While certainly not a suitable substitution for Hip-O Select's extraordinary triple-disc Blue Thumb Recordings (2007) box set, this compile is perfect for anyone with a passing curiosity about the post-Elektra recordings by Arthur Lee's Love. The contents are culled from highlights off of the double-LP Out Here (1969) and follow-up False Start (1970) -- the last projects to feature the second lineup with mainstay Lee (rhythm guitar/lead vocals/piano) backed by Frank Fayad (bass) and George Suranovich (drums) with Jay ...
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While certainly not a suitable substitution for Hip-O Select's extraordinary triple-disc Blue Thumb Recordings (2007) box set, this compile is perfect for anyone with a passing curiosity about the post-Elektra recordings by Arthur Lee's Love. The contents are culled from highlights off of the double-LP Out Here (1969) and follow-up False Start (1970) -- the last projects to feature the second lineup with mainstay Lee (rhythm guitar/lead vocals/piano) backed by Frank Fayad (bass) and George Suranovich (drums) with Jay Donnellan (lead guitar), followed by Gary Rowles (lead guitar). There are several numbers with the combo laying down a heavy "mod" blues and boogie. Namely, the False Start tracks "Stand Out" and "The Everlasting First." The former being a one-off live cut and the latter centering on the presence and contributions of Jimi Hendrix (guitar). The compact and quirky "I Still Wonder," "Nice to Be," and "You Are Something" are evocations of Lee's singular songwriting skills and hearken back to Love's formative sound. On the subject, the reworking of "Signed D.C." -- a tune originally on the band's 1966 self-titled debut -- reflects their edgier approach. The comparatively lethargic tempo coupled with Lee's impassioned vocals are custom-made for their proto-metal excursion as they give the familiar side a new lease on life. The lovely "Doggone" has tinges of the Youngbloods' free and easy West Coast vibe before turning into an incongruous spotlight for Suranovich's ham-fisted eight-minute percussion solo. "Love Is More Than Words (Or Better Late Than Never)" is successful in the "extended acid rock" department. The lively melody is a perfect outlet for Rowles' alternately distorted and wah wah drenched fretwork. To a similar end, the bright acoustic "I Still Wonder" reflects the co-author's considerable technical prowess as Donnellan and Lee intertwine in a way reminiscent of the Allman Brothers' seminal dual guitar leads. The fidelity is excellent by late-'80s standards, however it pales by comparison to the abovementioned Blue Thumb Recordings anthology -- which also boasts nearly an hour of previously unreleased performances documented Live in England 1970 (2007). ~ Lindsay Planer, Rovi
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