Reviews (page 2 of 13)
Wow I loved this. I haven't listened to enough of Jefferson Airplane.
An apt title for this record. A terrific sounding early psychedelic art rock record with a couple of classics used, perhaps overused, in dozens of movies to represent the 60s. The real engaging part of the record was the quality of the other surrealist performances on tracks not as widely known but equally engaging. My Best Friend and 3/5 of a mile in 10 seconds feature terrific vocals with Grace and Marty Balin and Paul Kantner demonstrating terrific interplay. While not my style being mostly a folk record, the writing is strong and powerful and all of the songs challenge the listener pleasantly to listen to the lyrics. The classic cuts White Rabbit and Somebody to love are obvious favorites but even the outlier - Plastic Fantastic Lover, is a great romp. Rarely would I play this, but given this full listen experience, I’d try it again. 5/5
5 Loved this, new a couple of the songs but was really surprised how strong it was throughout
Don't judge this album by its cover and it's release year. Grace Slick is amazing
Diablo loco no tengo mucho que decir. Es muy bueno. “White rabbit” me recuerda a kill bill y no se si es por el rollo psicodélico o esa batería sonado detrás. Me gustó mucho las voces que iban cambiando y este rock diferente a los demás álbum de rock que he ido escuchando
Wow, I really really loved this one. The fact that I was both willing and able to listen to it twice in one day is telling. It just sounds impeccable right the way through, and I couldn't help but groove along the whole way. It slows down a couple of times, notably for the track 'Comin' Back To Me' which is a really beautiful song with wonderful lyrics. So happy to have come across this one! Favourites: Somebody To Love Comin' Back To Me ⅗ of a Mile in 10 Seconds Embryonic Journey
It's funny to say this as I am usually a proponent of keeping things in their original state, but I think this album could use a stereo remix - might give a doorway in for current and future generations. I really, really love the Airplane. Everything up to and including Volunteers I think is brilliant. I always find the gentleness of SP startling. You hear a lot of psychedelic fury from the 60s but not a lot of psychedelic quiet. Anyway I may listen to this again today bc it's so groovy ✌️☮️. Jorma and Jack rock always too.
Fantastic. Grace is amazing
I think this would still be a fantastic and interesting album without the female vocalist’s /stunning/ additions. As is, it’s absolutely addicting and shocking.
I recognized a few songs, feels like a hot spring, falling in love and getting in trouble. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Highlights: “White Rabbit,” “Plastic Fantastic Lover” “My Best Friend”
Fantastic album, so many great tracks. I love White Rabbit in particular and the epic crescendo it builds to. Can really see how they must have influenced bands like Fleetwood Mac.
LOVEDDDD will defo listen to more of their discography
first song in and the guitar and bass are very cool great voice and the girl damnnnnn she's fire. "she has funny cars"
A lot more going on here than I originally thought. But let's get some things out of the way: Jefferson Airplane broke up in 1972 and half of the members then formed Jefferson Starship. Jefferson Airplane were pioneers of the "San Francisco Sound"......which just means they were hipsters (hippies back in the day). It seems that's literally all the San Fran Sound meant. Hipsters in the SF area. They were the main part of the Summer of Love, which was just a hippie gathering in SF where they would have free concert and hippie activities like pottery and beads and all those weird hippie things. The Grateful Dead is another notable band from this area with weird fans. So album basically IS the hippie movement that is associated with "Flower Power", Anti-Vietnam War sentiment, anti-government, peace and love, every stereotype about hippies is here, the good and bad. This album isn't really overtly any of those things, but the sound is tranquil and mesmerizing. Great music for dropping acid and chilling with some friends in a field while tripping balls. This album has Somebody to Love and White Rabbit as the big ones. If you have no idea what White Rabbit is, you will know it when you hear the song. These really just sound like The Doors songs, which is cool. Today reminds me of Buffalo Springfield. I have to say that Grace Slick is incredible. Somebody to Love and White Rabbit really are just amazing songs and it can't be understated. I wish White Rabbit was 10 minutes long it's such a cool song. The Alice in Wonderland theme fits perfect with the song and Grace's voice is just incredible. Her vibrato and power is just mesmerizing. Even the songs I don't like, I end up being ok with because the psychedelic nature is done so well. I mean this album really caught me by surprise with the psychedelic nature. I'm not a fan of the CSNY style singing harmony, but mixed with the psychedelic nature and toned way back, it's great.
435/1089 - You know the psychedelic folk is gonna be good when it sounds like it was recorded in a canyon.
Not very innovative but very good.
Loved it! Very funky, perfect length, good variation
If the back half sags a little, it doesn't hurt it so much that this it's not one of the best albums ever recorded.
She Has Funny Cars - 4.5/5 Somebody to Love - 4/5 My Best Friend - 4/5 Today - 4/5 Comin' Back to Me - 3.5/5 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds - 4/5 D. C. B. A.-25 - 3.5/5 How Do You Feel - 3.5/5 Embryonic Journey - 2.5/5 White Rabbit - 4/5 Plastic Fantastic Lover - 4.5/5 In The Morning - 4/5 J. P. P. Mc Step B. Blues -3.5/5 Go To Her - 4/5 Come Back Baby - 4/5 Somebody to Love - Mono Single Version - 4.5/5 White Rabbit - Mono Single Version - 4/5
When I was eight years old I first heard this album when my best friend borrowed the album from his brother and played it for me in his bedroom. Coming from a family that regularly listen to the King family, it was quite a shock and also my introduction to psychedelic rock. Being that young I didn't understand any of the references regarding drugs in the song White Rabbit, but it immediately became a favorite.
Hello, old friend...
