Retro Reviews: Love: Love

          I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Love – Love (1966)

***

Producers: Mark Abramson, Jac Holzman

Musicians: Authur Lee, Johnny Echols, Bryan MacLean, Ken Forssi, Alban “Snoopy” Pfisterer, John Fleckerstein, Don Conka

Songs and music: My Little Red Book, Can’t Explain, A Message To Pretty, My Flash On Your, Softly To Me, No Matter What You Do, Emotions, You I’ll Be Following, Gazing, Hey Joe, Signed D.C. Colored Balls Falling, Mushroom Clouds, And More

Reviewed by Matthew Anthony Allair

    Love, the new southern California band has launched their first album for Elektra records, and it’s an interesting release that seems to aim to compete with the likes of The Byrds, but the sound has elements that remind me of another European band, The Monks, there’s an underground edge and a slight raw feeling that comes through that makes Love interesting. It’s leader Authur Lee drives the sound with brash vocals or a melodic sense. There’s plenty of 12 string guitar, but pockets of an heavier bass tone than you’d expect from Ken Forssi. The lead guitar work from Johnny Echols is steady and varied on most numbers, as well as rhythm guitar work from Bryan MacLean and Bryan and Johnny blend well together. Lee also plays Harmonica on some of the blues-based numbers. Within the electric folk setting, the album stays interesting, if a little uneven.

    The opening number and single “My Little Red Book” have a playful drive, and sardonic melody, but yet it’s a memorable number. The Byrds influence is evident with “Can’t Explain”, an original that has no relation to The Who. The folk ballad “A Message To Pretty” has a harmonica that will harken to Dylan, but it’s unavoidable, the ease of the number has a good feeling, probably a plea to an ex-beau. “My Flash On You” has a rave up drive to the number and rolling bass. “Softly to Me” has a pop jazz feeling and guitar work that substitutes a jazz organ, Byran takes the lead vocal and he differs from Lee. “No Matter What You Do” is probably the number that has a local club feeling. The instrumental “Emotions” has a surf music feel and textured tremolo guitar.

    Side two opens with the whimsical “You I’ll Be Following”, some good vocal harmonies are undercut with some frivolous lyrics. “Gazing” is another folk ballad and some more nice vocal harmonies. The blues number “Hey Joe” has become a popular one on the scene, and Love offers up their version that isn’t dissimilar to their peers, but I can’t say it’s all that distinctive. “Signed D.C.” is an acoustic blues ballad that is one of the stronger numbers, more introspective that comments on the new drug culture scene. “Colored Balls Falling” brings the tempo up again, and manages to be another strong song. “Mushroom Clouds” is another acoustic ballad with some rich harmonies that take on an unsettled quality. The up tempo closer “And More” manages to wrap up the tone of the album.

    While the bulk of the songs are concise and focused, this album could have used a little editing, as some songs don’t distinguish themselves from others. Still, this is a talented band, and I am interested to see what unfolds next for them.