Circus Maximus (Momus album)
1986 studio album by Momus
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Circus Maximus is the debut album by Scottish musician Momus, released on 15 January 1986[2] on Creation Records. It deals primarily with Biblical and Ancient Roman themes,[3] making reference to figures such as Saul, St. Sebastian, Lucretia, and Solomon. The title, Circus Maximus, refers to the ancient Roman chariot racing and entertainment venue of the same name.
| Circus Maximus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 15 January 1986 | |||
| Recorded | September 1985 | |||
| Studio | Alaska Studio | |||
| Genres | Folk, indie | |||
| Length | 33:47 | |||
| Label | él Records | |||
| Producer | Momus | |||
| Momus chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Circus Maximus | ||||
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Background and influences
The Guardian has characterised the lyrical content of Circus Maximus as a "skewed reading of certain classical and biblical themes," adding that "the urgent, whispering [Momus] professes himself a masochistic St. Sebastian ('preferring the ache to the aspirin') and sings of 'The Rape of Lucretia' like a Morrissey who had not stopped at an enthusiasm for Oscar Wilde but mined the whole decadent tradition: Pater, Swinburne, Huysmans."[4]
Track listing
All songs written by Nicholas Currie (Momus).
- "Lucky Like St. Sebastian" - 3:19
- "The Lesson Of Sodom (According To Lot)" - 3:43
- "John The Baptist Jones" - 3:12
- "King Solomon's Song And Mine" - 3:17
- "Little Lord Obedience" - 5:13
- "The Day The Circus Came To Town" - 3:25
- "The Rape Of Lucretia" - 4:57
- "Paper Wraps Rock" - 3:58
- "Rules Of The Game Of Quoits" - 4:03
- "Nicky" - 4:16
- "Don't Leave" - 3:35
- "See A Friend In Tears" - 4:12
Personnel
- Backing Vocals – Jane Davies
- Engineer – Noël Thomson
- Producer – Momus
- Synthesizer [Emulator 2] – Neill Martin[5]