"I See You Live On LOVE STREET: Music From Laurel Canyon 1967-1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - Featuring The Association, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Love, The Monkees, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Factory [pre Little Feat], The Gentle Soul, The Stone Poneys (featuring Linda Ronstadt), The Doors, Clear Light, The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, Ruthann Friedman, The Holy Mackerel, Barry McGuire, The Mamas And The Papas, The Sunshine Company, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Dillard & Clark, Captain Beefheart, The Leaves, Stephen Stills, Tim Buckley, Hoyt Axton, Three Dog Night, The Turtles, Rick Nelson, Glen Campbell, Susan Carter, Canned Heat, Steppenwolf, Frank Zappa, Warren Zevon, Kim Fowley, Essra Mohawk, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Grin (with Nils Lofgren), J.D. Souther, Little Feat, Judee Sill, Linda Ronstadt, Nilsson, Carly Simon, Jo Mama, Gram Parsons, Rosebud (featuring Judy Henske and Jerry Yester), Rita Coolidge, Crazy Horse, Leon Russell, Dan Fogelberg, Ned Doheny, Fleetwood Mac and more (March 2024 UK Grapefruit Records 3CD 72-Track Clamshell Box Set Compilation with Simon Murphy Masters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SEE-YOU-LIVE-LOVE-STREET/dp/B0CRVG8ZL3?crid=1Z0DBXWGN8RGY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7haW0eDtk7NVHffHXnY7sA.1FTX1H98ujURJwSj0OX30wRnkfdBmC_KeQ91p7CVNpY&dib_tag=se&keywords=5013929194304&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1731592949&sprefix=5013929194304%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-1&ufe=INHOUSE_INSTALLMENTS%3AUK_IHI_3M_AUTOMATED&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=738f40a898dd8ba23ad66fdbc4f69489&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

RATINGS:

Overall *****

Presentation *****

Audio **** to *****

"...My Love Still Burns For You..."

Across the last five years and more, Grapefruit Records of the UK (part of the Cherry Red roster of labels) has been whomping aged-and-mellow collectors like moi with comprehensive deep-dives like this. But just sometimes, head honcho David Wells (the leading light at all things Grape) gets it so damn right that they make my weary information-overloaded head and quad bi-pass battered heart flutter just one more time.

"I See You Live On LOVE STREET: Music From Laurel Canyon 1967-1975" is so friggin' good – covering a huge amount of artistic activity around that community playground known as LAUREL CANYON (running from Scwab's On Sunset to the suburban San Fernando Valley). And even if Wells must admit that musical giants like Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, James Taylor, Carole King, Jackson Browne and The Eagles are not on here due to compilation-exclusion clauses in recent contracts – what is available across every disc is thoroughly excellent and a times revelatory (there are excellent unreleased tracks too and only a few cuts dip here and there). 

LOVE STREET also boasts one of the best 48-page booklets I have ever seen or read – jam-packed with seriously in-depth info, photos, gig posters, trade adverts, etc. So much to float above…here are the communal love seeds man…

UK released Friday, 21 March 2024 - "I See You Live On LOVE STREET: Music From Laurel Canyon 1967-1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Grapefruit Records CRSEG3BOX143 (Barcode 5013929194304) is a 3CD 72-Track Clamshell Box Set with Three Mini LP Card Sleeves, a 48-Page Booklet and Simon Murphy Masters that plays out as follows:

CD1 Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon (1967-1968) (79:52 minutes):
The front cover photo is the band CLEAR LIGHT (see Track 10)
Title of the compilation are lyrics from the Scott McKenzie song, Track 18

