Pitchfork

[Posted Thursday, October 23rd, 2003 04:00:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

Circles, the new album from the adult contemporaryÉ er, best make that "folk-pop collaboration" between Wilco's John Stirratt and Pat Sansone (Swan Dive, Josh Rouse, etc.) known as The Autumn Defense, is out this week on Arena Rock Recording. The album features such "season"-ed musicians as Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, Chicago singer-songwriter Andrew Bird, Swan Dive's Brad Jones, and drummer Ryan Rapsys-- but "leaves" the majority of the record in the hands of Stirratt and Sansone. Thank you, I'll be here in the lounge all week, drinks are half-price if you click on the Absolutely Kosher ad!

Recording on the project began way back in the winter of 2002, but the duo's commitments to their respective full-time gigs kept them from completing the disc in a timely manner. As a result, the recording became a shelter from the rigors of Stirratt's and Sansone's busy schedules. Initial tracks were laid down at a friend's studio in Nashville, and then the two bounced back and forth between their homes in Chicago and New York numerous times to "rake" together the remainder of the material before finally finishing the disc. I'm sorry, really I am. Tracklist:

01 Silence
02 The Sun in California
03 Written in the Snow
04 The Answer
05 The World (Will Soon Turn Our Way)
06 Why I'm Like This
07 Tuesday Morning
08 Some Kind of Fool
09 Iowa City Adieu
10 Circles

To celebrate the release, The Autumn Defense will be "carving" their niche at a select few shows. Given that there's only three dates so far, this may or may not count as a tour, and there's no indication of who, if anyone, will be joining the core duo for the live sets, but fans should consider attendance at any of these shows a bit of "thanksgiving." Only a "turkey" would miss out. I'm finished. Seriously.

10-22 New York, NY - Pianos
11-18 New York, NY - The Living Room
12-06 Chicago, IL - Schuba's