This album is, no questions asked, the single greatest psychedelic album ever created, straight from the warped minds of five visionary intellectuals. And I do mean 'visionary'. This album was so creative and ahead of it's time, which is probably why it didn't catch on. It was the first rock album to prominently feature synth as a lead instrument. On some spots, the electronic effects are so mind-blowing they practically make you dizzy. We can thank Joseph Byrd for this. And we can thank Dorothy Moskowitz for the most lovely, ethereal, haunting vocals ever captured on a rock album. Gordon Marron provides us with brain-rattling electric violin, and the rhythm section of Rand Forbes and Craig Woodson is awesome. It's a shame that some musicians never get the respect they deserve. You don't need drugs to enjoy it. This album IS the drug. Just listening to it makes you high.

THE AMERICAN METAPHYSICAL CIRCUS: Psychedelia at it's absolute best. Begins with actual circus music and makes you feel like you're listening to a Broadway show or something. That is, until it changes tempo and turns into a dark, twisted psychedelic song with absolutely chilling vocals from Dorothy, who also distorts her voice with the ring modulator to an incredible effect. Also a very melodic bass line and eerie swirls of electronic sounds. It's like something right out of a nightmare. If I were hard pressed to sum up the essence of psychedelia in one song - this would be it.

HARD COMING LOVE: This song intoxicates you right off the bat with a blistering, ear-piercing psychotic blast of electric violin. It screeches and screams so excellently that I really can't even describe it. Note the way that Marron makes his violin sound exactly like a guitar. Classic. But after the intro, it slows down and Dorothy enters with some very seductive vocals. This song features the most mind-blowing use of electronic effects on the whole album, particularly right before the final verse.

CLOUD SONG: Bliss. Divinity. Joy. Comfort. Peace of mind. This is the most beautiful ballad ever written. Marron's lovely violin notes, the gentle piano and, above all, Dorothy's Heavenly vocals. God, it's amazing. She sings like an angel, and I swear it can lull you right to sleep. If you ever want to experience Heaven on earth, just listen to this song in the dark.

THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS: Back to a**-kicking psychedelic rocking! This one is incredible. The title, of course, is taken from the famous painting by Hieronymous Bosch (which was also used on the cover of Deep Purple's self-titled third album). This is a genuinely far-out song. Excellent bass playing and more hypnotizing vocals from Dorothy. The verses build up to breath-taking choruses. Amazing lyrics too.

I WON'T LEAVE MY WOODEN WIFE FOR YOU, SUGAR: What a title! These guys show us that they had a sense of humor too. Basically a satire on the concept of sex and adultery. Ever heard a country song with tripped-out sound effects? Look no further.

WHERE IS YESTERDAY: Another defining moment in psychedelia. Now this one can really put you in a trance. The Latin chanting at the beginning may throw you off, but keep listening. This song is so dreary and somber that it practically sounds like a funeral lament. And check out the way Dorothy sings one step behind Byrd, which results in a fascinating effect.

COMING DOWN: Another stunning violin intro, this time done like a hoe-down. Awesome psychedelic rocker, and the title is pretty self-explanatory.

LOVE SONG FOR THE DEAD CHE: Written for Che Guevera, the Cuban freedom fighter. Doroth gives another celestial vocal performance here. And more beautiful violin work and fantastic lyrics.

STRANDED IN TIME: Perhaps the most unusual number on this album, which says a lot. It incorporates a large amount of classical, as shown by the violin parts. But the middle part absolutely ROCKS. It goes from classical avant-garde weirdness to all-out rocking fury in just a matter of seconds.

THE AMERICAN WAY OF LOVE: A multi-part suite of acid-drenched delights, this is the perfect album closer. The first part is a cool, grooving rocker with tricky time changes and oddball lyrics. The second part is a hilarious parody of 'rag time' music, I guess. But the final part is the real treat - the greatest simulation of an acid trip ever caught on record. Little excerpts of all the previous songs keep popping up, amongst numerous crazy sounds. This is really something that you must experience for yourself - I can't explain it. But it's incredible. And enormously creative. Pink Floyd - eat your heart out.

El resultado es fascinante, un disco sicodélico y experimental, no para digerir al instante pero tampoco indulgente. No son los exclusivos inventores de este tipo de música a fines de los 60's, pero su sonido aún puede escucharse en bandas actuales, con Broadcast a la cabeza.

The American Metaphysical Circus se inicia con una tonada circense, pero no pasa mucho y surge un bomberdeo de sonidos electrónicos, para terminar con una distorsionada voz de Dorothy Moskowitz. Coming Down es sicodelia más convencional pero no por ello menos pertubadora, lo mismo que Hard Coming Love y The Garden of Earthly Delights. Where is Yesterday, uno de los imperdibles, se inicia con un canto gregoriano entonando el Agnus Dei, semejante a los Electric Prunes en su misa. El resto del tema tiene una atmósfera casi sinfónica, dejando a un lado las intervenciones electrónicas.

La poco representativa Stranded in Time es casi una revisión de Eleanor Rigby, exceptuando un ácido intermedio instrumental. Cloud Song y Love Song for the Dead Che son dos ensoñadoras baladas perfectas para la voz de Moscowitz. En I Won't Leave... Byrd deja a un lado la seriedad y la música tiene un tono también humorístico. Para el cierre el grupo mezcla en casi 7 minutos experimentación, ritmos rock y pop convencionales, sátira, introduce fragmentos de canciones anteriores (un recurso de moda en aquellos años), y termina por darle al álbum un toque de confusión y caos.

Hay muchas ideas locas aquí, y el mérito de USOA es que tuvieron esa capacidad para ser vanguardistas sin sonar pedantes. Sicodélicos experimentadores, si ya tuvieron suficiente con las propuestas de la Costa Oeste y quieren algo más original, aquí hay una joya como pocas se pueden hallar.