1. Come On In – THE ASSOCIATION (from the April 1968 US LP "Birthday" on Warner Brothers WS 1733 in Stereo)
2. Tighter – PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS (from the August 1967 US LP "Revolution!" on Columbia CS 9521 in Stereo)
3. The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This – LOVE (from the December 1967 US LP "Forever Changes" on Elektra EKS-74013 in Stereo)
4. As We Go Along – THE MONKEES (October 1968 US 45-single on Colgems 66-1031, B-side to "Porpoise Song" – a Carole King cover version)
5. Holding – THE NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND (from the March 1967 US Debut LP "The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band" on Liberty LST-7501 on Stereo)
6.Smile, Let Your Life Begin – THE FACTORY (April 1967 US 45-single on Uni Records 55005, A-side – band featuring Lowell George on Guitar later with Little Feat and Drummer Dallas Taylor later with CSNY and Manassas with Stephen Stills)
7. Our National Anthem – THE GENTLE SOUL (May 1967 US 45-single on Columbia 4-44152, A-side)
8. I've Got To Know – THE STONY PONEYS (from the June 1967 US LP "Evergreen Vol.2" on Capitol ST-2763 in Stereo - band featured Linda Ronstadt)
9. Love Street – THE DOORS (from the July 1968 US LP "Waiting For The Sun" on Elektra EKS-74024 in Stereo)
10. How Many Days Have Passed – CLEAR LIGHT (from the October 1967 US Debut LP "Clear Light" on Elektra EKS-74011 in Stereo)
11. Floating Dream – THE PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY (May 1967 US 45-single on Vault V-933, A-side)
12. Montage Mirror – SMOKEY ROBERDS with ROGER NICHOLS TRIO (Not Originally Released, Recorded 1967
13. Halfway There – RUTHANN FRIEDMAN (Not Originally Released, Recorded October 1967)
14. Wildflowers – THE HOLY MACKEREL (from the November 1968 US Debut LP "The Holy Mackerel" on Reprise RS 6311 in Stereo)
15. Secret Saucer Man – BARRY McGUIRE (from the April 1968 US LP "The World's Last Private Citizen" on Dunhill DS-50033 in Stereo)
16. Mansions – THE MAMAS And THE PAPAS (from the April 1968 US LP "The World's Last Private Citizen" on Dunhill DS-50031 in Stereo)
17. I Need You – THE SUNSHINE COMPANY (from the September 1967 US LP "Happy Is The Sunshine Company" on Imperial LP-12357 in Stereo)
18. Twelve Thirty – SCOTT McKENZIE (from the November 1967 US LP "The Voice Of Scott McKenzie" on Ode Records Z12 44002 in Stereo)
19. A Child's Claim To Fame – BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD (September 1967 US 45-single on Atco 45-6519, B-side of "Rock 'n' Roll Woman" – written by Richie Furay – see also The Souther-Hillman-Furey Band on CD3)
20. Train Leaves Here This Mornin' – DILLARD & CLARK (from the November 1968 US LP "The Fantastic Expedition Of Dillard & Clark" on A&M Records SP 4158 in Stereo)
21. Blight – THE MILLENIUM (Not Originally Released, Recorded Late 1968)
22. Call On Me – CAPTAIN BEEFHEART & HIS MAGIC BAND (from the August 1967 US Debut LP "Safe As Milk" on Buddah BDS 5001 in Stereo)
23. Twilight Sanctuary – THE LEAVES (from the January 1967 US LP "All The Good That's Happening" on Capitol ST-2638 in Stereo)
24. You Don't Miss Your Water – THE BYRDS (Not Originally Released Alternate Version of a track from the August 1968 US LP "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" on Columbia CS 9670 in Stereo – This is an Original Version that features Gram Parsons on Lead Vocals rather Roger McGuinn)
25. I Had A Dream Last Night – THE M.F.Q. (Modern Folk Quartet) (June 1968 US 45-single on Dunhill D-1437, A-side – band featured Cyrus Faryar and Jerry Yester – see CD3 entries Cyrus Faryar and Rosebud)
26. Shadow Dream Song – STEVE NOONAN (from the May 1968 US LP "Steve Noonan" on Elektra EKS-74017 in Stereo)
27. Hello, Hooray – JUDY COLLINS (from the December 1968 US LP "Who Knows Where The Time Goes" on Elektra EKS-74033 in Stereo – written by Rolf Kempf of Colonel Popcorn's Butter Band, introduced to Judy Collins by Alan Gerber of Rhinoceros, later covered by Alice Cooper and finally made a hit by him in early 1973 – from his "Billion Dollar Babies" album)
NOTES:
Tracks 12, 13 and 21 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