Fokin disco pasado de verdura, el nombre es perfecto y todas las canciones tienen la vibra exacta de sus nombres 🙂↕️ god bless a los few estadounidenses que si hacen cosas chidas
Tenho um forte carinho por este disco. A banda Jefferson Airplane serviu de fonte bibliográfica no TCC da minha graduação, onde eu fiz uma análise do movimento contracultural estadunidense da década de 60, tomando como ponto de partida o trabalho da banda e como ele refletia as vertentes culturais, estéticas e ideológicas do período. Por conta disso, eu ouvi esse álbum inúmeras vezes enquanto escrevia o meu artigo. E para melhorar, eu estava em um auto-exílio em um pacato vilarejo do interior paulista, longe de todos meus conhecidos, e onde o silêncio era apenas ocasionalmente interrompido por pássaros e locomotivas. Consequentemente, é difícil não ser transportado de volta àquele lugar e àquele tempo toda vez que toco este disco. Com este prefácio, você leitor já vê que esta não será uma review livre de viés. Uma coisa que sempre me agradou neste álbum, mesmo antes desse nosso laço acadêmico e temporal, é sua produção. Ela é crua, fria e íntima. Me traz as mesmas sensações dos primeiros álbuns do Black Sabbath. Esse estilo faz eu me sentir dentro do estúdio, sentado em um lindo tapete ornamental, lá fora está frio mas aqui dentro há calor e conforto. O liricismo deste álbum é simples porém lindo. Temos o destaque clássico de White Rabbit, uma canção geracional (que inclusive eu usei como título do meu trabalho), com suas letras fantasiosas alá Lewis Carroll, mas além dela temos outras canções repletas de beleza e ternura, como Today e Comin’ Back To Me. Nas faixas mais agitadas, os vocais excelentes de Grace e Marty dominam completamente o ouvinte. A instrumentalização é emblemática do período em que o disco foi feito. Este não é um disco experimental, e nem precisa ser. De fato, as composições são em larga medida simples. O disco te conquista não por sua complexidade, mas pelos detalhes mínimos, e pela emoção palpável por trás de cada acorde e cada batida. É perceptível que a banda amava tocar, e que o estúdio estava repleto de emoção nestes dias. E como é de se esperar, não posso deixar de mencionar o quão rico este disco é em contexto histórico e cultural. Não vou me aprofundar muito nesse tópico, pois se eu começar a digitar a respeito do período contracultural americano esta review ficará gigantesca, com muitas páginas, tal qual meu TCC… E não é pra isso que estamos aqui, não é? O assunto é música e o que este disco apresenta é exemplar e atemporal. Ótimo. 5/5
Laurel Canyon classic
Це, мабуть, найкращий або хоча б один з найкращих альбомів, серед тих, що мені вже пропонував цей сайт. Супер
Standouts: - She has Funny Cars - Today - The reverby drums on this added so much atmosphere - Comin Back To Me - The acoustic track was a surprise but enjoyable and fits right in - 3/5 of a Mile In 10 Seconds - White Rabbit - I can't believe this is on this album?? (I apparently started listening to bonus tracks here) - In the Morning - The psychedelic blues jam goes so hard here ooh psychedelic this is the sorta stuff I was looking forward to discover from this journey; psychedelic goodness with some fuck ass genres thrown in. Psychedelic/Blues/Folk is not a combination I expected but it sounds amazing. THIS ALBUM WAS IN 1967??? This outperforms many modern psychedelic albums... Ridiculous album, the blend of psychedelic and blues sounding this good this early on is mind boggling. Enjoyed almost every song on it. Unexpected 5 wtf
Un buen álbum para escuchar una mañana lluviosa o tirado tomando sol.
This was great, grace clock voice was amazing.
Still amazing
Grace Slick it's Jefferson Airplane's soul & fire. If she had assumed the lead vocals in all of the songs, this album would be a lot more better. But still... a classical. 5 stars.
I loved it? I've really been wasting my life only listening to 2 Jefferson Airplane sounds. Every song is a banger.
Great music.
YESSSSSSSS
Liked this even more than I thought I would. Great psychedelia from front to back and was the perfect thing to get me through a boring plane ride. Favorite Songs: “Somebody to Love”, “Comin’ Back to Me”, “White Rabbit”, “Go to Her” Low 5.
Jokes on you I LOVEEE jefferson airplane, they are so cool and the story of her trying to drug the president?? DIVA
This is my type of music. White Rabbit is utter perfection. Keep on fearing and loathing in Las Vegas.
Psychedelia with teeth and feelings. Rating: 4.5/5 Short Review: This album feels like sunshine drifting into a mild existential crisis. It is dreamy, political, romantic, and slightly unhinged in that very 60s way. Soft on the surface, sharp underneath. Favorite Track: White Rabbit, because obviously. Hypnotic and still hits.
peak
Still relevant, still revolutionary.
Loved the older rock, did not feel like an album from the 60s at all.
Somebody to Love is so iconic and holds up perfectly. I haven't listened to much Jefferson Airplane, so I was excited for this one because Somebody to love is such a classic. It's stuck in my head so hardcore now and "DON'T YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO LOVE" has been my autistic vocal stim for the day. My bf is about to leave me over it probably. I loveeee some good psychedelic rock (and substances hehe), and Surrealistic Pillow did not disappoint. The late 60's had some awesome psychedelic and I'm thankful for Jefferson Airplane for this beautiful record. A couple other standouts were White Rabbit and In The Morning. White Rabbit was funky and a little eerie with really neat Eastern influences (George Harrison moment). It was a single, along with Somebody To Love, which I think were the best choices for singles - both were included as mono versions at the end of the record too which was cool. In The Morning has some SICK ass harmonica and a swing to the melody that made my ears perk up and was jazzy and cool on a psychedelic album. Really good shit, glad I sat and listened to the whole thing. 5/5 deadass. Added to playlist immediately.
First time I have heard this one all the way through.
interesting and ecclectic album
Oldie but a goodie
loveeee them def will listen agaib
An essential 1960s album as in Top Ten albums from the 1960s to own and that sort thing. Psychedelic perfection. Eleven perfect tracks. Era defining stuff. Neat. The mono version has less reverberation. Quite a bit less. Both (mono & stereo) sound great to me. Yes, I have a copy of each. Jerry Garcia plays guitar on a few tracks and shines in the role of sage adviser. It must have felt like a revolution being my age in 1966/67. Someone hand me my plastic fantastic lover and close all the doors. Stay free, freak.
Masterpiece! My first five star
In terms of sound, this album is very much rooted in the 1960s (and in terms of aesthetics as well). That’s not meant as a dig, it’s just interesting how a decade can be so immediately recognizable. This album maybe drags a bit in the middle but has a number of great songs, including one of my very favorites, White Rabbit.
fantastic
Banging Lovely Somebody to white rabbit with
Iconic! Love it
Of course I've heard Jefferson Airplane before, and I always thought I liked them more for their influence. This was the record I should've listened to back when I got curious. It's simple, short, and gives a very clear view on what the band is about. This was the counterculture. Love, life, and drugs to enjoy them with. I don't know why I thought Somebody to Love was a Janice Joplin track. What an exquisite track for the setlist. Another song that pulled my attention was White Rabbit. I've loved Hiatus Kaiyote's version since it came out, and to feel the depth Grace Slick intended was a great way to help finish off the album. It's a fun short listen, so I gave it maybe a dozen spins, and it honestly keeps getting better with each listen. I can imagine all the young adults in the late '60s gathering around the record while they smoke their doobies, but this one is pretty spectacular for the modern day listen, too. It's a good vibe for relaxed driving, walking on a bright sunny day, or doing your household chores. Go ahead and play She Has Funny Cars and tell me it doesn't add to your current experience. I admit, their philosophy meshes with mine, so I'm sure there's some bias on the rating here. 4.5/5
I love this. This is 60’s psychedelic rock at its finest. The musicianship on this album is great, the songs are well written and just the overall sound and vibe of the music is one that I just adore. In particular I just love Grace Slick’s singing and harmonies, Jack Casady’s bass lines and Paul Kanter’s, Jerry Garcia’s and Jorma Kaukonen’s guitar playing on this record, with Kaukonen especially being someone who I admire greatly. Every song on this album is great, and it just feels like a perfect encapsulation of its era musically. I don’t really know what else to say, other than that this album is wonderful. It’s of its own time in the best way possible. 5/5
Some really good songs on this album, loved the vibe
Phenomenal. When I went to listen to this, I saw I’d already saved a few songs. Funny bc I don’t remember the album standing out to me so much. I think it goes to show how much music is a time and place sort of thing. An album that resonates one day may not on another.
At times rocking, at times dreamy. One of the best sounding albums ever made.
The first psychedelic album that I ever listened to. Banger from start to finish. Their second album but the first with Grace Slick. Produced by Jerry Garcia. In my opinion they never reached this level again.
this album had a bit of blues, a bit of folk, a bit of psychedelic, and it sounded unique and fantastic.
