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Psychedelia

Triangle

The Beau Brummels · 1967

A trippy, textural pivot—made by three men and a room full of hired hands—that trades garage-rock punch for harpsichord mist.

Worth your time?3.5/5Yes.Hear the whole thing.What works, what does not, who it is for ↓
10:26in productionCh. 1 · Three Men and a Draft Notice/ 10:26 · ceiling 15 min
4 chapters · 10:26Ceiling 15:00

The brief is written and checked. The video joins this page when it is cut.4 chapters · 2 min read · 10:26 planned

Read the brief

Triangle is the Beau Brummels’ fourth studio album, released in July 1967 and produced by Lenny Waronker. It marks their first collaboration between vocalist Sal Valentino and guitarist Ron Elliott as co-writers. Recorded by a trio—Valentino, Elliott, and Ron Meagher—after the departure of Don Irving and John Petersen, and during Meagher’s exit to Army Reserves, the album embraces psychedelic musical style, fantasy-themed lyrics, and surreal characters. Session musicians including James Burton, Jim Gordon, Carol Kaye, and Van Dyke Parks (on harpsichord for 'Magic Hollow') contributed. Arrangements feature strings, brass, woodwinds, harpsichord, and unique percussion. Ron Elliott described the album as 'ethereal, mystic, and mysterious', reflecting the drug culture of 1967. Though commercially modest, it received critical acclaim and later gained recognition as a cult classic.

PsychedeliaAbstractionMysticismMythologyAbstraction across the network →
Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 0:48
    Three Men and a Draft Notice

    It was recorded by a trio mid-collapse—Valentino, Elliott, and Meagher—then finished without Meagher.

  2. 2:25
    The Producer Who Let Them Dissolve

    Lenny Waronker gave them freedom to experiment—and they used it on every arrangement.

  3. 4:11
    No Guitars, Just Glow

    Harpsichord, strings, brass, woodwinds, and unique percussion replace guitars as the main colour.

  4. 6:09
    Surrealism, Not Plot

    Fantasy titles and surreal characters carry an ethereal, mystic, drug-refracted mood—not stories, but states.

1 more chapterFewer chapters
Running order11
  1. 01
    Are You Happy?2:17

    Heard in Inquiring Nuns (1968)Happy, Texas (1999)Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)

  2. 02
    Only Dreaming Now2:06
  3. 03
    Painter of Women2:51
  4. 04
    The Keeper of Time2:09
  5. 05
    It Won't Get Better2:02
  6. 06
    Nine Pound Hammer3:19

    Heard in Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters (2007)

  7. 07
    Magic Hollow2:53
  8. 08
    And I've Seen Her1:59
  9. 09
    Triangle2:17
  10. 10
    The Wolf of Velvet Fortune4:52
  11. 11
    Old Kentucky Home2:05

    Heard in Steamboat Willie (1928)Animal Crackers (1930)Judge Priest (1934)The Adventures of Picasso (1978)

Film placements are the ones described in each film's own entry, so the list is partial rather than complete.

Worth your time?

Yes. Hear the whole thing.

3.5/ 5
What works
  • 'Magic Hollow'
  • 'Triangle'
  • 'Painter of Women'
  • 'The Keeper of Time'
What does not
  • sustain momentum across all eleven tracks
  • offer consistent energy or tight rock grooves
  • deliver lyrical clarity or linear storytelling
Hear it if
  • fans of 1967 psychedelic pop with baroque instrumentation
  • crate-diggers seeking under-the-radar West Coast studio craft
  • fans of Van Dyke Parks’ harpsichord work
Skip it if
  • those who need strong hooks
  • those who need steady backbeats
  • those who need linear storytelling
Who should hear it, and who should skipHide who it is for
The written brief2 min read

What the record is and where it came from

Triangle is the Beau Brummels’ fourth studio album. Released in July 1967. Produced by Lenny Waronker. Made by a trio—Sal Valentino, Ron Elliott, and Ron Meagher—after John Petersen and Don Irving left, and during Meagher’s departure to Army Reserves.

How it sounds, and how it was made

It sounds ethereal, mystic, and mysterious. Strings, brass, woodwinds, harpsichord, and unique percussion fill the arrangements. Van Dyke Parks played harpsichord on ‘Magic Hollow’. Session musicians including James Burton, Jim Gordon, and Carol Kaye contributed. Lenny Waronker granted the trio artistic freedom to focus on original material.

What lands

‘Magic Hollow’ lands—harpsichord, strings, and surreal imagery cohere. ‘Triangle’ lands—tight, melodic, anchored by Valentino’s voice and Elliott’s guitar. ‘Painter of Women’ and ‘The Keeper of Time’ land—fantasy-themed, arranged with brass and woodwinds. ‘Nine Pound Hammer’ lands as a rhythmic, percussive outlier.

What does not

It does not sustain momentum across all eleven tracks. ‘Old Kentucky Home’ is a cover that stands apart from the original material. The trio’s reduced lineup means less interplay, more reliance on session textures. No track exceeds five minutes except ‘The Wolf of Velvet Fortune’, which tests cohesion.

The ideas inside it

Fantasy elements and surreal characters appear in song titles and lyrics. The album reflects the drug culture of the time. Its mood swings into abstraction, mysticism, and dissolution—not narrative, but atmosphere.

Who should hear it, and who should not

Fans of 1967 psychedelic pop with baroque instrumentation should hear it. Crate-diggers seeking under-the-radar West Coast studio craft should hear it. Fans of Van Dyke Parks’ harpsichord work should hear it. Those who need strong hooks, steady backbeats, or linear storytelling should not.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you want a concise, textured 1967 psychedelic pop record built by three core members and session players, not a band chasing hits. It is not worth your time if you expect consistent energy, tight rock grooves, or lyrical clarity.

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