In 1973, Arthur Lee put together a new lineup of his legendary band Love. They recorded an album called Black Beauty that found the band heading in a more soulful direction, veering away from the psychedelia of the classic ’60s lineup.
Black Beauty was to be a the follow up to Lee’s 1972 solo album Vindicator. He planned to put out the album on his own Buffalo Records, but the label folded before the album could be released. Black Beauty became one of the great lost albums in rock history, and it has never seen the light of day … until now that is.
A new reissue label called High Moon Records will be releasing Black Beauty on June 7. In addition to the original 10-track album, the Black Beauty release will include bonus tracks, new liner notes by Ben Edmonds, and previously unseen photos. According to label president George Baer Wallace, ”It is that rarest of rock artifacts: a never-before-released, full-length studio album, from an undisputed musical genius.”
In the meantime, the company has given Popdose readers access to a track from the album called “Skid”. Although the track finds Lee headed in a somewhat different direction, it is still very much the sound of Arthur Lee at work.
If you are a fan of the Byrds, you will be interested to know that on June 7, High Moon also plans to reissue the legendary 1977 Gene Clark album Two Sides To Every Story.
Here’s a live television performance from Love circa 1966:
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