If ever an album has warranted the deluxe remastering treatment so prevalent among classic rock albums these days, it is Love's Forever Changes.
So you might be scratching your head and thinking to yourself right about now, "Who? What?" and in that regard you would not be alone.
Although the 1968 release is now regarded by many music critics as one of the best albums ever made — it is often mentioned with the same tone of reverence held for such landmarks as Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds, and recently came in at a very respectable #40 on one of those Rolling Stone Best Albums Of All Time lists — the record barely registered a yawn when it first came out.
Love's third and final album didn't even make the Billboard Top 20 back then, peaking at a dismal #154. Even on today's classic rock stations, chances are you won't hear it sandwiched between the Stones/Beatles/Zeppelin rotation — well, outside of maybe the occasional play that the lead track "Alone Again Or" might get, anyway.
Often dismissed at the time as Elektra's "other band," few are aware that it was Love who first introduced the Doors (who often opened shows for them back then) to execs at the label.
Even so, Forever Changes stands as a landmark recording.
The songs on the record, mostly written by the group's late genius, guitarist Arthur Lee, capture the psychedelic folk-rock vibe of the period without sounding at all dated today (well, okay, maybe just a little). They also feature some of the most complex song structures and chord changes this side of the more often praised Brian Wilson or Lennon and McCartney. It's also no accident that no less an artist than Jimi Hendrix has cited Lee as a primary influence.
So the best news here is that the remastering job on disc one is a doozy. Lee's guitar in particular rings like a bell on this crystal clear revisit of the original recording. On tracks like "Alone Again Or" the orchestral arrangements are also cleaned up quite a bit from the original, which occasionally suffered from being a bit muddy sounding. Ditto for the strings on "Andmoreagain," which sound sweeter than ever.
But much like Sgt. Pepper or Pet Sounds, the songs on Forever Changes are not meant to be taken in individual doses, but rather as a more complete sounding whole.
Article comments
1 - James Baldwin
You are a good writer. I enjoyed the read very much.
Thank you,
James Baldwin
Spokane WA
My site (drop in anytime).
2 - Glen Boyd
Thank you for the kind words James. But, and I say this with all due respect, Melanie? In the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
-Glen
3 - Boba Ganoush
How this album could be number 40 is beyond me.
It should be among the top five rock cd's of all time:
1. Love - Forever Changes
2. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of The Moon
3. The Beatles - Rubber Soul
4. Rolling Stones - Let it Bleed
5. Television - Marquee Moon
Arthur Lee was a out and out genius. The reason that Love never made it was simple - they refused to tour and did not really get along. This was a band which was clearly way ahead of its time.
The greatest album in rock history in a great new
release.
Thank You Very Much!
4 - Sam Williams
Quite a poor piece of reviewing, firstly the album was released is 1967, and it was not Love's final album, although it was the last with all the 'Forever Changes' lineup on a record together. The fact that it could have been the soundtrack to "dippy sixties movies with all of the hippies dancing around" is a very misleading comment, the album has much darker undertones than what was the norm from period, despite the pyschadelic influences.