Neon – THE CYRKLE***

Don’ Cry No Fears No Tears Comin’ Your Way/The Visit (She Was Here)/Weight Of Your Words/I Wish You Could Be Here/It Doesn’t Matter/Two Rooms/Our Love Affair’s In Question/I’m Happy Just To Dance With You/Problem Child/Please Don’t Ever Leave Me/I’m Not Sure What I Wanna Do

Neon was the follow up album from the American pop group The Cyrkle, significantly less successful than their debut. The group would disband shortly afterwards. (US:164)

“This is another high quality pop album, their second, and though still quite good, it is ever so slightly off the pace of their stunning debut. This one emphasizes softer material, with judicial use of strings, horns and even sitar, but the orientation is somewhat more commercial, and psych influences are negligible.”

“Terrific jangle-pop with psych touches. Very catchy stuff here, nicely produced - a real pop-psych beauty.”

“Actually quite good, considering that they are not the 'most wanted' among 60s bands, or that any of their albums has classic status. Paul Simon was responsible for their only big hit and he also co-wrote the best track here I Wish You Could Be Here. It formed a great single with its B-side The Visit (She Was Here), these two songs being the definite highlights.”

“There are some excellent cuts on this album as well as a few clunkers. During this time many bands tried some sort of novelty and The Cyrkle were no exception. Problem Child and Weight Of Your Words come to mind. However there was some beauty, The Visit (She Was Here) is a great track.”

“In retrospect this must have been one of the more enjoyable pure pop LPs of 1967. But Neon skewed a little more offbeat than maybe the group had intended - a lot of pop groups had confused directions around this time, feeling a need for 'hip' production touches. Now we can admire the deft use of electric sitars, lovely string arrangements and the imaginative, tight vocal harmonies.”

“Most of this is jangly pop, or ballads played by the band with little orchestration. The Cyrkle had some great songs, but none better than the very short Two Rooms. Nothing here is bad, but as an album, you may find pieces of Neon a little nondescript, but if you are curious, you may find it enjoyable.”