LOVE: "Love" (self-titled) vs. "Forever Changes"

Half a great album. The sidelong "Revelation" is rubbish.

1st album totally rules -- it's funny, they were SO enthralled with the Byrds. Can you blame them, though? They lived in LA, and anyway the Byrds were the best four piece American rock combination ever at that point. I think Arthur did a decent job differentiating his guys on this LP. I mean, "My Flash On You" -- sure it just takes the "Hey joe" chord progression -- but it's the WAY Arthur sings that shit, this is "7 and 7 Is" right here. same fucking thing, but here on the first lp.

Yeah, 1st album rules. Oh, you were expecting another Forever Changes? Nah, not here. I never play that album anyway, to be honest.

Man, between Seeds-Doors-Love-Byrds ... LA in 1966 ... Must have been a nice place to hang out, drive around, and see a few bands.

So sad :(

Forever Changes
Da Capo
Love

Yeah, not to mention Mothers of Invention, Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band, the Music Machine, the Buffalo Springfield, Standells, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Spirit, Kaleidoscope, etc.

BEST SCENE EVER

It kicks SF's ass, doesn't it?

What this has to do with Love vs Forever Changes, I'm not sure. I just thought you should know where I stand on 60s LA garage rock.

"I love those first 3 Love LPs. But for me, it's side one of "Da Capo" all the way, six of the best songs ever."

So OTM.

My fave love track is "Que Vida!"

Also, god, the bass is mixed so HIGH on the first Love album! It commands attention. But yeah I think there was a lot of cross-pollination goin' on with those LA folx. Which is fine, great, natural! They were rewriting the book. Or writing it, even. (except of course Love didn't write "the Little Red Book")

Anyway, man, I love this first album. Listening to it again now. So tough and beautiful.

The 2-CD set is quite good; I'm not a huge fan of the later Love material, though, seems like the typical evolution of cool pop band into something else that was supposedly more "rooted" but in reality was just more boring. Hard to say. Anyway, yeah, "¡Que Vida!" is one of my touchstone songs, so great. As is "She Comes in Colors." There are times I think "Forever Changes" is a tad overrated, then I go back and listen and don't think so any more...

Forever Changes.

*Out Here*

Scott, I was speculating that your favorite Love song (which you say is from that album) is "Abalony?"

I need to listen to that again, it's been awhile. I do remember enjoying it. Maybe I'll just spend tonight listening to the complete recorded works of Love. I need to go buy some beer first though.

"Rag tag? Yes. A glimmer of gospel that works well with the confines of the shaggy Cali rock genre that it is housed in? Yes. Stripped to the bone, anguished AND elongated reworking of past work? Yes. Bloody-fingered guitar solos? Yes. Achingly pretty trifles that make you want to cry like a baby born at Woodstock and raised in the home of a distant and preoccupied lawyer father and social worker mother who subscribe to Mother Jones and feel that carob is somehow a suitable substitute for chocolate chips? Yes. Smart-ass anti-war filler? Yes. Lilting country-blues tunes with sha la la la la la la la la la choruses that turn into really really long drum clinics? Yes. A breezy Topanga Canyon guitar workout seemingly inspired by Crosby, Stills, and Nash that is blissfully free of Crosby, Stills, and Nash? Yes. Fuzz, feedback, and distortion? Yes. Eleven minutes and twenty seconds of uninterrupted fuzz, feedback, and distortion? Yes. A blink and you'll miss it love letter to John Coltrane? Yes. Faux folk hootenany filler? Yes. Light as air pop confections? Yes. Tales of woe? Hell, yes. A disappointment after creating three albums that helped shape the melting face of west coast psychedelic pop and rock? I don't think so."

I do like Arthur Lee's Vindicator though.

And I think of all the canonical melodic 60s albums, Forever Changes is the one I'm the least moved by.. I don't know why. I prefer listening to select songs from Love, De Capo, and Four Sail instead.

LOVE fans worldwide! Rally around those three (almost) perfect albums and go to Sven's Best band ever thread and nominate this awesome band of genius! Do it soon!

By the way, to everyone who is not so sure about Forever Changes, do you have the old CD or the remastered version or vinyl copy? The old CD had (to my ears, perhaps I'm crazy) a strange high-pitched whine throughout the whole album which really affected the whole feeling. Some of the songs that I thought were depressing actually sounded much more upbeat when I heard the remastered version. This is the only time I've ever experienced something like this with a remastered album and I found it quite suprising.
― walter kranz (walterkranz), Saturday, February 5, 2005 5:51 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Yeah, I've read this complaint about the old CD. I could never hear it, but I have a slight bit of tinnitus that I assume overrode it.

I seem to be the only person on ilm who likes The Revelation on Da Capo. not played it in a while though.

Not even Arthurly liked Revelation

never heard Revelation...everything else on the first 3 albums is absolutely essential (except perhaps Emotions...sorry Johnny E.)

anybody know who Arthur Lee's girlfriend who he wrote Andmoreagain (as well as And More I think) for? I think And More are the first syllables of her first & last name (like Andrea Morinelli or something like that?) Anybody out there know what I'm talking about?

Yes. Also "7 and 7 Is" was so titled because her birthday was on the 14th... something like that anyway.

yeah but what's her real name? that up above was just a goofball stab at it

man! aside from Revelation, those first three albums are about as good as music gets...

unreleased album coming out. sounds sorta hendrix-ish

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/2011/sep/13/black-beauty-love/

all black band

"Forever Changes" easily. It's their most complete album to me. Although realistically each Love album has at least one good-to-great track on it.

Yes. Also "7 and 7 Is" was so titled because her birthday was on the 14th... something like that anyway.

― Vicious Cop Kills Gentle Fool (Tom D.), Thursday, December 18, 2008 5:12 AM (2 years ago)

Oops, meant to comment on that. Isn't it also that the song is about Arthur being punished for a bad report card (and obviously the title refers to a children's math problem)?

"mind in an ice cream cone" = wearing a dunce cap

Single:

a-side "7 and 7 is"
b-side "no, 14"

is true:

http://images.45cat.com/love-7-and-7-is-london.jpg

http://images.45cat.com/love-no-fourteen-london.jpg

ha!

surprisingly, i never heart that song, (no. fourteen), till now. (thanks youtube)

very nice, deserve a better production though, is sounds like a demo

btw, its funny to compare Love to Forever Changes.
almost nothing compares to Forever Changes, let alone other Love records. and De Capo is better.

first Love album is awesome, and is better than Da Capo which is half-boring jam session, and half-Slates to FC's Hex.

this sounds TERRIBLE.

https://www.discogs.com/Love-Forever-Changes/release/5042286

just so you know.

thought that was this one (which I have a copy of, sounded OK to me)

https://www.discogs.com/Love-Forever-Changes/release/1527432

but no, the one I have is an earlier version.