Stone Circus was a psychedelic rock band signed to Mainstream Records in the 1960s. They seem to have been from New York, but the only other information I can really dig up is that their music was a bit off the beaten path, even for psychedelic rock on the Mainstream Records label. That entices me a fair deal, and makes this album seem like it ought to make for an interesting listening experience. With that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“What Went Wrong” starts out with some really interesting acoustic guitar and jazz club like xylophone percussion that creates a sort of really tasty elevator music soundscape, which gradually evolves to some sort of psychedelic soft rock tune as the bass comes in gently from the background and the organs begin to come in on the right side of the soundscape. The verses, however, take on an almost marching-like feel that progresses this tune further along in a bit more of a psychedelic garage rock fashion. This tune is super interesting, and really sweet. I’m looking forward to the rest of the album.
“Adam’s Lament” starts out with a really nice segue from the previous track into a lone bass line that gently gets the tune grooving as the other instruments start to come in gradually. Oh wow, I really dig this chopping groove from the bass, organs, and rhythm guitar – super tasty. The vocals come on when the track has established its groove and adds a nice flavor to the soundscape. Oh wow, this tune has a really interesting bridge part. This tune feels like it’s sort of psychedelic rock mixed with elevator music – I really dig it. Sweet tune.
“Mr. Grey” has a really paced out intro with the piano laying out a melody on top and the bass lifting the piano up from underneath while the organs accentuate the melody on the sides. Oh wow, the effect on the electric guitar is extremely intriguing – almost like a super bright, bass heavy distortion mixed with the sound of a metal zipper constantly zipping and unzipping – I really dig it. Oh wow, this little instrumental jam has a really great jazz feel to the whole bit while still remaining firmly planted in the psychedelic rock realm with the rockin’ drums and swirling organs filling the sides of the soundscape as the vocals guide you from the center. Great tune.
“Blue Funk” has a really interesting guitar line to introduce this track, which undoubtedly has a bit of funk feel to it. It sounds like a bluesy psychedelic garage rock band playing a loose and groovy funk track. Oh wow, those organs have a super playful feel to them – super sweet. I really dig those meandering bluesy lines from the lead guitar that sort of gradually weave together. Really sweet tune.
“Carnival of Love” starts out like you’re on some sort of strange, hypnotic merry-go-round at a circus with the gentle guitar interweaving with the carnivalesque swirling organs. Oh wow, this is really pleasant. The drums and bass gently bop the tune along while the organs take the lead. The vocals have such a delicate feel to them – it reminds me a bit of some of the soft psychedelic rock songs from Chamaeleon Church. I really dig how the vocals pick up a sort of chorus effect that warms throughout the soundscape. Really pleasant tune.
“Sara Wells” has a super intriguing feel to it – the level of super bright distortion gives the tune some sort of experimental psychedelic qualities that are somewhat akin to Fifty Foot Hose, while the style of the tune and its general progression at the start reminds me a bit of The Beatles’ Revolver (1966) era, though it does get a sort of darker spacey area that is somewhat reminiscent of Los Angeles based psychedelic rock bands of the era. The rhythm guitar sort of gallops from one note to the next – super sweet sound. Really sweet track.
“Inside-Out Man” starts out with a bit of a slow, building start as the instrumentation of the organs, electric guitar, and drums continually build up until the vocals come on and the song takes on a more pointed direction. Oh wow, those chorus vocals are super sweet and bring a nice dream-like sound to the soundscape. Oh wow, the organs and heavily distorted electric guitar working alongside one another allows them to play off one another in this super groovy instrumental jam section. I really dig the beat of the drums in this one, keeping the track propelling forward and creating even more room in the soundscape. The bass has a really sweet walking bass line that keeps the tune progressing on a totally different axis from the drums, creating even more space in the soundscape for the electric guitar and organs to really jam out. Oh wow, the jam drops back into place in that groovy psychedelic melody as the vocals come back on – super tasty. Great tune.
“Camino Real” has a really epic sound in this track with the organs seemingly marching the tune down a line while the electric guitar comes and gets some super tasty licks in. The drums have a super sweet sound to them in this one, reminiscent of more psychedelic garage rock bands (The Blues Magoos is coming to mind in particular for me at the moment). Oh wow, the chorus vocals really seem to lift the tune up nicely, especially in conjunction with the organs that lift the soundscape up even higher, while the electric guitar gets some more really tasty licks in with some great distorted tone. The bass line really bops the tune along nicely with a really sweet ascending line. Really tasty tune.
“People I Once Knew” starts out with some really pleasant, near epic, melancholic piano that keeps the melody moving along as the vocals come in as a spoken word introductory part to the track. Oh wow, a big dissonant chord from the piano introduces the other instruments as the vocals drop out and the organs and piano accentuate lines from the outside as the electric guitar really goes into the track with some super sweet distortion and a great wah effect that really enhances the psychedelia nicely. The drums have a bit of galloping feeling while the bass line serves as some really nice connective tissue, nearly turning that gallop into more of a glide. Oh wow, this jam keeps on giving and going more – really tasty. Oh wow, a big descent from the bass cues the organs and guitar to switch leads. Now the electric guitar has some super crunchy distortion and accentuates the melody with the piano as the organs really go into the track and swirl around the psychedelic soundscape in this track. Oh wow, this jam keeps on going. Holy smokes, all the instruments joined up for a super tasty portion that echoed the walking bass line and segued back into that pleasant piano and spoken word section from the beginning. Great track.
Wow, this was a super interesting listening experience. The album evolves from a sort of acoustic jazz elevator music mixed with psychedelic rock to some psychedelic soft rock, and ends on an interesting piece that combines the jazz-like element of spoken word sandwiching a massive psychedelic rock jam. Meanwhile, the band hits other peaks of psychedelic rock jams throughout the album that are peppered in between the sort of natural progression the album takes to become more of a harder rockin’ album by the finish. Plus there are some garage rock and experimental rock elements mixed throughout, which keep a dynamic feeling throughout the album – you never know what’s next. If you enjoy psychedelic rock from the 1960s and are looking for an interesting, dynamic listening experience, you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this one a listen, I sincerely hope that you enjoy the experience at least as much as I did.
-A