| CUSTOMER REVIEWS: | 4/5 - 4 Star Rock-Classic
If it hadn't been for the lenghty ( 19 minutes ) "Revelation", I'm sure Love's second album "Da Capo" would have been considered a masterpiece on the same level as their follow-up "Forever Changes". Now it's "only" a very solid 4 star rock-classic, where all tracks, exept "Revelation", are Love at their best.
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<br />The opener " Stephanie Knows Who" and "Seven & Seven is" are rockers in the same vein as "My Little Red Book" from their debut album; both strong tracks.
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<br />Bryan MacLean contributes only one song; the beautiful ballad "Orange Skies", which interestingly is sung by Arthur Lee.
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<br />Lee's own latin inspired ballad "Que Vida!" is another of Love's timeless classics.
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<br />"The Castle" shows the experimental side of the band; still in a melodic context. This song would have fitted nicely into "Forever Changes"
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<br />"She Comes in Colours" is another Love classic. Rumor says that the song was inspiration for Rolling Stones to do "She's a Rainbow"
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<br />Though "Revelation" has some interesting moments, the song goes on for way too long, and it soon becomes a drag. I think even if it was reduced to a regular 4-5 minutes song, it would still by far be the weakest track on the album. Today it seems a shame that the band did not fill out side two of the album with stronger material, but at the time it was quite "hip" to make such experiments.
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<br />The bonus track is reharsals / takes of "Seven and Seven is" is interesting with studio-talk etc.
4/5 - A Solid Step Toward Their Masterpiece
The overall quality of Love's second album is diminished a bit by the 19-minute "Revelation", which took up the whole of side two on LP. But it is not a complete waste, as it has some good guitar playing, a nice sax solo, and even the drum solo that brings it to a close is kinda cool. Moreover, Arthur Lee's shouting seems to have anticipated Iggy Pop's vocals with The Stooges. Anyone inclinded to appreciate a good long jam - of either the Miles Davis or the Grateful Dead variety - will find something to appreciate about "Revelation".
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<br />Still, it is unfortunate that Love didn't come up with a complete batch of songs for Da Capo. They had managed a dozen originals on their 1966 eponymous debut, which was consistently good if not great. For the follow-up, they produced only a half dozen standard-length tracks, but almost all of these were superior to the better tracks from the debut. "Stephanie Knows Who" starts off with a harpsichord that will remind modern listeners to Mark Motherbaugh's score for the movie Rushmore. In this case, Lee's forceful vocals bring to mind David Johansen, whose band the New York Dolls was still four years away from being formed. The thunderous, unrelenting "7 and 7 Is" also has qualities that the Dolls and The Stooges would later make their trademark. Thus, it rightly ranks very highly among quintessential proto-punk songs. With such comparisons, the case is strong for Love as a major influence on punk. (But to be fair, Gerry Roslie of The Sonics might more correctly be identified as the source of the vocal style in consideration, especially Johansen's.)
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<br />All this talk of punk may seem strange, as Love is better known as forerunners of the baroque and chamber pop styles, thanks mainly to their third album, Forever Changes. Da Capo has its share of ornate numbers as well, including "Orange Skies", written by guitarist Bryan MacLean, the childishly simple "¡Que Vida!", and "She Comes In Colors". Finally, "The Castle" is a beautiful folk piece, with superb flamenco guitar and warm, gentle vocals by Lee. While Love's first album was clearly influenced by The Byrds and The Rolling Stones, they clearly came into their own on Da Capo. (So much so that The Stones would end up quoting "She Comes In Colors" in their own song "She's A Rainbow".) The addition of flute, saxophone, and harpsichord made a big difference in this regard, resulting in an album that would prove influential on rock and pop in the decades that followed.
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<br />Now, is Da Capo a essential purchase? In one word, No. "Revelation" is interesting to hear, but not necessary to own. The other six songs can all be found on the 2-CD compilation Love Story, 1966-1972. This compilation also includes Forever Changes in its entirety. Unfortunately, it is divided down the middle between the two discs, but CD burners and mp3 players can help correct that problem. I know that the curious newcomer might be unwilling to make such a large first investment in the band. However, I can assure him/her that Forever Changes is as good as one can hope it will be, and will surely spark interest in Love's other albums. With nine songs from the debut, generous helpings from three post-Forever Changes albums, and a few rarities, Love Story is wise and worthwhile one-stop shopping.
5/5 - A 60's Band from L.A.
Love's music evolved as the cultures of LA evolved with sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. In the 60's, Love played at club called "It's Boss" on the Sunset Strip, where they developed a loyal following. Their first album, "Little Red Book," demonstrated their unique style for thier own songs, as well as standards like "Hey Joe." But when Da Capo came out it was clear the band had taken a new direction. The compositions were much more sophisticated. The clutteredness of hard rock was tempered with the airiness of poetic links and flute, much like relationships between lovers in these very clear cuts. That's right folks, Da Capo is about sex! Emotions like: the frustrations from being turned on by gals like Stephanie; the peace and anticipation of dreams in orange skies; the problems of communication in Que Vida; the orgasmatic energy of Seven & Seven Is followed by calm; the calm of home in the Castle; no one should need an explanation of she comes in colors; and, for those looking for an explanation for revelation should try to organize and describe all of the emotions they experienced during a session of oral sex. For head trippers, Love's next album "Forever Changes," is just as poetic, ear pleasing, and exciting! |
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Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Last visit: 14/12/2009
