May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson

May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
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.
Compilation album by
various artists
ReleasedJuly 17, 2021
GenrePsychedelic rock[1]
Length44:04
LabelLight in the Attic
ProducerBill Bentley
Various artists chronology
Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
(1999) 		May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson
(2021)

May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson is an album[2] 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.[3]

It was an exclusive Record Store Day vinyl release, and was also released digitally and on CD.[4][3]

Artists featured on the album include ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons;[5] Charlie Sexton and Alison Mosshart (as Mosshart Sexton); Jeff Tweedy of Wilco; Neko Case; Gary Clark Jr.[6] 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

May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
American Songwriter[7]
Cover Me[8]
Mojo[9]

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".[9]

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".[7]

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".[10]

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.[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Roky Erickson

May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson track listing
No.TitleCovering artist(s)Length
1."(I've Got) Levitation"Billy F Gibbons2:55
2."Starry Eyes"Mosshart Sexton5:10
3."For You (I'd Do Anything)"Jeff Tweedy2:26
4."Clear Night for Love"Lynn Castle & Mark Lanegan2:44
5."Don't Fall Down"The Black Angels4:22
6."Be and Bring Me Home"Neko Case4:23
7."Red Temple Prayer (Two-Headed Dog)"Margo Price3:22
8."Roller Coaster"Gary Clark Jr. & Eve Monsees4:10
9."Night of the Vampire"Ty Segall3:53
10."You're Gonna Miss Me"Lucinda Williams2:38
11."If You Have Ghosts"Chelsea Wolfe4:45
12."May the Circle Remain Unbroken"Brogan Bentley3:10
Total length:44:04

Bonus RSD-Only Flexi Disc

  • Roky Erickson — Love Hieroglyphics

References

  1. ^ Derdeyn, Stuart (July 14, 2021). "5 things to know about May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson posthumous tribute album". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson in stores 7/17". The Vinyl District. April 9, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Roky Erickson Tribute Album May the Circle Remain Unbroken Due In July". Blabbermouth.net. April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Listing at Record Store Day website. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons contributes song to upcoming Roky Erikson tribute album." ABC News Radio. April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  6. ^ "Tribute album for Austin rock legend Roky Erickson features Gary Clark Jr., Neko Case, more." Austin 360. April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Horowitz, Hal (July 15, 2021). "Review: Roky Erickson's Songs Get Elevated On A Belated, Heartfelt Follow-Up To 1999's Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye". American Songwriter. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Og, Seuras (July 17, 2021). "Review: May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson". Cover Me. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Chick, Stevie (August 2021). "Various - May the Circle Remain Unbroken: A Tribute to Roky Erickson". Mojo. p. 89. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Blackstock, Peter (July 16, 2021). "New Roky Erickson tribute record features Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case, Gary Clark Jr., more". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved July 26, 2021.