Reviewed by Andy Shaw

Bryan began playing professionally back in 1963 and, after a failed audition for a place in The Monkees, rose to fame as part of the hugely influential '60s rock band Love. Bryan subsequently became a Christian but died of a heart attack on Christmas day 1998 as he was in the middle of completing 'Intra Muros'. John Bird finished off the recordings and produced the album after his death. Bryan's mother did try and get a distribution deal for the album but it was turned down due to the "religious" nature of the material. Thankfully the album is now available through the internet. It serves as a fine reminder of what a great songwriter the ex-Love man was. Musically there is an almost symphonic feel to it with excellent use of orchestral sounds to give layers and dynamics to the songs. The writing harks back to the great '60s pop era with simple yet beautifully formed and highly effective lyrics, melodies and harmonies. For me the standout tracks include "Love Grows In Me" which gradually builds up to a crescendo using the orchestra to full effect. MacLean has a near classical tone to his voice and really uses it well working with the instruments and in places layering it to add harmonies in songs such as "Here I Am". One might observe that not all the songs on this album are killers but there are enough top rate songs here to keep your attention. I would recommend this to anyone who was a fan of Love but also to anyone who loves the songwriting of the great '60s bands such as The Byrds or The Beach Boys.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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