After a three-year sabbatical, the original
Limeliters trio -- consisting of Lou Gottlieb (bass vocals), Alex Hassilev (baritone vocals), and
Glenn Yarbrough (tenor vocals) -- returned to active duty on
Time to Gather Seeds (1968). Some longtime fans and enthusiasts of the early
Limeliters were undoubtedly nonplussed when faced with the band's attempts to revise their image. The project was more or less brought to fruition by Hassilev, whose mid-'60s home recording facility was utilized to piece the tracks together using top session musicians. The net of this modular approach is a batch of songs that lack the unity and cohesion that defined the combo's former selves. During their hiatus, folk music would become diffused as one of the myriad of components informing late-'60s rock & roll. The
Limeliters' modernization leans on concurrent styles, trends, and conventions. The results were understandably mixed and simply unable to live up to the anticipation or hype of the reunion. The lack of cohesion can be traced back to the five arrangers (six total counting Hassilev) whose approaches are often discernibly different. Successful is the frantic tribal propulsion of "Only 18," and Hassilev's catchy yet cautious ballad "Cold December (In Your Heart)." The latter is the perfect vehicle for
Yarbrough, whose voice remains as imbued with youthful optimism as ever. Among songwriter
Peter Boyd's contributions -- which include the previously mentioned "Only 18" -- is another side containing enticing polyrhythms. So fresh-sounding was "Time to Gather Seeds" that it was appropriately chosen as the effort's title composition. Although it does have its moments, the update of
Randy Newman's "Love Story" loses much of the whimsical charm of
Nilsson's unmatchable interpretation. "The General" is an overt anti-Vietnam statement that tries far too hard to be hip. Ironically, it is followed by
Yarbrough's haunting lead vocals on Hassilev's "A Hundred Men." Once again his insight proves invaluable as the message lingers long after the LP is out of the listener's frequent rotation. In 2007, Collector's Choice Music made
Time to Gather Seeds available on compact disc domestically in North America, boasting a brief liner notes essay from none other than Hassilev himself. The audio fidelity is worth mentioning as is the stunning remastering thanks to the continued strong work of Pacific Multimedia Corp.'s
Bob Fisher. ~ Lindsay Planer