CD2 Going Home To California (1969-1971) (79:52 minutes):
The band on the front cover is The Flying Burrito Brothers, see Track 5
Title of the compilation are lyrics from the Rick Nelson song, Track 8

1. Love The One You're With – STEPHEN STILLS (November 1970 US 45-single on Atlantic 45-2778, A-side – band features Graham Nash, David Crosby, John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful with Rita and her sister Patricia Coolidge)
2. Pickin' Up The Pieces – POCO (from the May 1969 US LP November 1974 US LP "Pickin' Up The Pieces" on Epic BN 26460 in Stereo – band featured Jim Messina of Loggins & Messina, Randy Meisner (of Eagles) and Rusty Young)
3. Buzzin' Fly – TIM BUCKLEY (from the April 1969 US LP "Happy Sad" on Elektra EKS-74045 in Stereo)
4. Kingswood Manor – HOYT AXTON (from the March 1969 US LP "My Griffin Is Gone" on Columbia CS 9766 in Stereo – features David Cohen of Country Joe & The Fish, James Burton and Members of The Wrecking Crew)
5. Christine's Tune (Devil In Disguise) – THE FLYING BURRITO BROS. (from the March 1969 US Debut LP "The Gilded Palace Of Sin" on A&M Records SP-4175 in Stereo – band featuring Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman)
6. Mama Told Me Not Come – THREE DOG NIGHT (May 1970 US 45-single on Dunhill D-4239, A-side – a Randy Newman cover version)
7. Lady-O – THE TURTLES (November 1967 US 45-single on White Whale WW 334, A-side – a Judee Sill cover version, for Judee Sill see CD3, Track 4)
8. California – RICK NELSON (from the September 1970 US LP "Rick Sings Nelson" on Decca DL 75236)
9. P.F. Sloan – JIMMY WEBB (from the September 1970 US LP "Words & Music" on Reprise Records RS 6421 in Stereo)
10. Where's The Playground Susie – GLEN CAMPBELL (from the March 1969 US LP "Galveston" on Capitol ST-210 in Stereo - a Jimmy Webb song)
11. Bluebird – SUSAN CARTER (from the February 1970 US LP "Wonderful Deeds And Adventures" on Epic BN 26510 in Stereo – featuring Members of Blood, Sweat & Tears – song is a Buffalo Springfield cover version)
12. I Still Wonder – LOVE (from the November 1969 US 2LP set "Out Here" on Blue Thumb Records BTS-9000 in Stereo – featuring Arthur Lee)
13. Let's Work Together – CANNED HEAT (January 1970 UK 45-single on Liberty LBF 15302, A-side – a Wilbert Harrison cover version)
14. It's Never Too Late – STEPPENWOLF (from the March 1969 US LP "At Your Birthday" on Dunhill DS-50053 in Stereo)
15. Peaches En Regalia – FRANK ZAPPA (from the October 1969 US LP "Hot Rats" on Reprise Records RS 6356 in Stereo – an Instrumental)
16. Wanted Dead Or Alive – ZEVON [Warren Zevon] (from the April 1970 US LP "Wanted Dead Or Alive" on Imperial LP-12456 in Stereo)
17. Born To Make You Cry – KIM FOWLEY (May 1970 US 45-single on Original Sound OS-98, A-side)
18. I Am The Breeze – ESSRA MOHAWK (from the May 1970 US LP "Primordial Lovers" on Reprise RS 6377)
19. White Light – GENE CLARK (from the August 1971 US LP "White Light" on A&M Records SP-4292)
19. Traction In The Rain – DAVID CROSBY (from February 1971 US LP "If I Could Only Remember My Name" on Atlantic SD-7203 – features Laura Allan on Autoharp and Backing Vocals with Graham Nash also on Backing Vocals)
20. Brother Speed – RUSS GIGUERE (from the April 1971 US LP "Hexagram 16" on Warner Brothers WS 1910 in Stereo)
21. Outlaw – GRIN (from the April 1971 US LP "Grin" on Spindizzy Z 30321 – band features Nils Lofgren, went solo, later with The E Street Band)
22. Too Much Truth, Too Much Love – DAVE MASON [of Traffic] and CASS ELLIOT [of The Mamas And The Papas] (from the February 1970 debut album on Blue Thumb BTS-8825 in Stereo)

CD3 Postcards From Hollywood (1971-1975) (78:39 minutes):
The band on the front cover is Jo Mama, see Track 8
Title of the compilation are lyrics from the Ned Doheny song, Track 17

1. Some People Call It Music – J.D. SOUTHER (from the August 1972 US Debut LP "John David Souther" on Asylum SD 5055 – features Ned Doheny on Backing Vocals)
2. Easy To Slip – LITTLE FEAT (January 1972 US 45-single on Warner Brothers WB 7553, A-side - featuring Lowell George of The Factory, see Track 6 on CD1 – for Lowell George Production Credit - see also Track 21 on CD3 for Howdy Moon)
3. Birds – LINDA RONSTADT (from the January 1972 US LP "Linda Ronstadt" on Capitol SMAS-635 – a Neil Young cover version – a live version on a largely studio album)
4. Crayon Angels – JUDEE SILL (from the October 1971 US Debut LP "Judee Sill" on Asylum SD 5050)
5. Driving Along – NILSSON (from the November 1971 US LP "Nilsson Schmilsson" on RCA Victor Records LSP-4515)
6. We Have No Secrets – CARLY SIMON (from the November 1972 US LP "No Secrets" on Elektra EKS-75049)
7. I Don't Want To Talk About It – CRAZY HORSE (from the March 1971 US LP "Crazy Horse" on Reprise RS 6438 – band featured Danny Whitten, Nils Lofgren, Jack Nitzsche and Ry Cooder)
8. Back On The Street Again – JO MAMA (from the August 1971 US LP "J Is For Jump" on Atlantic SD 8288)
9. Danny's Song – KENNY LOGGINS with JIM MESSINA (from the November 1971 US LP "Sittin' In" on Columbia C 31044)
10. How Much I've Lied – GRAM PARSONS (from the January 1973 US LP "GP" on Reprise MS 2123 – musicians featured James Burton, Al Perkins, Buddy Emmons and Byron Berline)
11. Flying To Morning – ROSEBUD (from the July 1971 US LP "Rosebud" on Reprise RS 6426 – featuring Judy Henske and Jerry Yester)
12. Journey Thru The Past – RITA COOLIDGE (from the November 1971 US LP "Nice Feelin'" on A&M Records SP-4325 – a Neil Young cover – band included The Dixie Flyers, Marc Benno and Nick DeCaro)
13. I Think He's Hiding – CYRUS FARYAR (from the October 1971 US Debut LP "Cyrus" on Elektra EKS-74015, ex The Modern Folk Quartet)
14. Paper To Write On – CRABBY APPLETON (from the October 1971 US Second LP "Rotten To The Core" on Elektra EKS-74106 – features Michael Fennelly)
15. Tight Rope – LEON RUSSELL (from the July 1972 US LP "Carney" on Shelter Records SW-8911)
16. Anyway I Love You – DAN FOGELBERG (from the October 1972 US Debut LP "Home Free" on Columbia KC 31751)
17. Postcards From Hollywood – NED DOHENY (from the June 1973 US Debut LP "Ned Doheny" on Asylum SD 5059)
18. Outlaw Man – DAVID BLUE (January 1973 US 45-single on Asylum AS-11015, A-side)
19. For Free – MORNING (from the November 1971 US LP "Struck Like Silver" on Fantasy 9402 – a Joni Mitchell cover – band featured Jay Donnellan [aka Jay Lewis] of Love)
20. Fallin' In Love – THE SOUTHER-HILLMAN-FUREY BAND (from the July 1974 US Debut LP "The Souther-Hillman-Furey Band" on Asylum 7E-1006 - featuring J.D. Souther, Chris Hillman and (ex-Buffalo Springfield) Richie Furey)
21. Cook With Honey – HOWDY MOON (from the April 1974 US Debut-and-Only LP "Howdy Moon" on A&M Records SP-3628 – band featured Valerie Carter (song written by her), Joe Lind and Richard Hovey – overall album produced by Lowell George of Little Feat – above track Produced by Michael James Jackson, famously the Producer for Kiss – David Paich of Toto arranged the strings and Bill Payne of Little Feat played Piano)
22. Say You Love Me – FLEETWOOD MAC (from the July 1975 US LP "Fleetwood Mac" – band featuring Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks for the first time)

