May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
{{Short description|2021 tribute album to Roky Erickson}}
{{Infobox album
| name = May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
| type = compilation
| artist = various artists
| cover = May the Circle Remain Unbroken.jpeg
| alt = An old sepiatone photograph of young Roky Erickson's face, aimed leftward with closed eyes. In large purple cursive text, "Roky Erickson" is written across the top with "A Tribute To" in purple print at the top-right of it and "May the Circle Remain Unbroken" in light-brown along the bottom. The left and ride sides are framed with splattery lines of brown paint.
| released = July 17, 2021
| recorded =
| venue =
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| genre = Psychedelic rock{{Cite news |last=Derdeyn |first=Stuart |date=July 14, 2021 |title=5 things to know about May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson posthumous tribute album |work=Vancouver Sun |url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/5-things-to-know-about-may-the-circle-remain-unbroken-a-tribute-to-roky-erickson-posthumous-tribute-album |access-date=July 15, 2021}}
| length = 44:04
| label = Light in the Attic
| producer = Bill Bentley
| prev_title = Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
| prev_year = 1999
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson is an album"[http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/storefront/2021/04/tvd-radar-may-the-circle-remain-unbroken-a-tribute-to-roky-erickson-in-stores-7-17/ May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson in stores 7/17]". The Vinyl District. April 9, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021. by various artists, released July 17, 2021, on indie record label Light in the Attic. It is the first posthumous tribute album for Erickson (who died in 2019) and is produced by Bill Bentley, who also assembled the 1990 Erickson tribute album Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye for Sire Records.{{Cite news |date=April 8, 2021 |title=Roky Erickson Tribute Album May the Circle Remain Unbroken Due In July |work=Blabbermouth.net |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/roky-erickson-tribute-album-may-the-circle-remain-unbroken-due-in-july/ |access-date=May 15, 2021}}
It was an exclusive Record Store Day vinyl release, and was also released digitally and on CD.[https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/14160 Listing at Record Store Day website]. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
Artists featured on the album include ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons;"[http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2021/4/8/zz-tops-billy-gibbons-contributes-song-to-upcoming-roky-erik.html ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons contributes song to upcoming Roky Erikson tribute album]." ABC News Radio. April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021. Charlie Sexton and Alison Mosshart (as Mosshart Sexton); Jeff Tweedy of Wilco; Neko Case; Gary Clark Jr."[https://www.austin360.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/04/08/roky-erickson-tribute-album-features-gary-clark-jr-neko-case/7145329002/ Tribute album for Austin rock legend Roky Erickson features Gary Clark Jr., Neko Case, more]." Austin 360. April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021. and Eve Monsees; and Lucinda Williams. The songs are drawn from Erickson's time with Texas psychedelic rock group the 13th Floor Elevators and his subsequent solo career.
Reception
{{Album ratings
| title =May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson ratings
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| rev1 =American Songwriter
| rev2 =Cover Me
| rev3 =Mojo
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Early critical reaction to the album was positive. In Mojo, Stevie Chick said some of the artists' interpretations suffered from their reverence for the source material, but added: "The more radical reimaginings fare better, like Alison Mosshart and Charlie Sexton redressing 'Starry Eyes' as a reverb-drenched '50s ballad, or The Black Angels recasting 'Don't Fall Down' as a lo-fi Velvets lullaby, or Chelsea Wolfe delivering 'If You Have Ghosts' as yearning, widescreen piano-ballad".{{Cite news |last=Chick |first=Stevie |date=August 2021 |title=Various - May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson |page=89 |work=Mojo |url=https://archive.org/details/mojo-august-2021/page/88/mode/2up |access-date=March 2, 2023}}
Hal Horowitz suggested in American Songwriter that "perhaps this can be an ongoing project. Erickson's largely unheard catalog, both solo and with the Elevators, deserves the attention".
In the Austin American-Statesman, Peter Blackstock compared the new tribute album with the old, describing its feel as "more underground than its comparatively flashier predecessor. That makes it perhaps a harder sell for a broad audience, but it may resonate more deeply with hardcore Erickson fans who appreciate the participants' willingness to immerse themselves in Roky's otherworldly realm".{{Cite web |last=Blackstock |first=Peter |date=July 16, 2021 |title=New Roky Erickson tribute record features Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case, Gary Clark Jr., more |url=https://www.austin360.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/07/16/gary-clark-jr-jeff-tweedy-neko-case-margo-price-billy-gibbons-more-pay-tribute-roky-erickson/7978086002/ |access-date=July 26, 2021 |website=Austin American-Statesman}}
Writing in Cover Me, a publication covering cover songs, Seuras Og similarly made an A/B comparison, describing May the Circle Remain Unbroken as a mix of "simpatico recreations and righteous reenvisionings" that "hangs together better" than Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye.{{Cite web |last=Og |first=Seuras |date=July 17, 2021 |title=Review: May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson |url=https://www.covermesongs.com/2021/07/review-may-the-circle-remain-unbroken-a-tribute-to-roky-erickson-pub-on-7-17.html |access-date=July 26, 2021 |website=Cover Me}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson track listing
| extra_column = Covering artist(s)
| all_writing = Roky Erickson
| total_length = 44:04
| title1 = (I've Got) Levitation
| extra1 = Billy F Gibbons
| length1 = 2:55
| title2 = Starry Eyes
| extra2 = Mosshart Sexton
| length2 = 5:10
| title3 = For You (I'd Do Anything)
| extra3 = Jeff Tweedy
| length3 = 2:26
| title4 = Clear Night for Love
| extra4 = Lynn Castle & Mark Lanegan
| length4 = 2:44
| title5 = Don't Fall Down
| extra5 = The Black Angels
| length5 = 4:22
| title6 = Be and Bring Me Home
| extra6 = Neko Case
| length6 = 4:23
| title7 = Red Temple Prayer (Two-Headed Dog)
| extra7 = Margo Price
| length7 = 3:22
| title8 = Roller Coaster
| extra8 = Gary Clark Jr. & Eve Monsees
| length8 = 4:10
| title9 = Night of the Vampire
| extra9 = Ty Segall
| length9 = 3:53
| title10 = You're Gonna Miss Me
| extra10 = Lucinda Williams
| length10 = 2:38
| title11 = If You Have Ghosts
| extra11 = Chelsea Wolfe
| length11 = 4:45
| title12 = May the Circle Remain Unbroken
| extra12 = Brogan Bentley
| length12 = 3:10
}}
Bonus RSD-Only Flexi Disc
- Roky Erickson — Love Hieroglyphics
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/14160 Listing at Record Store Day website]
- [https://floodmagazine.com/90935/in-conversation-alex-maas-black-angels-bill-bentley-roky-erickson-comp/ Interview with Bill Bentley and The Black Angels' Alex Maas] in Flood Magazine
{{13th Floor Elevators}}
Category:2021 compilation albums
Category:Psychedelic rock compilation albums
Category:Light in the Attic Records compilation albums
Category:Roky Erickson tribute albums
Category:Various artists albums