What are the highlights in Circa: history?

[soundchaser09]

Since we have more confirmation of Arc of Life 2 coming relatively soon, I want to turn to his other Yes spin off band Circa, what do you guys think are the best songs and albums from this band's career so far?

[Soundwaveseeker]

I loved Circa from the beginning and saw them live in Northern Virginia when they were promoting the first album which had Alan White on drums. Of their 5 studio albums (4 albums and one EP which is almost as long as an album so I count it), the best ones for me are the first one (Circa:2007) and the last one (Valley Of The Windmill, 2016). The ones in between are good too but closer to a Billy Sherwood solo album with special guest Tony Kaye for the most part. The EP I actually like a lot (Overflow, 2009). I rank them thus:

1) Circa: 2007
2) Valley Of The Windmill
3) Overflow
4) Circa: HQ
5) And So On

favorite tracks include (but in no particular order):

1) Together We Are - almost a Yes track, I like a lot (Circa 2007)
2) Cut The Ties (Circa 2007)
3) Empire Over (Valley Of The Windmill)
4) True Progress (And So On)
5) Our Place Under The Sun (Valley Of The Windmill)
6) Trust In Something (Circa 2007)
7) Set To Play/Ever Changing World (Circa HQ)
8) Pure Intuition (Overflow)

I prefer Billy on bass, when he took over guitar duties it started to sound less like a band and more like another Sherwood solo album. Good stuff on these albums, very much part of the Yes Extended Universe. Great if you want some rocking Yes-related stuff.

[soundchaser09]

I've always been partial to And So On actually- I like Cast Away quite a bit.

[soundchaser09]

I've just recently picked up these albums and I've been giving them a listen for the first time properly, I was only aware of a song here and there before. I have to say there are some good parts in Circa and some other fairly mediocre and meandering parts (at least on initial listening).

Regarding Circa 2007 the highlights are definitely:

Cut the Ties- just a great solid opener, very catchy
Together we are (though it overstays its welcome a bit)
Information Overload- such a cool sounding track
Trust in Something- For me the track of the album, amazing stuff from everybody here.
Brotherhood of man- wonderful epic to end on

[Soundwaveseeker]

There's a couple total Kaye organ moments on the last two tracks on Circa:2007 that make me want to import him back into the Yes fold. And he plays a real tasty synth inro to the last track on Circa: HQ ( the second Circa album). Tony Kaye has the chops of any Yes ivory twiddler and can do some nice Yessed-up playing when he wants to.

[GeofMcM]

Does anyone know which of the tracks on overflow are outakes of the first album and which are outakes from HQ?

[Grey Wolf]

I rather liked the first album, then things got a little too samey for me, nothing really stood out. I guess I should revisit the ones I have, maybe something will grab me this time.

[soundchaser09]

Just listened to Overflow this morning- honestly I think I like it more than the debut and am puzzled why these tracks were chosen to be left off the main albums, they're pretty damn good! Very solid throughout.

[Drone Decipher]

I love Circa I listen to them a lot. The debut and Valley of the Windmill strike me as the obvious standouts. Cut The Ties, Information Overload, Trust in Something, Brotherhood Of Man, Silent Resolve, Empire Over, Valley of the Windmill. They're all killer. The other albums are growing on me a bit more slowly though. True Progress and Our Place Under The Sun would round out the top 10.

Oh also, I'd add that performing the William Shatner album would probably be an unrecorded highlight of theirs.

[Soundwaveseeker]

There's also Yoso, the one-off album which features all of Circa (I think the And Son On lineup, more or less) with Bobby Kimball (ex-Toto) on most of the vocals, though you hear Billy in there too.

[Mr. Holland]

I loved Circa from the beginning and saw them live in Northern Virginia when they were promoting the first album which had Alan White on drums. Of their 5 studio albums (4 albums and one EP which is almost as long as an album so I count it), the best ones for me are the first one (Circa:2007) and the last one (Valley Of The Windmill, 2016). The ones in between are good too but closer to a Billy Sherwood solo album with special guest Tony Kaye for the most part. The EP I actually like a lot (Overflow, 2009). I rank them thus:

1) Circa: 2007
2) Valley Of The Windmill
3) Overflow
4) Circa: HQ
5) And So On

favorite tracks include (but in no particular order):

1) Together We Are - almost a Yes track, I like a lot (Circa 2007)
2) Cut The Ties (Circa 2007)
3) Empire Over (Valley Of The Windmill)
4) True Progress (And So On)
5) Our Place Under The Sun (Valley Of The Windmill)
6) Trust In Something (Circa 2007)
7) Set To Play/Ever Changing World (Circa HQ)
8) Pure Intuition (Overflow)

I prefer Billy on bass, when he took over guitar duties it started to sound less like a band and more like another Sherwood solo album. Good stuff on these albums, very much part of the Yes Extended Universe. Great if you want some rocking Yes-related stuff.

Apart from favourite tracks I pretty much agree with everything you say here. So thanks for saving me typing a long post 😉

[Somis Sound]

This was incredible to watch them rehearse.... Alan was absolutely on fire, Tony handled everything in his excellent style, Jimi's tone and performances of both guys material was incredible, and Billy and Scott did great. Here is the live performance!!

[Yesed]

This was incredible to watch them rehearse.... Alan was absolutely on fire, Tony handled everything in his excellent style, Jimi's tone and performances of both guys material was incredible, and Billy and Scott did great. Here is the live performance!!

Love revisiting this. Confirms why I think Billy and Jimi should be the new generation of Yes, with Jay. Haun does a great young Peter and Steve.

[Somis Sound]

Love revisiting this. Confirms why I think Billy and Jimi should be the new generation of Yes, with Jay. Haun does a great young Peter and Steve.

Absolutely.

[luvyesmusic]

Well, I love that Billy brought Tony back, and Jay into the YES-fold, and helping to keep the YES-flame alive.

I went to that Soundwaveseeker show, too, though there were two. One with Alan at Jaxx in Springfield, VA, were I finally got to meet some of the biggest fans from YES-fans com.

I watched Alan as he came in last. I'm sure there were smaller venues/older venues in California, but I was thinking that this was the smallest venue he had probably played in years. The turn out for the show was even embarrassing for me . I have friends for life from that show.

But what I remember most, is the power that Alan had, playing his kit that night. What a powerful bear! That's the first and last time I ever saw and heard him play with that power. That was worth the ticket alone.