Search - Cyrkle :: Red Rubber Ball: A Collection

A bouncy collection

David Reese | Allentown PA | 11/04/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a teen in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania, the Cyrkle was always a favorite group. They met at Lafayette College in Easton, and made it to the top during a fun time in the music world. They had a fun and upbeat sound which comes through in this collection. Although many of the songs in the collection were not BIG hits, it is fun to have them together in this quality collection. The booklet of their history is a wonderful bonus. A great addition to this Boomer's collection."

Just What Was "Garage Rock" Anyway?

R. L. MILLER | FT LAUDERDALE FL USA | 10/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I mean, the original definition before there was that buzz phrase in need of definition? The more modern usage of course is connected with the abomination of punk, the only difference being that it lacks the punk need for harshness which makes a melody almost undetectable. With today's garage sound, the song can have a tune to it, while punk went on to spawn its R&B descendant of Rap. But the Cyrcle, short though their career was, typified the Sixties as well as any other group, an era which had a higher percentage of youth playing a musical instrument than ever before or since. My next-younger brother and I, along with our cousin, were an amateur family band long before the Osmonds' or Jacksons' fame. My brother and I were on guitars. He had started out on drums but had become bored with it because he wanted to learn guitar like me, so he passed the drums on to the cousin, and we became the bane of family reunions. The Cyrcle's material was prominently featured in our repertoire--the three of us had a harmony that fit well with their stuff. I hadn't known "Red Rubber Ball" was a Paul Simon number--it does sound a bit like S&G's "Flowers Never Bend With the Rainfall" in the verses. And I knew "Turn Of the Century" and "Red Chair Fade Away" from the Bee Gees' first album--I hadn't known the Cyrcle had also done it. But it's a mistake to dismiss their sound as "College Rock". And don't try to tell Fountains Of Wayne, who only in recent years gave us "Valley Winter Song", that it doesn't stand the test of time--they weren't even born yet when this music first came out. You know something--this album goes on my wish list. Back in the days of the "Miller/ Klafehn Informal Trio", all I owned was 45rpm singles."