Sun Temple Circus Sun Temple Circus (Vinyl) Review by Gary Hill
I’ve never heard this act or album before. Apparently they are considered Kraut Rock. I can’t argue with that. I’d say there is a lot of psychedelia and space rock in the mix, though. It’s quite a strong album, really. It’s also a high quality vinyl release.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2015 Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Side 1
Out of India
With a lot of sitar in the mix, this killer nearly six minute instrumental lands between psychedelia, prog and space rock. I suppose it fits into the “jam band” heading, but it’s almost less rock than one would think given that label. It’s an instrumental. Nothing changes fast here, but there is evolution and growth.
Lighthouse This is roughly twice as long as the opener. It comes in gradually and works forward in a rather definite space rock type way. Vocals come in after a time and the piece continues to grow outward from there. This more of a rocking song, but still has plenty of the psychedelic sound in the mix. This gets quite intense and driving as it works its way onward.
Side 2
Et Moi, Et Moi, Et Moi
This is a big change. It’s much more of a pure rocker. There is a bit of a punk edge to it. Still, it reminds me in a lot of ways of Hawkwind. It’s a fun cut.
Sun Madness The longest piece here, this is over eleven minutes of musical exploration. Of course, a big hunk of the end of it is just audience response. So, it’s probably actually shorter than or about the same length as “Lighthouse.” It’s got plenty of jam band sound, but tempered with both space rock and prog. There are even some sections that wander toward fusion. It’s a killer tune. It’s the most diverse thing here. One could argue that it’s also the most compelling. It’s a great way to end the set in style.
