Circles Around The Sun has officially released their new collaborative EP with drummer Joe Russo, appropriately titled Circles Around The Sun Meets Joe Russo.
The “electrifying collection” of songs, as the initial announcement refers to the new collaboration, was born out of a completely improvised recording session that took place at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, NY earlier this year. The audio was co-mixed by Jim Scott (Tom Petty, Tedeschi Trucks Band) alongside Circles Around The Sun bassist Dan Horne, who is also a member of west coast-based Grateful Dead cover project, Grateful Shred. The album arrives on streaming platforms and via a limited vinyl pressing today.
“All of the members of CATS have been friends with Joe Russo for years between our collaborations with Phil Lesh, Cass McCombs, and others,” late Circles Around The Sun guitarist Neal Casal noted in a statement when the EP was announced in July. “We thought it would be a great idea to do a project with him, so we met up in a studio in Brooklyn and wound up creating four songs in one day. The session had a true CATS in the moment vibe with explosive improvisation, double drums between Joe and our drummer Mark Levy, conversational guitars with me and Dan, and plenty of Adam Macdougall keyboard wizardry.”
Added Russo, “I was excited when Neal reached out about the possibility of this collaboration. Having played with Neal and Adam many times before over the years, and my time spent with Dan on Cass Mccombs gigs and sessions, it felt like a no brainer.”
Listen to the full Circles Around The Sun Meets Joe Russo EP below or order your vinyl copy here.
Circles Around The Sun Meets Joe Russo – Full EP
Related: Neal Casal Talks CRB, LSD, & The Future Of Circles Around The Sun [2017 Interview]
Neal Casal took his own life just over a month after the EP was announced and just days after his final set with Circles Around The Sun at LOCKN’ 2019, during which Joe Russo joined the band onstage for a guest appearance. In the note he left behind, Casal left specific wishes for Circles Around The Sun to continue in his absence.
Shortly after his death, the family, friends, and fans of Neal Casal convened at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY for an all-star tribute to Neal’s life, music, and memory. There, among other memorable performances, Circles Around The Sun played their first set following Casal’s death with Eric Krasno filling in on guitar. Russo also “met” Circles Around The Sun during this short yet thrilling and emotional set, jumping in for their final song.
On Wednesday, October 16th, Krasno played his first full show with the band as their interim guitarist in Seattle. You can listen to the full performance here.
In addition to Circles Around The Sun Meets Joe Russo, the band had also completed recording their latest full-length album prior to Casal’s death. The album’s producer, Jim Scott, will see the recording through to its completion with plans being made for its release in early 2020.
For a list of upcoming Circles Around The Sun tour dates with Eric Krasno, head here.