"Da Capo" is the second studio album by American rock band Love, released in November 1966 by Elektra Records. The album was recorded in September and October 1966 at RCA Studios in Hollywood, California, with the exception of the lead single "7 and 7 Is," which was recorded the previous June. This single marked a departure for the band and became their highest-charting hit, reaching No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the success of "7 and 7 Is," a string of well-received live performances at the time, and contemporary critical acclaim, the album peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard 200.
Before recording the album, the band had become dissatisfied with Elektra and attempted to leave the label but were eventually placated with a cash advance and an increased royalty rate. Da Capo featured several significant changes for the band, including a new studio (RCA), a new engineer (Dave Hassinger), and a new producer (Paul A. Rothchild). There were also several lineup changes: drummer Alban "Snoopy" Pfisterer moved to keyboards, Michael Stuart was recruited to replace him on drums, and jazz saxophonist and flautist Tjay Cantrelli joined the band. The songs, composed by frontman Arthur Lee, were "rewritten and rearranged in the studio," with band members developing their own parts.
In contrast to their first album, Love 1966, which was dominated by garage rock and folk rock, Da Capo features a wide range of musical styles, including psychedelia, baroque pop, jazz, Latin music, and proto-punk. The album is also regarded as one of the first examples of "jazz rock," with Lee and guitarist Johnny Echols citing jazz musicians Miles Davis and John Coltrane as influences. Critics have seen Da Capo as a stylistic bridge between Love and their acclaimed third studio album, Forever Changes 1967, noting Lee's smoother vocal tone and more autobiographical lyrics as precursors to his work on Forever Changes and later Love albums. The album's title derives from the Italian musical term "da capo," meaning "from the beginning."
Da Capo has been included in several critics' record guides and all-time lists, such as John Tobler's 100 Great Albums of the Sixties 1994, Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums 2000, Tom Moon's 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die 2008, and Robert Dimery's 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005.
