Artist: The Beau Brummels
Album: Triangle
Year: 1967
Never heard of The Beau Brummels prior to listening to this album. Imagine taking Bob Dylan and crossing him with a touch of George Harrison's raga-rock excursions. That's what you get here on Triangle.
Now, I have not been the biggest advocate for Dylan, nor have I ever been a fan of The Beatles' forays into Indian music. However, The Beau Brummels are awesome. This album is one of my best finds of the 1960's. They have a great sense of melody, and their folkish style is the perfect intersection of gentle and energetic.
"Are You Happy?" and "Only Dreaming Now" are a really good opening duo of songs, but the real gem is buried about halfway through the album, the dreamy harpsichord-and-accordion-laden "Magic Hollow." I can't believe I hadn't heard this song before. It's gorgeous. I've been listening to most of these albums on Spotify and this is one of a very few songs that has gotten "starred" as one I'll revisit when the project is over. I don't really star that many songs to begin with. So, kudos to The Beau Brummels for that one. "The Wolf of Velvet Fortune" is another absolute stunner, with dueling acoustic guitars creating a haunting effect. Should I star this one, too? Why yes. Yes, I will.
I truly enjoyed this album. I feel like it could've been recorded anytime. It doesn't feel particularly tied to the 1960's--there are many indie-folk bands toiling today that are going for a similar sort of sound--Shearwater, for one. It really isn't that far off from the territory that The Decemberists tend to mine. Crossing Bob Dylan with baroque and subtle Eastern influences is really a rather genius idea. Fantastic stuff.
Rating: Worth repeated listens
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