When David Cassidy died in November 2017, the world didn't just lose the eternally youthful Keith Partridge. Cassidy was persuasive and versatile vocalist and a fine actor who prospered beyond the shadow of the fictional Partridge Family. Far from being simple fodder for the bubblegum crowd, the records he released as a solo artist were in many ways a continuation of the sophisticated sounds of the 1960s; indeed, enough time has passed that we can now recognize the Partridge Family records as pop classics, too. As with the Partridges' sides, Cassidy enlisted top-tier songwriters, arrangers and musicians, including Los Angeles' fabled Wrecking Crew, for his solo albums. Cherry Red's 7Ts label (which reissued a number of Cassidy's LPs on CD in 2012) has returned to the artist with a new 4-CD clamshell collection. The Bell Years 1972-1974 collects the superstar's four albums for the Bell label plus a trio of non-LP bonus tracks, two of which are new to CD.

If Cassidy initially sought to establish an identity of his own removed from The Partridge Family, one would have been hard-pressed to tell, based on his solo debut Cherish. David, the son of Tony Award-winning actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward, teamed with Partridge producer Wes Farrell and the same stalwart members of the L.A. session corps for Cherish. Wrecking Crew veterans like Hal Blaine (drums) and Tommy Tedesco (guitar) contributed musically, while Farrell joined Bobby Hart (sans Tommy Boyce), Tony Romeo, Danny Janssen and Cassidy himself in penning the songs. Although Cassidy considered himself an actor first, The Partridge Family revealed a strong voice ready-made for the pop charts; his real-life stepmother and television co-star Shirley Jones was the other bona fide singer cast in the onscreen musical group. But Cassidy sang lead on the Partridges' No. 1 hit "I Think I Love You" plus other successful chart entries like "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" and "I Woke Up in Love This Morning." A solo record seemed inevitable, and it didn't disappoint.

The title track of 1972's Cherish, a cover of The Association's 1966 chart-topper, hit pole position on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart and No. 9 Pop. In the U.K., "Cherish" did even better, reaching No. 2 on a double A-side single with the album's "Could It Be Forever." The album hit No. 15 in the U.S. and an impressive No. 2 in the U.K., and remained on the British chart for a staggering 43 weeks. All the while, he was still racking up successes on both sides of the pond with The Partridge Family.

Cherish offered a strong array of material tailored to Cassidy's strengths, with both ballads and big, hook-laden up-tempo confections. Tony ("I Think I Love You") Romeo's "I Am a Clown" was saved from maudlin territory by its attractive, Classics IV-recalling melody, and Cassidy's own "Ricky's Tune," reportedly written for a beloved pet, was an oddly affecting track. "Could It Be Forever," written by Farrell and Janssen, and Adam Miller's "Blind Hope," were built with all the dynamics of classic AM soft-pop songs. The teaming of Hart and Farrell yielded "I Just Wanna Make You Happy," with its joyful Partridge Family overtones.   A top 20 success in America, the LP reached No. 2 in the U.K. and remained on the chart for 43 weeks. The B-side of "Cherish," Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown's catchy "All I Wanna Do Is Touch You," has been appended to this disc as a bonus track in its mono 45 mix.

Rock Me Baby arrived later in 1972, taking Cassidy in a more rock-oriented, blue-eyed soul direction. There were a few more familiar songs in the mix (The Rascals' "Lonely Too Long" and "How Can I Be Sure," The Moody Blues' "Go Now") along with originals from Farrell and Miller. Cassidy again contributed some material of his own, including the driving "Song for a Rainy Day," co-composed with Kim Carnes. The album's funky title song, written by Johnny ("Mr. Bass Man") Cymbal and Peggy Clinger, had already been recorded in the U.K. by Brotherhood of Man, but the group shelved its version when faced with Cassidy's competing track. Miller's "Soft as a Summer Shower" would have fit nicely on Cherish, and the covers of the Rascals and Moody Blues tunes were a little too faithful to those groups' recordings, but most of Rock Me Baby showed Cassidy evolving as a singer and exerting more of his own maturing tastes. The LP peaked just outside the top 40 in America but reached No. 2 in England.

A year later, Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes arrived on Bell. Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes was produced by Harry Nilsson collaborator Rick Jarrard, who may have suggested that Cassidy record Nilsson's "The Puppy Song," originally written by Nilsson for Mary Hopkin's Post Card album. (His own rendition can be heard on the Harry LP.) The choice paid off when "The Puppy Song" was one side of a double A-side single with Terry Dempsey's "Daydreamer," and the single went to No. 1 in England. Nilsson's lyric also gave the album its title, and the LP reached the same lofty position as the single. Yet neither the album nor single dented the U.S. charts. No matter, though; Partridge-mania may have been subsiding, but Cassidy was determined to make the kind of music that wouldn't render him a flash in the pan.

