CD review, Sep 08. Russian Circles – Station CD (Suicide Squeeze Records)

I saw Russian Circles once, supporting Pelican. Having not heard them or of them previously I found them to be rather derivative and typical of the post-rock scene. A scene I know very little about and harbour rather a cynicism as to why they so steadfastly avoid the heavy bits, which we all know are the bits everyone wants to hear. Having listened to this many times, I kinda still feel the same. This is great music, very pleasant, ebbing and flowing in a mostly unchallenging way. I do like it, but I can’t help but feel something is missing. I guess I’m just a heavy riff guy. I could really do with a 5 minute riff behemoth passage! However I know that brethren like Pelican simply don’t want to do that stuff anymore and want to expand sonically rather than be typecast as some meathead riff band. I guess Russian Circles feel the same and I can respect that. What this does do then is deliver 6 tracks of varied, inventive, mostly interesting post-rock instrumentals. It’s good, but I can’t help feeling an awkwardness in avoiding the heavy, or that in another life this might be a Weather Report, Alan Holdsworth or run of the mill 70’s progressive rock album.