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According to Lawrence, the Figures album is a kind of gestalt-influenced, story-like “novel,” with the individual songs as chapters, and with an overall rising action, climax, denouement, etc. As for what the songs are about, it’s hard to tell. But if it isn’t clear what Keith’s colorful lyrics mean, as least he’s passionate in his singing of them. If one can accept them as some sort of in-the-moment stream of consciousness-style poetry, there’s a joy in the sound of the words for their own sake.

Except for my gaydar picking up vague, non-sequitur references here and there, and my sensing a certain “kindred spirit” quality to the vocal delivery, Figures is not, on the surface, what I’d label an obvious or “gay” or “out” work. As with other queer artists who perhaps don’t like to be limited or pigeon-holed as such, the meaning of the lyrics is a sort of moving target: ambivalent here, sardonic there, with askew points of view everywhere. I guess it keeps a listener thinking.

One’s gay imagination if free to run wild with tunes such as the anthem-like opening track “Justice,” containing the chorus “Can you give it to me... Can you stick it to me?” and the somewhat honky-tonk “89 of You”, a song about a male-to-male relationship in which references are made about blowing someone’s cover, perhaps referring to a tryst with a closeted straight guy.

My personal favorite tracks on Figures are the last two, #11 “Spread” and #12 “Orbital”, which spread out with a kind of operatic grandeur and contain some nifty 20th-century style chordal passages.

The bass and drum rhythm section really cook on this album, relegated as they are to a merely supportive role. The drummer knows his kit well and makes tasteful choices in riffs and patterns. This listener would love to hear him stretch out even more. The bass is solid and right in the pocket.

The contributions of the two electric guitarists on this album are unusual, somewhat invisible and subliminal. There’s hardly any guitar solos, normal electric guitar tones, or typical rock guitar playing styles on Figures. Instead, the guitarists employ clean, piano-like tones that often seem to double the piano parts. At times, one might forget guitars are present in the songs. I suspect they are triggering the sampled sounds of other instruments and/or noises. These “non-guitar” guitar parts thus seem to function more as ambient string sections, mandolins, organs, and even non-tonal “music concrete” devices in the albums overall arrangement.

In sum, Keyth Lawrence and his Purple Circle offer a good reason for us all to help keep real musicians playing real music off the endangered species list.

More info at keythlawrence.com

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