Summer of Love, Vol. 1: Tune In (Good Time & Love Vibrations) (CD - 1987)

Unknown Contributor Roles: Parade ; Eric Burdon; Friend & Lover; Harpers Bizarre; Marcia Strassman; Scott McKenzie; Spanky & Our Gang; The 5th Dimension; The Association; The Box Tops; The Cowsills; The Hollies; The Love Generation; The Troggs; The Young Rascals; The Youngbloods .

This 16-song collection is more a survey of sunshine pop than actual psychedelia, and is mostly valuable for gathering together a lot of singles by acts who otherwise either weren't too well represented on CD in 1992, or aren't the type of acts from whom most listeners would want more than a song or two in their collections -- for every top-flight pop/rock act like the Hollies ("King Midas in Reverse"), the 5th Dimension ("Up, Up and Away"), the Association ("Windy"), Spanky & Our Gang ("Lazy Day"), the Rascals ("Groovin'"), the Box Tops ("Neon Rainbow"), and Harpers Bizarre ("The 59th Street Bridge Song"), there are performers like Scott McKenzie ("San Francisco"), the Cowsills ("The Rain, the Park and Other Things"), future actress Marcia Strassman ("The Flower Children"), the Love Generation, Parade ("Sunshine Girl"), and a brace of similar acts, who had their moment of laid-back Summer of Love-inspired cool and disappeared from radar screens. The melodies flow freely and generally lyrically and occasionally languidly -- the only complaint is that some of the music goes a bit far astray from the mood and period that they're trying to capture; in place of "Lazy Day," "Like to Get to Know You" might've been a better choice from the repertoire of Spanky & Our Gang, and perhaps a slightly punkier edge -- courtesy of, say, Paul Revere & the Raiders -- might've been better than some of the really ubiquitous tracks like "Groovin'" by the Rascals. The notes are reasonably thorough and the sound is excellent. ~ Bruce Eder minimize