Atomic Rooster emerged out of the dissolution of the first Crazy World of Arthur Brown, with Vince Crane (Hammond Organ) and pre-ELP Carl Palmer (drums) joining with Nick Graham to form a new band. Palmer and Graham leave, replaced by Paul Hammond and John DuCann respectively and the Rooster enter their golden early seventies period, with hit singles like ‘Tomorrow Night’ and releasing their classic album, Death Walks Behind You, which proved to be the high point of their career. But after DuCann leaves, despite several more personnel changes, their moment passes. The Rooster reformed in 2016, however, when Vincent Cranes widow gives Steve Bolton (John DuCann’s replacement on guitar) permission to resurrect the band’s name, and this is their first album since reforming.
Atomic Rooster were always in and around the scene in the early seventies, though never quite making the breakthrough into the big league, despite releasing several albums which were well received by fans. Once their classic line-up, Crane, DuCann and Hammond, broke up, their fortunes deteriorated, despite Chris Farlowe joining on vocals.
Circle The Sun is a fine album indeed, heavily redolent of the Rooster’s early seventies heyday, because the glorious Hammond organ sound the Rooster were associated with back in the day is well to the fore here. The current line-up has captured the Rooster’s sound almost immaculately. This is evident from the opening track ‘Fly Or Die,’ a track with glorious keyboards which would easily fit onto any of Rooster’s first three albums. This is followed by the title track ‘Circle The Sun,’ which has the feel of early seventies Uriah Heep, when Ken Hensley gave them their Hammond sound.
‘Rebel Devil’ and ‘First Impressions’ are both solid rock tracks, either of which would make a good single, and they slow the pace down with power ballad ‘Never 2 Lose,’ which has a throbbing drum sound and lively keyboards. However, ‘No More’ sounds like it could be an outtake from their Death Walks Behind You album, even down to the similar-sounding, though not quite as long, introduction. Similarly, so could the slow number ‘Pillow,’ with its doom-laden organ chords. But both are fine pieces and offer an example of how the seventies Rooster sounded.
Circle The Sun has the sound and feel of an album Vincent Crane and John DuCann would have been pleased to be involved with. There’s no overkill, no extensive soloing, just fine playing from four guys who’ve captured the early seventies Zeitgeist rather nicely.
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