A treat for lovers of West-Coast Sunshine Pop
Robert in SF | 06/22/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"First, I'm astounded that the previous two reviewers could get so much so wrong (perhaps they were written by the same person?) The first reviewer had apparently never heard of The Cyrkle before hearing this record, so I'll take his opinion with a grain of salt. He inexplicably criticizes the record for being "light", and not Psychedelic enough. That's like accusing The Carpenters of not being Psychedelic enough--they never were, so why expect them to be? The Cyrkle were, in fact, one of the best American pop groups of the second-half of the '60s, and are still inexplicably under-rated. Far from being Beatles-wannabes like so many other American bands of the time, The Cyrkle crafted a uniquely American sound, somewhere in-between The Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel. The second reviewer accuses Don Danneman's voice of being nasal. I wonder how he feels about Brian Wilson's voice? Danneman's was no more nasal than that classic voice.
I think that preconceptions and misconceptions are to blame with the low scores given this disk. But they're forgetting that this is neither a collection of singles, nor is it a rock opera; it's a SOUNDTRACK, and one for a sleazy, low-budget film, at that. The Cyrkle actually did a remarkable job with what meager resources they were given, and some of the cuts really shine. The title track (vocal version) is worthy of Gary McFarland's "Summer Samba", and a couple of the instrumentals evoke Van Dyke Parks in their scope and feel. "Murray the Why" is not only a bitingly clever send-up of legendary DJ "Murray the K", it's also musically the equal of "Today!"-era Brian Wilson. And "It's a Lovely Game, Louise" is simply lovely, and reminds me of Simon & Garfunkel's "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright". Yes, the instrumental version of the title cut does sound a bit like Herb Alpert & the TJB; not necessarily a bad thing. But some of the other instrumentals sound like they could've been outtakes from Lalo Schifrin's classic soundtracks of the time (such as "Bullitt"). Sure, there are a few uneven tracks, but that shouldn't damn the record any more than it should for the weaknesses in Brian Wilson's "Smile" or in The United States of America's great, eponymous album. And there are many unexpected touches here--the use of novel guitar effects, close harmonies, tricky rhythms and other sophisticated elements.
For those who appreciate bands like The Left Banke, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Free Design, Messers McFarland and Parks, and Italian and French library and soundtrack music of the '60s, this record is sure to reward. And by all means, pick up the two recent compilations of The Cyrkle's radio-oriented music; they're undiscovered gems."
Novelty soft-psychedelia sixties rock
James Baker | Highland, NY United States | 05/16/2004
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I was made aware of this disc by an article in the English music mag Mojo about standout sixties soft rock obscurities. The Cyrkle, apparently, were a mid sixties outfit that opened for, and were a favorite of, the Beatles circa 1966. This was touted as the final and "lost" Cyrkle album, a soundtrack to a skin flick that sunk quickly into obscurity. I bit, expecting a goldmine of tuneful gems. The tracks do certainly have a unique late sixties pyschedelic feel, yet they are so lite they border on elevator music. The exceptions are "Squeeze Play", a nice little jingle doused with sixities technocolor, and "The Rigging", a great (...) instrumental break.
The rest is forgettable and borderline annoying. The pictues from the film, however, found inside the CD booklet, are quite erm..titilating."
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1