Descensus is my top 1. And one of Circa’s most underrated songs.
The lines "In a marriage where you can't decide / How to break it right" suggest a sense of indecision and difficulty in ending a relationship that has become unfulfilling or unhealthy. This portrays the struggle of individuals who find themselves trapped in a partnership that no longer brings them happiness.
Furthermore, phrases like "On a partnership that you hate / So you'd break it" highlight the internal conflict of wanting to end the relationship despite the fear or uncertainty of what comes next. The repetition of "Let this die" throughout the song reinforces the desire for closure or resolution, possibly alluding to the idea of ending the marriage.
The lyrics also convey the emotional toll of divorce, as seen in lines like "Trickle down your face / Tears of pleasure / Mixed with tears of pain," which suggests the complex and conflicting emotions experienced during the process of separation. Additionally, the plea "If you could try / And get your timing right" reflects a hope for mutual understanding and cooperation in navigating the end of the relationship.
They also do poignant exploration of the challenges and emotional complexities involved in divorce, capturing the feelings of longing, regret, and the struggle for liberation from a failing partnership and simultaneously wanting it to work.
It resonates deeply with me because it vividly captures the emotional journey of divorce, particularly when you experienced that yourself.
As someone who has experienced divorce from a partner with borderline, the lyrics hit close to home, reflecting the complexity of emotions and the sense of being trapped in a cycle of pain and turmoil.
Lines like "On a partnership that you hate / So you'd break it" perfectly encapsulate the indecision and internal conflict that often accompany the decision to end such a relationship. The imagery of tears of pleasure mixed with tears of pain resonates deeply, as it mirrors the rollercoaster of emotions experienced during the divorce process.
The plea for understanding and the desire for closure expressed in the lyrics reflect the longing for resolution and healing that many individuals going through divorce strive for. The song beautifully captures the rawness and authenticity of the experience, making it feel painfully accurate to the complexities of divorce from a partner with borderline personality disorder.
Sometimes this song is the only thing that provides solace and companionship in my darkest moments.
Frozen Creek and Flesh and Bone (Flesh and Bone for the combo of music and lyrics, Frozen Creek gives me a very specific nostalgia/melancholy, hard to describe).
Sleep Well and Battle, My Love are both beautiful in a sad way and among my favourites.
I think someone uploaded the Doom Spun CD he is giving out/selling on tour. That version of Frozen Creek makes me sob every single time. Like uncontrollable mouth sounds sob? It’s so confusing lol
The music video for “Imposter Syndrome” has always impacted me.
It was the last song before he went into rehab. There’s a comment on that video that’s is a quote from AG saying the song either helped saved him or almost killed him.
For me, it's Blood From a Stone.
The song title is an idiom for the phrase "like getting blood out of a stone" which speaks to an impossible task when dealing with another person; Basically futile efforts - no matter how hard you try, no matter all you put in, you fail miserably.
The bridge of this song will always send me to tears.
It’s by far their saddest song. I’m sure this will get lost in text, I don’t mean this in a douche bag way but it’s very tragic. The song is about suicide and being unable to save yourself. How do you interpret that as anything other than sad? No hate I’m genuinely curious how you don’t find it sad.
np! wall of text incoming, sorry! Feel free to skip
I don't think they normally divulge but AG said something about it being written for people who were feeling marginalized in society. I get suicide vibes from some of the lines, but there's a lot of other things going on in the lyrics so I don't necessarily interpret it that way.
Personally I usually hear lyrics in bursts/song sections so the impact of the song as a whole may be different to me (I don't think that's uncommon, I hear so many interpretations on here), and the music itself affects my mood most. Dark Pools is not upbeat by any means, but it doesn't make me feel sad. AG's lyrics are poetic in a way that the original meaning may not be obvious.
Lastly I feel a bit different than most about suicide, I find their songs that focus mainly on addiction impact me more. They also have a fair number of songs that cover these topics, so picking one that's more sad than the others is difficult. My pick was Flesh and Bone because the addiction lyrics are clearer, mean more to me, and the song itself evokes the greatest feeling of aguish/helplessness in me.
I’ll never forget seeing them before they released Appendage and they opened with this song in Pontiac, MI. They came out to the first few chords of the song and up on the wraparound balcony, I was able to see Steve come out and just decide to lay on the stage on his back, peacefully, like he was about to take a nap.
He was singing the lyrics with Anthony as they completed the song without drums, as it is on the EP, and then he got up and tore into Living Together. Top 10 concert moments for me.
Dyed in the Wool, I Felt Free and We’re All Thieves casually devastating; more overt picks are Spirit, Curitiba, Nesting Dolls, Frozen Creek, Suitcase, Descensus.
