Flashback to music of younger years and we rewind to the late 60s and the 70s. I used to listen to the songs of The 5th Dimension on the radio when I was a child and now many years later their music may not be on the radio, but you can still play it and listen to it anytime. Their music still bring a smile to my face.

The Age of Aquarius, was the 5th Dimension’s fourth album, and was the group’s commercial peak period. They had already topped the charts with their medley of two songs from the Broadway musical Hair, The Age of Aquarius and Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures), a platinum single that would earn them Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Group, when they released this album.

But that was only the beginning for they got laurels with another platinum single, Wedding Bell Blues, penned by Laura Nyro. Besides that you also had a Top 40 hit in Nyro’s Blowing Away and Neil Sedaka’s Workin’ on a Groovy Thing. Other top favorites would be covers of Cream’s Sunshine of your Love, Mary Hopkins Those were the days.

This record (I have an Indian pressing) was one of my favorites for the songs The Age of Aquarius and Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures). The inner pics add to the beauty of an otherwise masterpiece of an LP. Not every song is a hit with downers like Skinny Manand The Hideaway, but there is plenty here to warrant a band who are still loved all over the world.

Don’t miss Let The Sunshine In (Reprise). The albumis good enough for just two songs. The Age of Aquarius is still with us.

Rating: *****

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira