Fifth - LEE MICHAELS***

Keep The Circle Coming/You Are What You Do/Willie & The Hand Jive/Didn't Have To Happen/Rock Me Baby/ Do You Know What I Mean/Ya Ya/Can I Get A Witness/Oak Fire/I Don't Want Her

Fifth was the most commercially successful album from multi-instrumentalist Lee Michaels, but is heavily reliant on cover songs. Includes the US No. 6 hit single Do You Know What I Mean. (US:16)

“While I wasn't blown away, it's an extremely unique sound, working almost solely with Hammond organ and a percussionist. Michaels was able to create a very full sound with the sparsest of parts. Most of the album is jaunty, R & B/soul infused tunes that get the toes tapping. Michaels shows great versatility both in voice and mood, even if he does rely on covers here quite a bit.”

“This is much weaker than his earlier LPs. Do You Know What I Mean was the hit but a fairly lightweight one. Much better are Keep The Circle Turning and You Are What You Do, two great funky upbeat tracks.”

“He had a unique sound, and along with his larynx-shredding vocals, the results are staggering. Aided by Joel Larson on drums, Michaels does a lot of covers on this record rendering them all in an infectious, gospel style. There are only a few originals on the album, and one, Do You Know What I Mean was a big hit and cemented Lee Michaels as one of the best white blues performers of the period.”

“Lee Michaels is a gifted musician who had a definitive sound. Do You Know What I Mean and Keep The Circle Turning are still exemplary efforts. The album however does not take full advantage of his talents. Why he included filler tunes like Willie & The Hand Jive is beyond me. There are several other tracks that are equally, and mercifully, forgettable.”

“Lee Michaels was an organist mainly and played some piano. This album is known for his hit Do You Know What I Mean but every song on here is a slice of what rock music was like in the early 1970s. It was good then and still rocks today.”

“The hit Do You Know What I Mean is catchy enough, and I like it. But the rest of the album is very repetitive of that song and rather mundane.”