Two post-“Forever Changes” albums from revered psychedelic rock act Love that have been in and out of print for years will be reissued June 26 via Hip-O Select/Geffen as “The Blue Thumb Recordings.” The package will include a previously unreleased disc of live recordings taped in England in 1970.
Disc one of “The Blue Thumb Recordings” is “Out Here,” originally released in 1969 and comprised of leftovers from the sessions that produced the album “Four Sail” earlier that year. The 17-track “Out Here” features some of the Arthur Lee-led band’s most adventurous music, from the 12-minute “Doggone” to the equally lengthy “Love Is More Than Words (Or Better Late Than Never).” The album barely dented The Billboard 200, peaking at No. 176.
In 1970, Love returned with “False Start,” which features guitar work on the track “The Everlasting First” from Jimi Hendrix, who died six months later. The album once again made little commercial impact, reaching No. 184 on The Billboard 200. Love would not release another album until 1974, after which point the band remained silent for more than 25 years.
Only recently discovered in the vaults, the 1970 live performances that make up disc three comprise Love classics such as “My Little Red Book,” “Andmoreagain” and “Orange Skies.” The full track list is:
“Good Times”
“August”
“My Little Red Book”
“Nothing”
“Orange Skies”
“Andmoreagain”
“Gather ‘Round”
“Bummer in the Summer”
“Singing Cowboy”
“Signed D.C.”
“Love Is More Than Words or Better Late Than Never”
