The Association’s 1967 third
album brought them two
massive hits, Windy and Never
My Love, putting the band
back at the top after their brief
comparative sag with the
Renaissance LP, released
earlier that same year.
Working with producer
Bones Howe and members of
LA’s Wrecking Crew, they
were at the height of their
writing and performing
powers. Fine group originals
such as We Love Us,
Requiem For The Masses,
When Love Comes To Me
and Sometime sit easily
alongside material from
outside writers the likes of
Tim Hardin and PF Sloan
(the latter’s On A Quiet Night
is perhaps his gentlest, most
beautiful song). The
Association’s strengths as a
unit were, however, manifold,
with all members playing,
writing and singing their
material, resulting in harmonies
more joyous and inventive
than virtually any group.
This expanded edition
adds single mixes of four
songs, a further six
instrumental tracks which
make fine listening in their
own right, and one previously
unreleased album outtake,
Autumn Afternoon, written by
the Addrisi Brothers. This
track alone makes Insight
Out’s reissue worthwhile, as it
equals anything on the album proper, reinforcing the fact
that the group was among
the very finest in the 60s.
