Triangle

Beau Brummels | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 1967
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collector's Choice
• ASIN: B00006RYJ8
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38,431 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Their 1967 album got critical raves (Lillian Roxon called it "the album that astonished everyone and blew a million minds") for its artful blend of orchestration (from Van Dyke Parks) and the strength of Ron Elliott’s songwriting. A haunting, beautiful record.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ron Elliott shows maturing skill as a songwriter, June 7, 2003

By 

Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Triangle (Audio CD)

One of my current soap box arguments is that the Beau Brummels are the best Sixties group that you (a) never heard of or (b) do not remember, even though they were the first American rock band influenced by the Beatles to have a hit ("Laugh, Laugh," produced by Sly Stone, which hit #15 in 1965). They were considered by many to be the first folk-rock group (yes, they were recording before the Byrds) and were also out in front of the San Francisco psychedelic sound. Eventually they even got around to experimenting with country-rock as well by the end of the Sixties. The pan centered around guitarist/songwriter Ron Elliott and lead singer Sal Valentino. Elliott's music was both moody and melodious, and with Valentino the Beau Brummels had one of the finest voices in rock 'n' roll. You just want to know going in that if I can persuade you to check out one Beau Brummel album you are going to end up wanting to track down some more of their music.

After their debut album "Trinagle," a 1967 release, would be the Beau Brummel's second strongest album, avoiding the failing of the efforts in between where original material was sacrificed for weaker covers to try and boister their commercial prospects. Rounding out the group is bass player Ron Meagher, but Van Dyke Parks shows up to play some really nice harpsichord and keyboards on this album. The songs eleven songs on "Triangle" represent the full music spectrum of the Beau Brummels, with folk-rock, country-rock, and British-pop all mixed together. In the wake of "Sgt. Pepper," there is an impulse to think of "Triangle" as also being a concept album, with many of the songs dealing with the mystical aspects of dreams, but the end result is more a consistent theme than a cohesive whole. What would have been Side 1 offers something of a music trip around the world, with "Dreaming Now" evoking Paris and "Painter of Women" sending listeners to the desert. "Magic Hollow" is undoubtedly the most beautiful song Elliott every wrote and "The Wolf of Velvet Fortune" features Valentino's finest vocal work. In late 2002 Collector's Choice increased reissuing the album on CD, which also speaks to the strength of an album that deserves to be rediscovered, made by a group that deserves to be remembered.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Untitled, July 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Triangle (Audio CD)

This superb album reminds us of "Younger Than Yesterday" by the Byrds from the same year. This album effectively mixes country, pop, psychedelia, and folk-rock. "Magic Hollow", "Painter of Women", "Wolf of Velvet Fortune", "I'm Only Dreaming Now", "Triangle", and "Nine Pound Hammer" are just some of the incredible songs the Beau Brummels were writing/covering at the time. Ron Elliot's song writing is very strange, intense, and mystical. How this album slipped out of the public's eye is one of life's great mysteries. This is mainly a critic's album. If your a fan of the Dead, Led Zepplin, or late Pink Floyd you may not like the Beau Brummels or for that matter understand them.There are very few San Fransisco albums this strong. The albums "From The Vaults" and "Bradley's Barn" are also excellent and highly recommended.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Kaleidescopic Jewel For Your Ears, December 7, 2007

By 

Mark Roland - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Triangle (Audio CD)

This album is not for everyone as you will discover in the sampling of reviews. I won't repeat the circumstances that led to it's creation or it's undeserved obscurity, that has been done well enough. What I think you need to to consider if you are curious about this release are your feelings about studio production.

It is a LAVISH work, with strings and horn arrangements that are certainly grand by any estimation. The songs are not the personal kind of "Pet Sounds" wannabes as someone suggested, but stories. Intricate, well crafted and diverse tales of mystical characters and dreams mixed with sly commentaries of a more contemporary focus, complimenting each other beautifully. Now if you don't like elaborate studio records, prefering a rougher stripped down approach, this will not be something you are likely to dig. Overdone, you might say. I am firmly in the other camp, as long as the orchestration is done well and suits the artist and material. Here it is magic to my ears, and does reach the heights of late 60s Los Angeles studio quality. My only regret is the length, at about 29 minutes, you want more.

I do think it compares favorably to The Family Tree's "Miss Butters" and, dare I say it," Sgt. Pepper" in it's scope , execution and quality. Despite the brilliance of their earlier singles, this was the Beau Brummels finest moment.