Reviews (page 3 of 8)
I cannot give an accurate rating of how I really feel about this record. The closest I can approximate is that it’s in superposition of a 1 & a 5. What I do for sure know, however, is that cooking Easter dinner to this fucking thing is a horrible mistake, and I have no one to blame but myself for that blunder. Most stressful cooking session of my life, and I wasn’t even doing anything too big. Anyways, have a 3 I guess.
Definitely some jams here, but i thought it was just okay! It could be the volume i was listening at and i may have to go back in and do it louder but this didn’t exactly hit me in the way i feel like it should’ve.
Ehh. A lot of these became grating quickly.
HUH?
Feels like it’s deliberately inaccessible. Every now and then even they get bored of the experimental stuff and do a more normal song that are the highs of the album. But doesn’t make up for the rest of it. Side note. Seemingly every time I decide to try to listen to an album generated for me with my wife in the car it’s something bonkers like this.
Very psychedelic, very cool.
A little too experimental 60’s for me
I'll indulge myself with a cliche: "tour de force" mind-expanding stuff NOTE: The 1001 Albums book lists this record as being 37 minutes long and having ten tracks, which is how it was packaged for the original LP. If you listen on a streaming service, the explosive end of the record immediately gives way to a bunch of demo tracks and b-sides that go on as long as the album itself does and kind of sully the whole thing.
i feel like i don't have the right vocabulary to discuss this album or its sound and idk if its cos i've just not listened to much psychedelic rock or cos it's so *out there* but either way i fuck w/ it deeply so im gonna try. the first minute or so of "american metaphysical circus" sounds like booting up rollercoaster tycoon, cranking the speakers and scrolling around so all the ride music plays at once, "i won't leave my wooden wife for you, sugar" and "the american way of living" are both equal parts incredible and incredibly goofy, and i really enjoy "coming down", especially the electric organ parts. its close but i wanna say "cloud song" is my favourite track, i love the haunting, ethereal texture it has. i could listen to a whole album of that sound alone. but then it probably wouldn't be a psych rock album. oops..... i guess my only complaint would be that "stranded in time" has a real strong beatles stink on it. not sure if it's genuine inspiration or if they're taking the piss but either way i think this album is at its strongest when its doing its own thing, so the track just feels kind of unfortunate. other than that tho this album is great. it feels very ahead of its time. might be hard to get other people to listen to given how it starts lmao
This album has so much: distorted easy listening, cacophonies, political friction, experimentation, tongue-in-cheek homages, genuine jams, koto appropriated on electric guitar, unmistakable 60s keyboard, dreamy vocals, self-reference, yelps mixed into percussion, primordial synths, uptempo, downtempo, etc., etc. I can see with absolute clarity why an album like this was tapped for "must listen before you die." Psych-rock is another one I usually don't enjoy unless done well, but this album is way ahead of its time. It's challenging and alienating, and frankly not something I'd put on to fill in space, but it's the exact kind of experience I was hoping to get exposed to on this project. Very inspiring.
Psychedelic music from people who don't look like they take psychedelics but definitely sound like they do.
For as experimental as this is, I found it pretty easily digestible. Really cool experimentation and great bass.
This felt like the most diverse set of sounds and styles that I can remember on a non-Weird Al album. I can't say I knew what was happening, but I think I enjoyed it ok?
WTF was Columbia Records thinking!?! Throw every song the band has and see if anything sticks? Well nothing did but this WAS an influential album only because of the experimental instrumentation. Could had been a much better album if they cut 15 tracks off it. I will say, "The American Metaphysical Circus" is the perfect anthem for today or, as one reviewer stated, "What clowns play before they kill you". Fits either way.
I just cannot
Yup
Music to get high to and go "The government man... the government..."
Hippy dippy music with a lot of cacophony and several songs were off key and painful; a few songs were okay but overall did not enjoy.
3 stars
I just couldnt get through it. Mixing random experimental sounds doesnt make an experimental album.
A very strange but wonderful record. Can't say I enjoyed every second, but every second was interesting.
Now this is a fucking trip. Psychedelic, weird and wonderfully fun. Not something you'll put up quickly, but simultaneously a blast to listen when you have the space for it. It felt like a whackier and more crazy Doors or Beatles at times
I love the chaotic vibes. It’s a little long tho
Based on what I read, I really thought I would hate this album. But, it turns out it was mostly enjoyable and an interesting listen. I didn't find it to be too psychedelic and out there so as to be unbearable. Instead it hit a sweet spot of psychedelic enough to be interesting but not lose me in the noise. Some songs I could go without and others I was super impressed with. The only thing stopping this from being a 4 for me is that I'll probably never listen to it (or a track from it) again.
Firmly in the camp of "influential but not very good." Glad this exists, glad I'm done listening to it.
Number: 86 Date: 03/29/2026 Artist: The United States Of America Album: The United States Of America Year: 1968 Genre: Psychedelic Experimental Art Rock Rating: 5 Notes: Before: ======= Yay! This is one I know I like. There should be some songs from it on my best of 1968 list. Yep, there are a couple there. Funny thing though, I never heard of this band until just a few years ago. During: ======= 5 The American Metaphysical Circus 4 Hard Coming Love 4 Cloud Song 5 The Garden Of Earthly Delights 3 I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar 3 Where Is Yesterday 4 Coming Down 4 Love Song For The Dead Ché 3 Stranded In Time 3 The American Way Of Love ----------------------------------------------------- 3.8 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= So, there are some great songs on here but a lot of the album is somewhat experimental so it's kind of grab bag. A lot of people don't seem to like this album at all but if you do, I recommend you check out Broadcast, in case you don't know about them already. They are not on the 1001 list at all, but heir 1997 album, "Work and Non Work", is my favorite album from that year. If you don't like this album, "The United States Of America", I challenge you to immerse yourself in the music of the 60's lending up to its release, and then listen to it. I believe it may give you a greater appreciation for what they did. Now, on to my rating for this album: 4 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 5 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4.7 composite rating
Psychedelic rock at it's finest. You need to be very high to fully enjoy this.
