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For the sake of continuity and commercial success, Patrick Campbell-Lyons continued to perform as a solo artist without his former partner Alex Spyropoulos under the name Nirvana, a band they had both founded in London in 1966. Following the surprising yet unsuccessful progressive rock album Local Anaesthetic from 1971, he returned to the classic Nirvana sound of their debut album The Story Of Simon Simopath from 1967. Recording for his fifth and final album, Songs Of Love And Praise, took place from August to December 1971 with the assistance of the band Jade Warrior and the cellist and singer Sylvia Schuster, who had also contributed to the first album. The self-produced album was released in February 1972 on the major label Philips, with cover art by Rick Breach, who had already designed numerous rock album covers in the 1970s, such as for Killing Floor, Catapilla, Warhorse and Freedom.
In addition to new compositions, the LP also features several reinterpreted early songs by the band and, unlike its predecessor, a great deal of thoroughly composed, gentle, melodic baroque pop with string arrangements, as well as classic rock, partly incorporating country and blues elements. The upbeat and positive atmosphere of this album, in contrast to the sombre mood of the previous LP, nevertheless did not contribute to its success, so that Patrick Campbell-Lyons, the last remaining founding member, put his Nirvana project on hold for a long time.
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