An often misunderstood album, this album (aside from the 1971 "reunion" album) was the final record by
the Mamas & the Papas
. It has held up incredibly well over time, and sounds better today than when it was released in mid-1968. The centerpiece of the album is
"Dream a Little Dream,"
which very well may be the finest cover version that the group ever recorded, and in the end, was a very nice way to end the group's short but incredible career. The album also contains some excellent
John Phillips
material such as
"12:30"
(a minor hit),
"Rooms,"
and
"Too Late."
These three tracks form a mini-medley in the middle of the second side, and add a lot of dimension to the record. Cut at the
Phillips
' home studio, the album has a simple sound, but when the vocal majesty cuts through on such tracks as
"Mansions"
(one of the band's lost masterpieces), it's faultless. ~ Matthew Greenwald