by William RuhlmannThe Mamas & The Papas broke up in 1968, but they still owed an album on their contract with Dunhill Records (later absorbed by MCA). So, three years later, they reunited to make People Like Us and complete their obligation. The result isn't as bad as that scenario might suggest, though the songs have more in common with John Phillips's 1970 solo album than with the group's hits of the 1960s. But the release did not rekindle interest in The Mamas & The Papas, and this was their last new album. (Originally released in October 1971 by Dunhill Records as Dunhill 50106, People Like Us was reissued on CD by MCA Records in 1989.)