Seth Swirsky – Circles and Squares

Another one of this summer’s most anticipated power pop releases, Seth Swirsky’s Circles and Squares combines superb songwriting with all the right influences to create the ideal summer fare for the power pop fanatic.

You can hear the Beach Boys influence in “Shine”, the disc’s opening song. Swirsky channels Nilsson for the title track and McCartney influences are apparent throughout the entirety of the record. Bacharach, too. Yet none of it sounds derivative as Circles and Squares melds together each of these influences to create what is in essence a master class in songwriting. As if that weren’t enough, Swirsky plays just about every instrument on the record.

The highlights are numerous including the piano driven “Far Away” with its McCartney-esque vibe, the ultra catchy “Trying to Keep It Simple”, the jangle pop of “Table”, the irresistible start to finish hook called “Old Letter” and “I Don’t Have Anything At All (If I Don’t Have You) with its list of Swirsky’s most valued collectibles, none of which mean anything (if I don’t have you). Some baseballs that are pretty rare…gold records hanging on my wall…Atlas Shrugged in a first printing.

While Circles and Squares is on the soft rock side as compared with his Red Button releases, I think you’ll find it to be every bit as engaging. It will undoubtedly make this site’s top albums of the year list. Get this one at Kool Kat Musik.