I love this album. An incredible early psychedelic rock album, reminiscent of early Pink Floyd. Not afraid to get weird but also very catchy. A great mindfuck.
I thought for a split moment this was the 90s alternative band of a very similar name, but no this is the country not the president, so don't get it twisted now. It has a really unique sound for a psychedelic release. It combines sound collages, electronic noises, whimsical vocals, and some other experimental elements, it succeeds in managing to sound like nothing like it's contemporary albums. Really refreshing album. Highlight Song/s: "Hard Coming Love"
Uff, schwer anzuhören
Jamais écouté avant. Top : The Garden of Earthly Delights Flop : Cloud Song
Weird but like the vibe (60s)
Not for me
I could not get past the second song, it physically hurt my eardrums with the screech
Really interesting, at first. I love the sense of drama. I love the go-go sound (though i’m not sure the singer is up to the challenge). I love the experimentation and the way they mix it up. But, in the end, it’s too weird— most of the experiments don’t land. After awhile the experimentation started to grate on my nerves. A 2. Too bad, because there’s talent and vision there.
Multiple times I checked to see if I wasn't accidently playing something else in another tab
AMEI
So, I can appreciate what they’re doing and the early use of synths. I just don't really enjoy the overall experience of listening to this.
Weird album. If there was a political message in here I didn't get it. But I liked the singing on here, and the old timey musical bits.
As a person who is on record as liking nonsense... I liked this. Ended up accidentally listening to the extended version, and I still liked it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
# Album Name: The United States Of America # Artist: The United States Of America # Rating: 1/5 # Comments: Didnt enjoy this. No idea why its on # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? no
Ohhhhh!!!!
Nice surprise, at times felt like Jefferson Airplane vibes meets the Beatles. Fun album.
Right out the gate I kind of hate this. Chaotic and grating noises. Pass the shrooms and buckle up, I ‘spose. I might puff, puff, but I’m definitely passing on this album. Har har har.
I wanted to like this album but it’s kinda meh. Pretty unfocused in its delivery but I appreciate the innovation nonetheless. A really good example of an album one should listen to before they die but not necessarily a great album in it of itself. Favorite track: nothing stands out, but Hard Coming Love I suppose
One to come back to
Like fingernails on a blackboard.
Totally avant-garde man!
Not good.
Apart from the weird first track, I really dug this.
I just didn't get this at all. Is this why circus's and psychedelia so intwined or is it a product of that? Anyway, I knew right from the first 30 seconds this wasn't for me, and it wasn't.
The original track listing stops at “The American Way Of Love” and so will this review. And honestly, thank god. I couldn’t stand this album it made no sense to me.
too much
Jag skiter i om de var först eller tidiga med elektronisk musik. Det är inte bra. Det är bitvis plågsamt. Här å där ok. Vill egentligen straffa men 1 kanske är för taskigt. Men fy fan. Det här var mest jobbigt.
4/10
Nice album, my first listen.
Pretty run of the mill psychedelic 60s stuff
Enjoyable to listen to, not something I would probably listen to again, but it was decent.
Les années 60 ont fait des trucs sympas et originaux !
Unexpected banger 🔥
Some great songs some annoying nonsense. The woman has a great voice, bass player is top.
Probably important, but also a bit annoying. I occasionally enjoyed a song, but was then confronted by another few minutes of repetitive droning. Not one I'll come back to.
The only studio album from The United States of America (geez, they thought long and hard to come up with that band name!) is a dizzying excursion in psychedelic rock with revolutionary electronic elements, endless experiments and politically-charged lyrics. The album rides a very delicate line between revolutionary and ridiculous, with plenty of rather unique instrumentation being mixed in with rather strange passages you'd expect more from a Frank Zappa album. This is a real weird record, and I can't make heads or tails of it. Given this is the only opportunity The United States of America had to put out an album (they were together less than two years), it's rather fascinating that they went with such a varied and bizarre record. It's more a collection of interesting ideas rather than solid songs, and while the experiments are quite ahead of their time in places, many other psychedelic rock bands presented these experiments with greater focus and vision. Best songs: Hard Coming Love, The Garden of Earthly Delights, Where is Yesterday
crazy aber iwie voll gut
Drugs have been a driving force of so many great albums. This is not one of those albums.
Psychedelic tropes that meander and dissipate without much of an impression
rotten
Way too pshycodelic / out there for me Some of the rhythm was decent
Wow, this really gives me strong Stereolab vibes, something I wasn't expecting at all. Very interesting, highly experimental work for it's time. I can see this going for 4 stars and at least 3.5 on RYM
This is the shit. This is why I'm doing this. Outstanding. Has elements of Jefferson Airplane, but without the more middle-of-the-road folk songs. But other than that, it's quite its own thing. Lastly, this led me down a small-ish Wikipedia rabbot hole that had me find out that the band's co-leader, Joseph Byrd, passed only recently (in November 2025), while the band's other co-leader and singer, Dorothy Moskowitz, was later part of one of Country Joe's bands - and Country Joe passed away on March 7th, 2026, two days before I put on this record.
A little too psychedelic and experimental for me
This just sounds like noise
A wonderfully weird album coming from a super chaotic political year
Crazy sounds specked throughout
Kinda shocked at how much I enjoyed listening to this album. It kind of makes regret the 1 rating I gave to Os Mutantes because I feel that they're quite similar in nature; the primary difference being the language. This album is avant-garde and psychedelic as hell but damn is it cool. It's like an ultra-weird Sgt. Pepper with a flavor of Os Mutantes. The best line throughout the album is "The price is right; the cost of one admission is your mind". And the closing track is awesome too. Top tracks: The American Metaphysical Circus; I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar; Coming Down; The American Way of Love
This was pretty awesome. The early electronic work trying to imitate the (too expensive at that point) MOOG is really cool and adds substantial atmosphere but it's Moskowitz's vocals that make this transcendent stuff. Premium psychedelia, it's a bummer the group didn't go on to record more because you can tell that the creative direction on here is really tuned and talented. They knew what they were doing. Reminds me a bit of West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band. Favorite Tracks: Hard Coming Love, The Garden of Earthly Delights, I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife for You, Coming Down, The American Way of Love
Spent most of the runtime wondering what the hell I was listening to.
this is god awful. how the fuck did this make it on the list
now it getting replicate at thiis point im bored and tried of this
Das wäre eindrucksvoll wenn es die Beatles nicht gäbe
Wer glaubt, das Beste an Sgt. Pepper sei die letzte Spur auf der LP, der ist hier gut aufgehoben. Für mich dann doch zu weit abgedriftet. Eine gute 3, mehr geht leider nicht.
