Genre: pop-cum-psych
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Come See Us As We Are!
Company: AVCO Embassy
Catalog: AVE-33015
Year: 1970
Country/State: US
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: still in shrink wrap
Available: SOLD
GEMM catalog ID: SOLD
Price: SOLD
Cost: $66.00
Based largely on
the band name and the crappy cover art, we mistakenly thought this was some
lightweight Christian folk act. We actually put this one back before
having second thoughts and grabbing it ... Luckily, or the $3.00 asking
price we figured we couldn't go wrong.
Released in 1970, the Michael Earle produced "Come
and See Us As We Are!" is hard to accurately describe.
Propelled by Sandy Crespo's attractive voice, the set occasionally sounds
like early Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane having spent a long weekend
with members of The New Seekers ("Never Changing"). With guitarist
Jon Oliver and bassist Chris Sheppard penning the majority of the set,
tracks such as "Better Than You (Mental Song)" and the bizarre
backward tape filled snippet "Are We As Us See and Come (Parade)"
evoke the same kind of San Francisco-styled vibe. On the other hand tracks
such as "Bustin' Loose" and their cover of Fontella Bass'
"Rescue Me" were far more mainstream the most of the Airplane's
catalog. While the set didn't do much for us the first time around, it
rewards repeated spins. Personal favorite, their enthusiastic cover of The
Beatles "Gotta Get You Into My Life". Complete with freak
out ending, it's almost as good as the 1976 Earth, Wind and Fire version.
And finally, a question for y'all - where have you heard the beautiful
instrumental beginning to "Come and See Us"? No doubt helped
by the exceptionally unattractive album cover (you'd fail a child submitting
such a drawing in art class), the album vanished into instant oblivion,
followed in short order by the band itself.
"Come and See Us As We Are!" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Come and See
Us As We Are! (Chris Sheppard - Jon Oliver) - 5:07
2.) Come Along (Chris Sheppard) - 3:35
3.) There Must Be An Answer (Chris Sheppard) - 2:58
4.) Bits of My Life (Chris Sheppard) - 3:03
5.) Bustin' Loose (J.F. Murphy) - 3:58
6.) Are We As Us See and Come (Parade) (Chris Sheppard - Jon Oliver) - 0:50
(side 2)
1.) Better Than
You (Mental Song) (Chris Sheppard - Jon Oliver - Sandy Crespo -Al
Christopher - Dennis Lattman) - 3:45
2.) I'll Be Gone (Chris Sheppard - Jon Oliver) -2:38
3.) Rescue Me (Smith - Minor) - 2:42
4.) Never Changing (Jon Oliver) - 2:54
5.) Gotta Get You Into My Life (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 3:51
6.) Come and See Us (Chris Sheppard - Jon Oliver) -2:02