Deciding between The Association’s first two albums for the list was
almost a coin flip for me. Their debut, And
Then … Along Comes The Association, was a hit, largely on the success of
their first two singles, “Along Comes Mary” and the even-more-successful
ballad, “Cherish”. While the band’s overall sound was quite similar on Renaissance, the latter flopped
commercially.
What happened? Well, it helps to pick a good lead single. “Pandora’s
Golden Heebie Jeebies” is by no means terrible, but it’s even stranger than its
off-putting title. Not surprisingly, it peaked at #35 on the Hot 100, compared
to #7 for “Along Comes Mary” and #1 for “Cherish”. It wound up leaving such a
sour taste that “No Fair At All” (the second single), which is every bit as
good a ballad as “Cherish” or “Never My Love”, didn’t even make the upper half
of the chart.
For me, Renaissance does the
most to spotlight the versatility and overall talent level of the band. All 12
of the songs are written by band members, and five of the six members
contribute at least one song. The same five also each handle lead vocals on at
least one track. And it’s not as though there’s any filler; each can stand quite
nicely on its own.
Favorite tracks:
Another Time, Another Place
Memories Of You
You Hear Me Call Your Name
Songs In The Wind
Angeline
