Personally, I think the seven-person lineup heard here was Love's best. Side one is perhaps the best 17 minutes of music the group ever made. The arrival of Tijay Cantrelli (woodwinds) and Michael Stuart (drums) really expanded their sound and raised the level of musicianship. Nowhere is this more eveident than on "Revelation", that sprawling reminder of a bygone era. The song is too long and never really goes anywhere, but Stuart's drumming and Cantrelli's saxophone solo are definitely worth listening for (John Echolls complains loudly in the liner notes that Paul Rothschild ruined the song by moving sections of it around, but, really, it's hard to imagine it having turned out too much differently).

As always, Rhino's packaging and sound are excellent. I thought hearing the remastered stereo mix would prove them wrong for having used the mono one on _Love Story_, but... they were right, the mono does sound better (except "Revelation").

Arthur Lee's first journey through brilliance
Love's first album had its moments but was possibly too much of a muchness with some of the folk rock numbers being too similar among themselves."Da Capo's"diversity is its winning point with each song having a distinctive identity. That said,only"Revelation",a 19 minute jam,is a half realized concept,for the remaining 6 tracks all reach glorious heights.

STEPHANIE KNOWS WHO-Deft time changes power this rocker.Possibly the closest to their first album,though more embelished than any track on their rough edged debut.
ORANGE SKIES-A jazzy,laid back melody showcasing Arthur Lee's dexterity.Moreover it presents us with the inspired image"Orange Skies,carnivals and cotton candy and you".
QUE VIDA!-This spanish flavored tune is another standout.The guitar riff driving this song is as beautiful as it is superb.
7&7IS-Proto Punk,a relentless 2 minute assault with werdifying guitars and a bass with an odd revving vibe as backdrop to Arthur's sped up vocals.It turned out to be Love's only hit single.The remaster's liner notes cleared up at last the meaning of the decades long mystery"My dad's is in the fireplace and my dog lies hypnotized"(it turned out to be quite simple,you'll see when you read it)
THE CASTLE-75% of this song is instrumental but since the interplay between the guitar,the bass and the harpsichord is so close to perfection it would be unfair to ask for more.
SHE COMES IN COLOURS-One of Love's top compositions and the album's high water-mark.From the emotionladen vocals to the strangely adequate flute nothing here descends below excellence.
REVELATION-Love decided to recreate on an album their onstage gimmick in which every element of the band had his moment in the spotlight.Predictably the magic didn't pass entirely unto the the recording.Moments of brilliance are interspersed with tedious and redundant segments giving "Revelation"a flawed final form.
"Da Capo" and its successor,the celebrated "Forever Changes",still come through(more than 30 years after after their release)as the most vibrantly original works released in the 60's.
The Beatles had a more coherent career but Love's best work can feasibly surpass the Fab4's best releases.
Essential Stuff.

Tied with Foursail
for my favorite Love album. Trippy, dippy, raging, jamming, insane, fired-up stuff--- GET IT!!!! Forever Changes is cool and all, but this one and Foursail are my idea of prime Love. [I can't believe nobody's reviewed this yet!?]

...and go see Arthur Lee and the new version of Love if you can-- you will NOT be disappointed. People your father's age should not be able to blow the younger rockers off the stage, but there you have it!

Rock on!!!!!

--KB
2002 reissue of 1967 classic features the original seven tracks in mono & stereo with 'Seven & Seven Is' (Tracking Session) added as a bonus.
Includes both original Mono & Stereo mixes.