Valley of the Windmill

[soundchaser09]

Thoughts on this album? I have to say its really been growing on me, I even prefer it to Circa 2007 now. Only Empire Over is a bit poor IMO. There are repetitive moments for sure, but so much works well on the various songs.

Our Place Under the Sun feels very like Talk to me, I wish it were on a Yes album!

Highlights: Valley of the Windmill, Our Place Under the Sun, Score: 7/10

[pjt]

I like it a lot! This and Circa: 2007. Then HQ, and then the rest.

[Soundwaveseeker]

Along with the first Circa album (2007), this is my favorite of the Circa albums. The middle albums are a little Sherwood-by-numbers but Valley is really good, one that I like a lot. Some of it is a little like Talk in places, I agree. For me though, the opening track is the poorest, Empire Over is pretty good. Good energy. Our Place Under The Sun sounds Yessable. Good sections that would have sounded pretty good on a more upbeat Talk-type Yes album. I don't think Billy's quite mastered the side-long epic yet (OPUTS and the recent Arc Of Life one), they seem a bit choppy and need refined arrangements for section links if I had to find fault, but OPUTS comes the closest to being there. I still like it. Title track is nice too.

I bought this and Invention Of Knowledge around the same time but ended up gravitating more towards this. Good rockin' Sherwood stuff.

I would like more from Circa but it looks like he's moved on to Arc Of Life for the time being. But with Valley Of The Windmill I feel they came to a pause with a better album with better bits and sections and more Tony! Those middle albums like And So On seem to overlook him. You gotta have more Tony Kaye next time around - get him up in the mix! I wanna hear that hammond organ snarl like a rabid raccoon defending an overturned trash can in the middle of a filthy alley in the dead of summer.

[yamishogun]

You gotta have more Tony Kaye next time around - get him up in the mix!

While Kaye released an album in 2021, he is 78.