Tuning in to the vibrant and tumultuous Los Angeles rock scene of the late '60s through the mid-'70s,
I See You Live on Love Street tracks the quick changes that emerged as psychedelic pop got darker, lighter, and found unexpected new ground. Laid out chronologically over three volumes, this 72-song compilation begins with the sweet sunshine pop and experimental rock happening in 1967 and 1968, with innocent acts like
the Monkees and
the Association contrasted by
Love's groundbreaking orchestral/existential rock from their
Forever Changes era and swatches of country- and folk-influenced rock from
the Byrds,
Dillard & Clark,
Judy Collins, and
the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. These ruralized rock sounds start coming clearer into view as the collection goes along, with tracks by
Poco,
Ricky Nelson, and
Gene Clark all cut from a country cloth.
Love Street's reporting is thorough, however, with these mellow, honky tunes juxtaposed by freaky jazz from
Frank Zappa, unabashed sentimental pop from
Carly Simon, and spiritual acid folk from
David Crosby. Material taken from the dawn of the '70s into the middle of the decade shows how soft rock and singer/songwriter tunes started gaining prominence. As with all of the
Cherry Red comps,
Love Street offers a mix of well-loved hits and songs from lesser-known artists. In this case, we have
Fleetwood Mac's certified silver single "Say You Love Me" alongside tracks from mystical folk legend
Judee Sill and 1971 easy listening chart-topper "Danny's Song" by
Loggins & Messina a few spots away from the moody baroque pop of obscure cult band
Rosebud's "Flying to Morning." The selections flow nicely and offer a comprehensive scope of how much was going on in Los Angeles music circles in a particularly volatile and productive window of time. ~ Fred Thomas