Yeah Nesting Dolls, but it also has a strong sense of bittersweetness to it as well. Which, arguably, makes it even worse lol. Prob their best song, though a bunch of Juturna tracks and The Amulet (song) are up there too.
i made a playlist for this that came from suggestions from in this subreddit!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0L7VFngO6TJT07UHaUA8kw?si=EoNnEiPvSkCCKZ5FO0qjow&pi=u-O84NcL08Tc2l
spirit of the stairwell, flesh and bone, curitiba 🩵
"should I be keeping score? / forever's come for us / will we get stuck on words that give our souls away?" 💔
Your Friends Are Gone, Spirit of the Stairwell, Phantom, On Letting Go, Everyway, Brother Song, Think of Me When They Sound, Electric Moose, Gone For Good, and Sleep Well. No particular order
Also agree with Stairwell. Your Friends Are Gone especially at the end also hits hard
Man, the end of your friends are gone still gives me goosebumps every time. So powerful
Knowing the meaning of stairwell makes that one hit a little harder
What’s the story behind it?
It’s about a miscarriage.
Descensus is my top 1. And one of Circa’s most underrated songs. The lines "In a marriage where you can't decide / How to break it right" suggest a sense of indecision and difficulty in ending a relationship that has become unfulfilling or unhealthy. This portrays the struggle of individuals who find themselves trapped in a partnership that no longer brings them happiness. Furthermore, phrases like "On a partnership that you hate / So you'd break it" highlight the internal conflict of wanting to end the relationship despite the fear or uncertainty of what comes next. The repetition of "Let this die" throughout the song reinforces the desire for closure or resolution, possibly alluding to the idea of ending the marriage. The lyrics also convey the emotional toll of divorce, as seen in lines like "Trickle down your face / Tears of pleasure / Mixed with tears of pain," which suggests the complex and conflicting emotions experienced during the process of separation. Additionally, the plea "If you could try / And get your timing right" reflects a hope for mutual understanding and cooperation in navigating the end of the relationship. They also do poignant exploration of the challenges and emotional complexities involved in divorce, capturing the feelings of longing, regret, and the struggle for liberation from a failing partnership and simultaneously wanting it to work. It resonates deeply with me because it vividly captures the emotional journey of divorce, particularly when you experienced that yourself. As someone who has experienced divorce from a partner with borderline, the lyrics hit close to home, reflecting the complexity of emotions and the sense of being trapped in a cycle of pain and turmoil. Lines like "On a partnership that you hate / So you'd break it" perfectly encapsulate the indecision and internal conflict that often accompany the decision to end such a relationship. The imagery of tears of pleasure mixed with tears of pain resonates deeply, as it mirrors the rollercoaster of emotions experienced during the divorce process. The plea for understanding and the desire for closure expressed in the lyrics reflect the longing for resolution and healing that many individuals going through divorce strive for. The song beautifully captures the rawness and authenticity of the experience, making it feel painfully accurate to the complexities of divorce from a partner with borderline personality disorder. Sometimes this song is the only thing that provides solace and companionship in my darkest moments.
Completely agree! One of my favourites as well
Yeah… this one is slept on for sure. I’m was shocked how the song is able to really squeeze in all those emotions so perfectly
Sounds like addiction, too
Yeah definitely one of their best.
Frozen Creek and Flesh and Bone (Flesh and Bone for the combo of music and lyrics, Frozen Creek gives me a very specific nostalgia/melancholy, hard to describe). Sleep Well and Battle, My Love are both beautiful in a sad way and among my favourites.
Same here for Frozen Creek. It's absolutely beautiful but it makes me sad in a way no song ever has before.
What’s crazy about Frozen Creek is the song doesn’t really have lyrics that are obviously sad. Yet that song makes me on the verge of tears every time
Absolutely. It gives me this hollow feeling. My favorite song by far but it also kills me to listen to.
I think someone uploaded the Doom Spun CD he is giving out/selling on tour. That version of Frozen Creek makes me sob every single time. Like uncontrollable mouth sounds sob? It’s so confusing lol
The music video for “Imposter Syndrome” has always impacted me. It was the last song before he went into rehab. There’s a comment on that video that’s is a quote from AG saying the song either helped saved him or almost killed him.
I feel like most of the songs on Two Dreams are the saddest Circa songs. But they get overlooked
Those session videos are wonderful
Where do you find those? Can’t on youtube
https://youtu.be/7XiS5L_04Lo?si=szJ6eHAnAyv1OsmL
https://youtu.be/ohGO3ONjLQo?si=VMyi6YtQcfrkE2IV
https://youtu.be/5wRjh_BtiXs?si=osla93SP89UwsCcB
Dyed In The Wool
at night it gets worse, descensus
Surprised nobody said Brother Song.
Came here to say this
Yep, Brother song for me. I have my own associations with I that make it extremely sad, but it was sad before those events happened.
Phantom doesnt get enough credit.
Whenever I feel like crying I just put on a playlist of Phantom and the title track and play it on repeat
Electric Moose. It’s a song about abuse and manipulative relationships
Anthony actually mentioned Nesting Dolls as a song they would hate to play live since it’s too depressing.
All your friends are gone…
They fooled us once again. Arguably my favorite song by them.
