Spirit - The Family That Plays Together (2017) CD Rip

The Family That Plays Together was released in December 1968. On this, the second Spirit album, the group put all of the elements together that made them the legendary band that they were. The Family That Plays Together displays the band's ability to play beyond the genre of psychedelic rock. Jazz, rock & roll, and even classical elements combined to create one of the cleanest, most tasteful syntheses of its day. The album's hit single, "I Got a Line on You," boasts especially strong harmonies as well as one of the greatest rock riffs of the period.

Ed CassidySpirit's songs covered about every subject under the sun. The first half of the recording is a wonderful and seamless suite, and taken in its entirety, one of the greatest sides on Los Angeles rock. The SACD includes some excellent bonus tracks. "So Little to Say" is one of Jay Ferguson's finest compositions ever, and the jazz-inspired instrumentals such as "Fog" and "Space Chile" showcase pianist John Locke as one of the most inspired and lyrical players in the rock idiom. Tracks such as "It Shall Be" and "Silky Sam" demonstrate the ease with which the ensemble can incorporate jazz into their idiosyncratic form of rock, while "Jewish" and "Aren't You Glad" show the band's competence in exploiting both world music and jam rock.

The album's title was inspired by the stepson-stepfather relationship between guitarist Randy California and percussionist Ed Cassidy.