AMOOOOOO OS MAIORAIS
Ive always liked this one quite a bit. Its good old 60s goodness. Summer of love type. As long as I can remember it was up there for some of my favorite of this era. I never really cared for starship but as long as they stayed in the stratosphere I was down. White rabbit might be one of my favorite songs of this kind. The female vocals are so damn good with that heavy reverb. And the male vocals too are great on other parts of the album. It gives the sung parts so much versatility to have both types of people who can sing. You can just do so much. Also just forgo either of them sometimes. It all works. The drums and bass kill it. The guitars too. Its just a nice comforting type album for me. And I love it dearly. Maybe I cant be too objective but I like. I like very very much. Is nice
Early psychedelia done right. With a unique style on bass, Jack Casady is the secret weapon of this band. Also considering that this was recorded in 1966, this album is quite forward thinking. Did Jerry Garcia receive any royalties for "musical and spiritual advisor" credit? "Remember what the dormouse said..."
Esqueci de ouvir, agora já foi.
🍄 Life is. 😜
I love White Rabbit so much and the whole album is honestly great.
Hard to believe these motherfuckers can do this and also put out "We Built This City" Good god. From the penthouse to the shitter.
good album of songs I knew but didnt connect to a band!
Excellent.
Better than Coldplay
I really enjoy this band. Such a unique and brilliant sound.
Some absolute belters of songs on tgis album. Hasn't heard some of the album tracks but damn, they good too.
A fantastic album that holds up very well. It’s imaginative, creative, playful, and well played. Grace Slick’s voice is amazing, Jorma Kaukenen’s guitar & Marty Baliss bass playing are exceptional. Fun to listen to, after all these years. A 5.
This album felt very nostalgic despite me never hearing most of the songs before. That is with the exception of Embryonic Journey which ends my favorite show of all time, Friends. Other than that beauty, every song is good at least. It felt like I was in my grandparents car listening to 60s on 6, which is a station I'll need to check out again after finishing this list to see how many songs I recognize. This album may not be my preferred style of music, but it's always great when you listen to something you aren't used to and absolutely love every second of it. Jefferson Airplane is definitely a band I now intend on listening to more of. Thanks 1001 Albums for this gem.
Feed your head. Haight-Ashbury, 1967, the Summer of Love, paisley, and LSD. "Surrealistic Pillow" is a landmark album that captures that whole scene perfectly. But it isn't trapped there - it still plays fresh in 2025, almost 60 years later. From the opening track "She Has Funny Cars", with its spiraling vocal lines, and switching melodies, you're kept on your toes. Then "Somebody to Love" kicks in with that fuzz guitar tone that's become the familiar Jefferson Airplane trademark sound, with Grace's warbling vocals adding a dimension of folky texture to the bluesy instrumentation. Then time slows down. The softer, acoustic tunes are understated masterpieces. The dual guitar riffs of "Today" blend with the tambourine-driven beat, creating something that sounds like a looping sample, before Slick's voice takes over. It's hypnotic. As is the very simple "Comin' Back to Me": the repetition of the chorus, "I saw you, I saw you", with a long gap before the next lyric "comin' back to me", is almost trance-like. The (apparently controversial) use of layered reverb in the production adds a spacey vibe to the recordings. It makes it sound as if the music is being beamed in from another dimension. Then there's the big finale. "Embryonic Journey" is one of the most gorgeous pieces of music ever created. Simple, pure brilliance. And that leads into "White Rabbit". Hands-down the best build-up in any song in the history of music. Amazingly clever lyrics too, aligning the psychedelic drug-taking experience with C.S. Lewis literature. The bass line and Grace's vocals building in intensity, march us towards an absolute crescendo of a finish. Consider my head fully fed.
This is quintessential 60s psychedelic rock. Somebody to Love and White Rabbit alone, would net this album a 5-star rating. 4.8 just because it would have benefited from more Grace singing, rounded up to 5.
Surrealistic Pillow is as good as psychedelic rock gets. All the songs are interesting and on top of that 'Somebody to Love' and 'White Rabbit' are genuine masterpieces. What an incredible voice does Grace Slick have!
More than just the big hits! Really liked ‘Today’! Edit: went back the next day and upgraded this to 5 stars. Didn't feel like there were any particular weak spots in this album. (As a caveat, I didn't listen to the six bonus tracks in the reissue.)
Hablamos de uno de los mejores discos de los 60 , del año fundamental del Rock, el 67. Y por tanto de la historia de la música. Sin más. Tiene sus historias y leyendas como la participación o no de Jerry García, algo negado por él. No es solo Somebody to love o White rabbit. La apertura con She has funny cars es gloriosa. My best friend, son ecos a The Byrds (o los Mamas& Papas). Today es otra cosa, delicada psicodelia, que sigue cálidamente con Comin' Back to Me y sus aires acústicos. California en su esplendor. La segunda cara, que abre con brío con 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds, baja un poco el nivel con no tanto con D.C.B.A.–25 (los coros y voces superpuestas de Slick le dan un impulso fundamental) como con How Do You Feel (que no es mala en absoluto) o el instrumental Embryonic Journey, sobre todo porque destaca ese faro que es White Rabbit, una joya interminable. Cierra Plastic Fantastic Lover con aroma inconfundible al mejor Dylan. ES un disco que ha perdido importancia con el tiempo, algo incomprensible e injusto. Ahí es nada. 5/5
1001 Albums Challenge (13/1001) 1. She Has Funny Cars (5/5) 2. Somebody To Love (5/5) 3. My Best Friend (5/5) 4. Today (5/5) 5. Comin' Back To Me (5/5) 6. 3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds (5/5) 7. D.C.B.A.-25 (5/5) 8. How Do You Feel (5/5) 9. Embryonic Journey (5/5) 10. White Rabbit (5/5) 11. Plastic Fantastic Lover (5/5) Total (5/5)
Everyone thinks the Grace Slick songs are the only ones that matter at first, but once you've listened to this album enough times, they're still standouts, but not by nearly as much as you used to think. If I could only have one psych album again for the rest of my life, it would probably be this one.
Great album. Got the classic Jefferson songs I now and the rest of the album is pretty great too.
At one time, this was one of my favorite albums by any artist. I still like it a lot. It has everything - smash hits (Somebody to Love, White Rabbit), rocking songs (She Has Funny Cars, Plastic Fantastic Lover), introspective songs (Coming Back to Me, Today), pure psychedelia (How Do You Feel), and virtuoso guitar playing (Embryonic Journey). Having both male and female vocals really adds to the sound. It really is one of the best albums of the 60s for sure.
Great album, amazing songs. I can't believe it's from 1967. It sounds new and fresh in so many ways.
I think maybe I haven’t done enough drugs to fully appreciate this album.
9/10
Giving Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow a low 5 today, I bloody love psychedelic rock and this album fills in a big gap for me in terms of its development and arrival, whilst also being mind-bending, rocking, and vibey - fav track was Today
Classic
Great album, lots of wonderful harmonies.
Great
i adore this i cant stop coming back to it
So many things to like about this album. The mix of pop, folk and psychedelia, all with an oh-so San Franciscan vibe. It could be described as ramshackle if the songs themselves weren't so perfect. The band was packed with major talents, all of whom shine at different times in different ways. Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Cassady and Spencer Dryden, yowza.
Kennt man doch viel von
Go ask Alice. Alice says 5 start
classic. she has funny cars and today are my favourites. as well as somebody to love and white rabbit, of course.
