on tour.
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Kristopher Weiss, jambands.com
Product Details
Nearly three decades into one of jam music's most consistently exploratory careers, moe. arrives at their 14th studio record with the kind of hard-won confidence that only comes from years of marathon sets, devoted fans, and weathering everything the road throws at a band. Circle of Giants finds Chuck Garvey, Al Schnier, and the rest of the Buffalo-bred crew channeling that long history into new sonic territory, a reminder that longevity and restlessness aren't mutually exclusive.
Circle of Giants is the 14th studio album by moe. In a nod to the bands enduring resilience and musical evolution, Circle of Giants reflects on the journey of the band through decades of highs and lows, bringing fans a fresh sound infused with introspective lyrics, masterful instrumentation, and dynamic energy.
Tracklist
Side A
1.Yellow Tigers2.Bat Country
Side B
1.Giants2.Band In The Sky
Side C
1.In Stride2.Tomorrow Is Another Day3.Don'tcha Know
Side D
1.Beautiful Mess2.Ups And Downs3.Living Again
UPC: 880882654313
Label: Ato Records
Release Date: 1.31.25
Format: LP Vinyl
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