Some authors of liner notes pump up the positivity when reviewing lesser material - and you are there reading – going – really? DAVID WELLS is not one of those. The choices and sequencing is clever and inspired. His notes on every song and artist in the fabulous 48-page colour booklet are chock-full with factoids, other musician associations, setting the backdrop and so. It is smart writing to tell you that the band featured on the magnificent Stephen Stills song "Love The One You're With" had Graham Nash, David Crosby, John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful with Rita and her sister Patricia Coolidge on it. But that info also gives you the feel of the time. Huge numbers of artists and bands would stay and leave - dip in and out of the welcoming houses in sunny Californian Laurel Canyon eating them out of fridge and home whilst exchanging ideas and players – and most of time amidst a haze of smoke that was not pancakes on fire on the stove. Mickey Dolenz of The Monkees explains the LC scene was full of college drop-out stragglers and long-haired weirdos. There is an array of LP sleeves between the paragraphs too – photographs of billboards advertising Love LPs – The Monkees and the film poster for Head – snaps of female heroes like Judee Sill, Linda Ronstadt, Carly Simon, Judy Collins, Valerie Carter of Howdy Moon. The back page has a montage of 16-other box sets to choose from. 

And the SIMON MURPHY mastering is superb throughout too – only rarely dipping into hints of muffle - but that would generally be because of crude recordings in the first place. Take the Barry McGuire track "Secret Saucer Man" on CD1, Jimmy Webb wondering where "P.F. Sloan" has disappeared to on CD2 or Ned Doheny explaining about the counter-culture scene on the CD3 track "Postcards From Hollywood" – all sounding spiffo. 

I have lived with this set a few days now and noticed some very clever programming. The obvious big-name big-hit cover versions of Randy Newman and R&B singer Wilbert Harrison by Three Dog Night on "Mama Told Me Not To Come" and Canned Heat doing "Let's Work Together" stick out (both No.1 on the Billboard 45-single charts) – but how about six obscure covers where genuinely radical transformations have taken place that put these interpretations above the run of the mill. Take The Sunshine Company doing the Beatles/George Harrison song on "Help!" called "I Need You" – a fantastic take. Or The Turtles tackling a Judee Sill song "Lady-O", Morning having a go at the Joni Mitchell song "For Free" and winning, Susan Carter taking on the Buffalo Springfield tune "Bluebird" with the aid of Blood, Sweat & Tears as her backing band. You get Linda Ronstadt when she was fronting The Stone Poneys as they went at a Pamela Polland tune called "I've Got To Know" and then in her early solo career – a touching live cut of the Neil Young ballad "Birds". And a potence of what was to come – Judy Collins doing "Hello Hooray" which would be taken by Alice Cooper in 1973 and finally made a hit. 

