Search - Love :: Blue Thumb Recordings (Dig) (Spkg)

Excellent reissue of Love's hard-to-find final studio chapte

Elliot Knapp | Seattle, Washington United States | 06/29/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"At long last, Hip-o Select has reissued Love's last two studio albums, recorded with Blue Thumb, along with an album's worth of unreleased live tracks from three different 1970 concert dates. The set is 3 discs, disc one being the double album Out Here (68 min.), disc two is False Start (29 minutes) and three is titled Live in England 1970 (56 min.). These final two albums were released by a band whose members were constantly changing (with leader, singer and songwriter Arthur Lee as the only constant), and also a band that included no other members from the Love that recorded 1968's essentialForever Changes album. However, though he changed his band around and changed his sound considerably from orchestral folk-rock to a harder brand of psychedelic rock, Lee by no means quit producing worthwhile material after Forever Changes. This reissue is a welcome one, since Out Here has been out of print for quite a while (and thus very expensive and rare to find), False Start has been somewhat hard to track down, and this is the first time the 1970 live album has been released. Although this was a hit-and-miss period for Lee and Love, there's tons of great, rocking tracks in this collection, lots of Lee's inimitably dead-on lyrics, and I think it's worth owning for any major Love fan (who is probably primarily interested in the previously unreleased live material) or anyone who's been bewitched by the classic Forever Changes and wants to dig deeper into Love's later music.



Out Here is unquestionably the strongest disc of the set. Since it resulted from the same sessions that produced the excellent Four Sail album, it's nearly as good. Really, its main flaw is one that has plagued most double albums--filler. There's a few songs that are merely OK, which suggests that perhaps Out Here would have been dynamite if it were trimmed down a bit. Despite the occasional down moments, it's full of some excellent highlights, like the update of "Signed D.C.," which is darker than the original and drenched in doomy emotion. "Discharged" is a horn-accompanied change of pace, highlighting the biting satire that was ever-present on Forever Changes. "Doggone" is great, full of references to the old Love lineup, but for some reason it has an 8-minute long drum solo, which is probably the most typical instance of filler on the album (not poorly-played or anything, just unnecessary--and nowhere near as excessive as Da Capo's "Revelation"). The rest of the album is packed with excellent eclectic styles, like the folky "Willow Willow" and the dark and sublime closer, "Gather 'Round." Throughout the album, Lee's voice sounds as good and expressive as it ever has, and the band sounds pretty tight as well, though sometimes, in-between some blistering and jaw-dropping moments, Jay Donnelan's fuzzed-out guitar lines start to sound the same. Despite its occasional long-winded moments, I'd have to say that I enjoy Out Here as much or maybe more than Four Sail. Since it's out of print, the inclusion of Out Here in this set is worth the price of admission alone.



False Start is easily the weakest Love album. Yes, it does include that Hendrix collaboration, "The Everlasting First," but it's not THAT great of a song, and Jimi's guitar really doesn't sound anywhere near its peaks on his own records. The album grooves along at a pretty good clip, with songs that blend into each other, which is cool, but what's missing is substance. Arthur Lee, at his best, possessed a gift for turning mundane details into deep and resonant lyrics, but on False Start the lyrics rarely rise above the simply mundane, like the simple sing-song of "Flying," and the facile narration of "Slick Dick." Some of it's good gritty fun, the way throwaway rock should be, like the soulful "Feel Daddy Feel Good," but much of it is lyrical white noise set to some pretty groovy rock. Throw in an unnecessary live version of "Stand Out" (one of Out Here's more forgettable tracks) and at just under 30 minutes, False Start seems more than a bit half-hearted. Still, Lee's got that signature something in his voice and delivery, so even when he's mediocre it's worth some attention.



Live In England 1970 is probably what the serious collectors are interested in, and for pretty good reason. Not only is it the earliest official live Love album, but it also spans all of their albums through Out Here, including Forever Changes. I don't know if I'd call the live disc essential, but it's definitely worthwhile. The performances (from 3 different shows) can best be described as raw, for better and worse. On a few numbers, like "My Little Red Book," "Bummer In The Summer" and an epic take on "Gather 'Round," the band's all-electric sound really adds some weight and grit to Love's harder rock sound, and Lee's vocals really nail the songs' sentiments. On the other hand, he strains to hit the notes on "Orange Skies" and "Andmoreagain," and the heavy rock is a bit too plodding for some of the more delicate numbers. Likewise, "August" lacks some of the punch that made it such an effective opener for Four Sail. It's all a matter of taste, though, and I expect many fans will rightly be delighted with the live disc.



