The Association’s 1967 third album brought them two massive hits, Windy and Never My Love, putting the band back at the top after their brief comparative sag with the Renaissance LP, released earlier that same year.
Working with producer Bones Howe and members of LA’s Wrecking Crew, they were at the height of their writing and performing powers. Fine group originals such as We Love Us, Requiem For The Masses, When Love Comes To Me and Sometime sit easily alongside material from outside writers the likes of Tim Hardin and PF Sloan (the latter’s On A Quiet Night is perhaps his gentlest, most beautiful song). The Association’s strengths as a unit were, however, manifold, with all members playing, writing and singing their material, resulting in harmonies more joyous and inventive than virtually any group.
This expanded edition adds single mixes of four songs, a further six instrumental tracks which make fine listening in their own right, and one previously unreleased album outtake, Autumn Afternoon, written by the Addrisi Brothers. This track alone makes Insight Out’s reissue worthwhile, as it equals anything on the album proper, reinforcing the fact that the group was among the very finest in the 60s.
