Had this group received a little more exposure during its brief existence, they would undoubtedly be spoken of in the same reverential tones as Buffalo Springfield. Indeed, the competition in songwriting between Jerry Jeff Walker and Bob Bruno mirrors the duel between Neil Young and Steve Stills.
Circus Maximus added enough psychedelic touches to be in step with the times, but not so many that they completely obscured the country-folk base of their sound.
If The Byrds had kept David Crosby instead of making Sweetheart of the Rodeo, you'd have something pretty close to what's found here.
Jangly guitars mingle with close harmonies and frenzied keyboards, but none of it sounds forced.
Both writers turn in an outstanding repertiore on this album. Bruno is clearly the heavier, more psychedelicized of the two.
His compositions rely mostly on volume, but work quite well. "Travelin' Around", "Rest of My Life To Go", and "Bright Light Lover" are high-energy, guitar-drenched rave-ups, and "Chess Game" is a spiritual cousin to "White Rabbit".
These are contrasted nicely by the folksy exuberance of Walker's "People's Games" and "Oops, I Can Dance". "Lost Sea Shanty" is catchy as well, despite some heavy-handed, preachy lyrics.
The writing on side two shows a greater intimacy and maturity. Bruno's "Time Waits", the tale of a reluctant Don Juan, is a good mid-tempo ballad, while his "Short-Haired Fathers" is a heavy rocker with surprisingly touching harmonies.
The two remaining tunes show just how good this band could have become.
Bruno's extended piano-based jazz-rocker "Wind" has an ethereal quality. Its eight minutes create a cascading, atmospheric vibe that goes beyond the typical sounds of the era.
Walker's country-rock ballad "Fading Lady" is totally different than "Wind", but just as beautiful.
The story of a life wasted in the shallow pursuit of materialism, the song may have been a bit too esoteric for the mainstream country crowd of the late '60's, but it established Jerry Jeff's songwriting talents and overall sound.
If you're a fan of psych, country, or almost anything in between, Circus Maximus played them all well enough to cement the status of this one as a lost classic. If you find this one, it's worth hanging on to (by Ochsfan from RYM).
Oops, I Can Dance:
Track List:
01.Travelin' Around (Bob Bruno) 3:59
02.Lost Sea Shanty (Jerry Jeff Walker) 4:09
03.Oops, I Can Dance (Jerry Jeff Walker) 3:34
04.You Know I've Got The Rest Of My Life To Go (Bob Bruno) 2:49
05.Bright Light Lover (Bob Bruno) 2:53
06.Chess Game (Bob Bruno) 3:29
07.People's Game (Jerry Jeff Walker) 2:32
08.Time Waits (Bob Bruno) 3:53
09.Fading Lady (Jerry Jeff Walker) 5:40
10.Short-Haired Fathers (Bob Bruno) 3:02
11.Wind (Bob Bruno) 8:07
Circus Maximus:
*Bob Bruno (lead guitar, keyboards, vocals)
*Jerry Jeff Walker (guitar, vocals)
*Gary White (bass)
*Pete Troutner (vocals, guitar, percussion)
*David Scherstrom (drums)
[ Thank you KEITHF99 for sending this post ]
CODE: 50610
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