I love this album, I love the hippie vibe and I adore Grace. It will affect me if she might go, because she is one of the latest Woodstock hippies imo. Also, White Rabbit jut goes hard.
Een album dat zoveel meer is dan White Rabbit en Somebody to love (wat trouwens ongelooflijk goede schijven zijn). 5.0
amei muito
Grace Slick's vocals alone make this worth a listen but then you have classics like Plastic Fantastic Lover and 3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds that showcase a band who were one of the pillars of psychedelic rock. It's an album you love or hate. It truly is a snapshot of a time that we will never see again.
❤️
This has two songs that I like on it! And I didn't realise they were by the same people
Obviously belongs here. Distinctive influential sound. And it really grew on me. By track 12 I upgraded foprm 4 to 5 star: + White Rabbit is superb and unique. + Somebody to Love is iconic too. + some great guitar and improv along the way + liked the switch to bluesy "In the Morning" - I disliked the twang and brittle scratchy sounds of some songs. ? time will tell if I listen to it as a whole album again. Definitely interesting & rewarding and enjoyable ( I skipped the first track though) . A mid stregth 5.
More country western twang than I remember. You can definitely see the Grateful Dead Live sound on this album and the mellow vibe is really nice. Definitely magic in a bottle for some of the best sounds of the era. Birds and Mamas and Papas influence. Some Crosby Stills. After reading about the album I was spot on with the Grateful Dead Live references. Jerry Garcia personally played on a handful of tracks. Very cool.
4.51
Banger
Album full of great song writing, beautiful harmonies and an unmistakable 60 psychedelic feel. The beginning of the album starts off with sparse arrangements of acoustic or clean electric guitar and voice with little percussion, through to a wonderful instrument track, maturing to full psychedelic and dark blues. This album has unmistakable classics such as white rabbit and somebody to love.
Peak 60s. It has White Rabbit so you already know it's a good album but all the songs have good vibes.
Liked that rock, psychedelic? Wanted to give 4 stars but changed my mind. The album is fantastic - 5/5
Jefferson Airplane were the defining group of the San Francisco psychedelic rock scene that started in the mid 1960's. After a relatively unremarkable start to their career, Jefferson Airplane found massive success with the release of the singles White Rabbit and Somebody To Love, penned by newest addition to the group Grace Slick. From this point on, Jefferson Airplane remained a household name among psychedelic rock groups of the time, and the album containing these two massive singles, Surrealistic Pillow, was released in 1967. I absolutely love this album. When I went to Egypt with my wife and a couple of friends, we rented a car, and my buddy had a great idea for each of us to choose 3 albums we hadn't heard before, and these 12 albums would be all that we listened to. Surrealistic Pillow was one of my choices (along with Gunesh's self-titled and The Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab in Egypt), so every time I hear anything from this album, I'm transported back to the desert, visiting monasteries and being the only white people that village children had seen in their entire lives. What a great time. While this nostalgia does influence my view, I do still think this album is great on its own. She Has Funny Cars has these high energy verses before cutting to the strange chorus, where the male and female vocals interact nicely. It also has great guitar. Somebody To Love has such an amazing chorus that my wife and I were singing all weekend. My Best Friend keeps switching between a swung feel and a straight feel, which gives it a really cool feel. When the first switch from swung to straight happens, I just can't help but do the stank face. My wife said this one really sounded like a Beatles song, which I agree with. 3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds (a title that was apparently a thoughtless combination of two headlines that Marty Balin saw in a newspaper) is a great way to start the second side, with the constant snare rhythm giving it a really high energy. How Do You Feel really brings me back to the Sahara; doesn't it just kind of sound like a desert song in a Mario game or something? This is one of my favorite of the soft songs on the album. I don't need to tell you how great White Rabbit is, but I will say that I didn't realize it was one of the first openly pro-drug songs that had gotten released. The marching band sound throughout mixed with the Latin American influence give it such a unique sound. It is a classic for a reason. Embryonic Journey is a beautiful piece of American Primitivism. It is amazing to think about these guys throwing on a John Fahey album (maybe after a couple J's) and being like "I could do that". Comin' Back To Me is the only song that I don't really like. It's not a very interesting acoustic ballad in my opinion, but the worst song on an album full of gold is not necessarily a bad thing. Surrealistic Pillow is really an underrated psych rock gem. Jefferson Airplane put together a tight, but stylistically distinct, album that manages to avoid some pitfalls that other psych rockers fell into at the time. Their emphasis on folk adds a nice flair as well. 4.5/5, rounded up to a 5.
Best Song: White Rabbit This is a really good album that captures the time. But it is still kinda funny when their lead singer gets punched out at Altamont. What? Too soon?!?!
One of my faves. Jefferson airplane fucks. 10/10
Very high quality for its short runtime. No song on here is a miss
Holds up better than I expected.
WOOOOAAAh
пятерочка.
Blues and hard drugs was a winning formula in the ‘60s.
Fantastic album. From a time when there was a lot of collaboration between bands and bands playing together. Grace Slick is the best rock n roll voice ever!
lj
Wall to wall unskippable - one of the most complete and compelling albums.
I knew (and liked) the hits on this album - Somebody to Love, White Rabbit. But the album is great in its entirety. There are no bad songs and it's varied, from more psychedelic to more bluesy. Good musicianship too with the jangly guitars, good riffs, and good close harmonies. Most songs have a great hook with a somewhat menacing undertone. I love it.
This album absolutely exemplifies the sound of its era. Difficult to imagine how any other could be more evocative of the late 60s. Airplane was a perfect band. I’ll never tire of listening.
Surrealistic Pillow is the second studio album from Jefferson Airplane, and the first after Grace Slick and drummer Spencer Dryden joined the band. The album is regarded as the band's best work, and one of the defining albums of 60s psychedelic rock. The album includes "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit," two of the bands biggest hits, both of which are among the most recognizable, iconic songs from 60s rock and counterculture. In addition to the hits, the album of impressive range, including tracks like "Embryonic Journey," an acoustic instrumental piece.
One of my favourites
Love it
Somebody to Love and White Rabbit alone are enough to make this a classic and they somewhat overshadow the excellency of the rest of the album.
Everything that 60’s psychedelic rock should be. It’s bluesy, but with just right amount of “out there”. I wasn’t expecting to like it this much, but it’s awesome. I get it, and I see what all the fuss is about.
Fantastic California rock! Great album!
I mean, it’s Jefferson Airplane. It has “Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit.” If you’re looking for good 60s psychedelic rock, this is it. The hits are the highlights, but all the songs are good. This is just a good 60s rock album that deserves its acclaim.
