SOUL SIRKUS
World Play
Frontiers Records 2005
www.soulsirkus.com

Read the Jeff Scott Soto interview

What’s the 4-1-1?
Here's a little something different for you. Since the release of World Play last fall, things have shifted in the Soul SirkUs camp. Drummer Deen Castronovo exited the group and he was replaced by Virgil Donati. Due to the member change, the group decided to re-record the drum parts for the European release of World Play. Recently released on Frontiers records with four bonus tracks (with a US record company on the horizon), this will become the official version of World Play made available to the masses. If you bought the last version, it will most likely become a collector's item. For this review I will add to the original with the new parts in white (that way you don't have to click back and forth.

Soul SirkUs was born out of the ashes of Planet US, a band that originally featured Schon & Castronovo from Journey and Sammy Hagar & Michael Anthony from Van Halen (pretty sure Joe Satriani had a hand in too). After Hagar and Anthony left to return to Van Halen, Jeff Scott Soto and Marco Mendoza jumped aboard. Thanks to the Internet, word about the band spread like wildfire. In December 2004 World Play was made available exclusively at the bands website. In early 2005, it was released world-wide.

Genre
Hard rock / melodic rock

The Good
“Highest Ground” is led by a fist pounding riff that never lets up. The backing vocals and lead vocals really come together on the chorus. A super-charged rhythm sets the pace for “New Position”. Neil Schon’s guitar work on this one shows that he’s been a closet shredder all these years. “Another World” combines wailing guitar licks and marching drum beats to create a post-apocalyptic feel, at least to me. It’s like Jeff Scott Soto is trying to inspire hope when all is lost. Warm keyboard tones and melodic guitar work dominate the emotional ballad “Soul Goes On”. Soto has always been at his best when he cuts a ballad. Creepy riffs and creepy drums drive home the theme of “Peephole”. It’s no surprise that Sammy Hagar co-wrote this one. Even creepier is that Soto comes off sounding just like him.

Maybe I’ve listened to too many CDs this week, but the vocal melody to “Periled Divide” sound very similar to the one used in “Another World”. Schon is up to some more fancy fretwork on “Praise”. This track is about worshiping the female form. There’s more female admiration on the down-tuned track “My Sanctuary”. By now you’ll discover the same thing I did; Jeff Scott Soto is one of the best rock voices out there. It’s a same he gets so little acknowledgement in the U.S. “Coming Home” is another heartfelt ballad that could pass for a long lost Journey track.

The new drum tracks are noticeable in a lot of different areas, but it's nothing too drastic. Drums weren't the only thing redone, you can hear slight changes in some of the solos and other musical aspects. For the most part the bonus tracks are filler, with the exception of one. "Alive" starts off with clean guitar tones, but switches to an addictive crunchy riff. Soto declares how being in love makes him feel whole. The clean guitar riff returns to accentuate the chorus section. The group's vocal melodies are just awesome.

"Abailar To' Mudo" showcases bassist Marco Medoza. It's a combination of vocals noises and sounds (think Bobby McFarren) mixed with a funky bass groove. "My Friend, My Love" is an acapella piece that shows off Soto's range and emotion. Once again the group returns with melodic vocal enhancement. "James Brown" is set to a funky rhythm section that seems like a jam session, with everything delivered on the fly.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
One word: phenomenal! (Still)

Did You Know?
Jeff Scott Soto provided the vocals for Mark Wahlberg’s character in the movie Rock Star.

Rating: out of 5

Related Reviews:
Neal Schon - I On U
Jeff Scott Soto - Lost in the Translation
Talisman - World's Best Kept Secret
Ring of Fire - Lapse of Reality

--George Dionne