Small Faces 1967 Album

Small Faces

You might find this under the title Small Faces which can cause some confusion, and to add to it, a competing album called From The Beginning (with overlapping tracks) was released almost simultaneously as the group had switched management thanks to earlier bad business dealings. Whatever the case, the unbridled Mod/garage enthusiasm that was the debut gives way to a stunning hybrid of clear-vision R&B-meets-psychedelic pop on this record, which plays out over the course of 14 short, vignette-style tracks. Nothing ever overstays its welcome, and I'm fairly sure nothing - other than a chorus or two - gets repeated twice. But the group peaks right in the middle of the hippie era, with one of the surest statements ever made - that great pop/soul hooks and grooves married to beautiful harmonies will always prevail. Even on experimental tracks like "Green Circles" and "Eddie's Dreaming" they never lose their sense of humor or their overall vision. Re-issues often include varying bonus tracks featuring famous singles around the same time like "Here Come the Nice" and "Itchycoo Park". Ironically, it was when the group went full-bore psychedelic, on their next album Odgen's Nut Gone Flake, when they truly began to lose direction.