Customer Reviews

Time Circle

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If there's anything bad to be said about this set, it's that it is slightly unnecessary. After all, this is a double-disc compilation of (count 'em) four albums, the output the original Spirit managed while on the Ode/Epic label in the 1960s. As such, this places this collection (in the Utility-o-meter) somewhere around Syd's "Wouldn't You Miss Me?" (a one disc set that comps three albums) and Captain Beefheart's "The Liberty Years."

But that complaint, of course, forgets where Time Circle comes in the Spirit timeline: 1991, before Sony Legacy pumped into overdrive and reissued the band's albums. Thus, its faults can be easily disregarded, and it still stands today as an amazing introduction to an amazing band.

So what do we have here? Several tracks (in their original stereo mixes) from their amazing and totally idiosyncratic first album, a set of remixes from their woefully-overlooked second album (Collectors, take heed: these remixes are *not* identical to the ones that showed up on the Legacy reissue), a set of original mixes from their even-more-overlooked Clear, and a heaping portion of Sardonicus. One gets all of this, including some previously-unreleased-at-the-time and STILL-unavailable-anywhere-else mixes and bonus tracks for a fantastically bargain-basement price.

The verdict? If you are a veteran Spirit fan, Time Circle might not present enough unique material to hold your interest, as the original mixes are available on CD elsewhere. Still, this is the only place to get the Model Shoppe tracks. If you're a Spirit newbie, however, seriously consider this set over the budget "I've Got a Line On You" and "Best of Spirit" comps; you'll be happy you did, as Time Circle (like the Rolling Stones' "Hot Rocks") is one of those compilations that develops a life of its own.

Time Circle is an extremely well-focused and complete retrospect (including numerous unreleased tracks) of one of the great forgotten bands of the 60s. Spirit formed in 1967 in LA and immediately crafted an original mix of rock, jazz, and psychedelia that was far ahead of its time. The five members (Randy California, Ed Cassidy, Jay Ferguson, Mark Andes, and John Locke) brought a totally unique sound to the music scene in America and Europe. This 2 CD collection captures all of the highlights of the band in its peak period from 1968 through 1972. All of the hits are here, but as with all good CD anthologies, the collection goes much, much deeper. Also, if you want to hear where Jimmy Page "borrowed" the unforgettable opening riff to "Stairway to Heaven" give the instrumental "Taurus" a listen. Jimmy Page certainly knew how to steal from the best.

Whether you are new to Spirit or a long time fan, Time Circle is a stellar collection that belongs in any serious music lover's library. It contains most of the material from their first four records along with some excellent outtakes, b-sides and rare tracks. Because this collection is so extensive, and the tracks so thoughtfully selected, I would go as far to say that this is the only Spirit CD you will ever need. That said, it's also probably wise to pick up a copy of their masterpiece Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus since Time Circle omits two essential tracks from this album, including the beautiful closing track "Soldier".

Spirit were truly in a class by themselves. Every member was (is) a highly talented, original and versatile musician. When Randy California drowned off the shores of Hawaii a few years back, the world lost a truly gifted songwriter and guitarist. R.I.P. Randy, and thanks for all the great music.

If you're looking to cover most of the Spirit catalog in one CD this is the real deal. All of the hits are here as are many other songs that bear listening. The range of music produced by this band is really quite remarkable. They were very much a band that was technically and musically far more advanced than most of its contemporaries.

Why some of the songs made this collection is beyond me as some of them must be songs only a long time fan can really tolerate. I've discovered some songs that are really good but never reached a hit status. The problem is that I still find myself skipping a few songs. The answer is that to burn one great CD that has all the hits and some of the other discoveries I have made and leave the rest for musical discovery days. Maybe the rest will grow on me.

One last note is that the remastering is really quite good. The original tapes were pretty good to begin with, since the band largely recorded in LA at the time that it had some of the best studios, but the remastered result is remarkable.

This is the buy for anyone who is interested in the band and who has a CD burner.

What can I say...Spirit was one of the true neglected wonders of the 60s, having an attitude that was wayyy ahead of their time (they do NOT sound like your typical 60s band, that's for sure), and this collection collects, well, ALMOST all of their stuff in one place. If you're new to Spirit, this is where to begin.

Irritatingly enough, though, you also need this if you already have their four rereleased 60s albums (Spirit, Family That Plays Together, Clear, and Sardonicus) on CD already. Why? Because a few tracks here (mostly the Model Shoppe tracks) don't pop up on the reissues, and also because the mix of the Family That Plays Together tracks is completely different.

So you need it either way. Go on, splurge...you won't regret it!

this is given 5 stars not because everything on it is good, but rather because of the fact that spirit was one of the most talented and exciting american bands of the period. there is jazz, hard rock, pysychedelia, blues and many other genres or sub genres in abundance. its a fine selection of tracks as well, perhaps a quibble or two could be made regarding the selection, but this is good value for the price ...excellent stuff and highly recommended, randy california was one of the most innovative guitarists going.each member of the group possessed enormous talent that gelled with the others so well.i personally think the debut, spirit, and the 4th album, dr. sardonicus, were the best, though many feel the family that plays together is their greatest work, regardless, if you are a fan of late 60's early 70s rock, you definitely should check out spirit if you haven't already

I just bought a 2-CD import of Time Circle (1968-1972), which to my ears is the best anthology of Spirit's music ever compiled. Evidently this import version I now possess is a bit tough to find. It is copyrighted 2008 by Yellow Label under a licensing agreement with Sony. Yellow Label is a division of SPV and the 2-disc set was made in Germany. The spine on the gatefold jewel case reads "SPV 42402 2 CD."

