The first solo album of the architect of
the Mamas & Papas , John Phillips, was certainly one of the more heralded events at the dawn of the 1970s. Phillips, the primary songwriter and vocal arranger for all of the group's great records, however, was not exactly a great lead vocalist. Phillips knew this, and, according to his book, Papa John, he purposely buried his voice in the mix. This proved to be a bit of tragedy, because underneath it all, this is an excellent album. Songs such as "April Anne," "Malibu People," and "Holland Tunnel" bear out what a fine songwriter he really was, and indeed, these are some of the finest songs of his career. The performances on this record are spectacular. Backed by an all-star group of musicians (most of
Elvis Presley's band, including
James Burton, as well as
the Wrecking Crew, among others), the record's decidedly country feel is crafted to the extreme.
Mamas co-founder
Denny Doherty has always felt that had
the Mamas & Papas recorded this album, it would have been one of their finest. There's no doubt. [This edition of the album contains eight bonus tracks.]
