I've been a longtime fan of the Elephant 6 collective and i was very excited to hear that Circulatory System, the last hurrah if you will, was putting out a new record this year. And this is like seven and a half years after their self-titled. If you've never heard of CS it's basically everyone from Olivia Tremor Control and then some, Jeff Mangum even appears. Circulatory System's music is complex, sprawling, and sometimes difficult to get into. However, it's also one of the most ambitious albums i've heard all year. There are some serious nods to The Beatles and old psych and prog, but their refreshing take on it is fantastic. Leader Will Cullen Hart wrote most of the songs on the album while battling multiple sclerosis and perhaps it shows in his music, be it the devastating sadness on "Particle Parades" or the jangly pop of "This Morning - We Remembered Everything." From the heavy drone of "Woodpecker Greeting Worker Ant" to "News From the Heavenly Loom," the most beautiful thirty seconds of a song, Signal Morning never ceases to surprise you. The album almost demands repeated listens because there is simply too much going on and too much to absorb first time around. All in all, an incredible work by incredible musicians. As if this wasn't enough, Hart said in a recent interview that a new OTC album is in the works. How exciting is that? Thank god for Elephant 6. Now lets see if Mangum can take the hint and release some NMH.
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