Eigentlich ganz interessant, vielleicht ein wenig psychodelich für Sonntagmittags. Aber nicht innovativ genug, um Clean einen Mehrwert daraus zu ziehen.
I had to take a little break in the middle of this to watch zero effect and moneyball with my grandfather, but it was pretty good. It wasn’t as dated as a lot of 60s psychedelic on here. It certainly stands the test of time better than something like Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. Favorites: Hard Coming Love, The Garden of Earthly Delights, Coming Down
At one point the sounds hurt my ears so bad that I felt like I was being tortured… it was the second song in.
I'm glad to have albums like this pop up. I would have never found this otherwise. This is a definition of psychedelic experimentation. What I like is that it just throws things against the wall to see what sticks. To see what works. Some of it doesn't work, but some creates magic. Now the version of this went on for too long. I think the original release was 10 tracks. That version would have been enough for me. It's not easy to see that other releases of this album that go on past that have added on "bonus tracks" which are either entirely different songs or alternate and not nearly as interesting versions of previous tracks. I definitely 100% enjoyed the discovery, but I don't see myself going back to it.
This record felt very diverse from track to track. It's great musically, and ends up being kind of like an acid trip. Favourite Track(s): Hard Coming Love, Coming Down Least Favourite Track(s): Cloud Song
Vamos hoy martes con una banda que me es completamente desconocida. La experimentación sonora del comienzo, que va desde el caos hacia la calma y luego regresa al laboratorio sonoro, adelantan lo que va a ser el disco: animarse a probar. Gracias por la sorpresa y hasta mañana
Very good album, i liked it, it got me out of my comfort zone
This album rules! As far as experimental rock from the 60s goes, it's so far back at this point that it's genuinely difficult to find something that still sounds truly out of this world. But this album manages it, with its strange passages and use of tape manipulation conveying some far-off world.
Not completely horrible I guess. I was expecting weirder. This is like a 2.5 rounded up to a 3 because the United States of America beat Canada in the gold medal hockey game today 🇺🇸🇺🇸 🇺🇸🦅🦅🦅
Gotta respect any 60s album that actually sounds ahead of its time! Standouts: The Garden Of Earthly Delights • I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar • The American Way Of Love
Hmm. Definitely some really interesting and bold choices in here but it feels unfinished. The first three songs or so are pretty dull but there's really great stuff like Garden of Earthly Delights and the last track. Can't say I enjoyed it, but I appreciated it.
This is album #9 for me on the 1001 albums list. And it might be the first one I don’t listen to all the way through. Not in the mood for psychedelic music today and it sounds like a drug-fueled trip with obnoxious self important hippie losers. I can now see why 1960’s parents didn’t trust America’s teenagers. Ouch. 1 star
This may have been trippy and thought provoking at one time but it's so dated and not worth a listen now. It's almost catchy at times and then there's a decision made mid-song that veers right that makes it not a pleasurable listen on every track. Trying too hard.
Certainly understandable as a groundbreaking album for its time with the integration of synthesizer and orchestral elements into a psychedelic journey. Still, I found the overall feeling of the album to be more unsettling than mind-expanding which at times put me off.
This is not a good start and also not the band I want to listen to on Canada v. USA day. It's giving American Sargent Peppers. I'm gonna need to DNF this guy.
really cool and trippy for its time
Favorite Track: The Garden of Earthly Delights
I mean, it sure is experimental and psychedelic, but once you get past the cacophony of it all, it's not too different from other albums that ask you to drop acid before diving in. I enjoyed a decent amount of the album, but can't say I liked all of it.
Reminds me of Candi & The Strangers
Weirder than the experimental psychedelic mash-up of Jefferson Airplane and Bare Naked Ladies putting on a Circ de Soliel show. Musta been some good drugs involved. (3.49*s) United States of America, ahead of the curve in 1968.
When I first saw this album popped up on the list, I was stoked but then I saw that "Presidents" was missing. Although this was not the one I was hoping for, it was still pretty cool. The USA gets out there on this record. A bit of acid went a long way in the 60s and the psychedelic rock was abounding with space age sounds and instrument exploration. I did not like the lead lady on vocals for most of it but the last 2 songs were good, "Mouse" being top track. Got a bit too noisy here and there, particularly on "Hard Coming Love." The short lived band is like a weirder, watered down Jefferson Airplane but they put out something descent here at 2.43 stars.
Creative, weird, interesting and confusing. This album is a truly a mixed bag as at various times I was thinking to myself both "This is kinda cool" and "What am I listening to?". Overall it straddles the line pretty effectively because because when it ended I was happy I listened to the album. A weird one-off project from a group that immediately disbanded in the wake of the release. I'd welcome a listen to another album if they ever released one just to see what else they would explore. Credit it to them for mostly threading the needle on what could have otherwise been a complete failure. Not a fan of the name of the band at all though. 2.68 stars
Felt kind of like a little lost as an album. Some Beatles influence plus space sounds didn't exactly do it for me.
