Style and Reception
In a press release for the album, Radio Moscow compared Brain Cycles to such psychedelic artists as Randy Holden (of Blue Cheer), The Groundhogs, Peter Green (of Fleetwood Mac) and the Flower Travellin' Band. Writing for music website AllMusic, critic Mark Deming proposed that "Radio Moscow's second album strongly establishes its stoner credentials even before you've given it a listen, and the music doesn't disappoint if you're hoping for a gloriously resinous musical experience." Deming compares Brain Cycles to psychedelic blues-rock of the 1960s and 1970s, suggesting similarities to the bands Cream and Blue Cheer and noting the latter's album Outsideinside as possible inspiration for the record.
Deming's AllMusic review is generally positive, although he does conclude that "Brain Cycles is undercut by songs that aren't as impressive as the band playing them; for every number like the hard boogieing "City Lights" and the frantic wail of "Just Don't Know," there's another that sounds like a tune you'd skip over to get to one of the really good cuts ... They just don't make records like Brain Cycles anymore, and while most of the album suggests that's too bad, a few cuts demonstrate why folks stopped doing this back in the day." The album has received praise for frontman Griggs's vocal work, the added cohesiveness of the rhythm section, and the more sophisticated songwriting. Many critics have also noted that Brain Cycles is an improvement on the band's debut album Radio Moscow.
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