ALONG COMES THE ASSOCIATION Beyond Folk Rock and Three-Piece Suits

Russ Giguere, the original member of the successful mid-sixties pop group The Association, offers a chatty memoir that serves as a mini-portrait of its evolution. The band is well known for the familiar and tuneful "Never My Love," "Cherish," and "Along Comes Mary." Narrator Peter Berkrot provides a workmanlike performance. His thin voice and matter-of-fact tone are somewhat like those of an old-fashioned anchorman. Giguere's style is driven by a strong ego. With its many digressions, the memoir offers too much trivia that takes the more enlightening parts off course. Despite its weaknesses, enthusiasts of 1960s rock will enjoy the author's observations and insights on a music genre so different from those of today. W.A.G. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2020]