Comments:

A large part of "Friends" is in fact demos, primarily recorded by the group's main forces, Harry Vanda and George Young. Only in a few cases do you sense this, though, and "Friends" is actually a very nice and solid album that definitely deserves a place in rock history. The album includes the single “St. Louis , which became a minor hit in the U.S. and which fared even better in Canada and Australia. Here it is the "old" front-man, Stevie Wright, who takes the lead vocals. A really nice soul-rocker; up there with the best of what the band created. A bit in the same style is the title track "Friends", which is another highlight. An alternative version of the track called "Who Are My Friends", which is at least as good, is available as a bonus track on some re-releases of the album.

On the other tracks, Vanda and Young share the lead vocals, and since Young's vocals are very similar to Wrights, this is not something you are likely to notice, unless, of course, you know it. George Young delivers well on strong songs like "Watching the World Go By" (classic Easybeats style), "Can't Find Love" (solid blues-rocker), "Rock'n Roll Boogie" (great rocker). Harry Vanda's best are "I Love Marie" (a nice complex composition) and "What Becomes of You My Love" (A nice ballad on which you may get a little "demo" feeling). "Tell Your Mother", which is the album's longest track, is an atypical gospel-like track. On "Holding On" you might come to think of John Paul Young, and that the song could have suited him well. "The Train Song" and "Woman You're on My Mind" are two solid blues-influenced songs, but not songs that lift the overall impression.

As mentioned, there are editions (Repertoire Records) with bonus tracks and here you will be lucky to find strong tracks from sessions for a planned but unreleased 1968 album, which is said to have been called "Good Times". This goes for "My Old Man's a Groovy Old Man" (Classic Easybeats style with Harry Vanda lead vocals), the really nice "Such a Lovely Day" (sounds like Stevie Wright vocals), "Look, I'm on my Way Down ”(also a nice classic number) and“ Little Red Pocket ”. In addition, there are the very nice late single tracks "Peculiar Hole in the Sky" and "Down to the Last 500". Finally, there are very well-sounding stereo remixes of the well-known "Remember Sam" and "Pretty Girl".

All in all, a very recommendable album, from one, in my opinion, of the great groups of the 1960s. Vanda and Young subsequently continued to make fine music, not least as Flash & the Pan.