Slambovian Circus of Dreams - A Good Thief Tips His Hat
by Zena Grieg
published: 19 / 12 / 2024

Label:
Talking Elephant
Format: CD
intro
Excellent 25th anniversary reissue of the Slambovian Ciicus of Dreams' long unavailable debut album which reveals itself to be a timeless musical tapestry
In celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of ‘The Good Thief Tips His Hat’, the first album the Slambovian Circus of Dreams brought out in the USA in 1999, a new reissue has been released. Not available previously in the UK, this is an engaging mix of Southern Rock, infused with Woodstock-tinged psychedelia and British folk and Celtic influences, revealing a plethora of influences from Dylan plus Bowie to the Incredible String Band and The Waterboys. Following acclaimed performances in 2022, headlining at the Cropredy and Wickham Festivals, the band returned to the UK to showcase the songs throughout June. A range of genres feature in the album, from gentle love songs to full-on prog rock, carried by frontman Joziah Longo’s distinctive, mellow vocals, reflective, alternative songwriting and a diverse array of instrumentation, from guitar, keyboards, bass to accordion, cello, mandolin and flute. Songs to listen out for in this eleven-track collection include: the breezy opener ‘Genius’; the catchy, pointed psych-rock ‘Radio’; the brooding, jangling ‘Slambovia’ with its insinuating accordion, cello and mandolin; the emotive ballad ‘Never Fit’ with its Dylanesque harmonica; the rootsy, psych ‘Alice In Space’ with its captivating lyrics: “…see the ancients in Alice’s eyes when she cries/Millions of people and one little lie/They’re long gone/And it’s a long way out to Alice in Space”; the mournful, atmospheric ‘Good Thief’ with its bass and cello base; and the epic closer, the cathartic ‘Already Broken’ with its experimental, circus-inspired outro. A timely release, the anniversary album offers UK audiences a chance to acquaint themselves with the colourful, melodic music of this engaging band and existing fans a re-encounter with timeless musical moments.
Track Listing:-
1 Genius2 Silent Revolution
3 Radio
4 My Girl
5 Someday
6 Slambovia
7 Never Fit
8 Alice in Space
9 A Good Thief
10 Circus of Dreams
11 Already Broken
Band Links:-
https://twitter.com/slamboviahttp://slambovia.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheSlambovianCircusOfDreams
Play in YouTube:-
Have a Listen:-
bandcamp
soundcloud
reviews |
A Box of Everything (2014) |
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Magical compilation album from eccentric but diverse Americana outfit, the Slambovian Circus of Dreams |
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