Surrealistic Pillow, do Jefferson Airplane, é um excelente disco de rock psicodélico, uma verdadeira pérola do final dos anos 60. Lançado em 1967, o álbum captura o espírito da contracultura e do rock da costa oeste dos Estados Unidos, com uma sonoridade que equilibra psicodelia, acessibilidade e sofisticação. As faixas de destaque são “Somebody to Love”, “Today” e “White Rabbit”, esta última um ícone cultural com sua atmosfera hipnótica e letra marcante. A vocalista Grace Slick brilha com uma performance impressionante, trazendo força e carisma a cada música.O disco é extremamente bem composto, com arranjos que parecem esculpidos com precisão. Cada faixa reflete um cuidado artesanal, como se fossem peças de uma obra maior, quase uma sinfonia psicodélica. Apesar de ser um álbum enxuto, com pouco mais de 30 minutos, ele é coeso e de muito bom gosto, sem sobrar ou faltar nada. Não é à toa que se tornou trilha sonora do “Verão do Amor” de 1967, com hits que ressoaram na cultura da época.Segundo o Discogs, Surrealistic Pillow foi lançado originalmente em LP, com uma capa icônica e bem elaborada, mas sem encarte de letras. Nos anos seguintes, ganhou diversas reedições pelo mundo, incluindo Japão, Venezuela, Colômbia, Taiwan e França – onde a capa trazia um desenho de um avião, em referência ao nome da banda. A primeira versão em CD saiu no Japão em 1983, pela RCA, e, mais recentemente, o álbum foi relançado em vinil de 180 gramas, edições gatefold com encartes, letras e artes renovadas.Surrealistic Pillow é um disco acessível, com uma sonoridade que soa fresca até hoje. É uma audição envolvente, que combina a vanguarda psicodélica com melodias cativantes. Uma excelente obra que merece nota 9.
Great sound, this group sounds distinct in an era with some juggernauts and it really stands on its own. Psychadelic, but bluesy. Grace Slick has such an amazing voice, I wish she took lead vocal on more songs, but it really makes the ones she owns stand out. White Rabbit is the obvious choice for best song here, along with Somebody to Love, Best Friend, and I also liked In The Morning and J.P.P. Mc Step B. Blues.
Simultaneously the quintessential 60s album and ahead of its time. Sounds like the best elements of diverse contemporaries like the zombies, Fairport convention, flying burrito brothers, all rolled into one brilliant record. All killer no filler
A 60s banger! JA really brought it on this album.
great album, much love <3 fav song: Today
Amazing album 10/10 would listen again
Still sounds modern. Gothic and beautiful.
11/10. Incredible album.
very quirky and weird but like fun and enjoyable.
All time classic
Pet fav songs: Comin' Back to Me; Embryonic Journey; Plastic Fantastic Lover I've had a copy of this album for 20y and haven't listened to it fully in forever. The classic singles 'Somebody to Love' and 'White Rabbit' are always great. Many elements of the album make one want to scream "dirty hippies!" Grandpa Simpson-style, but still it's one of the best the 60s flower children ever mustered. And the last 3 songs of the album are a great, beautiful, weird finish.
Ahh! Grace Slick... What a voice. This album contains music that's ahead of its time.
A classic of the 60's Haight Asbury psychedelic movement, Surrealist Pillow has come of Jefferson Airplane's most memorable songs. Somebody to Love and Plastic Fantasic Lover are amazing - well, power pop really - but it's White Rabbit that defines psychedelia as we know it today. It's Alic in Wonderland inspired lyrics and slow building pace make for the perfect soundtrack to a drug trip. The band is great, of course, but it's Grace Slicks' vocals that really drive the best songs. With Somebody To Love, she set the stage for later female rock vocalists such as Ann Wilson of Heart, Joan Jett, and later on teh riot grrl movement. Without Grace Slick you don't have Blondie or Heart or Throwing Muses or Soccer Mommy or St. Vincent. The album suffers a little from mediocre production but what should you expect from a first album in a then unknown genre. Volunteers is better made but Surrealist Pillow has better songs and a betetr version of Grace.
Grace Slick has one of the more unique voices in popular music, but what sets Jefferson Airplane apart is the heaviness of their psychedelia. While The Byrds at times grow thin, this is all about booming soul and textures of freedom: ‘I’m so full of love / I could burst apart / And start to cry.’ Even ‘Comin’ Back to Me,’ the track on which you could most easily call bullshit, evades that evaluation since its poetry, which is authentic, never diminishes the music, which foreshadows acoustic Zeppelin. They may sing of ‘purple pleasure-fields in the sun,’ but you never get the feeling that they’re treading on mushy or imprecise grounds, only that they’re exactly as they should be expressive.
pk
Loved every bit of this. An improved Nico at the start, Dylan-esque in parts and reminded me of sugarman in others. Interesting throughout
Incredible album! One of my favorites so far. So dynamic and a lovely listening experience.
THEEEEEEEEEE psychedelic rock album, not one bad track
I bought this as a teenager and was a little disappointed by it, feeling that the only standout tracks were Somebody to Love and White Rabbit. Now, I enjoyed the entirety more but maybe that was nostalgia. Hints of the Beatles' Ticket to Ride (How Do You Feel) and Day Tripper (She Has Funny Cars). Definitely 5 stars given the impact of the two big hits and the rest isn't so bad if a little bit of the times.
At nearly one full hour, this band, Jefferson Airplane, which would eventually become “Jefferson Starship in the late 1970s packs a powerful punch, with their second released album “Surrealistic Pillow”. Classified as a “psychedelic rock” band, it really has more blues and folk rock influences than pure drug hallucination inspired tunes. Of course, one of the bands biggest hits, “White Rabbit” does have an unvarnished narrative of hallucinogenic drug references that gave Jefferson Airplane that “psychedelic” moniker. As this is my second “published review,” I have to say that I’m not in the habit of actually listening to an entire side of an album, let alone “both sides” of an album. But this process is a very healthy one for me, as I listen to “all tracks” of an album, including the “deep cuts” of an album that rarely get any airplay on radio stations. I felt that these “deep cuts” including “Today,” “Comin’ Back to Me,” and “Embrionic Journey” among other Jefferson Airplane songs deserve fresh hearings. This is the third album I reviewed, although Lou Reed’s “Transformer” never made it to the “publishing stage.” Nevertheless, Jefferson Airplane’s album “Surrealistic Pillow” is an album that I play again and again, as there are many songs on this album that sound pleasing to this writer’s ear. I give it five out of five stars.
❤️❤️❤️
Like two skips but I had to pee
banger after banger after banger
Pretty cool album. A few absolute stunners in there, including maybe the most powerful 2:33 in 60s rock history in White Rabbit. You want to hear more from these guys (and gal) but unfortunately this is really their only good album.
this is such a good album and i’m so glad i heard it before i die! so lush and varied and good
Och ta płyta jest genialna. Ten klimat, lekka psychodela, mocne perkusje i silny wokal. Alice in Wonderland to utwór kompletny . Można słuchać w kółko- ten zespół jest jak starsza, bardziej zbuntowana siostra Fleetwood Mac. 9/10
No doubt this is a great album but not my cup of tea, very 60s and surf influenced
I feel like Alice in Wonderland in a Salvador Dalí painting.
Sounds like the soundtrack to the 1960s.
Some BOPS on this one! Classic
Absolutely rips, great stuff
Felt like more poppy grateful dead with harmonica. Maybe this will convince miles the grateful dead weren't gods green gift to this earth
The definitive West Coast psychedelic album. Perfectly encapsulates how I imagine San Francisco to be in 1967. Some big tunes on this Somebody to Love and White Rabbit. Other than STL and White Rabbit, favorite tracks include Embyonic Journey and Today. A far out 5 points from me!
Quintessential psychedelic rock.
