Album Review: Circa Survive - 'Appendage EP'

Only 7 months after releasing ‘Blue Sky Noise’ the much anticipated follow up record to 2007’s ‘On Letting Go’ Circa Survive have released this 5 track EP ‘Appendage’ made up of mostly B-side songs that didn’t quite make the cut on ‘Blue Sky Noise’ and one previously unreleased demo. This EP is a great little add on to ‘Blue Sky Noise’

The EP begins with this unreleased demo, ‘’Sleeping Underground’’. This song starts off with haunting church organs and the echoing voice of singer Anthony Green, a fairly slow passed song but a great song all the same, with only the church organs as backing throughout. Moving on with a faster passed song with ‘Stare Like You’ll Stay’ a quite positive and upbeat song it is quite possibly the highlight of the song collection on this EP, I would say that this B-side song is definitely album worthy.

Third song ‘Everyway’ like a lot of Circa Survive songs shows off Green’s falsetto and the soft drum taps go well with the whole feel of the song with the music building up to the chorus. ‘Backmask’ a fairly dark and loud song however it does not start of this way, with its eerie guitar and haunting echoes, however the darkest song is left for last with ‘Lazarus’ with the closing line ‘‘2am, I'm thinking about how lucky I've been/I need to take a moment to myself/ 6am, I'm thinking about how lonely I've been/I need to take a moment to myself’’ this eerie, slightly morbid song strangely seems an appropriate closer to an EP full of B-side songs

Although, we have to remember that this is an EP of B-side, this is still a good collection of high quality songs, although I agree with the song decisions that was made to complete ‘Blue Sky Noise’ i do believe that if these songs were added on the end of the album it would just make it even greater. I guess that what they are doing with releasing ‘Appendage’. It is a great little add on to their already great major label debut.

1. "Sleep Underground (Demo)" 2:26

2. "Stare Like You’ll Stay" 4:38

3. "Everyway" 4:17

4. "Backmask" 5:31

5. "Lazarus" 4:50