The Daily Record Review

Proof that if you wait around long enough, everything comes around again. The Free Design were a pop group from the late 1960's to early 1970's. Made up of four siblings named Dedrick, they formed in the Summer of Love (1967, natch) and took up that mantle for the rest of their existence in the genre of "soft pop." Although this genre was mostly associated with California, and with groups like The Mamas and Papas and The Fifth Dimension, the Dedricks hailed from that land of sunshine known as Buffalo, New York. They were signed to the Project 3 label, owned by bandleader Enoch Light. in fall '67 they brought out their classic first LP, "Kites are Fun." This is their second LP, and usually considered their best.

As a veteran picker of record stacks, I can assure you that Project 3 releases have not been very desired. That is, until a few years ago, when a certain brand of record collector/archivist began unearthing the remains of the "soft pop" genre. Prices shot up precipitously. Free Design LPs which could formerly be had for a few bucks zoomed up to 30, 40, 50 bucks or more in the best condition. As usual, the Japanese have been in the forefront of such untrammeled '60s fetishism, coveting and seeking out these golden baubles. In the face of such insanity, a reissue label, Light In The Attic has sprung up to make these shiny-shiny gems available on CD for the first times.

As to the music, how is it? Top shelf stuff for the genre, certainly among the best. Kaliedoscopic rainbow candy. If you're a punk rock fan, you just really aren't going to get it. But if you understand what The Polyphonic Spree is all about, if you dig Brian Wilson and know who P.F. Sloan is, then you need this. Highlights are a cover of "If I Were A Carpenter" (not as good as the version by American Blues, but that's nitpicking), and the chipper "2002-A Hit Song." Yes, that title was published in 1968. And now we're past 2002. Go figure. This whole thing reached its logical end when the band reformed to record a new CD about two years ago, their first release in about 30 years. Haven't picked that up yet, but it's on my list. www.lightintheattic.net

Rating: Full Retail.