Album Review:

When Gary Zekely wasn't impressed with Jan and Dean's version of his composition, 'Yellow Balloon,' he decided to record it himself under the self-indulgent guise of 'Yellow Balloon.' As it turned out, Zekely's version hit number 25 while Jan and Dean's (recorded in Jan Berry's absence) didn't even hit the top 100, peaking at #111. The assembled group comprised of Alex Valdez, Frost Green, Don Braught, Paul Canella, and, more famously, Don Grady of My Three Sons fame. In fact, Grady's own group, 'Windupwatchband', would form the nucleus of the Yellow Balloon on this album. While the original single featured Gary Zekely overdubbing all the parts himself; this five-some eventually took over the vocal duties on the remaining 11 numbers. Taking their inspiration almost directly from the Beach Boys, Yellow Balloon offers us a look back on a simple time when sunshine pop was hot and harder-edged stuff was not. Succinctly put, when it comes to feel-good, clean, sunshine pop, no one could touch these guys. 

'How Can I Be Down' is a great opening to such an impressive album. Featuring sun-drenched harmonies and pure pop instrumentation, ‘How Can I Be Down’ has all the makings of a classic that never was. The intense vocal arrangement and inventive key change at the end make ‘Stained Glass Window' another high point. The album version of 'Baby it's You' is slightly different from the single version, and while it's quite a brief song, it gets its point across - "Baby it's you!" The Beach Boys' momentum kicks back in on 'I've Got A Feeling For Love,' and the group gives us another great sunshine pop anthem with lots (and lots) of harmonies. 'Yellow Balloon' is basically the ultimate sunshine pop song. ‘Good Feeling Time' features what is probably the most Brian Wilson-esque bridge of all time. 'Follow the Sunshine' is yet another fun track containing just about everything ubiquitous to the genre. 'Springtime Girl;' is a simple tune with playful lyrics. You could swear it was a lost Brian Wilson arrangement. 'Can't Get Enough Of Your Love' has one of the best vocal arrangements ever to grace a pop song. Resembling something that might be confused for the Sesame Street theme, ‘Junk Maker Shoppe' is a heavier, harmonica-driven number and is the only thing here that doesn't feel quite as light-hearted as the rest of the record.

Yellow Balloon may not have garnered as much fame as their contemporaries - namely the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean - yet their music is pretty darn close to par with the output those artists were releasing around the same time. Their lone self-titled album is a pop masterpiece and has sparked more interest in recent years than at the time of its initial creation. A five-star piece of sunshine pop.

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NOTE:

The Yellow Balloon also recorded a handful of worthwhile tracks after the album, such as; 'Leaving It To You,' 'Children of St. Monica,' and 'A Good Man To Have Around.'