Local Review: Reverend Morley – Circle of Willis

Reverend Morley
Circle of Willis
Self-Released
Street: 07.05.2026
Reverend Morley = Dead Kennedys + Gorillaz + Alice In Chains 

“The Circle of Willis” is the name for the arteries that supply blood to one’s brain. Circle of Willis is also the latest album from local artist Reverend Morley. Much like its namesake, this album is sure to get your brain working. Circle of Willis starts off with a plane crash that’s emulated through pounding percussion. 

This first song, “Jesus is my Co-Pilot,” sets the tone for Circle of Willis. It’s an ironic and witty critique of religion — which is the main theme of the album. The plane that Jesus is unsuccessfully co-piloting is described as the sort that’s loaded with tired passengers and complimentary beverages. Yet as I listened to the rest of the album, I wondered if that airplane was meant to represent our plane of existence. Circle of Willis humorously yet thoughtfully laments the way our world is “going down.” Don’t be fooled by the 90’s/2000’s sound — this album is full of extremely relevant social commentary. Most of this conversation deals with religion. The album also touches on capitalism, agoraphobia and many other themes.

Morley mixes a variety of rock subgenres with synths and the occasional esoteric instrument (i.e. church bells). The end result is a cleanly mastered album that doesn’t get tiring when replayed — there’s always a new guitar riff or percussive moment to notice. 

The track list also has a wide variety of different sounds. You won’t see any of them coming. “Chasing Rabbits” stood out to me for its unique feel. Morley’s smooth vocals are low and growling over tense percussion, creating an atmosphere that sends shivers down your spine. “Chasing Rabbits” is immediately followed by the jarringly peppy “Dear Brother Ray,”; however the peppy sound of “Dear Brother Ray” doesn’t carry into its lyrics. “Dear Brother Ray” is perhaps the most explicitly ex-Mormon of the track. Most of the ex-religious pieces discuss the betrayal that one feels upon leaving a religion —  clearly Mormonism, in Morley’s case. In “Dear Brother Ray,” “2 of 13” and “Son of the Morning,” Morley sings dark lyrics like “…without Satan, there is no Jesus…Satan is God’s plan.” These witty and nihilistic lyrics contrasted with Morley’s variety of musical settings leads to an album with multitudes of meaning.

The most notable aspect of the album for me is when it touches on the feeling of being lost without the religion you relied on for so long. Circle of Willis lingers on the occasional wish that life could have the purpose that religion provides. It’s no surprise that thoughtful Morley isn’t afraid to touch this nuance with his signature slick vocals and masterful guitar riffs. Morley’s Circle of Willis expertly deals with the ups and downs of losing the religion that’s keeping you from losing it. Most importantly, the album stays humorous and “punk rock” the whole way through. —Avery Good.

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