''Reel to Real'' is the seventh and final

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

by the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

, released in 1974.

Background

''Reel to Real'' was the first official Love album in four years, and bandleader Arthur Lee recorded the album with studio musicians after dismissing all previous band members. It follows the release of Lee's solo album '' Vindicator'' in 1972 and two different Love albums that had been recorded but never released. ''Reel to Real'' featured the same musicians that played on the unreleased ''

Black Beauty ''Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions, the Autobiography of a Horse'' is an 1877 novel by English author Anna Sewell. It was composed in the last years of her life, during which she was bedridden and seriously ill.Merriam-Webster (1995). ...

'' and was originally intended as part of a two-album deal with

Robert Stigwood Robert Colin Stigwood (16 April 1934 – 4 January 2016) was an Australian-born British-resident music entrepreneur, film producer and impresario, best known for managing Cream, Andy Gibb and the Bee Gees, theatrical productions like ''Hair'' ...

RSO Records RSO Records was a record label formed by rock and roll and musical theatre impresario Robert Stigwood and record executive Al Coury in 1973. The letters "RSO" stood for the Robert Stigwood Organisation. RSO managed the careers of several maj ...

. A long-time admirer of Arthur Lee, Skip Taylor, approached the label and convinced Stigwood to give the previously commercially unsuccessful Lee the largest advance he would ever receive, followed by the biggest touring opportunity any incarnation of Love would ever embark on, opening for acts such as

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...

and

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

. The tour was a disaster due to Lee's increasingly erratic behavior. The album was reissued by High Moon Records with new liner notes, archival photos and bonus tracks on CD and digital in 2015 and LP in 2016.

Critical reception

The 2015 reissue on High Moon Records received mostly positive reviews: UNCUT: 8/10 "...a rich, varied and soulful album that captures an exuberant Lee on an all too-infrequent upswing".
PopDose
"A vitally important band – and performer like Arthur Lee – needs to be held in the light for their amazing catalog."
All Music:
"An album with more than its share of great moments." Writing about the 2015 reissue for ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...

'', Daniel Sylvester noted that Lee "comes off sounding nothing short of subdued, toothless and aimless," adding that the record "is lovingly assembled and digitally enhanced, but nonetheless, shouldn't be mistaken for an essential release."

Track listing

All tracks written and arranged by Arthur Lee, except where noted.

Side 1 1. Time Is Like a River 2. Stop the Music 3. Who Are You 4. Good Old Fashion Dream 5. Which Witch Is Which? 6. With a Little Energy Side 2 7. Singing Cowboy (Lee, Jay Donnellan) 8.
Be Thankful for What You Got "Be Thankful for What You Got" is a soul song written and first performed by William DeVaughn. The record sold nearly two million copies on its release in spring of 1974, reaching #1 on the U.S. R&B charts and #4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 ...
(
William DeVaughn William Edward DeVaughn Jr. (born November 28, 1947) is an American R&B/soul singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known for the million-selling hit song "Be Thankful for What You Got" in 1974. Biography DeVaughn was a salaried government emp ...
) 9. You Said You Would 10. Busted Feet (Lee, Charles Karp) 11.
Everybody's Gotta Live "Everybody's Gotta Live" is a song written by the American musician Arthur Lee. It was performed by Lee and released as a single in June 1972, coupled with the track "Love Jumped Through My Window"; both tracks also appeared that year on Lee's a ...
Deluxe Edition Bonus Tracks 12. Do It Yourself uttake 13. I Gotta Remember uttake 14. Somebody uttake 15. You Gotta Feel It uttake 16. With A Little Energy lternate Mix 17. Busted Feet lternate Mix 18. You Said You Would ingle Mix 19. Stop The Music lternate Take 20. Graveyard Hop tudio Rehearsal 21. Singing Cowboy lternate Take 22. Everybody’s Gotta Live lectric Version 23. Wonder People (I Do Wonder) tudio Rehearsal/blockquote>

Personnel
* Arthur Lee - rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, vocal ;Additional personnel * Melvan Whittington - guitar * John Sterling - guitar * Sherwood Akuna - bass * Joe Blocker - drums *
Bobby Lyle Robert Lyle (born March 11, 1944) is a jazz pianist/organist and educator. Early life Lyle was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 11, 1944 to parents Robert and Elise Lyle. He grew up in a musical household after the family moved from Memphis ...
- keyboards * Gary Bell - synthesizer * Herman McCormick - conductor * Wilber Brown, Fred Carter, John Clauder, Alan DeVille, Clifford Solomon and Billy Sprague - horns *
Venetta Fields Venetta Lee Fields (born 1941) is an American-born singer, musical theater actress and vocal coach. She was a backing vocalist for American and British rock and pop acts of the 1960s and 1970s, including Ike & Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Humble ...
, Jessica Smith and Carlina Williams - vocals * Robert Rozelle - bass (6, 7, 10) *
Buzzy Feiten Howard "Buzz" Feiten (born November 4, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, session musician, and luthier. He is best known as a lead and rhythm guitarist and for having patented a tuning system for guitars and similar instrument ...
- lead guitar (3) * Art Fox - acoustic guitar (5) * Harvey "The Snake" Mandel - electric guitars (5) * Joe Deaguro - vocal, vibes (8)

References
{{Authority control 1975 albums Love (band) albums Albums produced by Arthur Lee (musician) RSO Records albums