Music Review: Vienna Circle - White Clouds

When UK based Vienna Circle’s album White Clouds arrived I was immediately struck by two things which raised questions in my mind. Firstly, there was the album’s beautifully effective artwork. Then there was the band’s intriguing name.

The first was more easily answered. The cover was designed by Paul and Jack Davis the two brothers who form the band. However, the name Vienna Circle took me in an altogether different direction.

I’m ashamed to admit that The Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy is not high on my list of bedtime reading, otherwise I would probably have already known the answer. The wise tome informs me, via the internet, that The Vienna Circle was a group of early twentieth century philosophers “who sought to reconceptualise empiricism”. Of course. 

So it’s a bit of a cop-out to blithely say that I like the name after a weighty introduction like that, but the simple truth is, I do. Vienna Circle seems to fit the style of the band perfectly. Furthermore, style is a thing that they possess and display in abundance throughout this confident debut album.

Lead vocalist, guitarist, and keyboard player Paul Davis and his bass playing brother Jack tell me that they were heavily inspired by Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and latterly Neal Morse, formerly of Spock’s Beard. Forming Vienna Circle they embarked on writing a concept album in the truest sense of the word. White Clouds is the highly impressive result.

It tells the story of a man who moves from the south of England to Berlin just as World War I was breaking out. Joined by drummer Russell Wilson, Paul and Jack have produced a conceptually brave debut album that has taken residence on my iPod. It somehow manages to reveal something more of the music and its story with every additional play.

It opens with “White Clouds (Beginning)” as the main character decides that he must leave England. A flock of seagulls, along with cymbals of crashing waves introduce the atmosphere that is an endearing feature of the album.

Article Author: Jeff Perkins

Jeff is a writer who lives in France. He writes CD/DVD box sets, music reviews and has had a book published about David Byron of Uriah Heep. He is 'busy' exploring the music of Europe with his wife Debbie and dog Dylan. It's Dylan that does the writing of course. …

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