Arthur Lee chose to keep the
Love moniker alive after disintegrating the band's original incarnation. By the close of the 1960s,
Lee was joined by a new lineup featuring a rhythm section of
Frank Fayad (bass) and
George Suranovich (drums), with
Jay Donnellan (lead guitar) and then Gary Rowles (lead guitar) holding court as the band's primary stringman with the latter present on
False Start. While the
Lee-supplied material isn't his most memorable, one positive factor is the combo's consistency and cohesiveness. This can be traced back to
Love having just completed a successful European tour and being able to collaborate with his longtime pal Jimi Hendrix, who not only helped
Lee write the LP's jammed-out opener "The Everlasting First," but also stuck around long enough to lend his unmistakable southpaw to the recording. The track starts abruptly -- as if someone inadvertently jostled a power cord loose -- joining the action in-progress. Ostensibly,
Hendrix's instrumental interaction is the impetus behind the number, but it is
Lee's sorely underappreciated lyrical abilities that turn it into a bluesy love ballad. The catchy "Flying" typifies the early-'70s boogie that
Jo Jo Gunne was able cash in on. Otherwise, it is pretty much fluff. Considerably more interesting is the heavier poppy (think
the Raspberries) sound of "Gimi a Little Break" with engaging chord progressions that conjure up
Lee's work on "August" from their previous outing
Four Sail. The concert extract "Stand Out" -- a prime example of
Love's aforementioned on-stage unity -- does just that as the spirited side was derived from the then-recent round of live dates that preceded
False Start's creation. It's packed with a compact, hard-edged energy that could be mistaken for
Grand Funk or even a mellowed-out
MC5. Proving his uncanny ability to jump from genre to genre,
Lee heads down-home for the countrified "Keep on Shining" with a chipper disposition somewhat undermined by
Lee's ragged vocals. Like "Stand Out," the soulful "Anytime" is another reason for this project not to be dismissed. The quaint narrative "Slick Dick" is as anachronistic as the actual concept of hippies. Similarly, it substantiates how seriously the "counterculture" took themselves at the time. To a certain extent the same can be said of the compact "Love Is Coming" with hints of
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young harmonies behind a sassy, upbeat melody. Rounding out the disc are the seductive rocker "Feel Daddy Feel Good," and the syncopated "Ride That Vibration" -- bringing to mind "You Set the Scene" from
Forever Changes (1968). Perhaps this is a fitting nod back to
Arthur Lee's undiminished skills as a composer, since it was the final song prior to the breakup of the band literally weeks after
False Start was issued. ~ Lindsay Planer