Love Affair - The Everlasting Love Affair (1967-69 uk, excellent r 'n' b with psych sheathing, 2005 bonus tracks edition)

Love Affair was one of the great, all-too-unheralded pop bands of the late '60s in Britain, not a million miles in approach from the Small Faces -- and in Steve Ellis they had a soulful belter who was close to the genius of Steve Marriott. "Everlasting Love" was the big hit, a wonderful slice of music that crossed and recrossed the line between soul and pop, and which still stands proudly after all these years. But it's far from being the only excellent work here. The covers of "Hush," "Tobacco Road," "Handbags and Gladrags," and "The First Cut Is the Deepest" positively steam, while "Rainbow Valley," although a formulaic retread of the big hit, still has plenty going for it. Perhaps the big problem for the band was that they were tagged simply as a pop band, so when they attempted to break that mold, they weren't taken seriously. 

That's a shame, as "The Tree," which veers into both psychedelia and prog rock (close neighbors in those days) is an excellent piece of work, and "Once Upon a Season" offers a few echoes of Traffic. That's not to say everything is wonderful: "Could I Be Dreaming?" and "The Tale of Two Bitters" are readily dispensable, and a couple of other tracks are simply nondescript. But the ratio of good to bad is extremely high, and Steve Ellis is convincing throughout.

by Chris Nickson

Tracks
1. Everlasting Love (Buzz Cason, Mac Gayden) - 3:00
2. Hush (Joe South) - 3:38
3. 60 Minutes (Of Your Love) (David Porter, Isaac Hayes) - 3:36
4. Could I Be Dreaming  (Steve Ellis, Morgan Fisher) - 3:17
5. First Cut Is The Deepest (Cat Stevens) - 3:21
6. So Sorry (D. Gerard) - 3:09
7. Once Upon A Season (Mick Jackson) - 3:59
8. Rainbow Valley (Buzz Cason, Mac Gayden) - 3:48
9. A Day Without Love (Phillip Goodhand Tait) - 3:11
10.Tobacco Road (J. D. Loudermilk) - 3:52
11.The Tree (Steve Ellis, Morgan Fisher) - 2:45
12.Handbags And Gladrags (Mike d'Abo) - 3:49
13.Build On Love (Phillip Goodhand Tait) - 2:27
14.Please Stay (Bob Hilliard, Burt F. Bacharach) - 4:13
15.Tale Of Two Bitters (Steve Ellis, Morgan Fisher, John Cokell, Mike Smith) - 2:33
16.Gone Are The Songs Of Yesterday (Phillip Goodhand Tait) - 2:54
17.Some Like Me (Steve Ellis, Maurice Bacon, Rex Brayley, Mick Jackson, Lynton Guest) - 3:21
18.I'm Happy (Love Affair) - 2:16
19.One Road (Phillip Goodhand Tait) - 3:08
20.Let Me Know (Love Affair) - 2:29
21.Bringing On Back The Good Times (Phillip Goodhand Tait, John Cokell) - 3:22
22.Another Day (Rex Brayley) - 4:11
23.Un Giorno Senza Amore (Italian Version From 'A Day Without Love') (Phillip Goodhand Tait, Mogol) - 3:11

Love Affair
*Rex Brayley - Guitar (1967-1971)
*Maurice Bacon - Drums (1967-1971)
*Mick Jackson - Bass (1967-1971)
*Steve Ellis - Vocals (1967-1970)
*Lynton Guest - Keyboards (1967-1968)
*Morgan Fisher - Keyboards (1968-1971)

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