Customer Reviews

Square the Circle

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Found this used for a low price, and after listening I can't believe how overlooked this album is. Especially "I can't get over (how I broke your heart)" what a haunting song. Definitely a worthwhile purchase.

A good batch of songs, that probably translate great in a live setting. But the sonics... I listened to this on JBL bookshelf speakers on someone's system. Nothing great, but sitting right in the middle of the speakers I find it to be annoyingly "bright" and "tinny" in the production. The songs are great, the arrangements are full of sparkling instrumentation, so the "brightness" kind of fools you into thinking it's clear, but there's some horrible subharmonics at play here--imagine a dog laying down and burying its head between it's paws--the brightness is barely noticeable, but definitely annoying. Poor stereo effect, just flat blasts coming from either side to simulate it, but not the normal "3-D" stereo effect.
I hope it gets a nice warm ReMaster Edition...

For anyone who is a fan, as I have been since the late 70's, there are some real high points on this album. Wrapped Around Her is infectious! True Love & If Women Ruled The World lyrically return to Joan's earliest work.

If you want to get a real feel for the heart and soul of Joan Armatrading's musical genius, I think this album is one that really seems to give you a glimpse of where she came from. To me, this album "Square the Circle," does just that. It's laid back and intimate from the start with "True Love's" opening lyric: "You know poverty can be romantic; in black and white it looks like us" to "Square the Circle" which, I think, is one of the most intimate love songs I have ever heard, to "If Women Ruled the World" where Joan makes a solid case for just that, and another very intimate look inside Joan's heart in the final ballad, "Cradled in Your Love." If you want to understand what makes Joan Armatrading tick, this is the album for you. This album, "Square the Circle," should be viewed as essential to any Joan Armatrading collection.

This is a middle-of-the-road Joan Armatrading album IMHO. At any rate, the track listing is incorrect for this album. It should read like this:

1) True Love
2) Crazy
3) Wrapped Around Her
4) Sometimes I Don't Wanna Go Home
5) Square the Circle
6) Weak Woman
7) Can I Get Next To You
8) Can't Get Over (How I Broke Your Heart)
9) If Women Ruled The World
10) Cradled In Your Love