Customer Reviews

Partridge Family Album

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you are a fan of these great early Partridge Family albums, then you owe it to yourself to buy the 1993 Razor & Tie versions instead. Why? Razor & Tie did not tamper with the sound quality, as a result, Razor & Tie discs sound just like the records you remember. I made the mistake of buying the re-masters thinking they would sound even greater; NOT!

I've heard both versions using top of the line monitor speakers, and these Buddha discs have too much bass added for their own good. They also sound flat, because too much noise reduction was used, thus taking away the sparkle which sounded so good on the Razor & Tie versions. You can still find these Partridge Family albums on Razor & Tie right here on Amazon.

The Partridge Family albums on Razor & Tie were the debut album, Up To Date, Sound Magazine, Shopping Bag and The Christmas album.

While the television show grew into David-mania, this first piece of merchandising, in the form of a manufactured rock recording, is fascinating. The Partridge Family sound would be determined by the success of their first gigantic hit, I Think I Love You, which appears on this album; but, by turns, you will find many differing styles of music here, with some songs featuring an audible Shirley Jones, and some featuring no one recognizable at all. The melodies are rich, the production values superb -- and songs like On The Road, To Be Lovers and Point Me In The Direction of Albequerque are infinitely more sophisticated than the bubblegum label we usually apply to records by the PF. Three cheers for this Album.

Those who discount the impact of this record on the music scene of the day weren't there. Like most landmark events this album was controversial and divisive. But little of that (like the Monkees before) had very little to do with the music!

What is often lost in the scuffle is the fact that this album was the cornerstone for a sound and production team that was to go on and sell over 25 million records!

While cynics might us at this point of Frank Zappa's famous quote that Americans love entertainment and hate art, I would simply say - you're right - with the Partridge Family records you had both.

Wes Farrell and team produced an album that was technically superior to most of the muddy sounding albums of the day. Listen to the clarity of the legendary Joe Osbournes' bass lines. Listen to the drum strikes. Great stuff!

In addition, the instrument choices are intriguing (a HARPSICHORD on a pop album?) as are the arrangements 'happy' sounding songs written in minor keys?). How about those tight harmonies from the choir?

Granted, the lyrics are trite and silly. And the word that can be used to describe the decision to rise the pitch of David Cassidy's voice (to make the 19 year old kid sound younger) by speeding up the tapes is 'odd'.

But like cracks in the marble of a fine sculpture, these flaws merely enhance the beauty of the overall piece.

I am sure that for many this album was their first foray into music. This was the very first album that I purchased with my own money and though my taste has deepened and grown into virtually every genre from hard rock to opera I still find this album remarkably pleasing on a number of levels.

I am very happy that it has been digitally remastered and reissued on CD.

However, I have to say, some bonus tracks and appended liner notes sure would have been nice....

/fwa

Some may call it disposable pop, but those people are fixated on the Partridge Family image and not the music. As a person dedicated to the music industry for 30 years, this is, in my qualified opinion, one of the best pop records ever made. Every song is a melodic masterpiece, perfectly arranged and produced.

Before the marketing honchos behind the Partridge Family TV show-concept "found" their sound with David Cassidy in front, this album was recorded as a sort of mish-mash of sounds -- and actually features in a few rare, audible moments, Shirley Jones' voice. But the overall effect is more than pleasant -- it is downright blissful. The songs are ALL melodic, and have the commercial appeal their creators were after. What is more, the singers -- mostly from a 60s group called LOVE GENERATION, are highly skilled backup singers, and create a much-copied style of "echo backups". A few of the many treats on this record are ON THE ROAD, a sweetly melancholy song that underscored a few bus trips on the TV show, and SINGING MY SONG, which is a short little snap of a number. Bubblegum at its absolute best.

A lot of comments made about the ommission of David Cassidy on every track, but it seems history is ignored. Using him on vocals in the first place almost didn't happen, so the music production was already underway before the producers realised Cassidy could sing. Either way, the whole PF concept was supposed to be the band/family as music artists and not a David Cassidy solo gig. His popularity after the series started changed all that, but you can't fault this album for that.

I have always found this to be the most balanced PF LP. The songs are better written and better produced than on any of the follow-up albums. After The Partridge Family Album, too many of the songs became lackluster and overly slick, with minimal emotion, opting out for corny sentiment. Obviously the general public agreed, since none of the other records came close to the popularity enjoyed here.

The good news is that even the non-hits here pack a punch. "Bandala" is chock full of hooks and even features some clever string arrangements, a rarity in later releases. "I Can Feel Your Heartbeat" even dares to rock out, replete with a chunky wah guitar riff. The #1 debut single, "I Think I Love You", while overplayed today, is still a brilliant piece of magic.

When I listen to this LP, the whole album feels good and one senses that each song meant something to those making the record. That automatically makes it the best set from the Partridge clan.

