Released by the very aptly named, in this album’s case, Politely Fighting Record, Paul Jones – the man who is Faded Circus – has released a politely challenging album. The challenge here is keeping up with Mr Jones’s wordsmanship which takes you from Cabbage White Butterflies (Bumblebee Lament) through Ombudsman to Maiastra (an immortal golden bird from Romanian folklore if you didn’t know). The politeness here comes in the form of an album that gently invites you in and rewards you for the effort of simply listening. There are some beautifully crafted songs, many influenced by a recent spell Paul Jones spent in Cornwall. The musical influences range wide from the pure simplicity of Joni Mitchell’s early recordings to the best of Simon and Garfunkel.

Paul Jones’s vocals soar over some very intimate guitar accompaniment with a close-mic’d style that draws you into the very personal world of Faded Circus. A style that leads this to the feeling that in a small ambient venue this material performed live will give that hairs on the back of the neck tingle so rarely available in today’s 3D TV extravaganza festivals.

This is an album that has that feel of being very personally crafted by an artist who knew just what he wanted regardless of how much of themselves had to be given in achieving that cause. Indeed, Faded Circus is all down to Paul Jones, save for a couple of drumming appearances by Jay Murray and much recorded on a trusty old reel to reel recorder. Jay Murray’s appearances do add a little ‘expanse’ though it’s the intimacy Mr Jones’s world that appeals here. From the introspective laments of No Care For Breaks to the join in and sing-a-long The Winner’s Way there’s a feeling that you are being given a musical window through which the contents of one man’s soul are laid bare.

If you have ‘that’ list of late night, post dinner party, or simply feeling sorry for myself albums that are like comfort food for the soul, Faded Circus should make its way onto that list.

"A penny for your thoughts seems too much", Mr Jones sings In the Teeth of Winter. Well the thoughts of Faded Circus are worth a more significant investment.

Reviewed by D-Jaysea

Faded Circus's self titled debut album is available to buy from the the Faded Circus website www.fadedcircus.com