Dreams includes some off-the-beaten path covers. Cassidy included a refreshingly straight reading of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific anthem "Bali Ha'i," a retro take on John Sebastian's Lovin' Spoonful smash "Daydream" (not to be confused with "Daydreamer," of course) and a funky R&B makeover for the Little Willie John/Peggy Lee-popularized "Fever." Of the less familiar material, "Daydreamer" was a strong, sweet ballad (with a slight melodic resemblance to Barry Manilow's "Can't Smile Without You"). Tony Romeo provided the likeable "Summer Days" (previously recorded by the Partridges) and "Sing Me," and Cassidy himself penned a couple of tracks (the wistful "Can't Go Home Again" and the soulful "It's Preying on My Mind") with an up-and-coming singer/songwriter who had accompanied him in concert: Kim Carnes. Once again, the U.K. showed its love for Cassidy when Dreams became his only No. 1 LP there. Two bonus tracks have been added to the album presentation here: the 1974 non-LP single "If I Didn't Care" b/w "Frozen Noses." Produced by David and Michael Lloyd, the A-side was a cover of The Ink Spots' oldie written by Jack Lawrence; it became a U.K. top 10 hit. It's presented here in stereo in the slightly shorter version previously available on CD. The B-side ballad was a Cassidy original, and it's heard in mono.

Cassidy concluded his Bell tenure with 1974's Cassidy Live!, recorded during his British shows. Unfortunately, the world tour was marred by tragedy at the London White City show when a young fan died as a result of injuries sustained from the frenzied audience members rushing the stage to get a better look at, or touch of, their teen idol. Cassidy Live! arrived in July 1974, a couple of months after the tragic accident, with Kim Carnes as a background singer and a solo-focused setlist including "It's Preying on My Mind," "Daydreamer," "I Am a Clown," "Bali Ha'i," The Partridge Family hit revival of "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," and numerous covers like "Please Please Me" and "Delta Lady."

7Ts' set features each album in a paper sleeve with basic credits and artwork adapted from the original LPs. Each disc has a custom label rather than the familiar Bell logo. The 20-page booklet has Phil Hendriks' liner notes and discographical info for each album as well as many full-color photos of picture sleeves and memorabilia. James Bragg's mastering has seemingly been derived from 7Ts' previous reissues of this material.

David Cassidy moved from Bell to RCA Records, where he recorded three more albums through 1976 before taking a nearly decade-long sabbatical from recording and reconsidering his career. 7Ts' box set is a fine reminder of his talents as a pop vocalist of the highest order. It's available now at the links below!

David Cassidy, The Bell Years 1972-1974 (Cherry Red/7Ts GLAMBOX173, 2019) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Cherish (Bell 210, 1972) plus bonus track

1. Being Together
2. I Just Wanna Make You Happy
3. Could It Be Forever
4. Blind Hope
5. I Lost My Chance
6. My First Night Alone Without You
7. We Could Never Be Friends ('Cause We've Been Lovers Too Long)
8. Where is the Morning
9. I Am a Clown
10. Cherish
11. Ricky's Tune
12. All I Wanna Do Is Touch You (Bonus Track) (Bell single 45-150, 1972)

CD 2: Rock Me Baby (Bell 218, 1972)

1. Rock Me Baby
2. Lonely Too Long
3. Two Time Loser
4. Warm My Soul
5. Some Kind of a Summer
6. (Oh No) No Way
7. Song for a Rainy Day
8. Soft as a Summer Shower
9. Go Now
10. How Can I Be Sure
11. Song of Love

CD 3: Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes (Bell 231, 1973) plus bonus tracks

1. Opening Theme
2. Daydream
3. Sing Me
4. Bali Ha'i
5. Mae
6. Fever
7. Summer Days
8. The Puppy Song
9. Daydreamer
10. Some Old Woman
11. Can't Go Home Again
12. It's Preying on My Mind
13. Hold on Me
14. If I Didn't Care (Bonus Track) (Bell U.K. single 1350-A, 1974)
15. Frozen Noses (Bonus Track) (Bell U.K. single 1350-B, 1974)

CD 4: Cassidy Live! (Bell 243, 1974)

1. It's Preying on My Mind
2. Some Kind of Summer
3. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
4. Bali Ha'i/Mae Time
5. I Am a Clown
6. Delta Lady
7. Please Please Me
8. Daydreamer
9. How Can I Be Sure
10. For What It's Worth
11. CC Rider Blues/Jenny Jenny
12. Rock Medley