The Association reissued
The Association
And Then . . . Along Comes The Association
(Collector’s Choice)
Never fully appreciated for what they were doing while they were doing it, The Association’s reissued 1966 debut album attempts to resurrect their legacy.
Because they wore suits, had an entertaining stage act, and sang mature rock in the burgeoning psychedelia of mid-period Beatles, Stones, and Byrds, The Association were pegged as squares and relics of the early ’60s, when contemporary folk and teen crooners threatened to destroy the seeds of rock ‘n’ roll. At least two songs here (“Along Comes Mary” and “Cherish” — both produced by “sunshine pop” avatar Curt Boettcher) are classic oldies and are recalled fondly by all rock fans. But that never meant critical praise for The Association. The band wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 12 songs on Along Comes — something The Byrds couldn’t claim for their first two discs — and Boettcher’s imaginative use of stereo sound would become his trademark. “Enter The Young” opens as perhaps the most sterile garage rock ever recorded, but overall the impeccable harmonies and rolling rhythms (future Johnny Cash hit “Blistered”) match up well with their former contemporaries, suggesting an alternate future if others weren’t so damned cool.
— Steve Forstneger
