Signal Morning

Personnel: Will Cullen Hart (vocals, guitar, piano, organ, xylophone, bass guitar, drums, tambourine, hand claps, bell, electronics); John Fernandes (vocals, violin, clarinet, bass clarinet, bass guitar, hand claps, electronics); Heather McIntosh (vocals, cello); Bill Doss (vocals, piano, Mellotron, tubular bells); Pete Erchick (vocals, piano, keyboards, bass guitar, wood block); Nesey Gallons, Nesey Gallons (vocals, piano); Derek Almstead (vocals, keyboards, upright bass, bass guitar, drums); Suzanne Allison (vocals, keyboards); Hannah Jones (vocals, drums); Emily Growden, Gary Olsen (vocals); Charlie Johnston (guitar, drums); Julian Koster (banjo, Fender Rhodes piano, bass guitar, drums); Andy Gonzales (banjo, bass guitar); Kelly Ruberto, Kelly Ruberto (flute); The Diminisher (saxophone); Robbie Cucchiaro (trumpet, flugelhorn, euphonium); Jeff Mangum, Eric Harris (drums); Dylan Ryan (percussion).
Editors: Nesey Gallons; Charlie Johnston; Nesey Gallons.
Illustrator: Will Cullen Hart.
Photographers: Will Cullen Hart; William Westbrook; Bill Doss.
Beginning with the rumbling and enjoyably bass-heavy "Woodpecker Greeting Worker Ant" -- a title that may explain the air of gentle threat throughout, despite the concluding voices of winsome cheer -- SIGNAL MORNING finds a veteran of Olivia Tremor Control, Will Cullen Hart, with help from not only all his former bandmates but fellow travelers from Neutral Milk Hotel, returning to the Circulatory System name after a break of eight years. The fact that one of those fellow travelers is Jeff Mangum will be reason enough for that performer's rabid cult to take an interest, but this is neither a supergroup nor a full reunion of Hart's older band. It's just Hart working within the psych/experimental/indie vein that made Elephant 6 a byword for many (and which helped lay the groundwork for the even wider acceptance of acts like Animal Collective).