SURREALISTIC PILLOW

An excellent album of psychedelic folk rock with a few pop tendencies, Surrealistic Pillow marks the entrance of a remarkable female vocalist from The Great Society, and while she may not have carried much of the vocal duties on this album, she did bring with her two songs from her previous band, which helped make Jefferson Airplane an icon of the 1960s. Thick, grainy reverb envelops this entire album, giving it an impure but important sound. Surrealistic Pillow is a requirement for any fan of 1960s rock music, and some of the compositions are definitely progressive in the context of their time.

"She Has Funny Cars" Listen to those opening drums and the riff of those descending guitars with a vocal melody that follows, and the counterpoint vocals after that- this is golden proto-prog territory.

"Somebody to Love" One of the greatest and most well-known Jefferson Airplane songs, "Somebody to Love" has an immediate vocal from the gruffly melodic wonder-woman Grace Slick, which carries the piece along with a big backing rock sound- a genuine classic.

"My Best Friend" It's nice to follow the popular rocker with a gentle folk song. There's nothing fancy here, but those gradual tempo changes are brilliant in their own way.

"Today" Easygoing, picked acoustic guitar and a high-pitched electric riff make for a phenomenal foundation for a lovely folk tune.

"Comin' Back to Me" Further acoustic guitar and a delicate flute create this melancholic piece, and the vocals swoop down suddenly, bringing this airy piece back to Earth, but not quite. It is a sleepy track, and a lengthy for what it offers, but not repugnant in the least- just calm and sleepy.

"3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds" The previous track was very drowsy; therefore it makes sense that an upbeat, poppy wakeup call follows. The variety in the band's trademark foot-stomping drumming (from eighth notes to sixteenths) is excellent under the equally terrific guitar solo especially.

"D.C.B.A.-25" Marty Balin and newcomer Slick sound especially good together with their unmistakable sound despite their contrasting tones. The music is fine 1960s pop-rock.

"How Do You Feel" Peppy flute and a moderately-paced, almost country-flavored song comes in. A distantly sweet bit of guitar, from both electric and acoustic, usher in the final, a cappella chorus.

"Embryonic Journey" The one instrumental is a terse, happy piece, which makes me think of Steve Howe's acoustic interruptions on a few Yes albums.

"White Rabbit" Carrying a rhythm very similar to Maurice Ravel's famous "Bolero," this fantastic song blatantly depicts psychedelic drug use in tandem with imagery from Lewis Carroll's most famous work. It is an anthem of the psychedelic era.

"Plastic Fantastic Lover" The final track is like psychedelic acoustic proto-funk, with a grooving bass line, a gritty electric guitar, and almost rapped lyrics.