As a package, this reissue has its pros and cons. The most important thing--the sound--is great, so that's a relief and a pleasure. A couple things are a bit annoying, though. It's a 3 CD set, but the music could fit onto 2--honestly, it's pretty laughable that False Start, at 29:30, gets a full disc. It would have been nice to go for 2 discs (at the expense of having to split False Start up) in order to lower the price, which is not cheap. The packaging is nice--a fold out cardboard/plastic case with a raised "Love" logo on the front. I agree with the first review that the liner notes leave a bit to be desired, especially considering the price and inclusion of 3 albums' worth of music, but it's nice to get the album credits, and there are some good pictures. To sum up, I'd say that this collection is essential for Love fans, and the most cost-effective way to get this otherwise out-of-print and unreleased material in a consolidated form. Yeah, the music gets mixed reviews from a lot of critics and fans, but if you love Forever Changes and like Four Sail, there's a whole lot to enjoy here, and a lot that I think is worthwhile. Finally, be aware that this is a limited edition of 5,000 copies--even though this music is back in print, it might not be for long. Hope you enjoy!"

The rediscovery of a lost past

Mr. John L. Ward | Manchester, England | 06/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Following the disintegration of the classic Love lineup in mid 1968, Arthur Lee assembled a new version of the band before signing a deal with Bob Krasnow of Blue Thumb Records. According to an oft repeated tale, Elektra complained that they were still owed one last album and so they were allowed to help themselves to ten of the tracks that had already been recorded. These were assembled into 'Four Sail' - an album which along with all the other Elektra releases is now deservedly available in an expanded and remastered form. The sessions for Blue Thumb continued and the result was 'Out Here' - a double album which was uneven certainly, but which also contained some of Lee's best ever compositions: 'I Still Wonder', 'Listen To My Song, 'Nice To Be', 'Willow, Willow'and 'Gather Round'. It would be fair to say that the lengthy instrumental passages on two other fine songs ('Love Is More Than Words'and 'Doggone')tended to divide opinion! By 1970 Love's lineup had been modified and the next round of studio recordings yielded 'False Start'. This album was quite unlike anything the band had ever recorded before. There were no acoustic guitars and the melodies sounded less inspired. The lyrics seemed as though they had been made up on the spot and Lee's special talent for forging clever rhymes from his wonderfully surreal imagery seemed to have been deliberately suppressed. This said, the extremely heavy guitar sound helps to drive the album along with hypnotic effect - and this is especially the case with 'Anytime', 'Ride That Vibration' and the dynamic live cut, 'Stand Out'. What makes this latest 3CD package so essential is the inclusion of a live set from Love's 1970 tour of Britain. Here the 'False Start' lineup tackle a highly repesentative setlist from the group's back catalogue in a dynamic and yet sensitive way. Four stars are awarded because of the superb remastering that has lately been brought to these recordings. I have witheld the final star because of the accompanying booklet. Although its layout is attractive, the essay it contains has been hastily written - sometimes to the detriment of accuracy. If your interest in Love is all embracing then you really cannot afford to be without this. If however, you believe Love and 'Forever Changes' are synonymous then you may want to think about it first. But either way, don't take too long .... it says 'LIMITED EDITION' on mine!



"

OK, now when do we get "Reel to Real" ?

the Digital Dinosaur | Roseville, California United States | 08/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Finally! The kind of remastering and packaging that this music deserves. Gotta say, though, that "Out Here" doesn't hold up as well as I thought it would. I think it's quite obvious that Love was a much tighter and more disciplined outfit in their "False Start" incarnation. That album keeps getting better each time I hear it, & I've probably heard it 50-100 times. And judging from how tight the F.S.-era band sounds on the surprisingly good live disc included here, I'd say that Lee/Love realized that they weren't the "Forever Changes" band of the the 60's, and stopped trying to be. I think that's why so many people seem disappointed with "False Start" - it tries to be nothing like 60's Love and presents itself on its own terms (as wonderfully skewered as they are). I was disgusted the first time listened to it. when I was 15, because it was so NOT "Forever Changes". But then I couldn't stop listening to it - like not being able to look away from a gnarly accident on the freeway. Then, gradually, I started to get the joke & appreciate the beefier guitar sound and stripped down approach (as well as some of the best screaming I'd ever heard on a record, juxtaposed with tight arrangements & sweet harmonies).



This kind of draws attention to "Out Here"'s big weakness: it keeps trying to be tho old school Love with new players and ideas, but much of the time only achieving the pretentiousness (think "Revelation") of that bygone era. Some brilliance, some dreck & all stops in between (at times in the same song). So, I'd give "Out Here" 3 stars, "False Start" 5 stars & the live disc 4 1/2 stars (some songs done better than their official album performances). Anyway, if you're any kind of Love/Arthur Lee fan - particularly an open minded one - you need this collection.



P.S. When are they going to release the final Love album - "Reel to Real" - and put out some Love music in 5.1 surround SACD or DVD-Audio? At least "Forever Changes", huh?"