line up 1 (1967-68)

- Robert Homa -- bass, vocals

- John Kowalski -- drums, percussion

- Gloria Lambert -- vocals

- Marc Swenson -- lead guitar, vocals

  line up 1 (1968-74)

- John Kowalski -- drums, percussion

- Gloria Lambert -- vocals

NEW - Robert Miller -- rhythm guitar

NEW - Ken Pitlik -- bass (replaced Robert Homa)

- Marc Swenson -- lead guitar, vocals

- none known

Genre: psych

Rating: *** 3 stars

Title:  Magic Lantern

Company: Void

Catalog: VOID 52
Year: 2009

Country/State: Chicago, Illinois

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $25.00

Robert Homa and John Kowalsk met while attending high school in Chicago.  Sharing a common interest in music they formed The Real Things, playing parties, dances and even some local clubs before falling apart in 1967.  Enrolled in the University of Illinois, Chicago the pair decided to form a new band, running "help wanted" adds in the campus paper and a couple of local papers.  Those adds captured the attention of guitarist Marc Swenson and classically trained singer Gloria Lambert who was then working in the folk band Jordan, Damian and Samantha.  A reference to the infamous 1886 Chicago labor protest, the four settled on the name "Haymarket Square" and began attracting attention on the Chicago club scene.

Their big break came in 1968 when The Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art hired them to provide backup accompaniment for a two-week installation entitled The Original Baron and Bailey Light Circus.  Conceived by University of Chicago professors William Baron and William Bailey, the Light Circus was a mixed media art project described as  "environmental exhibits, creating a variety of sensations and illusions" using "images and equipment (designed and built by us) that induces animation to projected transparencies".  The group accepted the offer, with all four members contributing to five band originals that graced the resulting album (along with a cover of Tiny Bradshaw's R&B classic 'The Train-Kept-A-Rollin').  I've never understood the link to Laddie Oleson's small Chaparral Records label, but in conjunction with the show, roughly 100 copies of the resulting music were pressed under the title "Magic Lantern". I'm guessing the title was inspired by the light show they were supporting. Haymarket Square also performed their material live during the  final two days of the two week show (July 6th and 7th, 1968).  Given the album was composed to support the Light Circus experience, the results were pretty psychedelic, if somewhat raw. Powered by a dynamite rhythm section in bassist Homa and drummer Kowalski, when you added in Lambert's powerful, crystalline voice, these guys could easily have been mistaken for a prime West Coast psych act.  Tracks like 'Amapola' and 'Phantasmagoria' placed the group in prime Jefferson Airplane/It's a Beautiful Day/Grateful Dead territory.  And that was part of the problem for me.  They were much better when pursuing their own vision of psych - espousing a slightly ominous vibe, complete with references to the occult, tracks like 'Phantasmagoria' and 'Funeral' recalled Chicago's own H.P. Lovecraft; albeit with a talented female vocalist.   I'll admit really liking about half of the album.  The opener 'Elevation' was an awesome slice of West Coast psych.  Their cover of the classic 'The Train-Kept-A-Rollin'' was energetic and fun.   Unfortunately perhaps because it was written as accompaniment for the Light Circus project the extended instrumental 'Ahimsa' and the first half of the closing acid-tinged jam 'Funeral' were just boring, though the latter improved markedly when Lambert's vocals kicked in.  Perhaps not unexpected given the circumstances, the album also suffered from a rushed, somewhat under-produced sound.

With a couple of personnel changes the band apparently kept performing through the mid-'70s though they don't seem to have ever released any follow-up material.

Perhaps 100 copies of the original Chaparral Records LP were pressed which explains why originals command such high prices.  The last eBay sale of an original copy in May, 2024 netted $2,220 for a fairly worn copy. That rarity also explains why the collection has seen multiple re-issues, all but the UK Gear Fab and Spanish Guerssen label releases being of questionable legality.  Would I pay $2,000+ for an original copy?  No way.  $40 for a legitimate reissue?  Certainly.

"Magic Lantern" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Elevator (Gloria Lambert) - 7:06 rating: **** stars

If you want to hear a Chicago band effortlessly outdo a West Coast psych band at the acid rock game, go no further than 'Elevator'.   Built on Kowalski's throbbing drums, Lambert's lysergic soaked vocals and a tasty Swenson fuzz guitar solo, this was simultaneously ominous and commercial.  

2.) The Train-Kept-A-Rollin' (Tiny Bradshaw - Howie Kay - Sydney Nathan) - 7:20 rating: **** stars

There are so many versions of this Tiny Bradshaw classic.  'The Train-Kept-A-Rollin'' seems to be one of those tunes that every self-respecting band feels the need to include in their repertoire.  That means there are loads of lousy covers out there.  Anyhow, I've always been partial to The Yardbirds version (with the later Jeff Beck on lead guitar).  That said, I'll tell you Haymarket Square's enthusiastic rendition gives The Yardbirds a run for their money. Kowalski's drumming was pretty amazing.

3.) Ahimsa (instrumental) (Robert Homa - John Kowalski - Marc Swenson) - 8:14 rating: * star

The extended jam 'Ahimsa' opened up giving Swenson an opportunity to showcase his fuzz guitar playing.  That was followed by a seemingly endless Kowalski drum solo.   I'm guessing this number was pretty effective supporting The Light Circus presentation, but stretched out over eight minutes the studio version quick ran out its welcome.  I actually stumbled across a December, 2014 "review" of the song from John Kowalski himself: "Yes, the song with the drummer solo stinks. It was a takeoff of "Toad" by Ginger Baker. We needed another original song for the album so we recorded the drum solo song. Wasted vinyl. And yes, the drums are recorded too loud. That was out of my control. The recording engineer that recorded the album only had experience in recording country and western music."  I had to look it up, but the title was apparently a nod to the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence applying to one's actions towards all living beings. 

(side 2)
1.) Amapola (Marc Swenson) - 10:43 rating: **** stars

If you're a big fan of wah-wah guitar, then this is a good track to check out.  It's hard to put my finger on it, but while there were plenty of West Coast psych influence in these grooves, on tracks like the extended 'Amapola' the band's Chicago psych roots also made an appearance.  Imagine H.P. Lovecraft sporting a strong female singer.  Yes I'm a big H.P. Lovecraft fan.

2.) Phantasmagoria (Gloria Lambert) - 4:08  rating: **** stars

It took a moment for the song to kick into gear, but when 'Phantasmagoria' got going it was an interesting slice of folk-rock-meets galloping pop.  It was also a nice platform for Lambert's shimmering vocals - she also write the song.

3.) Funeral (Gloria Lambert) - 9:23 rating: *** stars

The first half of 'Funeral' was little more than a plodding, acid-tinged jam session.  I think I could have probably figured out the bass pattern.  Luckily the second half improved with the arrival of Lambert and what sounded like her best Grace Slick impression.

 © Scott R. Blackerby January, 2025