Spirit - Clear

Plus bonus stickers!

I recently bought the 1996 Ode/Epic(Sony)/Legacy release of this album (EK 65002).

The name of the album is Clear. I mention this because the one-paragraph blurb on the CD's back cover refers to the album -- not just once, but twice -- as "Clear Spirit." I am not making this up (and over 10 years later, they still haven't bothered to correct it).

The album was originally released in 1969. I mention this because that information appears nowhere on the CD, or its back cover, or the companion booklet (although the booklet includes a recording date for each track).

Have I mentioned the stickers? My copy came with three of them on the front of the case, and only one is the kind that can be peeled off without leaving lots of paper/adhesive residue behind. And one of the other two is a big yellow sucker that takes up most of the bottom left quarter. I love it when I have to remove the album cover from the jewel case to really see it, and I'm sure most other CD buyers do, too!

As for the music: Although this is arguably the weakest of Spirit's first four albums (I'd say it's pretty much a tie with their 2nd album), I wouldn't want to be without Dark Eyed Woman and I'm Truckin', and I'm also pretty fond of Ice.

But the question must be asked: Does this record company really deserve anybody's business? May 5, 2007

Just as good as I remember!

I bought this album on vinyl, originally, when it was released in the sixties. Unlike a lot of bands, Spirit still sounds as fresh and relevent today as they were cutting edge in the sixties. They were always ahead of their time and still have a unique sound that no other group has ever equalled.

I had several of Spirit's albums, by the early seventies, and I'm collecting the CD reissues. Among them, "Clear" remains my favorite. It is rather unique in Spirit's discography, with its instrumental tracks "Ice" and the title track, "Clear," being my favorites, accompanied by strings.

I think there is much here that today's youth would identify with, just as I did when I was a teenager, myself. From the melancholy "Cold Wind" to "Give a Life, Take a Life," Spirit's music remains as relevent as ever. The only exception might be the now dated "1984," although its theme, like the Orwell novel, is still relevent today.

If you're looking for good, solid rock songs with a sound that is unique, you can't do any better than "Dark Eyed Woman," "Apple Orchard," "So Little Time to Fly," "Ground Hog Day," and the Spirit classic "I'm Truckin'."

I think one thing that set Spirit apart from most sixties bands, and still does, was its fusion of rock with elements of jazz, partly (or mostly) due to the influence of Ed Cassidy's background as a jazz drummer. Coupled with Randy California's Hendrix-inspired guitar virtuosity, Spirit's sound is unique in the annals of rock music and has never been duplicated. Whether you're an old fan returning to their music or you've never heard of them and would like to find out more, I think you'll find much here to like. November 5, 2006

Music in your head

This was the first Spirit album that I had back when most people only knew about "I've got a line on you" and have had a recording of it in one form or another since it's release. It is one of the finest examples of a group, that still tours today, that was way ahead of themselves and made fusion rock what it came to be. It is by far my favorite group, and with the progressive changes in recording and remixing, (I have just about all of the releases by Spirit from the well known to the obscure) I know that when I take my last breath I will have one of their songs soaring with me into the universe. February 5, 2006

This one really grew on me

Although I've been aware of Spirit for ages, thanks to FM radio playing "I Got a Line On You" and "Nature's Way", it's only been now since I acquired any of their albums, and of course, I had to get their first four albums, with the original lineup of Randy California, Ed Cassidy, Jay Ferguson, Mark Andes, and John Locke. Clear was their last album produced by Lou Adler and on the Ode label (which was owned by Adler), before switching to David Briggs and Epic Records for Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus.

Of the first four Spirit albums, I thought Clear was the most difficult to get in to. The first half of the album consists of rock songs, not too far from what you already heard on The Family That Plays Together and their self-entitled debut. Examples are "Dark Eyed Woman", "Apple Orchard", "Ground Hog", and "Policeman's Ball". There's also the more psychedelic "Cold Wind". Many of these songs tend to have a bluesy bent to it. The second half consists of mellower material, many of them instrumental cuts intended for a film soundtrack (I don't recall name of the film). Some of the songs you can't even call rock. "Ice" is a really pleasant orchestral number, with John Locke giving us some nice use of electric piano, and Randy California giving us some nice guitar work. "Give a Life, Take a Life" find the band exploring more of a soft rock style, I am reminded a bit of the Association here. "I'm Truckin'" is a rocking piece that fits fine on the first half of the album. The title track is another orchestral number, while "Caught" is the most straight-up jazz piece. "New Dope in Town" is another rocking piece, but there's some really interesting jazzy passages to go with it.

Of the first four Spirit albums, this is probably the one to get last, after you get their self-entitled debut, The Family That Plays Together, and Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, but still this album is full of great stuff, just require a few listens to get it. May 26, 2005

Clear Headed

Over thirty years later after listening to this album for the first time, I finally cleared the cobwebs out of my head and relistened to this masterpiece. What a great, piece of work. I'm only sorry it took me so long to finally hear this recording for what it is. August 17, 2004

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