An oddity from the late 1960s, this album is firmly rooted in its era. The production techniques and equipment of the time leave the sonic profile feeling thin and treble-heavy, noticeably lacking in bass and depth. While it offers a quirky and occasionally fun listening experience, the record feels somewhat one-paced. It’s an interesting historical curiosity, but for me, it doesn't warrant more than three stars. I doubt I’ll be returning to it. Side one 1 "The American Metaphysical Circus" (3/5) 2 "Hard Coming Love" (3/5) 3 "Cloud Song" (3/5) 4 "The Garden of Earthly Delights" (3/5) 5 "I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife for You, Sugar" (3/5) Side two 6 "Where Is Yesterday" (3/5) 7 "Coming Down" (3/5) 8 "Love Song for the Dead Ché" (3/5) 9 "Stranded in Time" (3/5) 10 "The American Way of Love" (3/5) Total - 30 Average - 3 249/1001 138/249 albums reviewed were new to me
An interesting psychedelic album that approaches experimental and avant- garde at times. It doesn’t always work but is an interesting album that probably needs a few more listens.
This was pretty ok. Some tracks I enjoyed more than others. For the most part it felt like a compilation of a variety of bands. If you told me I played the wrong thing and what I heard was an album called "the psychedelic sounds of the 60s", I would believe you.
Okay I won’t leave my wooden wife is fire and I understood why it’s on there twice but the rest is soooooo average.
Kinda crazy that this came out in the 60s. Sounded ahead of its time in a way but unfortunately not in a way that sounded good:(
I thought this was terrible. Not surprised they only had one album
Somehow I didn’t hate it enough to give it a 1
It felt like I was listening to this for 4 hours and wasted precious music time
There’s parts of this they simply can’t have thought was fire 💔
I could hardly stand to listen to most of this. Too weird and whispery. Just no.
really was looking forward to this band. I never heard of from an era that I usually like but this was unlistenable and boring.
It was fine, I guess. I didn’t really like all the experimental sounds to the album, but I liked some of the music.
Riiiiight….
Is this even music? 1/5
That was the worst trash I ever had to listen to. I already had a very bad presentiment bcoz of name of album and artist but my expectations even fell behind. A sad day for my ears
Album #41: The United States of America Genre (W): Psychedelic rock, art rock, experimental rock, psychedelic pop, electronic rock Singles: The Garden of Earthly Delights / Love Song for the Dead Ché, Hard Coming Love I have listened to this album once before. Thoughts: Even though I’ve listened to this album once, it’s a strange album. The intro track is stuff straight out of a fever dream. This whole album sounds like a hellish nightmare. What am I listening to? Music from a circus in Dante’s Inferno? Favorite songs: Where is Yesterday?, Coming Down,
Struggled with this one
Not surprised no one has ever heard of this. I am surprised I have never heard of this. Calling them the American Os Mutantes is very apt. I’m definitely going to relisten this weekend after my edibles kick in.
I won’t leave my wooden wife for you sugar, mouse
I came in with low expectations and ended up being fairly surprised. Feels pretty cozy sandwiched somewhere between John Cale, Beefheart, and Zappa and it's all rather cohesive, too. Honestly, I was kind of hooked with the first track which might sound like the full un redacted Epstein files if set to music...
Genuinely awful. Psychedelic rock, her voice isn’t bad at all but the production is absolutely dog shit
Possibly the second greatest album about USA since Houmous & Chutney’s ‘U.S.Say What?’ 2.3 3/17 Cloud Song
Психоделические пространства, иногда возвращающие в обыденность (которая совсем не обыденность).
idk man
Drosd
I respect the hell out of this album. I’m glad it exists. It caused me physical pain to listen to it though and I couldn’t recommend it to anyone.
Coldplay left me well, cold
It's like a lot of psychadelia from this era; it's groundbreaking, but it's not actually particularly pleasant to listen to. I much prefer where the genre went in the 70s (esp through prog). But hey, it's not boring!
Funny album/band name. I appreciate when bands are willing to try weird stuff out, but most of this was cacophonous to me. I think it's interesting that the first half of the album is more popular, at least according to Spotify, when it was the second half that I enjoyed more. Obviously, I have to respect that this was an early forerunner for what rock would later become, but I didn't particular enjoy actually listening to it. Maybe I missed the rhythm, or didn't understand the lyrics (saw that the writer was known for their leftist views); whatever the case, this was tough for me to get through.
Prog (derogatory), annoying electric organ noise (not laudatory).
This is actually a jam! Probably wouldn't put it on again but fun to listen to
This had a rough start with the literal clown music in the first track, but as the record went on I started to dig what they were going for here. It's unashamedly weird, yet oddly catchy and engaging. The album's wikipedia page mentions that the usage of electronic instruments here was pretty cutting edge and experimental for the time, and I can certainly see how that would be the case. In a lot of ways it doesn't sound like something made in the 60s, though in others it sounds like the most 60s album ever made. My knowledge of the 60s psychedelia movement in the US is pretty much exclusively derived from that Simpsons episode where Homer becomes a hippy, and I'd believe you immediately if you told me Hard Coming Love was played during that episode at some point. This album goes through a few different styles of music, so I find it hard to imagine someone getting bored listening to this. There's the sort of eerie, downbeat soundscapes on tracks like The American Metaphysical Circus and Where is Yesterday where things get most avant-garde. Even when they're being deliberately weird, though, they never take the songwriting for granted. There are a lot of interesting progressions going on in these tracks, and the vocals are both excellently utilized and just plain nice to listen to. The two vocalists are both great at bringing different styles and textures to the tracks they take the lead on. Then you have the groovy psych rock tunes Hard Coming Love and Garden of Earthly Delights, as well as the lullaby-esque ballads Cloud Song and Love Song For The Dead Che (the former track being seemingly the blueprint for every upper-middle class female singer-songwriter in the late 2000s/early 2010s. Not that I have a problem with that, it's a great vibe.) I'd say there's something for everyone here, but looking at this album's rating that's evidently not the case. Oh well. This would be more of a 4.5 if that was an option, but I'm going to round it down rather than up as it's hard to really describe this as an all time classic. I liked it a lot, though. Favourite tracks: Garden of Earthly Delights, Where is Yesterday, Coming Down
Conflicted on this one, there are some really really cool moments and it's so clearly influential and ahead of it's time, but it was a struggle to get through and some of the weird circus noises just did nothing for me. It does sond incredibly modern in parts though and you could mistake the good bits for a Beck album, you could probably say the same for the bad parts actually. ultimately it's just too long and lacking consistency, but there is a great album in there waiting to be edited out
At least it was interesting to listen to.