We must talk about sequencing – I am not in the least bit surprised to see CD1 open with the fantastic Sunshine Pop/Mamas & Papas vibe of "Come On In" by The Association. As joyful as 60ts music gets, I use it myself on home play CDs. That is followed by the swirling ebullience of Paul Revere & The Raiders getting "Tighter". Hummingbirds and pigtails in the morning see Love stamp that adventurous 60ts West Coast sound. Clever B-sides like "As We Go Along" by The Monkees – a sublime moment from them perfectly in keeping with the peace, love and understanding lyrics of 1968 (another cover version too – a Carole King song). Then there are the discoveries – The Gentle Soul and their gorgeous "Our National Anthem" – Clear Light getting Acoustic Poppy with their "How Many Nights Have Passed" riling against a lady who broke their fuzz-guitar hearts and then moved on. I am shocked at how good the unreleased "Montage Mirror" is by Smokey Roberds with Roger Nichols (Nichols no doubt dreaming of recording perfection when he teams up with Steely Dan in 1972 for the rest of that decade). Great hippie-sounding Sitar, flanged vocals and Cello string-pulls on the period-groovy "Wildflowers" – The Holy Mackerel living up to their trippy-fishy name (fab audio too). Eagles fans will recognize Dillard & Clark doing "Train Leaves Here This Mornin'" (a gorgeous Bernie Leadon melodious ballad) because they covered it on their "Eagles" debut in 1972 when Leadon had joined Glenn Frey, Don Henley and the gang. The Beefheart song feels out of place actually and has a messy sound. 

Over on CD2 – you get a fab triple-bill in Stephen Stills, Tim Buckley and Hoyt Axton - "Love The One You're With" practically laying down the love-in ethos that dominated those years – Buckley and his "Buzzin' Fly" - all swirling and trippy and Acoustic Folk-Soul (check out the Terry Reid cover of it – was in the running for vocalist to Led Zeppelin) while a seriously drugged up Hoyt Axton (author of "The Pusher" for Steppenwolf and "Joy To the World" for Three Dog Night) warns of "Kingswood Manor" and the perils that lay within (I have reviewed his eclectic 1969 platter "My Griffin Is Gone" from which "Kingswood Manor" is taken). Amazing clarity on "I Still Wonder" by Love - same for the only instrumental on the 3CD Box - "Peaches En Regalia" by Frank Zappa. You can already hear the outlaw/loony tunes mania in the early Warren Zevon cut "Wanted Dead Or Alive" (credited as merely Zevon) and to top off a great run of tracks – you get toppermost melodies from Gene Clark, David Crosby (his "Traction In The Rain" is Godlike to me as is the whole of his debut solo LP "If I Could Only Remember My Name") and Dave Mason (of Traffic) teaming up with Mama Cass of The Mamas & The Papas for their lone duet LP on 1971 (Blue Thumb Records in the USA and Harvest in the UK).

CD3 opens with sometimes-Eagles-collaborator J.D. Souther and a Country-Rock moment of his called "Some People Call It Music" while Little Feat's "Easy To Slip" always thrills. You don't expect the enthusiastic audience reaction at the end of Linda Ronstadt's heartfelt rendition of Neil Young's 'After The Gold Rush' gem "Birds" - a live track on a studio album. Songwriter/Doomed heroes follow in the shape of Judee Sill and Harry Nilsson while the gorgeous Carly Simon and Danny Whitten's Crazy Horse hit you with two fab ballads - "We Have No Secrets" and "I Don't Want To Talk About It" - the latter being a song so many have covered - Rod Stewart being one of the more memorable ones. Genuine discoveries - I knew of the Rosebud album because I've already reviewed Judy Henske and Jerry Yester's "Farewell To Alderbaran" album from 1969 on Zappa's Straight Records (Rosebud the band is essentially them) - but it's so cool to hear a track from it here. Even better is the Howdy Moon self-titled album that has most of Little Feat as the backing band and Lowell George as Producer - Wells quite rightly pointing out that lead singer Valerie Carter is the hero 'Love Street' is focusing on. What a gorgeous tune - and I will have to own that CD. And on it goes with Dan Fogelberg, Ned Doheny, David Blue and Morning doing that wickedly-good cover of Joni's "For Free".

This is the kind of 3CD Clamshell Box Set compilation that might pass you by in a long line of adverts for similar-ish product and even the same subject matter. 

But "I Hear You Live On LOVE STREET: Music From Laurel Canyon (1967-1975)" is a winner on all fronts. When you think that there are three double-albums worth of songs on these 3CDs for about £24 - purchase becomes a no-brainer as well as a reminiscence and rediscovery journey you want to embark on. Top banana to all involved...