Da Capo (Love album)
Da Capo | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 1966 | |||
Recorded | September 27–October 2, 1966 (except June 17 & 20 1966 for "7 and 7 Is") | |||
Studio | Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 35:54 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | ||||
Love chronology | ||||
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Da Capo is the second studio album by the American psychedelic rock band Love, released in November 1966 on Elektra Records.
Recording
The bulk of Da Capo was recorded between September 27 and October 2, 1966 in Sunset Sound Recorders, Hollywood.[1] "7 and 7 Is" was recorded on June 17 and 20, and had been released as a single in July 1966 backed with "No. Fourteen", an outtake from their debut album. After the recording of "7 and 7 Is", Love's line-up expanded to include Michael Stuart-Ware on drums and Tjay Cantrelli on saxophone and flute, moving previous drummer Alban "Snoopy" Pfisterer, a classically trained pianist, to harpsichord and organ. Guitarists Johnny Echols and Bryan MacLean, bassist Ken Forssi and vocalist and leader Arthur Lee retained their respective positions.
Da Capo encompasses the psychedelic rock[2] and baroque pop[3][4] genres. The album's first half is a departure from the group's debut, and in some ways anticipates the group's third album, Forever Changes, with its detailed, delicate arrangements. Abrasive, proto-punk rockers like "7 and 7 Is" and the harpsichord-driven "Stephanie Knows Who" are balanced by lighter fare such as MacLean's florid "Orange Skies", and playful, barely classifiable pop tunes like "¡Que Vida!"
The album's second half is a single track, notable for being among the very first rock songs to take up an entire LP side (Bob Dylan's "Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" from Blonde on Blonde predated it by a few months, and The Mothers of Invention's "The Return of the Son of Monster Magnet" suite, on the Freak Out! album, followed Dylan's by just over a month). The 19-minute jam, entitled "Revelation" began life as a live showcase for the group. The introduction to the piece is the Giga from the Partita No. 1 BWV 825 by J. S. Bach. Some sources claim it evolved out of their interpretation of Howlin' Wolf's "Smokestack Lightning", yet its original title was "John Lee Hooker". The song/jam bears a resemblance to the Rolling Stones' "Goin' Home", recorded at the same studio (RCA) and released earlier in the year, on Aftermath. Arthur Lee is quoted on the back cover of Rhino's 1980 LP compilation "Best of Love": "The song 'Revelation' was a long jam we did so the musicians could express themselves. The Rolling Stones saw us play at the Brave New World, and they recorded a long song on their next album. After our album came out, I got the blame for copying them!"
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
The album's critical reputation has suffered as a result of the inclusion of "Revelation", and many blame producer Paul Rothchild for failing to capture the group's live energy and truncating their performance. However, in a contemporary review of the album, critic Robert Christgau praised "Revelation" faintly for its "excellent guitar and harmonica work and great screaming by ... lead singer [Arthur Lee]".[5]
In a retrospective review, critic Richie Unterberger for AllMusic wrote:
Love broadened their scope into psychedelia on their sophomore effort, Arthur Lee's achingly melodic songwriting gifts reaching full flower. It's only half a great album, though; the seventh and final track, "Revelation," is a tedious 19-minute jam that keeps Da Capo from attaining truly classic status.
Though "7 and 7 Is" had been a minor hit for the group, the album, like its predecessor, was a comparative flop, peaking at No. 80.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Arthur Lee, except where indicated
No. | Title | Recorded | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Stephanie Knows Who" | October 2, 1966 | 2:33 |
2. | "Orange Skies" (Bryan MacLean) | September 27, 1966 | 2:49 |
3. | "¡Que Vida!" | September 29, 1966 | 3:37 |
4. | "7 and 7 Is" | June 17 and 20, 1966 | 2:15 |
5. | "The Castle" | September 30, 1966 | 3:00 |
6. | "She Comes in Colors" | September 29, 1966 | 2:43 |
No. | Title | Recorded | Length |
---|---|---|---|
7. | "Revelation" (Lee, MacLean, Johnny Echols, Ken Forssi) | October 2, 1966 | 18:57 |
Total length: | 35:54 |
2002 reissue
The 2002 reissue presents both monaural and stereophonic mixes as well as a stereophonic tracking session for "7 and 7 Is".[6]
Personnel
- Love
- Arthur Lee – lead vocals, harmonica, guitar, drums, percussion
- Bryan MacLean – rhythm guitar, vocal
- Johnny Echols – lead guitar, lead vocal on "Revelation"
- Ken Forssi – bass
- Alban "Snoopy" Pfisterer – organ, harpsichord, drums on "7 and 7 Is"
- Michael Stuart – drums, percussion
- Tjay Cantrelli – saxophone, flute, percussion
- Additional personnel
- Paul Rothchild, Jac Holtzman - production
- Dave Hassinger – engineer
- Bruce Botnick – engineer
Singles
- 7 & 7 Is/No. Fourteen (Elektra 45605)
- Stephanie Knows Who/Orange Skies (Elektra 45608, withdrawn)
- She Comes In Colors (edit)/Orange Skies (Elektra 45608)
- Que Vida!/Hey Joe (Elektra 45613)
Release history
Date | Label | Format | Country | Catalog | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
November 1966 | Elektra | LP | US | EKL-4005 | Original mono release. |
EKS-74005 | Original stereo release. | ||||
1967 | Elektra | LP | UK | EKL-4005 | Original mono release. |
EKS-74005 | Original stereo release. | ||||
1969 | Elektra | LP | US | EKS-74005 | |
1970 | Elektra | LP | US | EKS-74005 | |
1971 | Elektra | LP | UK | EKS-74005 | |
1972 | Elektra | LP | UK | EKS-74005 | |
1988 | Elektra | CD | US | 74005-2 | Original CD release. |
1988 | Elektra | CD | Europe | 7559-60851-2 | |
1988 | Elektra | CD | Europe | 974 005-2 | |
September 25, 1998 | Elektra | CD | Japan | AMCY-3192 | Reissue of the original mono release. |
2001 | Sundazed | LP | US | LP 5101 | Reissue of the original stereo release. |
June 3, 2002 | Elektra | CD | Europe | 8122 73604-2 | Reissue containing both mono and stereo mixes including a tracking session for "7 and 7 Is". |
2013 | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | CD | US | UDSACD 2130 | Reissue of the original mono release. |
2015 | Elektra/Culture Factory | CD | US | 819514010715/CFU01071 | Reissue of the mono and stereo mixes as well as the tracking session for "7 and 7 Is". |
References
- ^ https://www.discogs.com/Love-Da-Capo/release/806015
- ^ a b Unterberger, Richie. "Da Capo: AllMusic Review". Retrieved June 15, 2012.
- ^ Andrew Hickey (September 2, 2012). Preservation: The Kinks' Music 1964-1974. Lulu.com. p. 61. ISBN 978-1-291-04932-9.
- ^ Barney Hoskyns (1996). Waiting for the sun: the story of the Los Angeles music scene. Viking. p. 122.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (June 1967). "Columns". Esquire Magazine. Retrieved August 1, 2006.
- ^ https://www.discogs.com/Love-Da-Capo/release/806015