Scaling back from their musically adventurous tomes
Once Upon a Dream and
Freedom Suite,
the Rascals closed out the 1960s by narrowing their focus to what they did best: writing tough, tight, soul-rock tunes (and a few others). Whereas co-lead vocalist
Eddie Brigati had been the songwriting partner of organist/vocalist
Felix Cavaliere throughout the band's tenure to that point, and especially from
Groovin' through
Freedom Suite, his role in the band had been reduced here to being a harmony vocalist with only a single lead and co-write on the session.
Cavaliere wrote the lion's share of the tunes with a couple from guitarist
Gene Cornish and a cover. That's not to say the music here is without merit -- from the opening two cuts, the title track with its pile-driving rhythm and B-3 bashing to the sweet, soul-rock of "I'd Like to Take You Home" -- this is evident. But whoever told these cats they could sing country, as they attempt on
Cornish's "Remember Me," in which
Cavaliere sounds like warmed over
Mike Nesmith, is anybody's guess. "I'm Blue," co-written by
Brigati, holds its soul-blues groove deep in the pocket.
Ray Charles' inspiration comes to the fore here and it works like a charm. The musical adventure of East Meets Western groove is dropped in the center of "Stop and Think," and the cover of "Temptation's Bout to Get Me," carries the blue-eyed soul groove to the pinnacle. Likewise, "Real Thing" captures the euphoric
Rascals' chorus line soul at its best. The set closes with a screamer in "Hold On," with a raw, rowdy, soul, garage-band rip. With
Arif Mardin enlisted as co-producer, the band also relied on the session musician talents of
Ron Carter and
Chuck Rainey on bass, as well as flutist
Hubert Laws to round out the picture. But, while
See sounded more like an updated version of
the Rascals of old, the consistency of attack wasn't there and there are several simply dodgy cuts, making the album -- as an album -- a disappointment. ~ Thom Jurek