My Amazon Reviews: Seals & Crofts "Greatest Hits"

What Harm Can Befall Thee In Yon Wilderness of Clove?

4 Out of 5 Stars

Boasting pristine production, sophisticated arrangements and their own superb harmonies, Seals and Crofts ran up a string of top ten singles and a pair of top ten albums in the seventies. They steeped their lyrics in their Baha'i religious faith, yet were skillful enough to keep their religion from tipping into preachiness on their biggest hits. Their strongest songs, like "Summer Breeze" and "We May Never Pass This Way Again," are instant memory bells for mid-seventies musical listeners.

They also had a secret weapon in producer guitarist Louie Shelton, who made all these songs come across as gentle and gentile. How could one not get the feeling of bliss from the easily accessible "Summer Breeze?" Or the joi de vivre of "When I Meet Them?" When one considers that "Hummingbird" is a song cycle in three parts, it is amazing to think that it was one of the duo's biggest hits and a marvel of production. That these songs are so good and Seals and Crofts so successful, it does beg the question of why their catalog has not been re-mined for upgrades.

While most of their albums are now out on CD, their was no considerable sonic updating. And this best of, at 10 songs and 38 minutes, is crying out for a re-do. Their first two albums are ignored completely, three later hits ("My Fair Share," "You're The Love" and "Get Closer") were released after the original album came out, and even the controversial "Unborn Child," the song that finally did see Seals and Crofts move into evangelizing, merits attention. When bands like America, Chicago and The Doobie Brothers now have multiple best-of sets on the market, this Greatest Hits seems puny in comparison.