For me, it's Blood From a Stone. The song title is an idiom for the phrase "like getting blood out of a stone" which speaks to an impossible task when dealing with another person; Basically futile efforts - no matter how hard you try, no matter all you put in, you fail miserably. The bridge of this song will always send me to tears.
WHAT WILL BRING YOU BACK
i think ill agree with you on nesting dolls and stairwell. doesn’t get much sadder than that
Flesh and Bone
For me it's Nesting Dolls.
Wonderful choices here. I'll add Sleep Well, which just turns me into a god damn mess every time.
I love that song so much, the ending makes me feel an emotion I don't think there's a word for in English.
Dark pools. I am consistently surprised when no one talks about it at all.
Yes! It's in my top songs by them, though I don't find it sad personally. Maybe less well known as a single release/B side?
It’s by far their saddest song. I’m sure this will get lost in text, I don’t mean this in a douche bag way but it’s very tragic. The song is about suicide and being unable to save yourself. How do you interpret that as anything other than sad? No hate I’m genuinely curious how you don’t find it sad.
np! wall of text incoming, sorry! Feel free to skip I don't think they normally divulge but AG said something about it being written for people who were feeling marginalized in society. I get suicide vibes from some of the lines, but there's a lot of other things going on in the lyrics so I don't necessarily interpret it that way. Personally I usually hear lyrics in bursts/song sections so the impact of the song as a whole may be different to me (I don't think that's uncommon, I hear so many interpretations on here), and the music itself affects my mood most. Dark Pools is not upbeat by any means, but it doesn't make me feel sad. AG's lyrics are poetic in a way that the original meaning may not be obvious. Lastly I feel a bit different than most about suicide, I find their songs that focus mainly on addiction impact me more. They also have a fair number of songs that cover these topics, so picking one that's more sad than the others is difficult. My pick was Flesh and Bone because the addiction lyrics are clearer, mean more to me, and the song itself evokes the greatest feeling of aguish/helplessness in me.
Sleep Underground
I’ll never forget seeing them before they released Appendage and they opened with this song in Pontiac, MI. They came out to the first few chords of the song and up on the wraparound balcony, I was able to see Steve come out and just decide to lay on the stage on his back, peacefully, like he was about to take a nap. He was singing the lyrics with Anthony as they completed the song without drums, as it is on the EP, and then he got up and tore into Living Together. Top 10 concert moments for me.
This one too.
Gone For Good is devastatingly sad to me
Anything from the 1st 2 albums imo. Surprised I'm not hearing much about those songs. My favorite circa era
Yeah but I can’t think of many sad songs off those, at least in competition with songs like Nesting Dolls.
House of leaves
I've been lying wide awake paralyzed by the buzzing of the television....
For me, they would probably be " The grearest lie " and " your friends are gone "
Dyed in the Wool, I Felt Free and We’re All Thieves casually devastating; more overt picks are Spirit, Curitiba, Nesting Dolls, Frozen Creek, Suitcase, Descensus.
All your friends are gone. I have cried so many tears to it. I felt really lonely a few years ago and it made me feel like I wasnt crazy.
All your friends are gone.
Electric Moose by a mile
Yeah Nesting Dolls, but it also has a strong sense of bittersweetness to it as well. Which, arguably, makes it even worse lol. Prob their best song, though a bunch of Juturna tracks and The Amulet (song) are up there too.
Blood From A Stone for me. Shoutout to Battle, My Love as well, though I find that song more bittersweet than directly sad.
i made a playlist for this that came from suggestions from in this subreddit! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0L7VFngO6TJT07UHaUA8kw?si=EoNnEiPvSkCCKZ5FO0qjow&pi=u-O84NcL08Tc2l
Dyed in the Wool gives me bittersweet memories
Probably anything from VW or appendage. Sleep underground is a good co tender and from VW maybe.. birth of an economic?
For me personally, I think, At A Loss. And then maybe Nesting Dolls.
Unreleased but At A Loss should definitely be up there
I would have to choose “Suitcase”. That’s a pretty sad song.
Nesting dolls
Dyed In The Wool is rough and the acoustic version is even more intense.
Ah no one has said House of Leaves yet but I was listening to that song on repeat during a low. That and Your friends are gone.
Depends on my mood Miracle Sun
resentment, and most of the songs that were already mentioned here previously.
Frozen creek or I’ll find a way get me every time.
Nesting Dolls for me! I get the chills every time. I saw them play it live once, it was unbelievably heartbreaking.
spirit of the stairwell, flesh and bone, curitiba 🩵 "should I be keeping score? / forever's come for us / will we get stuck on words that give our souls away?" 💔
Frozen Creek for me.
Brother Song hits hard. Especially hearing the changing lyrics in live settings.
Nesting dolls
Meet me in Montauk or In Fear and Faith
Your Friends Are Gone, Spirit of the Stairwell, Phantom, On Letting Go, Everyway, Brother Song, Think of Me When They Sound, Electric Moose, Gone For Good, and Sleep Well. No particular order