Customer Reviews

Out Here

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Forget what you may have heard. While far from being perfect or excellent, "Out Here" is a very good record.

No, it's not the same "Love" that brought you the debut album, "Da Capo", or "Forever Changes." But Arthur Lee never seemed to be trying to trick anyone into believing that it was the same band: in the song "Doggone", Lee sings "Once I had a singin' group/Singin' group done gone/Now I got another group/Didn't take too long."

The point is that, while this album is not the same as the classic albums Love released on Elektra and does not have the same feel as those particular albums, it is a good record in its own right. "I'll Pray for You", "Listen to My Song", "I Still Wonder", "Run to the Top", and "You Are Something" alone make it worth the purchase price.

this is a compilation of tracks from love's albums for blue thumb records out here and false start. while a quibble could be made over some of the tracks, i believe that the post forever changes band is quite good in its own right. sometimes its written as if the band became lousy or mediocre after forever changes and it is simply not true. the later stuff is not as good as the earlier stuff but dont ignore the later band, for one thing it was a lot harder and louder. for example, i think the version of signed d.c. on out here is actually better than the one on their debut album. of the two albums compiled here , both are patchy and out here is the better of the two, if you're not a huge fan of love like i am you probably won't want to hear all their stuff so i'd suggest comes in colors if you don't think you need their excellent 2 cd set love story . if you are , and can't find out here and false start, i'd suggest getting this compilation. love were one of america's greatest bands of the era in my opinion along with the velvet underground and moby grape.

What you have here is basically a "sampler" of Love's "Out Here" album with a couple of songs from the band's "False Start" album thrown in to round out the CD. As for "Out Here", it is unquestionably the best of the works recorded by the "non classic lineup" Love. If you're a fan of the band, you will definitely enjoy this CD. If you are not already a fan of the band, it's a 50/50 gamble. This CD will have to hold Love fans over until "Out Here" is re-released on CD.

After Forever changes was released the next album was "Four Sail". This had some great songs on it like August, Nothing, You Will Always See My Face, Singing Cowboy, and Good Times. After that, Love moved to Blue Thumb Records and although not as consistant in quality, it had GREAT songs. This is truly the best of both recordings Arthur Lee/Love did for Blue Thumb. Idiotic Love fans who wanted Arthur to stagnate in the folksy/psychedelic beauty of Forever Changes (granted a true masterpiece) were selfish that they would want to refuse someone the right to grow and experiment with other types of music. These albums ROCK! If the best of "Four Sale was included on this compilation" it would be a definite 5 star CD. To hell with all the idiots who think Post Forever Changes material is trash. This is a must buy for TRUE Love fans. Someone should release "Four Sail" on CD as well.

Not being from LA, I did not have the opportunity to hear the music of the great band Love, until late 69. That was when, I found the double LP: "Out Here" in a cut-out bin. With it's painted blue man, raparound cover all for a whopping 99 cents. I had never heard a note of this music, but this sure looked interesting. Was this a Pink Floyd knockoff? An early edition of Bloodrock? Well, I took my 99 cent gamble and bought this strange record.

"Out Here" was really different from what I was used to and that is due to Arthur Lee, or as he wanted to be called at the time: "Arthurlee." Lee, a veteran of the LA music scene since 1964, formed the first version of Love in 1965, with Bryan "Snoopy" MacLean. By 1969, the band had still not broken through with a hit single or bestselling album release, so, outside of Los Angeles, they were not well known.

Many critics, have labeled, Love's short time with Blue Thumb records as the band's: "Heavy Metal" period. One listen to this CD, and you know that this is not the case..."Heavy Metal," this ain't! "Stand Out" is flat-out rock, "I Still Wonder" is CSN meeting The Allman Brothers, "Listen to my song" goes into Tiny Tim territory with Arthur's falsetto & whistling. The great: "Everlasting First" features Jimi Hendrix, it was born out of a much longer jam session {featured on many bootlegs, the jam is over 10 minutes in length} but, this song is three minutes long, and pales to what goes on during the original session.

Some of the tracks here sound unfinished and/or bad edits of something greater; "Love is Coming", "Listen to my Song", "Nice to Be", all fade out before they really get going. Two tracks featured on this disc are exended 'work-outs', the first is: "Doggone." That one starts off as a nice little ditty, but it soon turns into a overlong drum solo, ALA: Ginger Baker of Cream & Blind Faith. Next there is: "Love is More than Words or Better Late Than Never" with a waa-waa pedal guitar gore-fest, that SCREAMS 1969. These two tracks, would be HIGHLIGHTS at The Fillmore East shows when Love played between The Allman Brothers and The Grateful Dead in early 1970, but for the studio record, they just end up being filler {but, well played filler.}

The two standout tracks of this CD are: "Signed D C" & "Willow, Willow".
The revised version of: "Signed D C" is the best song of Love's long history, and this is the most intense performance of the band...PERIOD! The guitars are loud & brash, and the singing is of a man over the edge, it's so good, it sends a chill! Somebody (or perhaps a band) with guts, should do a cover of this classic...(betcha, it wouldn't be as good as this!). "Willow" is a fine song, the guitars echo the best of The Byrds, but, because of the tune's jazz flavor, it is better than the feathered ones....let's just call this a lost classic.

