Genre: pop
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Take Each Day As It Comes
Company: AVI
Catalog: AVL
6016
Year: 1977
Country/State: San Francisco, California
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 5646
Price: $20.00
I've been collecting records since I was a teenager and even though I own several LPs from The We Five's earlier catalog, I have to admit I never knew this album existed. I'm apparently not alone since there is scant information out there on this collection ...
Working separately with producers W. Michael Lewis (side 1) and Ed Cobb (side 2), 1977's "Take Each Day As It Comes" has been kind of a puzzle to me. The collection was released by the Los Angeles-based AVI label which was better know for quickie releases by disco and Latin acts. The liner notes didn't provide much information leaving the impression this was a late-inning project by original We Five singer/guitarist John Burgan and his wife Debbie Burgan (who replaced original singer Beverly Bivens in 1967). (Based on information on The We Five website the actual line up was the Burgans, plus keyboardist Mike Lewis, keyboardist Ray Scantlin, bassist Terry Rangno, and drummer Dennis Wood.) So what's this thing sound like? Anyone expecting to hear something along the lines of their earlier folk-rock moves was probably going to be a little disappointed. To my ears the collection had an early-1970s sound and feel - imagine Brotherhood of Man had they been American rather than English. Musically it was quite varied including stabs at pop, lots of ballads, and an occasional up tempo rock number. While it wasn't particularly focused and had kind of a dated sound (the material may have been recorded several years earlier), as lead singer Debbie Burgan had a great voice that was more than capable of handling the broad spectrum of material. On their cover of Albert Hammond's 'Funny' she somehow managed to sound like ABBA, while on 'Let Me Stand' her performance bore an uncanny resemblance to Dusty Springfield. By the way those comments weren't meant as criticisms. IN case anyone cared, John Burgan handled lead vocals on the first part of 'Lonely Afternoon'. Highlights included the title track, Jerry Burgan's epic over-the-top ballad 'Seven Day Change' and their fantastic cover of Steely Dan's 'I Mean To Shine'. Bonus points to any band willing to cover a Becker-Fagen composition. One other thing to mention - the collection was kind of curious in that a number of songs including the title track and 'Rejoice' had a religious edge to them. That's not to say this was an overtly religious collection - it wasn't, but there was a subtle religious flavor to the album. Nothing but speculation on my part, but the album may have been a late-inning attempt to tap into the public's growing interest in Christian rock. Like I said earlier, totally unlike their previous releases, but certainly enjoyable even though in an era of disco madness and punk aggression it never had a commercial chance.
"Take Each
day As It Comes" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Take Each Day As It Comes (Jerry Burgan) - 3:49
2.) Rejoice (Michael Lewis) - 3:40
3.) Bandstand Dancer (Terry Rangno - Dennis Wood) - 2:51
4.) The Natural Way (Michael Lewis - Ed Cobb) - 3:00
5.) Funny (Albert Hammond) - 3:07
(side
2)
1.) Seven Day Change (Jerry Burgan) - 4:33
2.) Let Me Stand (Clifford Ray Scantini) - 3:23
3.) I Mean To Shine (Walter Becker - Donald Fagen) - 3:08
4.) Lonely Afternoon (Jerry Burgan) - 3:23
5.) Does Anybody Love Me (Reneva Armond) - 3:19
The Burgans have kept the band nameplate alive as The We Five Folk Rock Revival and have a nice website at:
http://www.officialwefive.com/