Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Building upon of the conceit 2008’s Prayer of a Common Man, Phil Vassar offers another conceptual record with its 2009 sequel, Traveling Circus. Again, this isn’t a strict concept album as much as a big loose tent that houses songs about “Life” and “Lemonade,” Tequila Towns and high school football stars turned transvestites. It reads wilder than it plays because Vassar’s default mode is a piano-driven power ballad, a sound that suits his letters to longtime loves and odes to a middle America where “a real man loves his God and mama.” Vassar remains best when he’s looser, whether he’s writing a silly cross-dressing novelty like “Bobbi with an I, or romanticizing the glory days of Piano Men in “Where Have All the Pianos Gone” or even reviving that ‘70s spirit on “Save Tonight for Me” (a dead ringer for Andrew Gold, apart from the fiddles and banjos), because that’s where he displays a genuine personality, one that’s a bit goofy and oversized, fitting the Traveling Circus of the album’s title. Vassar can lean a little too heavily on placid power ballads to give this a truly carnivalesque kick, but when he does take the time to lay back he’s as good as he ever was.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 12.49€/month
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Phil Vassar, MainArtist
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Album review
Building upon of the conceit 2008’s Prayer of a Common Man, Phil Vassar offers another conceptual record with its 2009 sequel, Traveling Circus. Again, this isn’t a strict concept album as much as a big loose tent that houses songs about “Life” and “Lemonade,” Tequila Towns and high school football stars turned transvestites. It reads wilder than it plays because Vassar’s default mode is a piano-driven power ballad, a sound that suits his letters to longtime loves and odes to a middle America where “a real man loves his God and mama.” Vassar remains best when he’s looser, whether he’s writing a silly cross-dressing novelty like “Bobbi with an I, or romanticizing the glory days of Piano Men in “Where Have All the Pianos Gone” or even reviving that ‘70s spirit on “Save Tonight for Me” (a dead ringer for Andrew Gold, apart from the fiddles and banjos), because that’s where he displays a genuine personality, one that’s a bit goofy and oversized, fitting the Traveling Circus of the album’s title. Vassar can lean a little too heavily on placid power ballads to give this a truly carnivalesque kick, but when he does take the time to lay back he’s as good as he ever was.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:43:39
- Main artists: Phil Vassar
- Label: Humphead Records
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
(C) 2009 Universal Records South (P) 2009 Universal Records South
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.