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In 1970 when this album came out I was only eight years old and my journey into the world of music as escapism had only just begun. Old enough to recognize the genius of the Beatles yet young enough to believe that a family of six, all of whom just happen to be musicians, would put together a soft-rock band, buy an old school bus, paint it with a modern motif of colorful squares with their band's name emblazoned across the sides and tour the country, one assumes, during the summer months. It was the Partridge Family and perhaps it's a sign of the times that when they hit the airwaves I was powerless to resist the attractions of Susan Dey...nowadays it's Shirley Jones who is looking good to me. Seriously, she is one hell of a good looking woman. Yes, I watched the Partridge Family every week. I though Keith was cool but Danny got on my nerves. I liked the original drummer, Jeremy, better than his early-run replacement Chris and mainly because Jeremy had better hair. Susan Dey was a teen angel if ever I saw one (as alluded to above). Then there was the little bashful Shirley Temple-esque figure, the youngest Partridge, Tracy, holding down the fort in the songs for which a tambourine is required.

I repeat, I was only 8 years old so I can be forgiven for thinking that the actors who played the roles were also responsible for the songs they were playing and singing. In reality, and as everyone who cares already knows, only David Cassidy and Shirley Jones appeared on the record they released as "The Partridge Family Album". I guess I was the perfect age to buy into the whole thing to the greatest extent possible without coming out the other end looking like a fool.

As for "The Partridge Family Album"...look at all the other stuff I've just written about as useless backstory. Hearing the first Partridges album is every bit the revelatory sugary-sweet soft pop/rock offering as you will likely find from the Grass Roots, the Osmonds, the Lovin' Spoonful, Bread or any other purveyor of bubble gum flavored popular music. The hit "I Think I Love You", like the rest of the album, has aged very well but the highlight for me has always been "I Can Feel Your Heartbeat". I'm sure I loved every one of these songs when they were brand new, especially "Point Me in the Direction of Albuquerque" and the lush "group vocal" showcase "I Really Want to Know You". Subsequent albums contained their fare share of gems but none were as consistently entertaining as this first one.