There are flaws over the course of this CD, but that was Arthur in general. He shows lot's of "flashes" of genius here as well. This is a good peek into the 1969-70 period of this great band. Back at The Whiskey in 1965, Jim Morrison had just watched Love's last set of the night and told Ray Manzarek "That's my goal...To be bigger than Love!!!
Three Stars.

So, i thought it was about time i checked this out since it was the only Love cd i've never heard and i'm glad to report this is nowhere near as bad as a lot of people make out. In fact, it's actually pretty great if not a little flawed.

As you no doubt know this is a collection of Love's two post-Elektra albums on the Blue Thumb label "out here" and some of the best songs from their finale "false start". Like the previous "four sail" album this is the more blues-rock Love but with some throwbacks to the first 3 albums. Indeed, many of these songs were actually recorded during the "four sail" sessions but weren't used until they'd gotten out of their Elektra contract. When "out here" and "false start" were released they both were reviled by Love fans and flopped commercially barely breaking into the billboard top 200 and signalled the end of the band.

Which is a shame because there are some real gems on here. "I still wonder" is more complex return to the sound of the first album; The electric version of "signed d.c" is far less haunting than the acoustic original but still just as effective; "Love is coming", "stand out", "the first everlasting" (featuring Hendrix!) and "gimi a little break" continue the melodic wah-wah guitar-ed out rock of "four sail"; "nice 2 be" is a funky little song that would've sounded at home on "da capo", ditto the superb "willow willow" and "listen to my song" is pure acoustic THAT album era Love sans the orchestra.

And then there's the two most interesting songs on the album. The 12 minute "doggone" is an ode to Arthur's beloved dog who'd gone missing, his former girlfriend and the previous incarnation of Love that starts out as good and then degenerates into a horrific 9 minute drum solo that's absolutely unlistenable. And, finally, there's "love is more than words or better late than never" which starts out in the same vein as one of the more fast-paced songs from the debut -"you i'll be following" for example- that suddenly breaks into a screeching guitar solo and plunges deep into nearly 10 minutes of acid-rock guitar freak-outs. This discs version of "revelation", then, i guess. Sure, as long songs go it's no "voodoo chile" by Hendrix and three minutes or so could've been snipped from the running length to make it more potent, perhaps, but it still works. An acquired taste, though, i'll give you that.

As an album this collection and the best tracks on here are as good as the best songs on any previous Love album and as with all the Elektra reissues this includes a fine set of sleevenotes and pictures. The only thing holding me from giving it 5 stars is the damn never-ending drum gymnastics on "doggone". The excellent "love is coming" (possibly my favorite song on here) only being 1:23 long while featuring a 9 minute + drum solo in another track..? One can only imagine what was going through Lee's head when he made that decision.

thier lyricism is something you must get use to and some people probably just dont like them because they are alittle out there. i like this album because the music is really good and #4 I STILL WONDER is such an awesomely flowing song, it is worth buying the cd. also the drumming is really great and the drum solo towards the end of the album is just AMAZING. love is an important band to the 60's and LA scene and this is a good album in my opinion.

this is the orignal release of out there,if your into love,as i am,you will treasure this cd,great arthur songs,great band,on their next release false start,there is a live version of stand out,the confusion comes from a compilation released on mci,with a short version of love is more than words and doggone,with some live tracks,just to clear up some ?,enjoy,we won t get anymore arthur,god bless him

There's some REALLY great stuff on here. "Out Here" in a perfect world would be: Side One: I'll Pray for You, Signed D.C., Listen to My Song, I Still Wonder. And Side Two would be: Stand Out, Discharged, and Doggone. I LIKE Doggone's drum solo!! The only long drum solo that never gets boring. Dig that tympani!! There's your album. Screw everything else including Love is more than Words!!

If you want to check out Love, don't believe all U read about 'em. I've seen & heard people trash them 4 the albums "four-sail" & "out-here". It's hard for me to believe anyone could say either "da capo" or their debut are better! There are fully 9 VERY excellent tunes here (I still wonder, willow-willow, run to the top), and 8 pretty good ones. Arthur Lee conveyed an entire world view, & it was a bitter-sweet vision. And the music? A heavenly mix of pop, rock, & blues with some great (sometimes gentle) acoustic & electric guitar work. Alot of his stuff is perfect grooving music for a sunny afternoon. His tunes are honest, personable, & friendly. Why hasn't anyone released the masterpiece 4-Sail on CD? If you like your rock music mixed with a little sensitivity, check this out. Highly recommended!!!