Red Rubber Ball – THE CYRKLE***

Red Rubber Ball/Why Can’t You Give Me What I Want/Baby You’re Free/Big Little Woman/Cloudy/Cry/Turn Down Day/There’s A Fire In the Fireplace/Bony Moronie/How Can I Leave Her/Money To Burn

US folk-rock group The Cyrkle hit the No. 2 spot on the US singles chart with the Paul Simon song Red Rubber Ball. The accompanying album also includes their next US hit, the No. 16 placed Turn Down Day. Their future releases achieved much lower chart placings. (US:47)

"The Cyrkle's debut was a pleasant, if marginal, album, blending a light folk-rock flavour with fluffy pop/rock production and songwriting. Red Rubber Ball and the follow-up hit, Turn Down Day were, as one might expect, by far the best cuts. The rest was split between group originals and odds and ends from an assortment of other writers. On the whole, it's feel good and not terribly deep 1966 pop/rock, heavy on the breezy harmonies, occasionally using mild touches of experimentation, like the sitar on Turn Down Day, and inventively reverbed guitars."

"Let's face it, the Paul Simon authored Red Rubber Ball was a hit by The Cyrkle since it sounded like Simon & Garfunkel backed by a 12-string. That song is reason enough to look into the group, but they never raise themselves above second tier folk entertainment, its all surface no substance. Still, the surfaces are inviting enough, but listeners are advised to look into the hard stuff."

"Red Rubber Ball is a great 60s pop song. Defines bubblegum and should be a part of any 60s compilation. The rest is fairly forgettable."

"A delightful period piece from the summer of 1966, and a stronger than expected collection of sunny folk-rock with great harmonies and subtle psychedelic tinges."

"If you like the music of The Lovin' Spoonful, I think you'll love some of these tracks, but there are also quite a few duds."

"Nothing too great here, but it does have a few of the better Cyrkle songs. All in all, a nice sampler of a better than average group of the era and a good choice for laid-back summer listening."

"This was fun music in a fun music era. They came up with some interesting sounds."