The Mamas & the Papas - Farewell to the First Golden Era

Farewell to the First Golden Era gathers the Mamas & the Papas at the height of their powers, twelve hits that helped define the California dream, back on vinyl in this reissue.

Released in 1967 as the group's first compilation, it arrived barely two years after their breakthrough, a measure of how quickly John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty had conquered the charts. The title hinted that something was ending, and it proved prophetic, with the group splitting not long afterwards. In its day it reached the top five in the US and went gold.

"California Dreamin'" still sounds like the ultimate winter escape fantasy, and "Monday, Monday" glows with those famously intricate four-part harmonies. "Creeque Alley" tells the band's own origin story with wry humour, name-checking friends from the folk scene, while their take on "Dedicated to the One I Love" turns a classic into something hushed and beautiful.

Few groups made harmony singing sound this effortless, or this emotionally loaded, and Cass Elliot's voice remains a wonder all these decades later.

For anyone starting a sixties collection, this is a perfect single-disc snapshot of an era, and a fine reminder of why these songs never went away.