I imagine this album is what an acid trip feels like
Partway through the first track I was dreading this one as a poor version of surrealistic pillow but a few songs in and it really started clicking and I really enjoyed this one. Great psych album.
This album starts off on a bad foot, but greatly improved.
A very creative and probably very little known album. Since it lacks a connection to "popular music elements" and "nice" riffs it has never and will never be mentioned as one of the great albums of the 60s. But in terms of ideas, composition and creativity, certainly one of the big ones (of the 60s).
This just isn't for me
Album #1,031 I have never heard of this. They were certainly trying to out-psychedelic everyone (The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, the Kinks) with this thing. It is very hit and miss. Some of sounds were just shrill and unpleasant, or too "hippie" sounding, but there was also some interesting stuff too. I waffled between a 2 and 3, but I guess I can round this one up.
quentin tarantino would’ve loved you, i on the other hand, kinda do kinda don’t
It's like you've been taken to see the off-off-off-off Broadway version of Hair, put on by a friend of a friend's leftist collective, and it was better than you expected.
I was very surprised by this and how much I was into it. Super experimental and noisy, way before its time! The variety of sounds and vibes across the record are nice and keep things interesting, and trippy. I like the floaty but raw vocals, the bass is killer, and the drums come in when you really need them, and just a weird assortment of electronic sounds. I will definitely be revisiting this album.
Noisy and distracting. Hard to hear the lyrics. 1 star
The American Metaphysical Circus 3.4 Hard Coming Love 3.6 Cloud Song 3.2 The Garden of Earthly Delights 3.5 I Won't Leave My Wooden Wife for You, Sugar 3.3 Where Is Yesterday 3 Coming Down 3.7 Love Song for the Dead Ché 3.3 Stranded in Time 3.1 The American Way of Love 3.4 Score: 3.35
Awful album in my opinion.
A very cool, Zappaesque album without guitars. Way ahead of the curve.
Very psychedelic. I don't understand the relatively low ratings on this one (2.6 at the time of writing). It isn't too long--which is a common complaint I see on other low rated albums--and, sure, it's out there but that's the point. It was experimental and purposefully ahead of its time. Using electronic sounds was still very much a new concept at that time and I feel like this band did a good job of it, considering how new the art was.
I don't know. Was it great? no. Was there is interesting stuff going on? Kinda
erm, what's up with the title?
Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, Velvet Underground en circus... wat een combi!
This is a perfect example of a "what if?" album. The United States of America released an experimental, psychedelic rock album infused with electronics, showing they were pushing the envelope. Unfortunately they broke up almost immediately and what they could've done is lost to interpersonal issues within the band. All that said, the record is a little too cleanly produced for my tastes (especially for psychedelia), and the vocals are so-so, though I do see the reasoning for its inclusion in the 1001.
No thank you The first half of the album especially difficult to get through. It wasn't necessarily grating, just bad. I was feeling slightly more generous about this album and then we got to the alternate american metaphysical circus. HORRID. One star for that alone Songs added to playlist: - I Wouldn't Leave My Wooden Wife For You - Do You Follow Me
Maybe this tracked better in 1968? It didn't age well for me in 2026. They're trying too hard to be cute and avant-garde at the expense of the music. 1.5/5
I imagine these guys thought this was pretty deep back in 1968.
Fitting that one of the tracks is called "The Garden of Earthly Delights" because that painting is bizarre in a way that absolutely delights me. This album is the same way
Other 60's albums sound like they are enhanced in the studio, but this album sounds like it could have only been made in the studio. The distortion in combination with all the classical touches and overdubs sound really interesting and ahead of their time. The ideas don't always work out but there's a lot of great moments and it showcases just how far out music could go from here really well. Like some sort of demonic circus.
Absolutely no. this album is also just too fucking awful. just like the orange toddler.
First Listen; 4; Very experimental while still having catchy hooks mixed in with interesting sounds. Some of this is really off the wall, and other parts sound way ahead of their time. I really liked the distorted guitar/bass sound. Also, all of the samples and different effects are interesting and probably wasn't a small feat at this time. I see this being an album I come back too. Favorite Track: The American Way of Love
Got boring real quick.
3.5+
Not really my cup of tea.
An album by the worst country of the last quarter millennium. After the United Kingdom/England took the previous "despotic 250", the USA was determined to overthrow their former ruler and did so without any difficulty. Through attempted world domination through covert destabilization operations, global cultural indoctrination, and a domestic culture of fear and desperation despite abundance never before seen in human history, the USA cemented their place amongst the most evil of empires ever! Congratulations to them! I for one think they can grab the next 250 by the scruff by making this the very last 250 EVER. I believe they can do it!! In honour of what they could feel was upcoming, "Rand" Forbes and the gang tried LSD at Berkeley and ascended to the 17th level of consciousness before the prestigious award season here in 2026. I know what you're thinking. Was that guy really married to a wooden spoon? The answer? Yes, trust fund kids who have read Das Kapital and have a regular mushroom habit are top 5 most insufferable groups on planet earth. Right behind motorcycle/affair dads and of course, people who share uninformed opinions on the internet. Hey! Stop pointing. If this really was the USA, I'm sure this would've been interrupted by the dim echoes of a public shooting nearby, or perhaps a news bulletin notification where a government agency quoted "Mein Kampf" as a rationale for repealing crucial environmental protection legislation. Seeing as I am not there, I listened to this front to back. It's a little interesting, a lot pretentious, and mostly just another group of bored (and likely wealthy) middle Americans attempting to find personality at the bottom of a vial. With that said, they do produce some good ideas and a few surprising riffs, so this is certainly not the most egregious example of the boy/girl discovers hallucinogens phenomena. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: The American Metaphysical Circus, I Won't Leave my Wooden Wife for You, Sugar, The American Way of Love
meh
Mmm...maybe after a few more plays this album would grow on me. But as it is, it seems like one of those cases where an album was "under-appreciated" on release - so it became a "lost album" to the critics.