I tell you all this stuff because this particular Spirit compilation has been issued before, going back nearly 20 years. Mastering/remastering has come a long way since then. A long way.

This is something like the fourth or fifth different compilation of this eclectic band I've bought during the digital age, each time hoping for a career-spanning disc (or discs) that featured improved sound and some freakin' volume to go with it. I think this import finally rings my chimes.

Nowhere on the back cover or in the liner notes does it say "alternate take" or "remix" or "mono" for any specific song, yet a number of songs sound decidedly different (and better, to my ears) from any previous compilation (including earlier incarnations of this particular 2-disc set). For example, "I Got A Line On You," the band's most successful foray into the weird land of Top 40 radio, definitely has more punch than the one on the expanded version of the single-disc The Best Of Spirit (2003, Sony/Legacy).

Look, I'm not a Spirit authority by any stretch, but I ALWAYS dug their music. And as the liner notes point out, via a quote from Jay Ferguson, it wasn't until Spirit disbanded that the press as a whole started to champion the band's vision. My point is, if you Spirit diehards out there, you audiophiles and music historians who can put me to shame, were to ask me, "But does this compilation have the original mixes, the original sound, of my vinyl?", I honestly couldn't say. I'm sorry. I just don't know. (If I had to venture a guess, I'd say "No.") But I can say that, in listening to this import, I am enjoying hearing nuances in the band's music that I did not, or could not, pick up from other comps. Nor am I suggesting you can simply pop this comp into your sound system and expect to be dazzled without first adjusting the tone or tweaking the equalizer to attain sound reproduction that meets YOUR needs.

The other point I want to stress is this: THIS version (again, "SPV 42402 2 CD"; copyright 2008 on Yellow Label) has four bonus tracks rarely if ever listed for Time Circle. They are "Soldier," "Ground Hog," "She Smiles," and "Space Child." In all, there are 45 tracks on this import version of Time Circle. It has succinct, well-written liner notes and good individual pics of the guys. (Otherwise, the booklet itself is kind of cheesy, as it includes four pages devoted to other albums on Yellow Label.)

Of course, those of you who can pop for CDs of the band's original handful of albums that this comp covers may choose to go that route. They may feature mixes closer to your original vinyl records (or at least approximate the music as you remember it). Again, I wouldn't know. I'm okay with this comp. In fact, I'm more than okay with it.

If you're considering purchasing the import version of Time Circle that I have listed here, I hope my review helps, one way or the other.

Spirit were a very underrated band. They were pretty much masters when it came to experimenting with different styles (sometimes drastic ones) and different sounds. This collection shows you just what the band was capable of at one time. While I'm sure there's some stuff on here you won't like, the fact they switch between soft acoustic, to straight up loud pop, to pretty ballads, to hard rock is downright amazing. For people who like diverse 60's rock similar to the Beatles, give this band a try and see what you think about them. This collection is wonderful for showcasing the bands diversity.

My only complaint with the whole collection,is that they didn't include "Spacechild" from "Sardonicus".I would gladly have gotten rid of a song or two from either of the first three albums to make room for it. For me,personally,it would have made it perfect.

After all these years, does anyone who wasn't there in the beginning really need to absorb two CDs worth of Spirit? That's a lot of resurrection for a band that only had one hit and a couple other notable songs. "I Got A Line On You" was a groovin' Top Forty hit, and "Fresh Garbage" and the eco-ballad "Nature's Way" are enduring AOR tracks. And, according to _Time Circle_'s excellent liner notes, the instrumental "Taurus" was appropriated by Led Zeppelin for the opening to their great classic "Stairway to Heaven".

The rest of the material requires attentive listening and suspension of irony. Music was in flux in the mid-Sixties. The boundaries of musical genres were porous, at least for awhile before target marketing stuffed everything back into boxes. Especially on the West Coast, ideas could flow freely, cross-pollinating each other and striking out for the unknown. Time Circle generously records one band's journey through those times and ideas.

But are those ideas good listening nowadays? Spirit wandered back and forth over the jazz/rock boundary, gleely jumbling styles, indulged in some now rather embarrassing hippie-isms, and recorded some things that might be regarded as precursors to trance music. The watchword here is, leave your pop expectations at the door, and prepare to be adventurous. Whatever it was, it didn't last. Randy California periodically took time out to record solo albums of Hendrix-influenced hard rock. Mark Andes wound up playing country-pop in Firefall, and Jay Ferguson eventually recorded his great Seventies summertime solo hit "Thunder Island." Only Ed Cassidy kept going with Spirit, as other members drifted in and out. (Lest anyone get the wrong idea, Cassidy has more talent and enthusiasm than many drummers a third his age.)

So, yes. Stretch your ears a little and listen to this. Everybody's tired of hipper-than-thou types who rave over obscurities in order to set themselve apart from the herd. But Spirit really is worth exploring. It will take more than a couple of spins for this record to sink in. Spirit does have a devoted following, of original fans and kids who are bored with contemporary radio. You will get an idea of Spirit's adventurousness, despite their lack of commercial success, and maybe also a taste (a whiff?) of the spirit of their times.