A PASSAGE TO CLEAR
A STORY ALBUM

VISION

John Miner's "Art Rock Circus releases it's follow up to the critically aclaimed "Heavens Cafe' Live" album...this one being titled "A Passage to Clear" This Story Album takes us through the day to day drama of an up and coming fine art painter (Dawn) her agent (Emilio) and his side kick (Gina)...The music explores the nature of Love, Lust, greed, betrayal and deceit..and eventually victory..Synopis here! Miner recently expressed.... "The continuing idea for ART ROCK CIRCUS seemed appropriate because like any Circus, you've always got performers coming and going. I was feeling the need for a vehicle to ride in... that would keep a certain continuity, yet still give me the ability to explore new landscapes and textures, without losing a sense of familiarity. I spent many months performing at small coffee houses just playing guitar and singing a bit... which was an astonishing contrast to HEAVENS CAFE'. This gave the chance to try out new material for the record without having to overprepare or get too clinical. That intimate space and new-found clarity was really the foundation for this record." Check out the behind the scenes of

BY ART ROCK CIRCUS

A PASSAGE TO CLEAR brings in drummer Devon Lebsack (Berklee College of Music) and bassist Kelton Manning along with vocalists Karyn Anderson (playing Gina) and Karen Rene'e (playing Dawn) and presents the second of hopefully many ART ROCK CIRCUS albums to come...Says Miner "After the final shows of HEAVENS CAFE' it was really time to just get back to writing and test new waters. I was on a high like never before, yet needed to simplify things as far as life condition and find a renewed freshness....hence A PASSAGE TO CLEAR. The idea of working with female vocalists was really a tribute to the success of songs like "Never Alone" and "Heavens Cafe'" but I felt a need to express that venus energy in a more eclectic way. I thought it good to stay in Vegas because the talent pool in that town is just unbelievable and I hadn't really explored the richness and complexity of the desert. The amazing surealistic landscapes and complete isolation you can find just minutes from the city, seemed a perfect canvas to start painting and writing with sound.."

TRIBUTARY

CHECK OUT OUR IN THE STUDIO PAGE FOR A CLOSE AND PERSONAL LOOK AT THE MAKING OF THE RECORD

THE RECORD

A PASSAGE TO CLEAR starts with an unusual piece "Stranger of my find" which features a bouncy latin shuffle combined with what feels like a never ending circle of guitar cords that lay enclosure for Karen Rene'e's majestic vocal stylings. This in turn meanders into the next track which finds Karen exploring a more dark mysterious tone..."The Promise"...You get the feeling you're on a musical ride going somewhere as the listener winds through the haunting "Underground" then surfaces up to find the track "CLEAR". We get our first listen to Karyn Anderson here and this may be the highlight of the album. Shadows of Style shows a softer side for the band and Karyn's voice; then she delivers a very compelling highly emotionally charged performance on "The Lie", which is further embelished by the dramatic chord swells and volume pedal guitar work of John. The record is rounded out with the climbing "Heaven". Then things meander again surfacing full circle back to the "STRANGER" reprise. "I think it's the most interesting record I've done" says John speaking fondly of the album. "The songs are really growing when we play them live and they allow everyone a lot of room to splash around and such, it's a very enjoyable record to perform!"

Sound Samples Here!

CD $11.95