Two personnel changes occurred. Drummer Danny Gottlieb was replaced past times Paul Wertico, in addition to the Group was joined past times multi-instrumentalist Pedro Aznar, who had already established himself with the band Serú Girán inwards his native Argentina.
On First Circle, the Group used instruments it hadn't recorded with before, including the sitar ("Yolanda, You Learn"), trumpet ("Forward March"), in addition to agogo bells ("Tell It All"). The offset song, "Forward March", with Lyle Mays on trumpet, uses dissonant, out-of-tune chords in addition to shifting fourth dimension signatures. On puttiing the vocal first, Metheny remarked that it "seemed similar a proficient stance at the time."
This was the offset Group album to characteristic a vocal with written lyrics, "Más Allá," past times Aznar.
First Circle expanded the ambit of the Group's music. In a podcast retrospective, Metheny remarked that the album brought the Group to a creative high that he had been seeking since its foundation. "With the record, First Circle, I finally felt similar the Group was what I hoped it mightiness live someday...there was this feeling of, 'Okay, we've done it. We tin post away become anywhere now.'" He stated that First Circle, Still Life (Talking), in addition to Letter from Home, alongside the Group's nigh pop albums, were business office of a trilogy connected past times their musical explorations in addition to accessibly melodic personalities.
In First Circle, the Pat Metheny Group settled into a lineup that lasted for quite a spell -- with Metheny, keyboardist Lyle Mays, bassist Steve Rodby, in addition to novel drummer Paul Wertico forming the essence quartet. The ever-restless Metheny every bit good mixes upwardly the music, non quite leaving the Brazilian glide behind but coming upwardly with merely about fascinating permutations e'er affixed with his personal stamp. "Forward March," the album opener, is a bizarre parody total of detuned instruments in addition to half-cocked trumpet from Mays; 1 wonders if this was directed at a few featherbrained skirmishes of the 24-hour interval (Grenada? the Falklands?). "The First Circle" has Brazilian elements, but immediately inwards the service of a grander architectural context, spell nada could live simpler in addition to even hence to a greater extent than sophisticated than the fragile ballad "If I Could." "End of the Game" mightiness live the best runway on the record, equipped with a beautiful pop-flavored laid of tunes in addition to harmonies, with a stone vanquish fused to the floating ambience of South America every bit personified past times the novel Argentine percussionist/vocalist Pedro Aznar. "Praise," the closer, is an out-and-out stone tune, an affirmative flip side of "Forward March" in addition to the lastly of a serial of delightful surprises.
I listened to this cassette quite a combat dorsum inwards 1985 in addition to hence left it for quite a while. Last yr (2003), I was amazed to abide by myself humming "Yolanda, You Learn" in addition to ordered the CD from Amazon. Discovering this music all over in 1 lawsuit again was a joy. To me, this is a CD of uplifting, joyous music made past times fantastic musicians offering upwardly merely about incredible performances.
While I direct keep listened to other Metheny releases, nada has touched me similar this one. I would loved to direct keep given this 5 stars, but the conclusion to include "Forward March" was a mistake. Fortunately, modern CD players tin post away live programmed to skip tracks. My favorite tracks are "Yolanda, You Learn," "The First Circle," in addition to "Praise." "If I Could" is hence beautiful inwards its simplicity every bit to convey yous to goosebumps in addition to tears.
If yous are a guitarist or lover of Brazilian music, this CD is a must-have. This free is totally accessible to all lovers of lineament music. Highly recommended.
With "Phase Dance" and, "Are You Going With Me?" the album's championship track, "The First Circle", became 1 of the Group's nigh pop songs.
Track listing:
1. "Forward March" (Metheny) 2:47
2. "Yolanda, You Learn" 4:43
3. "The First Circle" 9:10
4. "If I Could" (Metheny) 6:54
5. "Tell It All" 7:55
6. "End of the Game" 7:57
7. "Más Allá (Beyond)" (Metheny/Pedro Aznar) 5:37
8. "Praise" 4:19
Personnel:
Pat Metheny – guitar, Synclavier guitar, sitar, slide guitar, acoustic guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar
Lyle Mays Рpiano, synthesizers, Oberheim, agog̫ bells, organ, trumpet
Steve Rodby – bass guitar, acoustic bass, bass drum
Pedro Aznar – glockenspiel, voice, bells, acoustic guitar, percussion, whistle, guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar
Paul Wertico – drums, champaign drum, cymbal
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