Customer Reviews

Year Of Sunday

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I think back on all my favorite records, there is a factor they all have in common: I remember the day I bought them. I found "Year of Sunday" at Discount Records in Berkeley, California one Sunday afternoon in 1972. I had never heard of Seals & Crofts, but the cover intrigued me. I bought it unheard. That was 36 years ago. For years I searched for a CD of this recording but was unsuccessful. Boy was I suprised when I did another one of my semi-annual searches on Amazon and discovered all their albums were on sale at last! Guess which one I bought?

My favorite song is "High On A Mountain", but who can resist the beauty of "Irish Linen" and "Antionette"? If you only pruchase one Seals & Crofts CD, I highly recommend that it be "Year of Sunday".

Have passed since this album was first released, way back in 1972. Recorded just before they hit the big time, this album contains some of their most poignant lyrics, beautiful melodies, and inspired muscianship.

Revealing a new sound, and a craftsmanship almost unheard of in pop, their arrangements made mandolin and violin seem hip. This combined with a spirtual message of the Bahai faith that seemed somehow universal at the time, in the era of peace demonstrations and the "love" generation.

The mandolin passage in "Irish Linen" still takes my breath away with it's exquisite beauty. There is a real ache and longing for a lost love "in Naples by the sea" in Antoinette. Their voices intertwine in "Cause You Love", anticipating the soaring magic of "Hummingbird" in their next album. The melody, delicate harmonizing, and mandolin playing in "Paper Airplanes" elevates a somewhat sentimental song about a man longing the son he never had to a heartbreaking classic about an unrealized dream of fatherhood. "Year of Sunday" is an uplifting song of faith and hope.

Musically, there is space between the instruments (played by real muscians in real time). No electronic sweetening or additives or computers, this is analog, wood, strings, with great writing and great harmony.

Unique in the pop canon, this album, along with Summer Breeze and Diamond Girl are a great entry point for those who only own the Greatest Hits album.

Great harmonies, great guitar, great mandolin and great songs. The folk influences here probably prevented a hit. Can't review it better than J. Holcombe but I'd like to point out the beauty of movement in Antoinette. A loved one waits in a dreamland by the sea as the singer passes through a garden, meadow and steps. The setting is Naples but the instrumental break is arabesque. Other songs bring such intriguing elements together too. Year of Sunday has a progression of prophets before setting the stage with the Hidden Words of the Baha'i Faith. High On a Mountain has a fantastic electric mandolin solo that was a sight and sound to behold in concert.

YEAR OF SUNDAY was the third S&C album, released 11/01/71 and was one of their best. I saw them in a great concert at Philharmonic Hall in NYC on 11/12/71 and two days later I heard them in a 76 minute live concert broadcast from WBAI's Free Music Store. I wondered what became of that live broadcast, so a few weeks ago I went searching online in the Pacifica Radio Archives and found it! It is an excellent live concert recording with tracks from Year of Sunday, Down Home, Seals and Crofts, and others. It has been sitting on the shelves unheard for 37 years and is now available. Contact the Pacifica Radio Archives - Request Archive Number BC0709.05 (Free Music Store - No. 5 - Seals & Crofts.

This was the 1971 release by Jim & Dash, this wonderful duo was still without a hit single {in the following year, everything would change} Of the early recordings of Seals & Crofts: "Year of Sunday", is my favorite.

Off to a brisk start with the minor hit: "When I Meet Them", you will notice that many musical styles jump right out at you. Pop,folk,country and jazz can all be present in the span of a single tune. These instrumental elements added to the finest mesh of the two greatest voices since the mid-sixties heyday of Simon & Garfunkel make this music something really special. For me; "Year Of Sunday" shows off this duo at the peak of their powers.


From the epic title track that tells a story of spiritual and peaceful leaders WITHOUT preaching, we are indeed on a highly-crafted musical journey here that I find very different to the other popular music of this time {1971}. To say that this is some of the finest and well produced pop music of it's time would be at the least an understatement, as this music is complex, and at the same time so easy to soak in and enjoy on a basic level of enjoyment.

From the good time country of: "Springfield Mill" to the jazzy: "High On A Mountian" onto the African styles of: "Sudan Village" {Paul Simon would outright steal everything about this one to create: "Graceland" 15 years later}, there is a lot to drink in here. Arrangements of these gems almost steal the limelight from the vocal harmonies, but everything fits together just right.

This great record along with the very first Doobie Brothers Release are my two favorite American records from a big year in popular music. This Fine Record by Seals & Crofts belongs in any proper music collection...
"Year of Sunday"
FIVE STARS !!!

Dash Crofts said, "this was our best album it was musically rich and filled with well crafted songs, Jimmy and I were just starting to find our nitch."
I have to agree with one of the other reviewers who suggested a real fan
would only need "Year of Sunday," "Summer Breeze," and "Diamond Girl" to get the feel of their sound.
I loved this duo but I have to admitt after the success of "Diamond Girl"
they lost their innocents and became too top 40.
This one really is a lost gem and deserves shelf space.

I just ordered Year of sunday and can't wait til it comes [along with down home and their first album] I litteraly have'nt heard these albums for over 30 years. I have been searching for these for over 20 years. Needless to say Im thrilled they are on the way. Just going down the song line up Irish linen ancient of the old paper airplanes, no doubt year of sunday is one of their best! I can't wait.Looooong overdue. james wheeler

To make it short and sweet..If you like beautiful songs and fantastic harmonies...this is the one..My favorite Seals and Crofts album made.And I have all of them. No radio songs here...just masterful song writing.

I like the cd, been looking for this for a long time. I rememebr my sister had the vinyl album of this and wanted this on cd and finnally got it. Thank you amazon for this collectible music cd. And also shipping and receiving for this item was quick and fast thank you for that as well.

1. When I Meet Them 3:07
2. Cause You Love 3:25
3. Antoinette 3:39
4. High On A Mountain 4:12
5. Year of Sunday 5:52
6. Paper Airplanes 2:53
7. Irish Linen 3:30
8. Springfield Mill 3:07
9. Ancient Of The Old 3:26
10. Sudan Village