The Time Has Come is an album by American psychedelic soul band the Chambers Brothers. Released by Columbia Records in 1967, it features their hit "Time Has Come Today".
Critical reception The album was reviewed in the 25 November 1967 issue of Cash Box where it was one of the "Pop Best Bets". The reviewer said that the group performed a group of pop songs with style and verve, and it should get the approbation of a wide listenership.Cash Box, November 25, 1967 - Page 25 Cash Box Album Reviews, Pop Best Bets, THE TIME HAS COME—Chambers Brothers—Columbia CL 2722/CS 9522
The Washington Free Press did a review on the album which appeared in the publication's 7 March 1968 issue. While the reviewer wrote that the album only hinted at the richness of the music by The Chambers Brothers, it was to give a picture of how the group was live. The songs "I Can't Stand It", "All Strung Out Over You", "Romeo and Juliet", "What the World Needs Now is Love" and "Time Has Come Today" were singled out for mention. The reviewer also said, "Listen to what they do to the fairly straight, "What the World Needs Now Is Love" (with a great and original arrangement by Gary Sherman)".Washington Free Press, March 7, 1968 - Page 17 SIGN OF Z, The Chambers Brothers, The Time Has Come. Columbia CS 9522
The album was referred to as a "ground-breaking album" by the authors of Shining Star: Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire.Shining Star: Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire, By Philip Bailey, Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman - 13 Will I Hear Them From My Dressing Room In a short review of the album, Music On Vinyl referred to it as a perfect blend of soul and garage.Music On Vinyl - The Chambers Brothers, The Time Has Come
According to the 5 September 2017 review by Loudersound, things began with "All Strung Out Over You" and then there was a majestic version of "People Get Ready". Much of the rest of the tracks flowed in the same pattern. But "Time Has Come Today" was described as "an 11-minute stroke of pure genius". Reviewer Malcolm Dome finished off with telling the reader that psychedelic prog and soul really can co-exist.Loudersound, 5 September 2017 - It's Prog, Jim, But Not As We Know It: The Chambers Brothers By Malcolm Dome
Gold status It was reported in the 21 December 1968 issue of Record World that the album had achieved an excess of one million dollars, as certified by the RIAA and this was the first gold record for The Chambers Brothers.Record World, December 21, 1968 - Page 51 Gold to Chambers For 'Time Come' LP
Commercial performance United States The album had been in the Record World 100 Top LP's chart for twelve weeks when it peaked at No. 5 for the week of 9 November. It held that position for an additional two weeks.Record World, November 9, 1968 - (page unknown) Week of November 9, 1968, This Wk. Nov. 9 5, Last Wk. Nov. 2 6, THE TIME HAS COME Chambers Bros.- Columbia CL -2722: CS -9522 (4,8,R) Wks. on Chart 12Record World, November 16, 1968 - (page unknown) 100 TOP LP'S Week of November 16, 1968, This Wk. Nov. 16 5, Last Wk. Nov. 9 5, THE TIME HAS COME Chambers Bros.- Columbia CL -2722: CS -9522 (4,8,R), Wks. on Chart 13Record World, November 23, 1968 - Page 36 100 TOP LP'S Week of November 23, 1968, This Wk. 5, Last Wk. 5, THE TIME HAS COME Chambers Bros.- Columbia CL -2722: CS -9522 (4,8,R), Wks. on Chart 14 The following week, (30 November), the album had dropped down to No. 9.Record World, November 30, 1968 - (page unknown) 100 TOP LP'S Week of November 30, 1968, This Wk. 9, Last Wk. 5, THE TIME HAS COME Chambers Bros.- Columbia CL -2722: CS -9522 (4,8,R), Wks. on Chart 15 The album's last position was No. 68 for the week of 15 February 1969 during its twenty-six week run.Record World, February 15, 1969 - Page 32 100 TOP LP'S Week of February 15, 1969, This Wk. Feb. 15 68, Last Wk. Feb. 7 64, THE TIME HAS COME Chambers Bros.- Columbia CL -2722: CS -9522 (4,8,R), Wks. on Chart 26Record World, February 22, 1969 - (page unknown) 100 TOP LP'S Week of February 22, 1969
On 14 December 1968, at its 27th week on the Billboard chart, it peaked at no. 6.Billboard - TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS, The week of December 14, 1968, 13, The Time Has Come According to the December 21, 1968 issue of Billboard, along with Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme by Simon and Garfunkel, their album was one of the 36 Columbia albums that held a position in the top five that year.Billboard, December 21, 1968 - Page 3 Col. Heading for Banner Year International online magazine PopMatters said the album ascended to number four on Billboards pop albums chart.PopMatters, February 14, 2008 - Forgotten Treasures of '60s Soul: The Chambers Brothers' Vault Recordings By Claudrena Harold
It was no. 79 on the Cashbox Top 100 Pop Albums in 1968.Cashbox - The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1968, TOP 100 POP ALBUMS (As published in the December 28, 1968, issue) Canada In Canada it reached no. 11.
Track listing
Personnel The Chambers Brothers George Chambers – bass, vocals Joseph Chambers – guitars Lester Chambers – vocals, harmonica, percussion Willie Chambers – guitars Brian Keenan – drums, percussion
Technical Jim Marshall – photography
Influence Two songs from the album were recorded by Spanish group Los Crich. "All Strung Out Over You" backed with Lester Chambers' composition, "I Can't Stand It" were released on the Fonoguanche label in 1969.Dirty Rock Magazine, 26 febrero, 2015 - Discos, Noticias, Los Crich “Discografía 1969-1974” editado por la Asociación Cultural del Disco Canario y los 80 pasan Factura por Carlos Pérez BáezCanarias Cultura, Ago 6, 2013 - Los discos publicados en los 60 (parte 2ª) - Publicado por Alejandro Ramos MartínListening Sessions, Oct 01, 2024 - How I Got Psychedelicized by the Chambers Brothers - Robert C. Gilbert References
External links All Music: The Time Has Come Discogs - The Chambers Brothers – The Time Has Come