Really cool album. Psychedelic heaven which sounds like it was recorded in a church. Love white rabbit, embryonic, and she has funny cars. Great album
Feed your head
A classic
This album is a classic for 60’s psychedelic music, though it’s not as fully psychedelic as later albums in the genre. It leans more on folk rock with a melodic and structured sound, featuring subtle touches of surreal lyrics and reverb-heavy guitars. The production is cleaner and less experimental, reflecting its place as one of the first major albums of the psychedelic movement and paving the way for more experimental sounds that came later.
Cornerstone of 60s psychedelic rock, theres a great balance between raw energy and some softer acoustic sections. Somebody to Love and White Rabbit are great songs helped by Grace Slicks vocals. It still holds up today as a great album.
I don't think it's one of the best albums of all time but it has too many bangers to not be 5/5
own
The production sounds lo-fi but that can't mask the genius and unique vision of this band. Way ahead of their time and worth 5***** for just the Rabbit.
Grace slick has some kinda superpower with her voice that makes everything incredibly enchanting. Like come on you just can’t dislike white rabbit. Also the run from somebody to love to today is pretty untouchable. There’s things like I find plastic fantastic lover a strange choice for album closer but no song is bad It’s a shame that by the 80’s the remains of this band became starship This is a 5/5
Beautiful progressive rock record with numerous hits & psychedelic compositions
Songs in easy to listen order, has a couple songs that scream the 70s, you've heard in countless movies. Love the insrtumental and the blues song. Added 6+ songs to lib. Solid, nothing made me want to skip to the next song, good variety but still sounds like JA.
You can still hear this album's influence today. Plus great tunes
Absolute banger,. The vocals , the instrumental everything is spit on.
Liked it more than I thought I would
Really enjoyed this. In some ways it reminded me of Fleetwood Mac's later music and even at times a little of Mana's and Papa's. Excellent collection of music and the lovely voice of Grace Slick never disappoints. Stood the test of time very well.
an album I always loved and never knew
Psychedelic grooves, some seminal stuff on here, lots of genres peppered in. Cool man
классный альбом я его знала
Summer of Love Blues. Can't imagine any album being more 1967.
don’t even need to listen to know my rating. iconic.
All bangers.
Buen disco
Better every time, feel like even though they were innovators they would have made better music if they already had a psych basis to go off if that makes sense
Excellent classic
Super groovy, loved this all the way through! The vocals! Ahhh!
Being a big 60s psych fan, I (naturally) love this record, being one of the many classics from '67. It's called acid rock which is typically groovy rock with a little bit of folk-rock, a few acoustic numbers, plenty of vocal harmonies and an echoey production. Faves include the dreamy 'How Do You Feel', groovy 'Somebody to Love', zaney ' 'Plastic Fantastic Lover' and moody DCBA'. But the album 's highlight is easily the bolero flavoured (and trippy) 'White Rabbit'. It's such a powerful track which till sends shivers up my spine. Ps - the original album is just the first 11 tracks (ending with Plastic Fantastic Lover), the bonus tracks are alright but they lesten the impact.
Candidate
Awe shit! Dude this album has White Rabbit and Somebody to Love!! This will be fun. Would have been cool to be around when this first came out, to listen to it on vinyl...Grace Slick has such a unique voice! I also love the distinct sound of 60's rock. What a time that would have been to be alive. The intro to Comin Back To Me is pretty with the flute. Same with Embryonic Journey! what a cool name too. Ooooh super diggin this In The Morning song!! so bluesy!! 5 Stars!
I really like
I loved every single thing about this album!
Lässt sich gut hören
I enjoyed this. I've always been a fan of White Rabbit, but the whole album had a great feel and was a joy to listen to.
Nothing like hitting a dab pen and listening to some classic psychedelic rock. Shoutout to Jefferson and their Airplane. Also, more importantly, White Rabbit Supremacy forever!
10/11/24. Excellent record, have heard a couple of these songs before. Definitely need to learn a couple of these on guitar!
Man I love this album. My father had me listen to this at as a teenager and I remember him saying “that’s the one with Embryonic Journey, you gotta check that out”. That song, in particular, has remained a personal favorite of mine ever since. The album, as a whole, is a bit raw. The recording isn’t great by any means, but I blame that on the era. 3/5 of a Mile in Ten Seconds, Plastic Fantastic Lover, Somebody to Love, this album has everything. My Best Friend is another personal favorite; it’s very rare that you hear the swing/groove of a song change within a song like that. Not sure this is really a 5 star but I cannot give it 4.
Pre-listening thoughts: LETS FREAKING GOOOOO I have such a weird soft spot for this band since I saw them live this past year (yeah yeah there was only one original member idc it was a cheap ticket. Show went crazy though). But this is when they were still Jefferson Airplane and their material is so so good during this era of their career. Very excited to hear this full album Post/during listening thoughts: Grace Slick is literally so amazing I love her so much. Just like a lot of other 60s music, it has a Beatles-esque quality to it but it’s very enjoyable. I’m really realizing how much of this album I’ve already heard just from trying to research their material for their show 😭. Their harmonies are so tight though. THIS is psychedelic folk/rock that remains engaging and interesting. Great album!!! 9/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nah but I personally enjoyed it a lot Fav tracks: hate to be this person again but I enjoyed almost every song ‼️ Least fav tracks: was lukewarm on the blues track but that’s to be expected from me atp
great!
i like this album more and more each time i hear it! just so groovy and fun and beautiful, and has so many different kinds of songs while still maintaining such a distinct and cohesive style.
The jumping off point for whole genres to follow - prog and psychedelia to name but two. A band blessed with many wonderful vocalists, and plenty of virtuoso musicians in every section of the band.
This is #day50 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... "if you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair!" Somehow, the late '60s music scene has always drawn me in... it's a true sign of the times. With artists like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and the early Doors, you feel the era's spirit. Jefferson Airplane's signature blend of folk rock, psychedelia, and blues, highlighted by Grace Slick's otherworldly vocals, is delicate and dark. Standouts like "Somebody To Love" and "White Rabbit" are just the beginning; There are also "She Has Funny Cars", "Today," and "Comin' Back To Me." This is a 5 out of 5 this time around. Looking forward to #day51.
cool
5/5
cool
Amazing
Lots of vibes
Great album and white rabbit is an all time great song
I love 60's psychedelic rock bands from San Francisco like the author of this book loves Bowie and 90's Britpop. Yes, that much. Everything about this album is great. The songs, the vocals, the instrumentation, the cover. When you have Jerry as your musical and spiritual advisor, how can you go wrong?
Great songs on this one album!!
a beautiful snapshot of 1960s West coast psychedelia. Their best album by far and an iconic 60s rock album
Отличный альбом с двумя любимыми хитами.
Surrealistic Pillow stands as a psychedelic landmark, dreamy and defiant, drenched in the swirling spirit of the late 60s. Jefferson Airplane created an album that feels like stepping into another dimension, with Grace Slick’s voice cutting through the haze like a siren. It balances rebellion with reverie, capturing both the chaos and beauty of its era. “Somebody to Love” is an anthem that still feels urgent and electrifying, while “3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds” injects a shot of frantic energy to keep things moving. The masterstroke, though, is “White Rabbit.” Its slow, hypnotic build explodes into one of the most iconic climaxes in rock history, turning Lewis Carroll’s imagery into a velvet-wrapped punch straight to the counterculture. The crescendo is breathtaking and unforgettable. More than fifty years later, this album still sounds revolutionary. It is messy, beautiful, and alive, exactly what a psychedelic record should be. Favorite Song: “White Rabbit”
fire as fuck
I got some Monkees and some Fleetwood Mac vibes from this band that I had never heard of before, but will definitely be returning to. I really enjoyed it! It holds up super well.
remember what the dormouse said: feed your head
A blast from the Summer of Love! The hit singles are fantastic and the other tracks hold up very well. Although I prefer the more rock based songs, the slower stuff is also pretty great. Although I didn't enjoy as much as my other 5 star albums, the enjoyment, atmosphere, and historical importance of the album. The sheer vibe factor of the 60s is unmistakable. 11/07/24
Simply amazing!!
