Johnny Rivers' eighth album offers about as much diversity of music as any of the best of his early LPs, with a difference -- it was the first album where he abandoned the basic guitar-bass-drums arrangement that had characterized his prior albums. Johnny Rivers took a dramatic step during the late '60s, embracing adult standards and recording several Jimmy Webb compositions. These were solemn, literate tales of woe, anguish and turmoil requiring lyric interpretation and careful vocal pacing. They were also heavily produced numbers with string sections and background vocalists. The change didn't hurt Rivers' career; indeed, it won him new critical attention as a serious ballad stylist and landed him some hits. This single-disc collection covers 23 songs from two LPs, Changes and Rewind. Besides the big hit covers "Tracks of My Tears" and "Baby, I Need Your Loving," there is arguably his greatest ballad, "Poor Side of Town." While not everything worked, this material showed another side of Johnny Rivers and expanded his popularity.
Produced by Lou Adler, whose reputation as a recording director par excellence rested on records like this, and arranged by Marty Paitch, this was one of the best-sounding rock albums of 1967 and rode the charts longer than any other Johnny Rivers LP. It's essential listening for Rivers fans as well as '60s rock enthusiasts.
Track Listing
By The Time I Get To Phoenix
Taste Of Honey
Day's Of Wine And Roses
California Dreamin'
Do You Want To Dance?
Cast Your Fate To The Wind
Poor Side Of Town
If I Were A Carpenter
Softly As I Leave You
Shadow Of Your Smile
Strangers In The Night
Getting Ready For Tomorrow
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