The Partridge Family Album didn't actually debut until November of 1970, well over amonth after the TV show began on September 25th. By that time,their single, "I Think I Love You" had been played by DJs already tooting the show and by the time it was released in October, it was emblazened on the minds of youth everywhere making it a bonafide hit by Halloween of that year. The Partridge money making machine was well into high gear at this time. By the time the preteens got a gander at the face behind the voice, records were destined to fly off the shelves making the fictional First Family of Rock (actually that was the Cowsills who were models for the Partridges)a phenomenon. Of all the Partridge albums, this one has a distinct sound and flavor and includes hits that were recorded with lead vocals by a studio singer. These songs include "I Really Want To Know You" and "On The Road" but these songs still hold up well. Once the production company decided to give Cassidy a listen and found out he could sing, well.....the rest is history! There are some great tunes here...."Brand New Me" not even a flip side, was often played by DJs on the radio. "Point Me In The Direction Of Albuquerque" became a anthem for many with Partridge-mania. The followup "Bandala" was a crossover African American attempt. The ballad "Only A Moment Ago" was a beautiful showcase for David's smooth vocals. "To Be Lovers", "Somebody Wants To Love You", and "Singing My Song" firmly emplanted the Partridges feet in the history of pop music. This LP was found in pop bins but also in soundtrack record bins for each song was featured in an episode of the show. This slick marketing ploy payed off well, for 34 years after the shows kickoff, babyboomers across the world as still rabidly collecting Partridge mania in forums like eBay and other online auctions. Grab a copy of this CD. It is well worth the price!

Almost 30 years after the original release, the first Partridge Family album is available again on CD. The original vinyl version (6050 Bell) was released in November of 1970 at the time that their first single was at number one, the Tony Romeo penned "I Think I Love." Originally the television fabricated group was not to feature the lead vocals of David Cassidy, but that changed quickly when producer/songwriter Wes Farrell realized the talented (not to mention handsome & young) singer he had in front of him. Among the eleven tracks we get the above mentioned chart topper plus fan favs like "Point Me In the Direction of Albuquerque," "I Can Feel Your Hearbeat" and the flipside of the first hit- "Somebody Wants to Love You." My personal favorite is "Bandala." Fans will remember this song from the TV episode that featured Richard Pryor and Louis Gossett, Jr. (years before Richard became a comedy legend and Louis won his Oscar). There are three tunes that do not have David at the lead (tracks 4, 7 & 8) but still have the sound of one of the best pop groups ever assembled. This LP reached #4 on the national charts thanks to a cracker jack band (the studio musicians later know as the Wrecking Crew), four of the best background singers in the biz, and an A list of songwriters like Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Terry Cashman & Tommy West plus Wes and Tony. This is not the best Partridge Family record, but it was the first. The formula worked (see the other Buddha reissues of the group's 70s albums). Though Razor & Tie reissued this one first back in the 90s, it has been out of print for a couple of years. Now let's hope that Buddha will give us some of the other Partridge LPs like "Shopping Bag," the holiday album "Christmas Card" or better yet David's LPs that have never been reissued.

The collection of songs on this track list is a bonafied trip in time. The near perfect vocal harmonies of the Partridge group consist of seasoned studio/session vocalists. The vocals remind us of those glory days in BUBLEGUM MUSIC (The ARCHIES, The J5, The OSMONDS and The CARPENTERS).
In the early 1970s, teens all over North America became glued weekly to the 8:30pm PARTRIDGE FAMILY telecast on ABC-TV.
Every song on this CD was inserted to the storyline as a focal point, thus making these melodies instantly familiar to fans. All of the songs on this CD appear larger radio hits than actually were. Actually, "I THINK I LOVE YOU" is the only title from this collection to chart on BILLBOARD and/or CASHBOX. The song peaked at #1 on top 100 and earned this fictional group a GRAMMY nomination for best new artist/act of 1970. If you lived part of your childhood during the 1970s, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this CD. Relieve those lost days of polyester and the pet rock. The PARTRIDGE FAMILY songs available on this compilation are suprisingly still fresh. This CD is musically a moment in time that seems like yesterday !

"The Partridge Family Album" (their first, released in 1970) was the popular television group's best album, only slightly superior to "Sound Magazine." Its hallmarks are its freshness, quality of the songwriting, musicianship, David Cassidy's voice, and the background vocals. For those of us hovering around forty years of age, the television show 'exploded' at exactly the right time; which is why, years later, there is a fondness and nostalgic component for the show and the music. "I Think I Love You" is, of course, the quintessential Partridge Family song; however, I don't think it has aged well and leaves the impression that the music was all 'teenybop.' "Brand New Me," "Point Me in the Direction of Albuquerque," "Bandala," and "Somebody Wants To Love You" are among the group's best material and show a strong songwriting maturity. "On The Road" is my personal favorite with its soaring vocals; it's one of those songs that you wish was longer than three minutes! All in all, the music is innocent and, suprisingly, holds up well. The music is, and was, much more sophisticated than the group of individuals behind the Partridge Family are given credit for. Have a listen! I guarantee you'll be singing along!!