3⭐️/5 01.20.2026
2-
Not for me sadly.
I mean... yeah... it is what it is. It's a bit weird and experimental. An easy enough listen though. There's some fun elements to this, but it's not really the kind of thing I'd come back to. It's an awkward 3, because I liked it enough and kind of appreciate the intent, but it's not something I'll ever think about again.
Take my review for Jefferson Airplane and scratch it - THIS is the album I thought would be just another '60s band with all the same sounds and boy was I wrong. I went through a rollercoaster of emotions with this one but in the end, I enjoyed it overall. It had an album-y ness that almost makes me want to listen to it again to try and get the nuances. The fact that the wooden wife song shows up twice but with different vocalists and just slightly different lyrics is fascinating - as are the through hook musical moments that show up.
Meandering and boring.
If something can be "too creative" this album is that.
Important it may be, boring it most certainly is. I could forgive it if it wasn't so fucking long.
Not for me
Chaos from the start. There are so many different sounds and vocals on this record it was fun to try to keep track.
One hour of pure psychadelic garbage. 1 star or F-.
I can see how this is an important album with new ideas, but it sounds too much like noise to me.
Some songs are so whimsical like 'i wont leave my wooden wife for you, sugar' and in it, there's an instrument i can't make out.
This is ahead of it's time. Like the evolution of Sargent Pepper's, but like most psychedelic music, I don't enjoy listening to it. I'm sure there are many great themes in the lyrics, and the unique and genre-defying sounds flow into something clever and interesting, but I'm solidly in the camp of I like music that's nice to listen to.
Intensely annoying, proggy-rococo psyche-jazz nooding. Twenty tracks of it, each of which feels about eight minutes longer than its predecessor 😬. Its whole aura frankly gives me the creeps. Relentlessly ghastly.
Kind of reminds me of Country Joe & The Fish. I didn’t care for about 50% of the album.
A little unusual.
Was fine
Boring not good 60s shit
Was decent tbf
This one was very interesting. Nothing I would go back to but I liked it. 3 stars.
Worth listening to, very interesting but not good :/
tame impala respawned from this shoutout to psychedelic 60s gotta be one of my favorite genres
???
Fun experimental album but no specific song stood out
I can't tell what's worse: the album or the country
Gran album. No conocía a la banda. Me pareció novedoso y muy entretenido. 1967. No se puede creer. 8/10
Some of it was alright but some just got on my nerves
Nah. I wasn't offended, this however didn't do much for me.
Quite a broad mix going on here, generally enjoyed it
Eh
Some aspects of this album I did really like and see how it influenced a lot of later psych/trancey songs so that was cool to listen to! I’m sad they didn’t release any future albums because I can see how their sound after their self titled album would’ve developed soooo well.
Most of the songs are kinda scary, sounds like smth out of an arthouse horror film. A very long album. Fav song is ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’.
A brutal listen. Pseudo-intellectual 60s psych nonsense.
this album is weird as fuck, especially considering when it came out. at times, it sounds more like someone today using samples and modern technology to re-create the sounds of psych rock than a handful of people fooling around in a studio sixty years ago. incredibly impressive record, and far more varied than i was expecting.
I can understand why this is on the list. It has an oddball quality to it that must've been so bizarre in 1968. That said, I don't think I'd ever come back to this. 2.5/5.0: Mixed
very odd album that kept me guessing what would come next. it made listening enjoyable the first time around but not something i care to listen to again
There’s some good stuff here. It’s all over the place though.
This is fascinating. Everyone goes on about the innovations in Pet Sounds and Sergeant Pepper, but this came out a year later and sounds way more modern and pioneering in a lot of ways. The content of the songs doesn't have the slightly conservative nostalgia that I think you find in those other records, either. Not an easy listen though, very spiky and strange.
At first I was horrified then I got into it but towards the end I just wanted it to stop
Idk man usually I like the out there albums but this was just okay
Why is this album here.... ?
After Hoobastank, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, and The The, I didn't think band names could get any worse. This doesn't get any worse, but it does get close. It kind of sounds like a hypothetical dystopian country. I think the lesson here is, just because you're a band and the year is 1967, you don't *have* to be experimental. Especially if your constituent band members kind of suck. The opener, The American Metaphysical Circus, is an immediate worry for me, since it features substandard drumming and even worse vocals. That falsetto is just plain bad. Hard Coming Love is better – though the proto-punk out-of-tune guitar wailing and monkeys pounding various organ keys are pretty grating. Again the singing isn't great, but at least it doesn't show up until halfway through the 5-minute song. And the drumming is significantly better here, easily carrying the song's energy. Cloud Song is *much* better than either of the previous two tracks. The falsetto is actually pleasant here, and the backing synths(?) are strange but beautiful. The Garden Of Earthly Delights reminds me of something ABBA might make if they'd existed in the 60s, and it's equally strong as the previous track. After this near-objective peak in quality, the next few tracks are Syd Barret-esque psychedelic pop, which is fine, but I'd like to see something that aged a little better. A fun bluesy melody in Coming Down delivered by the "good" version of the falsetto works decently well here. The female vocalist does better in the next track, Love Song For The Dead Che, which is another pretty track reminiscent of Cloud Song from side 1. Stranded In Time is like an ELO track without any good instruments (or indeed any instruments at all). Still passable, though, unlike the horrifically confusing conglomerate of noises at the end. The lyric "How much fun it's been" did not need to be repeated 10 times in a row. 2/5 Key tracks: Cloud Song, The Garden Of Earthly Delights, Love Song For The Dead Che
I’d describe em as the American Beetles, album wasn’t bad, kinda weird, might have to listen to a second time but for now. 2.9
Very interesting start. Jazzy but not jazz instruments. It’s very dated. Vocals are ok at best. Background track is trash. Low expectations considering Apple Music says this is the most popular song. Good guitar and bass on hard coming love, but way over produced. Vocals are off too. Too loud. Cloud song is pretty cool. It’s funny because there’s some really dated elements to this album but also some parts that were ahead of its time. Earthly delights is fine. I like the production in this one alot better but still a little too much going on at parts. Wooden wife is very 60s. Fun but not my style. A lot going on. Where is yesterday is a very interesting switch up. I like this one. Love the fade into coming down. By far the best song/production so far. Simple guitar/bass that work so well in tandem. Dead Che is a little too slow for me. Good production though. Stranded in time is fine. I like the singing parts. Music is mid. Pt 1 couldn’t be any more different than the previous two songs aside from there being way too much going on. Tuba (I think) is unnecessary. Good guitar solo. Switch up at 2 mins is crazy. What an interesting song. I think I like this song as a whole a lot. Great closer, leaves me wanting more. 2.4 stars for the original album. Bonus tracks: osamus birthday was fine. Nothing special. No love to give is more on brand. Over produced but good aspects. Wooden wife alt version is really good. I like it better than the album version. You can never come down is pretty good. Definitely catchy. Perry peur is very wimsical. Good keys. Good song writing on tailored man. Sound is a little off again tho. A lot of these bonus tracks are starting to sound the same. I get why they didn’t make the base album. Alternate version of circus is way too much. Had to skip to mouse which I actually thought was really fun. Heresy too is fun. Overall not the best but not the worst. Sticking with 2.4.
