I was this many years old when I finally realized it wasn't Seals & Croft ... it was Seals & CROFTS. Well, better late than never I guess. Seals & Crofts had a pretty good run through the early '70s. While I'd never have called myself much of a fan I had to admit that their radio hits were syrupy ear candy. I still love "Summer Breeze" and "Diamond Girl" and when I saw the
Greatest Hits album in the bargain bin (along with about twenty other albums that came home with me ... it was a good haul) I had to get it. So I did.
The album after a deep clean was remarkably pristine and the liner notes were still inside the jacket. Sadly it was just a lyric sheet with no credits. At least the back cover listed the producer - Louis Shelton, the legendary session guitarist who I assume also played guitar on the album.
This is a great sounding record, and the intertwined harmonies of James Seals and Dash Crofts are so good. It would have been cool to have the lead vocalist identified on the tracks, but it really didn't matter. It was the blend of voices that made their work special. Of course having said that I'll contradict myself and say that when the lead vocal is prominent I am partial to James' voice.
I really liked the songs on the Greatest Hits, although sometimes I think labels stretch the definition of hit a bit thin. Although here I have to admit I'd forgotten about the song "Hummingbird" which is one of my favourites of the newer to me songs on the album. By definition the album should be good, as it represents their greatest commercial success. If you're wondering, this is a good album. Really good.
The duo were followers of the Baha'i Faith and they wove elements of their beliefs into their lyrics and they never seemed to be heavy handed or preachy. They were just - good. The early '70s were the golden era of the singer songwriter and Seals & Crofts between 1972 and 1976 released four gold, and two double platinum records. If the label had waited another year to include songs from
Get Closer, it truly would have been their
Greatest Hits.
This scratched the itch I had for the duo, but I suspect if I was to come across any of their earlier albums curiosity would no doubt get the better of me as to what the deeper album cuts sounded like. Of course it would depend on the price ... I am notoriously cheap.
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