The Human Zoo

As was the case with label-mates The Human Expression, The Human Zoo were also from the Los Angeles suburbs of Westminster and were also signed to Accent Records (the connection between the two bands is greater still, as the Human Zoo were managed by Jim Foster of The Human Expression).

And what of the music? The one and only (mega-rare) Human Zoo album is a surprising and quirky blend of psychedelic (trippy), garage (fuzz-guitar), and funky music. The musical diversity is the record’s greatest asset in this age of one song downloadable wonderment. The band had chops, could put together a really good song, and did so repeatedly on this their only album.

“Parked in a musical zone owing a nudge and a wink to Vanilla Fudge, Jimi Hendrix, and Iron Butterfly, the Human Zoo perused and embodied the acid rock sounds of the day with insight and intent. Bold and booming guitars interact with crunchy keyboards and potent drum fills, while the soul-informed vocals and harmonies occasionally echo those of the heavier side of Crazy Elephant or Pacific, Gas and Electric.” — It’s Psychedelic Baby
  
“While the Human Zoo could add a trippy edge to their songs (such as ‘I Don’t Care No More’), they (at least as captured on this album) were at their best when they rocked out, and it’s on numbers like ‘Na-Na’ and ‘Funny’ that the Human Zoo really connect, while ‘Gonna Take Me a Ride’ and ‘Help Me’ reveal they weren’t bad with blue-eyed soul stuff, either. The production is simple, but also captures the performances in a clean and natural fashion and is thankfully short on the studio trickery often inflicted on lesser-known psych acts. The recording seems to favor the band’s live sound, and if the Human Zoo sounded this tight on-stage, it’s hard to say why they didn’t attract greater notice at the time.” — Mark Deming