Elektra, 1970
Acquired: Love Garden, Used, 2007
Price: $3
This is a really shitty compilation of the first four Love records (including Arthur Lee's pretty-much solo record Four Sail). I bought it because not only does it have “7 and 7 is,” which is the total fucking punk rock jam, but also “She Comes in Colors” and the absolutely amazing Forever Changes b-side “Your Mind and We Belong Together.” Ultimately, this comp's job is to give you pretty much the greatest hits mixed in with the weakest songs from the records. I don't know what the deal is! A vindictive record exec? For some reason they thought Bryan Maclean deserved to have as many songs on this as Arthur Lee, so basically every song Maclean wrote is on here (I exaggerate, but only a little!). The lame “Softly to Me,” the tepid cover of “Hey Joe,” and the also lame and flute-laden “Orange Skies” are culprits. “Alone Again Or” is here, but that's a given, as it's the only song Maclean did with the group that was really any good (and it's a total jam). More problematic is that they've included the WEAKER Arthur Lee tracks. From Love there's the morose anti-drug tune “Signed D.C.” which isn't really a bad song, but not at ALL a song I'd choose if I were highlighting Love's career. Worse, they picked the two worst songs from Four Sail. “Your Friend and Mine-Neil's Song” is lamer than lame, and “Good Times” is pretty lame as well. Why not “Always See Your Face” or “Robert Montgomery”??? Those are the jams! Or why not include the other Forever Changes b-side “Laughing Stock,” which is an underappreciated and underheard jam as it is! And where's “A House is Not A Motel?” I understand “Andmoreagain,” and “You Set the Scene” is an excellent choice, but seriously Elektra, this record is some bullshit.
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