Party On
What is it about Canada that has led to so many hard rock groups in the recent years? Is it the cold weather driving the country to rock or simply the fear of the Mounties who claim to always get their man? Whatever the answer, The Tea Party seems to have come from the same mould as fellow Canadian rockers, Nickelback. But regardless of this fact, The Tea Party deserve to be judged on their own merits and 'Seven Circles' appears to be the perfect album to show why this group have gained platinum recognition in their home country. Indeed this album comes four years after the band's sixth studio album, proving that their is certainly longevity in the group.
'Seven Circles' takes you on a musical and emotional roller coaster that begins with the mind rocking opening track, 'Writing's On the Wall'. This is a song which gets the pulses pumping, rampaging along at a thumping pace and clearly demonstrating why The Tea Party are defined as hard rock. These are the songs which come naturally to the band; they know how to crank up the volume and rock along with the best. At the same time they are not restricted to only being able to produce monstrous tracks. 'Seven Circles' shows equally the calmer, more emotional side of the band. 'Oceans', in all its heart-rending finery is The Tea Party's take on sensitivity, something which again they seem more then apt to be able to pull off. The Tea Party propel you through the album, one track may send you into a rock frenzy, head banging across the room, but in an instant you are brought back down to earth with a jolt as songs like 'The Watcher' almost reduce you to tears. The lyrics for 'Empty Glasses' on the other hand incorporate so many of David Bowie's song lyrics and titles it is as if the band are challenging you to count how many there really are!
Apparently "evolving songwriters", 'Seven Circles' is a collection of lyrically poetic songs which presents The Tea Party's musical abilities in all their glory. This is a group who invite you to experience each step with them until you feel every ounce of tenderness, every teardrop and every single heartbreak. Lyrically they are able to be both moving and poignant and as such The Tea Party push aside hard rock groups into a league of their own.