Review Summary: Excellent first half, forgettable second half.
I think it was Charles Dickens who said that the best of the times are at the same time the worst of times or something like that. By the time "Da Capo" sessions started the singles from their debut had charted, but also the band had began flirting with heroin. Later Arthur Lee would stated that "the money spoilt everyone". But surely it did something to self-confidence.
"Da Capo" is clearly a record that show the both sides: rise and fall of Love. A-side on LP is fantastic, something The Beatles and The Rolling Stones would have wished to write and perform. In fact, the song called "She Comes in Colors" allegedly served as inspiration for "She's A Rainbow", the best song The Rolling Stones produced in (for them) ill-fated 1967. Side A has it all: heart, balls, energy, and great sound. It brings us lots of moments of inspiration: "Stephanie Knows Who", psychedelic waltz, "Orange Skies", psychedelic cookie, the charming "Que Vida", maybe the very first punk song "Seven and Seven Is", an instrumental "The Castle", and psychedelic jewel "She Comes In Colors". All these songs (bar "Seven and Seven Is") are in the same mode as their upcoming masterpiece, "Forever Changes", but they are played with electric instruments, the delivery is somewhat robust and punk-ish. Those six songs would have made a great maxi-single or EP. In 1967 this A-side sounded like The Next Big Thing in rock and roll, energetic, but special, universal and isolated in the same time, it is suitable for dancing clubs but also good for bedsitter.
Also, "Seven and Seven Is" showed their hit potential. It peaked at #33, and helped "Da Capo" rise to number 80. "Forever Changes" would have peaked beyond number 150. No wonder punkers from Detroit (Iggy Pop et al) would claim Love as major influence.
B-Side of "Da Capo" is a jam called "Revelation". by turns interesting, by turns boring, but mostly unnecessary. It could be at least three good songs had it been shorter and more sophisticated, but in 1967 it was cool to have all side comprised of studio jam. It is not bad, it just didn't age very well, and there would have been the bands who'd do it better than Love.
All in all, "Love" really showed its potential, but unfortunately did not succeeded to maintain quality. First six songs are really recommended for everyone, "Revelation" is recommended only for fans.
Arthur Lee, Bryan MacLean and the rest of the group would have recorded their best album ever, later that magical year 1967, "Forever Changes". So, given that, it is easy to to forget "Revelation" and cherish their creative efforts.