A great 60’s rock album with some true classics but lots of great music.
At last - a favourite/great album - of interest only to a fellow nerd - the original UK issue had a couple of tracks replaced with tracks from ‘Takes Off’ - so two different female vocalists. As an aside - the airplane and Fairport Convention had a lot in common initially. As a further aside, the airplane had a bit of influence on another British group - The Beatles.
I grew up with this album so there is probably a heavy bias here. Jefferson Airplane was one of those unique bands that took rock to new levels, most of them drug fueled. It did however give a new way to look at music that has inspired generations, for example listen at “Today” and then "Infinite Tamboura“ by Rusted Root in the 1990s, or anything by Tame Impala. “Embryonic Journey” was a favorite of my dad’s which was played on his coconut headphones as nauseum.
Pretty excellent. I had listened to it a bunch when I was a teenager so remembered a lot of it, but forgot how bluesy some of it go. But yeah, lots of classics.
This is a fantastic album. Interesting songs throughout. There are the big hits that almost overshadow the rest. Grace's vocals demand attention. I like the around 30 minute runtime. Besides White Rabbit, Somebody to Love, Embryonic Journey... I liked Today. I was in a mood today, high 4 and gonna round up.
Surprisingly delightful
9/10.
not the best of its era or genre, but a great work of psychedelia nonetheless.
Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
A great example of psychedelic rock. Grace's voice changed Jefferson Airplane for the better and the two songs she wrote became their most memorable hits.
What an album! Defining a genre rather than genre defining I guess. Full of great psychedelic sounds, fantastic song writing and topped by Grace Slick’s (one of the best lead singer name ever?) belting vocals. Love it. This is defo one of the time/places in music I would love a time travel machine too. Five stars alll the way. Side note: Interesting fact I hadn’t twigged before. Grace Slick was also the singer of Starship of ‘we built this city’ fame. I’ll let that not influence my scoring here!
Bluesy and psychedelic. I loved it.
I do really love this album. I want to give it 5/5 but anything not voiced specifically by Grace Slick is a snooze. Lyric free tracks like Embryonic journey are doooope. Ahhh but the cultural influence is just so high - this has to weigh it higher, right? 4.5
i can’t even make a fun little joke about this. this is quite literally just gorgeous. the world that they created in this album is fucking insane i absolutely love this. This is real music
Classic. Never gone out of my way to listen to them, or a whole album, but I like this one. Some classic tracks on here.
Great album.
Grace Slick brings her sense of poetry and fantastic voice to a great set of players - greatness will follow and eventually produce Hot Tuna. There are at least five great songs here and hardly a dead spot.
This album epitomizes the Summer of Love. Messy at times, it's psychedelic and heartfelt.
An absolute classic of the San Francisco psychedelic scene and the summer of love. A handful of standout tracks really make this album shine. 'Someone to Love' has an intensity rarely heard in the genre. 'Embrionic Journey' feels like a destined journey across the country. 'White Rabbit' is the tribute to Alice in Wonderland that we all needed, whether we knew it or not. Truthfully, a few tracks are kind of forgettable but the hits more than make up for them.
relisten. one of the greatest and probably most underrated albums of the entire 60s. so many absolute bangers. still cant believe they put she has funny cars, somebody to love, today, white rabbit and plastic fantastic lover on the same album.
Sounds almost as fresh and out there now as it did back then. 4.8
Onhan tämä hippien metkuja, mutta ai että miten hyviä metkuja ne onkaan! Kestää aikaa ja aina jaksaa kuunnella. Helkkarin hieno! 5/5
This is a time capsule to the late 60s psychedelic, hippy era. It transports you back to that time, yet hasn't aged a day. This album still sounds incredible, with awesome vocals, especially from Grace Slick, great songwriting, instrumentation and innovative production. Another album I wish I could visit in my hypothetic time machine.
Hippies rock maaaaan
I think we've got a hit here, boys. Surrealistic Pillow is something pretty special. All tracks on the album are great in some way or another, with very convincing hooks and a couple of excellent singles (Somebody To Love, White Rabbit). The opening track is killer, being both energetic and psychedelic, setting the mood for the rest of the album and for the Summer of Love as a whole. Embryonic Journey is an unexpected instrumental gem, featuring intermingling elements of classical, rock, and folk music. Go To Her, How Do You Feel, 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds... Just great. A really well constructed setlist with equally well constructed songs. The vibe here is also pretty darn brilliant, if a little dated. Jefferson Airplane perfectly capture the year of 1967 in pop/rock, in all its colourful-yet-dark, flourishy, crazy, psychedelic glory – more so than any other band, even the Beatles. In fact, there's a definite chance that the two bands played off each other during the latter's Revolver- and Sgt Pepper-eras. Key tracks: She Has Funny Cars, Somebody to Love, 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds, White Rabbit
- Jefferson Airplane ist einfach Psychadelic auf der Königsstufe - Die haben einen unverkennbaren und eigenen Stil und Sound, der mir immer ein bisschen das Gefühl gibt, ich würde mich jetzt gern auf eine kuschelige Decke legen, Mushrooms essen und mich meinen Halluzinantionen hingeben - Das Album ist super stringent - Die Aufnahme könnte an der ein oder anderen Stelle (wie bei so manchen Psychadelic Bands) schon etwas mehr technische Qualität vertragen, aber geschenkt - Wäre mein Lieblings Jefferson Airplane Song „Volonteers“, mit dem ich mich damals in die Band verliebt habe, auch noch auf dem Album wäre es sicher nah an der 5/5 Rating: 4,5/5
- Geieeeeeeeel - Gibt wenig Alben, die für mich authentischer und charakteristischer eine bestimme musikalische Zeit repräsentieren als dieses. - Neben den absoluten Bangern White Rabbit und Somebody to Love, steckt dies Platte aber auch noch voller anderer toller Songs wie Today, Embryonic Journey, Coming Back to Me. Für mich persönlich gibt es keinen schwachen Track auf dem Album, wenn auch manche, die vielleicht einen Schnuff zu kitschig sind. - Ich LIEBE die Stimme von Grace Slick. absolut ikonisch und prägend für kommenden psychedelic, prog, stoner rock. 4,75/5
8/10
A classic that holds up remarkably well. Yes, it is pivotal for the psychedelic rock of "White Rabbit" and the rock of "Somebody to Love", but there is also great folk rock and blues on here as well. The first album of Jefferson Airplane with Grace Slick and new drummer Spencer Dryden, and wow you can feel their impact. Slick's strong vocals have been acknowledged for years, but Dryden's ability cannot be understated, as he tightened the band up considerably and gave Jack Cassady, the bass player, a wider palette from which to improvise. My favorite tracks not only include the singles "White Rabbit" and Somebody to Love", but also the guitar instrumental of "Embryonic Journey", folk ballad "Comin' Back to Me", psychedelia of "Fantastic Plastic Lover" and the heartbreaking "Today". Such a great album.
