Another one in the line of Millennium-related releases. And though the relation is based “only” on the productional knob-twiddling and occasional instrumental presence of Joey Stec, along with his “dependable” ‘Magoo Ralph Scala, I’d actually rate this one very close to the top of the bunch.
It’s no wonder that being backed by session men such as Clarence White and supposedly (and therefore unofficially) even Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke and Sneaky Pete, the pair of Constantine Gusias and Randy Naylor, delivers an unsung classic of the West Coast harmony-fueled country-pop genre (if there is one?!).
Intended for the later shelved United Artists album, these 1971 sessions finally see the light of day after more than thirty years, and they’re more than worth the wait.
The FABulous opening goes to something that could be described as “country-fying-the-Let-it-be-sessions”, titled Give My Love A Chance, which is also what they do in The Time Is Now.
My Life Gets Better Every Day is a kind of a post-flight Gene Clark country, appropriately followed with Secrets that doesn’t really fall too far from former, with some additional West-Coast-ish harmonies, instantly making it a CSN item that never was.
Mistress Of The Morning is pure Young-fronted Buffalo Springfield, while in Darlin the spotlight is given over to Steven Stills, and even when it’s pure rootsy country or good-time rock’n’roll that they’re dealing with, it’s done in a super melodic way.
Though it’s not what you’d call an outburst of originality, had it been released way back then, I’m sure this album could’ve found it’s place in the upper reaches of the charts.
[Released by Sonic Past Music 2004]
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