some songs were rly good but idk, maybe it needs another listen 5/10
It's like the Beatles if you somehow did more drugs
I really like "Coming Down", great psychadelic/experimental rock. Other than that, I felt like I was being chased by a clown on meth.
Stranded in time is a banger, rest of the album was really interesting.
really solid melodic rock album
Strange mix of songs! Some were great others but very good.
Pretty unique psychedelic record. It looks to be very influential for its time. Personally I didn’t care for it.
Heck yeah. Groovy 60's psychedelic rock for Christmas morning is just exactly perfect. Too bad they didn't make more albums.
Psychodelic rock with experimental compositions. Pioneering technics in music. Stressful.
One must adore the willingness to experiment and bring in a political stance under something that sounds very psychedelic. Much psychedelic rock was always a bit too inward-focused. This here makes fun of capitalism like it should if you will. But I think the band should've worked a bit more on the stuff. A good concept that is hardly listenable I find.
1. Long as hell pour pas grand chose 2.Un peu mieux, ca bouge, mais bon.. 3.La définition de faire du son bizarre pr soit meme, next 4.Bon 5.Cest les beatles ? mieux, mieux, mieux. 6. Début curieux, ensuite ca va 7. Vite que ca s'arrête 8.Mieux mieux ! Bon morceau 9.OSEF ahhh 10.Insupportable à certains moments, sympa à d'autre, mitigé Dans l'ensemble, c'est bof bof bof. C'est un peu ma limite dans le psych/bizarre. Quand j'ai l'impression que les artistes jouent des truc de barjo mais uniquement pour eux (cf. pas les beatles, pas pink floyd, pas Electric Prunes, pas Genesis etc). Ca transmet pas grand chose je trouve. 2/5
iznenađujuće dobro ali podosta nedosljedno
What on earth is this weird experimental noise
I have a ton of admiration for this album. Like I appreciate that this album is definitely a foundational album for psychedelic rock, the problem is it definitely shows its age. Like the only thing this album needed to push it over the edge towards being a 4-5 is it just needed an edge. Like the edge could’ve been like a really dark sense of humor or more directly if this album played around more with heavy sounds that would’ve helped a lot. I understand that they weren’t going to invent metal music, it didn’t need to go that far, I just felt too much of this album was too soft and dry. Like the cloud song is a great example. That song is much like a cloud in that it’s empty and boring. Jokes aside this album has a bunch of hidden gems on it like “I won’t leave my wooden wife for you” this song was probably my favorite on the album. But I also liked “do you follow me”, “the garden of earthly delights”, and “mouse”. Not the best psychedelic album I’ve heard but definitely a hidden gem for the genre.
What on Earth? Couldn't finish. No wonder it was their only album.
I’d never heard of the band or their album before today. It’s certainly a rather odd recording, but one I found pleasantly entertaining on the first play through. It’s also grown on me further during the second play. Definitely very experimental but I like it.
Just didn't click for me
It was kind of interesting but not in a good way. It killed my ears, and I felt like there was something or someone coming for me. A bit unsettling. And past this, the music was just bland.
Fine for hippy music
Psihodelični klasik šezdesetih
Jefferson Starship sister from another mister.
Not bad, nada reseñable
It's definitely avant-garde and different than other things happening at the time. It also sounds marginally better than most of the other psych rock out there.
I had never heard this before that I remember and that is surprising because I love it and I can trace a line from some of my favorite artists to this. I immediately am thinking about Broadcast and Magnetic Fields as I listen to the tracks. There's some Jefferson Airplane in there too which was era appropriate. I think these tracks stand on their own. This isn't like some late 60's also-ran freakout stuff. I'm going to recommend this and definitely put these songs in my rotations.
This album is... really good, I think if you don't like it you're probably just lame?
lmao alright
I had a hard time getting through this album. I can appreciate that it was very experimental for its time, but for me it simply became too much. A lot of it felt repetitive, and despite all the strange sounds and ideas, the album often seemed to stay in the same groove without really developing. There were interesting moments along the way, but overall it was more exhausting than enjoyable. 2/5
I did not like this. If I could have gave zero stars I would have. 1/5 didn’t finish the album 2/5 didn’t keep the album 3/5 kept it and will listen when songs randomly show up on shuffle 4/5 kept it and will listen to it again front to back on my phone 5/5 buying the vinyl
Just because it's from the sixties doesn't mean it's good
Sure, “groundbreaking” and all that, but hard to listen to. (I’ll take the more melodic/ tempered Pink Floyd stuff when I want my psychedelic fix.)
This sounds like someone's attempt to make awful music in as many different styles as possible.
I spent the first couple songs thinking I was listening to the band that delivered us "Peaches" and then realized that 1) the year was 68 2) this is an equally stupidly named band just much earlier. Not sure I need to listen to a full album of either of these patriotic groups. Def don't need this one. I can stretch to see how cool and psychedelic their songs were/are but to my sensitive ears it's just noise. Definitely didn't help me focus at work.
