There’s not a whole bunch of information I could find at a quick glance about The Art of Lovin’. The band was a psychedelic folk rock from Massachusetts, though the band isn’t necessarily in that Bosstown sound realm due to signing with Mainstream Records in Detroit. The group was compared to the likes of Jefferson Airplane and the Mamas and the Papas due to this album, though the group never really caught wind in the eyes of the public. The group broke up shortly after the album was released, with some members apparently having chosen to go to college instead (mmone.org). This seems like it ought to be an interesting listen, so I’m going to jump on into the music.
“Paul’s Circus” starts out with some very whimsical combinations of organs and horns that bring in a carnivalesque sort of sound. Oh wow, I really dig this. The bass is bopping up and down with a massive fat sound in the mix, and it gets echoed really nicely by some chime-like keyboards (?), while the guitar work is incredibly interesting and serves the soundscape super well as it bounces off the bass super nicely. Wow, this is one groovy tune. The drums have the tune in a gallop of sorts and really works well with the rest of the instrumentation. Oh wow, this little instrumental break in the latter half of the tune is super interesting. This tune keeps on going and doesn’t slow momentum for anything. Great tune.
“What The Young Minds Say” starts out with some really delicate, enchanting guitar that has me hooked immediately. The drums come on gently and introduce the other instrumentation, which is mostly the bass, but there is a super interesting saxophone in the background. Wow, this tune is groovy. I really dig the vocals in this one – there’s a great mix of the lead vocals and the background chorus vocals that bring a very delicate touch to the tune. Another great tune.
“You’re Got The Power” starts out with some heavy bass that gets the tune grooving along with the electric guitar coming in with an almost soulful sort of psychedelic funk feel to them. Oh wow, the guitar picks up some distortion for a moment and seems to travel far out with some super tasty chorus vocals before dropping back into the main riff of the tune. I really dig the subtle work with the organs and rhythm guitar keeping the tune cruising along in the background. Holy smokes, this guitar solo has a super tasty crunchy tone and some absolutely delicious bluesy sort of playing. Oh wow, the outro is super sweet too. Great tune.
“Take A Ride” starts out with some sort of hypnotic and ominous circus-like organs, and super super tasty clean-toned guitar work that has a super tasty line that plays off the bass line nicely and contrasts the somewhat ominous sound from the organs. This tune is sweet. Wow, the guitar sort of puts you at ease as the vocals and organs seemingly take you further out there, propelled by the ever-moving and flowing bass line with the sturdy drums. Super sweet tune.
“Good Times” starts out with some super tasty blues inflected psychedelic garage rock sounding guitar that gets the tune absolutely grooving in conjunction with the bopping bass that strings jangling drums and the rest of the instrumentation together. The organs continually lift the tune up from the other side of the soundscape from the guitar, in a fashion that sort of reminds me of Ray Manzarek of The Doors. Holy smokes, this guitar solo is absolutely awesome – incredibly tasty licks with a really great tone. The lead guitar melts through the soundscape in a really awesome way. Great tune.
“Daily Prayer” starts out with some gentle electric guitar, which is soon joined by some super fat bass and harpsichord-like keyboards, creating a soundscape of a near delicate quality. Oh wow, the vocals sort of seep through the soundscape leading you further into the tune as the airy drums sort of create more room in the soundscape. Wow, this tune has super great feel. Great tune.
“The First Time” has a super interesting, almost stuttering psychedelic pop feel between the swishing garage rock sounding guitars and the short, staccato’d notes from the organ. The drums, bass, and vocals gently ease away that stuttering feeling into a more relaxed realm as the tune progresses onward. The bass has some really great, fat tone that seemingly lifts the soundscape from the bowels of a void, which is then held sturdy by those rockin’ drums. I really dig this tune – it keeps building on itself until it comes to a crescendo of sorts at the end. Really sweet tune.
“And I Have Seen Them All” starts with some super gentle guitar work that is soon joined by a really warm, big bass tone that lifts the tune from the background. The chorus vocals have a near gospel-like effect in the tune, creating a sort of gospel-like folksy psychedelic soundscape. The airy drums give the tune a super gentle beat whenever they come on. Oh wow, the instrumental bridge is super tasty, and picks up a little bit of steam, yet retains that super soft feel in the soundscape. Really pleasant tune.
“You’ll Walk Away” starts out in a bit of psychedelic garage pop rock fashion with the tone from the distorted electric guitar, which is promptly joined by some really tasty organs, and once again that super groovy bass tone. I really dig the vocal performance in this one – the lead vocalist has a super interesting timbre to her voice, like Grace Slick if she smoked a bunch of cigarettes out of nowhere the morning before a recording session. Really sweet tune.
“(How Can We) Hang On To A Dream” is a cover of Tim Hardin’s tune, and this version has a nearly melancholic, sort of bluesy ballad-like feel as the band tries to play through a wide range of emotions. The melody from the organs and bass gets to a nearly dark place, before resolving at a more positive note with the counterpoint from the guitar meeting up around that time. Really sweet cover.
“State of Mind” starts out with a super tasty guitar lick and some absolutely great sort of galloping syncopated drums. The bass really gets super flavorful, hitting brighter and higher notes than I’ve noticed compared to earlier in the album. The organ does some really great rhythmic-like work as they keep the tune moving along nicely. Oh wow, this guitar solo is super heavily distorted and filled with some super sweet riffs and licks that contrast really nicely with the relatively clean tones from the rest of the instrumentation. Wow, I really dig the drum beat in this one. The vocals really tie up the tune nicely at the end with a great sustained finish. Awesome track.
Wow, this album was excellent. The songs were flavorful and unique, all while hitting on a bunch of different and great psychedelic themes and sounds from the era. If you dig psychedelic rock from the 1960s, this is an album you might want to consider checking out. After I finish writing this I’m going to be looking up whether or not I can get this on vinyl; I definitely enjoyed the album. If you do decide to give this one a listen, I sincerely hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A