Never My Love: The Lost Album Sessions

This album came about in late 1970, but got lost in management change at Warner Bros. Records. At the time, "Never My Love" had established the duo as a top songwriting team, and an album seemed appropriate; how it would have sold at the time is anyone's guess, but it is a beautiful and diverting 30 minutes. The music is almost a throwback to a ornate period in pop/rock music -- the mix of orchestral accompaniment, background choruses, and lush melodies recall the late-'60s productions of Jimmy Webb and make this album a not-too-distant cousin to the records of the 5th Dimension as well as the Webb-produced Richard Harris album A Tramp Shining, and the best of Webb's solo albums, though some of the material here -- especially the closing track, "Married Man" -- is decidedly more dance-oriented than Harris ever would or could have handled. "Together," which was later recorded by Denny Doherty, is very close in texture and form to the brothers' work as composers of the theme from Nanny & the Professor, though one can only admire the touches of roughness in the soaring finale, totally different from their soundtrack work. "The Pleasure of Her Company" is a memorably passionate love song, while "You, Me and the Rain" is a more low-key, lighthearted, but equally attractive song. The brothers harmonize beautifully, and they get solid support from Harry Nilsson on backing vocals. Their brassy treatment of "Never My Love" is also an unexpected treat that casts the song in a different light from any of the hit renditions out there.