The Best Album You've Never Heard Of

Over the past few years I had come across a few glowing references to the 1960s LA group Love, specifically some critics saying how their 1968 album Forever Changes was one of the finest psychedelic records of all time.

Then earlier this week, I was nosing thru the $10 CD table at a local music/video store and saw a copy of Forever Changes. So I bought it, and when I got home I put it on.

It's been a long time since I listened to new (to me) music that floored me like this album. I can't really begin to describe it, so I'll lift the description from allmusic.com:

It wasn't a hit, but Forever Changes continues to regularly appear on critics' lists of the top ten rock albums of all time, and it had an enormously far-reaching and durable influence that went way beyond chart listings. The best fusion of folk-rock and psychedelia, it features Arthur Lee's trembling vocals, beautiful melodies, haunting orchestral arrangements, and inscrutable but poetic lyrics, all of which sound nearly as fresh and intriguing upon repeated plays. One of rock's most organic, flowing masterpieces, every song has a lingering, shimmering beauty, including the two penned by the band's other talented songwriter/guitarist/singer, Bryan MacLean.

Not a weak song on the album. In particular, "You Set the Scene," the album's seven minute closer, is just fantastic and haunting, with great and thought-provoking lyrics (sample: This is the only thing that I am sure of, And thats all that lives is gonna die. And therell always be some people here to wonder why, And for every happy hello, there will be good-bye.).

I just can't stop playing this album. And I don't usually go so ga-ga for an album like I have for this one.

Buy it, put on your headphones, and dive in. It is the best album you've never heard of.