Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Come See Us As We Are!
Company: AVCO Embassy
Catalog: AVE-33015
Year: 1970
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: still in shrink wrap
Available: 1
Price: $50.00
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:
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
7.) Better Than You (Mental Song) (Chris Sheppard - Jon Oliver - Sandy Crespo -Al Christopher - Dennis Lattman) - 3:45
8.) I'll Be Gone (Chris Sheppard - Jon Oliver) -2:38
9.) Rescue Me (Smith - Minor) - 2:42
10.) Never Changing (Jon Oliver) - 2:54
11.) Gotta Get You Into My Life (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 3:51
12.) Come and See Us (Chris Sheppard - Jon Oliver) -2:02