I admire the artistry, especially for the 60s. But damn, I’d rather listen to anything else.
Mixed interesting album
This was very cool. The instrumentals were very creative.
I won't leave my Wooden Wife for you, Sugar
This was experimental in the 60’s. The experiment failed!
Thisbis just not for me. I had never heard of this band before and I can tell itbisbpretty much from the 60s, but this avant garde experimentation is so so bad. It looks like a bunch of union students just playing random notes and writing very shallow lyrics criticising their parents. There was potential, but it was wasted. 1/5 I just can't stand this vibe
fine
- This was tagged as 'Psychedelic Rock'. There is plenty of psychedelic. There is not much rock. - I'm not completely opposed to weird but I struggled to find too many hooks to grab onto. When they pick up a relatively straightforward structure and go for it, it's decent, but they just keep pissing about. - Didn't hate it but not going to seek it out again after today.
what a weird weirdo journey through space and time oscillating between boredom, annoying parts and pure genius. how am i supposed to rate this as a whole??
I don't know what this weird hippy shit is but I kinda dig it. You have to accept that this can & will be incredibly absurd or just sound like Jefferson Airplane or a cheap Beatles knock-off. That Wooden Wife song is so weird & absurd. i sense a bit of satire here but I think I may be over thinking Hippy Music. Its unique, I'll give it thst. 2.5
Groovy.
I found this album interesting, albeit very tedious. It's as innovative as it is overly indulgent. I can't tell if they're overly clever, or if there was a singular "vision." Either way, it's not for me. 4/10
What a crazy discovery! Loved every bit of this. Bummed there is no further discography to dive into, but I’m excited to give this another listen.
a band called The United States of America playing avant garde and baroque pop with political commentary? this is the America I like.
Everyone’s so creative! Personally, I love when an incredible guitar riff is interjected with random trumpeting or a boat horn. The later half of the album does redeem itself.
Ok c'est bon on a compris tout le monde voulait faire son Sgt Peppers en 1968.
Wow! Kind of nuts that this was made in the 60s, there are elements here that still sound bang up to date....there's also elements that show it's age mixed in. Like a retrofuture masterpiece. Never heard it before, but will come back to it. So much going on that a single listen could never do it justice. 3 for now. Probably go up with repeat listens...
Bit of a weird one. Disliked the start but some stuff in there is decent. Felt like listening to 5 different artists.
The users of this website need to grow younger and appreciate this music. 5/5
Extperimenteller Bullshit ohne musikalische Talente.
This was actually cool despite the bad band name and circus opening. But I probably won’t listen to this album again.
...as if Jefferson Airplane said, "Nah. We're just too mainstream" after Surrealistic Pillow. It's really good psychedelia. The first track is a bit hard to get through if you aren't open to it -- just tonally different than a lot of the rest of the record. Once past that, it tightens up considerably. A good trip, and all it will cost is your mind.
first listen super varied and really interesting for 1968
Meh.
I have somehow never heard of this band... It's okay? Decent.
Interesting...I'm just not interested
This was all over the place. But that’s what you get with psych folk.
3.5
If anyone ever needs to torture me for information just make me listen to this album again. I’ll break immediately
of all the psychadelic stuff on this list this stuck with me the most
так и не поняла фишку с одинаковыми песнями но мужскими и женскими голосами (и в принципе какая концепция у них - мужчина или женщина солист или это два мужчины), в целом музыку тоже не поняла)
Totally 60s
After listening to a lot of boring music, this freakish clown trip was actually welcomed. Good psychadelic rock with a lot of weird surprises
Maybe Psychedelic music was huge in the UK...I feel there are a lot on this list that are incredibly redundant. 1.5/5
Kinda weird for the sake of being weird.
It’s fine in small doses. But this album is just too goddamn long
this album is all over the place but in a gooood way. many different vibes, kind of like a more experimental beatles.. interesting and enjoyable!
Very kooky, sometimes jarring, sometimes cool. Based on the start of the first song I thought I would detest it but by "The American Way of Love" I was hooked. What a cool album. It's more of an experience than music to put on. But I enjoyed my listen.
Weird AF, sounds like you got halfway through listening to folk and then dropped something psychedelic. Musicianship is a little sloppy and can get a bit too self-consciously concepty. Some of it's not bad some of it is embarassing. The medieval stuff needs to go into the bin.
This blows
I enjoyed it, I don't always enjoy avant garde/psychedelic music but can see how influential this album must have been sonically with the addition of electronica and for opening the horizons for bands to come after it
I could hear some pretty solid music back there and maybe in the right context I'd like this better. But the zaniness of it felt a bit grating and distracting for me.
Weird…
Stereolab travels back in time and does a co-lab with Jefferson Airplane
Really weird!!! Wish there were more.
I thought was the 90s group going into it, I was wrong.
There were brief moments that saved this from being a 1. Definitely rough overall, but occasionally had its moments.
I wanted to like this but it did not bring me joy. A few bits were too Austin Powers to be groovy. Lots of noises. Lots of big feelings and seriously taking themselves seriously. Lots of wishing they were Beetles. And me as listener wondering why they needed over an hour to convey this. It would have been a 1 but for the occasional few seconds of enjoyable music that was very sparsely scattered throughout.
Excellent melodic folk rock not necessarily psychedelic.
Not what I expected. There were parts that I enjoyed a lot, but it also veered into being 'wacky' rather than interesting at times so I can't give it more than a 4.
< The Beatles No... just... no.
Wow ok, that was different than what I expected. It was strange. With the way my day went I'm not sure this album really worked for me, but it was kind of interesting. I'll probably never listen to it again, but I appreciate the experimental aspect of it. Favorite songs: Love Song for the Dead Che, Cloud Song
Absurd project. Parts are hard to listen to, while other tracks are hippy-silly and a pleasant grove. Must’ve been fun to produce, given all the shameless sex and reckless drugs that went into the making. People shouldn’t be so hard on this album. It was a truly fucked up and joyous time in America. 60’s kids were the best!