Review Summary: The Lovin' Spoonful have thrown the old folk covers out the window, and deliver an album with solid songwriting.
While The Lovin' Spoonful's debut album "Do You Believe in Magic" left a lot to desire, it also showed that John Sebastian, lead vocalist and frontman, was a talented songwriter. What turned out to be the doom of their debut album was that it only featured four Sebastian-penned songs. Although they were great songs, it just wasn't enough to save it. This time they ditched the traditional folk songs and focused on Sebastian's knack for songwriting. And with "Daydream", it turned out to be a winning concept.
Their sophomore effort "Daydream" opens with the hit of the same name. It perfectly showcases the talent of John Sebastian -- both as a vocalist and as a songwriter. Musically, it's a typical blues song. But it's not too complex, which highlights Sebastian in a good way. Right off the bat, we see that The Lovin' Spoonful is a well-oiled machine with John Sebastian in command. The rest of the band do everything they can to back him; smooth vocal harmonies, sharp guitar riffs and the occasional harmonica, all come together to make the best out of his songs. Even if some songs may not reach the standard we expect from Sebastian, the band makes up for musically.
All of the songs on the album are either written or co-written by Sebastian (except for "Bald Headed Lena", written by Willy Perryman and Edward Sneed, which is arguably the worst song on here). It quickly becomes clear that the songs written by Sebastian himself are by far the strongest. His strongest quality is probably the way he ties the music and vocal melodies together. A good example of this is "Didn't Want To Have To Do It". For me, it's the best song on "Daydream". With a fantastic melody, and a stunning vocal performance by Sebastian, it completely redeems the album after a couple of weak songs. The Lovin' Spoonful aren't known for their deep, meaningful lyrics, but "Didn't Want To Have To Do It" actually tells a story that is relatable and, for once, not as ambiguous as their other songs:
Was a time that I thought our love could fly and never, never fall
Why should I suppose we were never really meant
To be close to each other at all
"Didn't Want To Have To Do It" is followed up by "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice". While it's not as strong lyrically, it's still one of the best ones on the album. Unfortunately, "Daydream" is held back by some average songs like "It's Not Time Now", "Day Blues" and "Bald Headed Lena". All of these songs border too much on the folk blues songs that made their debut album fall short. The latter of these three songs didn't even have to be on the album since it's not written by anyone in the band. "Let the Boy Rock and Roll" almost falls in the same category as the weaker songs because of its uninspired melody but is saved by its middle eight.
"Daydream" is The Lovin' Spoonful's most important album. It puts John Sebastian's songwriting talent on display and simultaneously offers a great listening experience, albeit an inconsistent one. The album has a couple of flaws, but it's not nearly as flawed as the debut "Do You Believe in Magic". The Lovin' Spoonful learned from their mistakes and delivers a solid album.
Recommended tracks:
"Didn't Want To Do It"
"Daydream"
"Warm Baby"
"There She Is"
