Jude Davison's 18th (yes, 18th) release is every bit as eclectic as he suggests it is. So, not only has he produced a concept album centred around the theme of a travelling Mexican circus (apparently inspired by Sarah Gruen's book 'Water for Elephants' which I have to admit having never heard of, let alone read), but also drawn on a veritable carnival of styles to form the piece.
Of course, being a concept album, I probably shouldn't be singing out individual tracks, and instead consider the collection holistically and sequentially. 'Carnival Burlesco' is a dark ride through the circus with yawning guitars and flourishes of trumpet.
'Madam O' is pure country, while 'Amphetamine Sam' IS 'Black Magic Woman.' 'The Greatest Show on Earth' could have been lifted from a big stage musical. And so it is that 'Circo de Teatro' feels more carny than concept in many respects, it's diversity and eclecticism such that there are times when it's hard to gain a sense of continuity or unity, at least in musical terms. Lyrically, however, it's altogether more coherent, exploring the circus theme from a range of different perspectives. Elephants, tigers, monkeys, lizard-men and freaks galore populate the world of Circo de Teatro.
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It's not all magnificent spectacle, though, as Jude uncovers 'lipstick and razors' and cocaine and amphetamine and the seamier side of life. Unfortunately, by the end of what is a very long album (15 tracks spanning a full hour), the concept is beginning to wear a little thin, and the constant genre-hopping grows tiresome. Overall, it's an abitious and adventurous album, but one that doesn't always hang together so well, and would probably benefit from being three or four tracks shorter.
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