Friday, January 4, 2013

Jefferson Airplane - The Best Of - Somebody To Love

I originally picked up this album just as a quick little gift for my daughter for the Christmas that just passed. One of those, "You should know the classics," kind of thing. She may read this article so I won't get into specifics about costs and what not. I will say that I feel I got my money's worth at least.

The album kicks off with Somebody To Love, which is one of the few Jefferson Airplane songs I clearly knew before listening to this album the first time. This is one of my favourite songs, and if you don't know this song you should go learn it.

The other song I knew is second on the track list. White Rabbit, is one of those songs that I've never done enough drugs while listening to it, to truly appreciate it. However, any song that involves Alice In Wonderland, even in it's limited degree, is cool with me.

I had no clue that Jefferson Airplane had a male vocalist, so when I first heard Come Up The Years and Today, I was totally confused. I was also a bit put off by the fact that one song seemed to flow into the other so effortlessly that I didn't notice the change. Both tracks are very much flower power, and have the Folk loving spirit.

This is followed up by a cover of The Kingston Trio's Let's Get Together. I don't like this one as much as other versions I've heard. I do like the trippy, softer than Iron Butterfly, but still creepily performed style.

I had no clue that Comin' Back To Me was Jefferson Airplane. I have loved this song for as long as I can remember. I don't have the faintest clue where I first heard it, or when, all I know is when this song first came on the stereo Christmas morning I pretty much messed my pants. The song is folk sounding, but it is so dark and ominous feeling. This is one of those songs I'm sure inspired Peter Steele of Type O Negative. "The summer had inhaled and held its breath too long / The winter looked the same, as if it never had gone / And through an open window where no curtain hung / I saw you, I saw you, comin' back to me / One begins to read between the pages of a look / The shape of sleepy music, and suddenly you're hooked / Through the rain upon the trees, that kisses on the run / I saw you, I saw you, comin' back to me / You can't stay and live my way / Scatter my love like leaves in the wind / You always say you won't go away / But I know what it always has been, it always has been / A transparent dream beneath an occasional sigh / Most of the time I just let it go by / Now I wish it hadn't begun / I saw you, yes I saw you, comin' back to me / Strolling the hills overlooking the shore / I realize I've been here before / The shadow in the mist could have been anyone / I saw you, I saw you, comin' back to me / Small things like reasons are put in a jar / Whatever happened to wishes wished on a star? / Was it just something that I made up for fun? / I saw you, I saw you, comin' back to me".

The House At Pooneil Corners is a bad trip. This song is meant to fuck you up, especially if you are already fucked. It's wild, crazy, and totally everything that the late Sixties Psychedelic movement was all about. Almost to the point I want to say there is something wrong with this song. The secret to this song is Acid. Either too much or too little, not sure which.

I'm not sure what to make of Young Girl Sunday Blues. I think what messes up this song the most for me is the sound quailty. Sadly none of this album has been digitally remastered. It pretty much sounds like they took the master tapes (if they even had those) and threw them on CD. It's a decent track, it just doesn't do much for me.

I like the classical sound of Lather. It sounds like a merry old tale of yore. Actually this track makes me think very heavily of Jethro Tull.

The album finishes with Third Week In The Chelsea, which is pretty much about the end of Jefferson Airplane as seen through the eyes of Jorma Kaukonen while staying at the famous Chelsea hotel in New York City.

The biggest problem I have with this album is the sound quality, it kills most of the production, and takes away from the overall sound. I wish it had been remastered. After that, it's a matter of not taking enough drugs to enjoy the album like it was meant to be.

Other than that, this is a decent enough album, if not entirely my thing.

7/10 - content

5/10 - production

6/10 - personal bias

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