Dreams and Images

by Richie Unterberger Singer/songwriter Arthur Lee Harper's first album was credited simply to "Arthur," though his second album would bear his full name in the billing. It might attract some collector interest by virtue of being on Lee Hazlewood 's LHI label, known not only for the Hazlewood connection, but also for issuing the only LP by the International Submarine Band (with Gram Parsons ). On its own merits, though, it's a pretty wimpy early singer/songwriter record, and certainly no relation to the Arthur Lee of Love , either in fact or in musical quality. Fact is, actually, that there's little stuff from the era as simpering as this. Arthur sings his sad, fragile, only mildly pretty folk melodies with a timorous, effeminate voice, cushioned by soft orchestration. There's a vaguely defeatist, pessimistic retreat-into-my-shell air to the material that's so timid it makes Robin Gibb 's early work with the Bee Gees seem macho. The record has been combined with his second album, Love Is the Revolution , on a 2002 single-CD reissue on Papa's Choice.