Even by the modest standards of
Nelson's early Decca albums,
Love and Kisses is a tepid, stagnant collection. Some of the cuts sound vaguely updated with harder-edged guitars than unusual, and there's a hint of his future country direction with the cover of
Roger Miller's "I Catch Myself Crying." But had the album never appeared, it wouldn't have added to or subtracted a whit from the total sum of his legacy. Three of the numbers were featured in
Nelson's forgotten Love and Kisses film, including the embarrassing single "Come Out Dancin'." ~ Richie Unterberger