"John Stirratt of the Autumn Defense is perhaps better known for his work in Wilco; that being work of the bass-playing and harmonizing variety. Well here Stirratt and Pat Sansone treat us to a brilliant album as the Autumn Defense. I have to admit I am a bit biased. I loved their first album 'The Green Hour', and it proved imovable from my stereo. I didn't think I could enjoy this album as much as that record ... but I have, even though they are quite different.
The entire album has a comforting, summery feel. 'Written in the snow', 'Why I'm like this', 'Some kind of fool' and 'Iowa city adieu' really stick out for me but all the tracks are lovely in their own way.
I guess a few people may pick up this album due to Stirratt's work with Wilco. The Autumn Defense do not particulary sound like Wilco, but please don't let that deter you. Like Wilco's records this album is full of brilliant, well crafted, meaningful songs - and what more could you want? So in short, the record is excellent. I cannot think of another band today producing a similar sound. The music really gets inside you. Buy it."
An astounding album!
Andrenko Peznovski | New York, NY United States | 11/19/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"With sweet melodies and a nostalgic feel, Autumn Defense's "Circles" achieves what many in the industry only dream of. This album has such a unique feel it's hard to categorize, but somehow captures a musical innocense that is at once evocative, timeless and romantic. The tunes get inside you and stick with you. "Silence," "Tuesday Morning," and "The World (Will Soon Turn Our Way)" are instant classics, while the rest slowly take hold as touching favorites. I highly recommend this album."
A pretty good folky/indie rock album which has a couple flaw
C. Cross | 01/09/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Circles" is a pretty good album which is unfortunately marred by a couple problems. One of them is that the singer is sometimes not very likable (especially when he sings high notes - also see "The Answer" for an example of when he goes awry). The musicianship, however, is usually very well done. It sounds like acoustic-driven indie rock with some piano and violens thrown in on most of the songs. It has a very nice sound most of the time, but occasionally it's not so great. It has a couple pretty catchy and memorable songs including "The World Will Soon Turn Our Way" and "Some Kind Of Fool". The lyrics are somewhat interesting, but overall that's not really the main attractor here. Every track here is good-if-not-decent, and that certainly helps things. They certainly have potential. I don't think most people will like it, but indie rock fans might. Slightly recommended.
Highlights include:
the entire album"
Sometimes you just stumble onto brilliance by chance
Mitchell Howard | Havelock North, NZ | 06/07/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As i stated in my headin, "sometimes you just stumble onto brilliance by chance. I was browsing thru my favourite shop in the world, (Real Groovy, Auckland New Zealand)when I noticed an album by Hem. I bought it quickly and it wasn't until later in the car, I noticed it was an EP with half the tracks by Autumn Defense (Who??)Anyway that album is brilliant and I purchased the next Autumn Defense album I came across as a result.
Now we all know that Jeff Tweedy dominates Wilco completely, but if he ever decides to listen to his bandmate, John Stirratt's album, Circles, maybe he will give John some air time too. Autumn Defense starring John Stirratt is a criminally underrated album bordering on an album gone incognito. The music is timeless in the Singer/Songwriter vein with elements of the 70's, but firmly fixed in the 00's with an almost psychedelic Englishness. Its gentle, beautiful, welcoming aura is unique. I swear, listen to this and you will smile beautifically for hours afterward. Its not quite a religious experience, (I've never had one)but it must be a bit like this, I guess similar to your first orgasm or listening to your first Bellwether album.