Sights - Circus

  by Jonjo McNeill

published: 16 / 1 / 2005

Label: Sweet Nothing
Format: 7"

intro

Punchy glam rock-tinged new single from highly touted Detroit act the Sights, back as a slimmed down three piece

Detroit’s the Sights are back as a slimmed down three piece, with this two track single ‘Circus’ b/w‘Everything’. For those who don’t know the Sights this provides a great introduction. The lead track is full of the kind of harmonies and riffs which symbolise their earlier sound. They seem to have taken an ever-so-slightly glam-rock direction with this, but the cap fits them and they’re wearing it well. The pop sensibilities they have always traded on are less apparent - the record sounds very raw - but the new sound suits them. The songs chorus asks "Do you see what I see?", and in the angrily voiced outro we find out what‘s in view -"Nothing! Nothing!" From nothing to ‘Everything’ - a Northern Soul stomper with 60's Hammond and Kinks guitar riffs. Eddie Baranek’s vocals are, as always, the perfect mix of angry young man and lovelorn adolescent. There’s an excellent psychedelic mid section as well. This sounds more like the material from their 2003’ album ‘Got What We Want’, but shows the Sights are growing into a truly great band. As always the Sights manage to avoid fashions whilst still sounding very ‘now’. Mixing British and American influences in equal measures they have a universal sound which should appeal to gloom merchants and pop fans alike. Are the Sights this years Strokes? They’d hate me for saying it (they told me so in an interview) but maybe the Strokes are just the old Sights. One thing is for certain, the Sights don’t seem to be struggling for new material, and there’s not a re-hash in earshot. Bloody good stuff.

Track Listing:-