Response
According to music critic Richie Unterberger:
Divided into 12 separate tracks, one for each astrological sign, it appeared just as both psychedelic rock and astrology itself were coming into vogue in the youthful counterculture. In some respects it was similar to other instrumental psychsploitation albums of the time, with a spacy yet tight groove that could have fit into the soundtrack of 1966 Sunset Strip documentaries, played in large measure by seasoned Los Angeles session musicians. In other respects, it was futuristic, embellished by some of the first Moog synthesizer ever heard on a commercial recording, an assortment of exotic percussive instruments, and sitar. The arrangements were further decorated by haunting harpsichord and organ, along with standard mid-1960s Los Angeles rock guitar licks. For those who took the astrology as seriously as the music, there was the dramatic reading of narrator Cyrus Faryar, musing upon aspects of each astrological sign in a rich, deep voice without a hint of irony.
Garson collaborated with Wilson in 1968 on another concept album, The Wozard of Iz, on that occasion with producer Bernie Krause. Paul Beaver later collaborated with Krause on several albums. Garson later recorded several further LPs on individual zodiac signs, and became best known for composing the National Geographic theme.
In the liner notes for the 1997 Moody Blues compilation The Best of the Moody Blues, Justin Hayward named this album as an influence on the band's development going into Days of Future Passed.
Read more about this topic: The Zodiac : Cosmic Sounds
Famous quotes containing the word response:
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