Who doesn't love Jefferson Airplane. Always good.
Awesome album, want to add to my collection
I loved the album great music and a lot of variety in the songs. Had not aged in the same way as other bands
Classic hippie music 🎶 right up my alley
A true classic album! Standout tracks: Somebody to Love, Today, Embryonic Journey, White Rabbit
At its core, the album captures late-1970s Britain, a period marked by economic uncertainty, social unrest, and a palpable sense of angst among the youth. This backdrop is crucial for understanding the resonance of The Adverts' debut, which channels the era's turbulence through its visceral soundscapes and candid lyrical content. Musically, "Crossing the Red Sea" distinguishes itself with a melodic tint that threads through its tracks, as notably heard in "New Church." This melodic sensibility, woven amidst the raw chords and aggressive rhythms typical of punk, adds a layer of accessibility to the album, making it stand out from its contemporaries. It's this blend of melody and mayhem that elevates the album, showcasing The Adverts' ability to marry punk's abrasive ethos with hooks that linger long after the record stops spinning. Lyrically, the album oscillates between profound social commentary and the more mundane grievances of its teenage audience, epitomized by tracks like "Bored Teenagers." The song, while possibly tongue-in-cheek, encapsulates the paradox of punk's revolutionary spirit confronted by the ennui of its protagonists. It's a humorous, if somewhat ironic, reflection on the luxury of boredom in an era of supposed teenage angst and rebellion. This juxtaposition invites listeners to ponder the authenticity and depth of punk's critique against a backdrop of historical struggles where such boredom was a luxury few could afford. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, "Crossing the Red Sea with The Adverts" remains a pivotal album within the punk genre. It is a testament to the power of music to capture and express a moment in time, even if that expression sometimes veers into the realm of the paradoxical. The Adverts' debut is both a product of its time and a timeless reflection on youth, rebellion, and the quest for meaning amidst societal malaise. The album's enduring appeal lies not just in its musical innovations or lyrical acuity but in its unvarnished portrayal of a generation in transition. It's a snapshot of punk at its most raw and reflective, offering a melodic take on the genre's otherwise stark narrative. "Crossing the Red Sea with The Adverts" is, therefore, a must-listen for those seeking to understand the depth and diversity of punk's legacy.
It has stood the test of time. Every member of the band shines. Kaukonen masterly weaves in psychedelia, hard rock, and folk.
Psychedelic rock at its best. Today is underrated
BL: a band I know by name, and one some of my friends who are into psychedelia absolutely adore but I’ve never personally gotten round to. So it’ll be good to give this one a listen finally. AL: Awesome psychedelic listen. I loved the instrumentation and the stereo mix was amazing, and I’m sure absolutely revolutionary for the time. The lyricism, and everything blends together into an absolutely beautiful melting pot of what made everything so great about 60s music. Definitely one of the best discoveries on this generator so far FT: “She has funny cars”, “3/5 Of a Mile In 10 Seconds”, “Embryonic Journey”, “White Rabbit”, “Plastic Fantastic Lover”, “Come Back Baby” 5/5
Amazing!!
WOW 🤩 just WoW to hear an Iconic Album with Incredible riffs, lyrics a that smooth rich sultry voice of Grace Slick…. I’m still on a high just hearing This album!!
Yay! All time favorite group. I fell in love with Jefferson’s music and went back to listen to Jefferson Airplane's earlier stuff. In love with every reincarnation.
Go to Her, White Rabbit and Someone to Love may be the best songs ever. I’ve been listening to the second two since I was a pre-teen and at points felt I lived in the wrong decade due to those songs. This album was amazing.
Really liked this one. Favorite songs: "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit"
Almost as good as the Doors.
Classic classic classic. I’d listen for ever
I absolutely adore this Album. One of the best psychedelic Albums ever. I could listen to it for hours on repeat.
Summer of Love at it's best.
Is a pretty good album
4.75
Excelente viaje con esta bandita!!! ya había escuchado unas de sus rolitas pero el álbum completo es una maravilla!!
So diverse. For that decade of music.
Fantastic start, but Embryonic Journey and White Rabbit is where it’s at
Enjoyed this album! Blast from the past and diversity with some blues thrown in. Slick and Thomas on the vocals give them a great sound along with the guitar work for sure!!
a top 100 album; two songs are iconic
Essential listening. Takes you right into the heart of Haight-Ashbury in summer 1967. Perfect for dropping acid in Golden Gate Park.
A really good album. Loved the songs Go To Her, Somebody to Love and White Rabbit. Would listen to again.
Classic
LP
Surrealistic Pillow" by Jefferson Airplane is a landmark album in the history of rock music, released in 1967 during the peak of the psychedelic rock era. The band, consisting of members like Grace Slick, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady, and Spencer Dryden, crafted an album that not only defined the counterculture movement of the 1960s but also left an enduring impact on the evolution of rock music. Lyrics: The lyrical content of "Surrealistic Pillow" reflects the cultural and social turbulence of the 1960s. The album opens with the iconic track "White Rabbit," written by Grace Slick, which draws heavily from Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass." The song is a psychedelic journey that serves as a metaphor for the counterculture's rejection of societal norms and conformity. Slick's bold and evocative lyrics challenge the listener to question authority and embrace a new way of thinking. Other tracks, such as "Somebody to Love" (written by Darby Slick) and "Today" (by Marty Balin), delve into themes of love, introspection, and self-discovery. The lyrics often carry a dreamlike quality, matching the overall psychedelic atmosphere of the music. The poetic and sometimes abstract nature of the lyrics adds depth to the album, allowing listeners to interpret the songs in various ways. Music: Musically, "Surrealistic Pillow" is a masterful blend of folk, rock, and psychedelic elements. The album features a diverse range of instruments, including electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards, creating a rich and textured sound. The use of unconventional instruments, such as the recorder in "She Has Funny Cars" and the distinctive fuzz-tone guitar in "White Rabbit," contributes to the album's experimental and boundary-pushing nature. Grace Slick's powerful and distinctive vocals are a highlight of the album, adding a layer of intensity and charisma to the songs. Marty Balin's smoother, soulful voice complements Slick's, creating a dynamic vocal interplay that enhances the overall listening experience. The instrumental prowess of Jorma Kaukonen (guitar) and Jack Casady (bass) is evident throughout the album, with their intricate playing adding a layer of complexity to the music. The album's arrangements showcase a willingness to experiment with unconventional song structures and sonic landscapes. From the folk-inspired "Embryonic Journey," an instrumental guitar piece by Kaukonen, to the driving rock of "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds," the album covers a wide sonic spectrum that keeps the listener engaged from start to finish. Production: Produced by Rick Jarrard, "Surrealistic Pillow" benefits from a production style that captures the essence of the psychedelic era. The use of reverb, echo effects, and stereo panning creates a surreal and immersive listening experience. The production successfully captures the spontaneous and freewheeling spirit of the band, while also maintaining a level of polish that was characteristic of the era. The incorporation of studio techniques, such as backward guitar parts in "White Rabbit" and the use of unconventional sounds, contributes to the album's avant-garde and experimental nature. The production quality of "Surrealistic Pillow" is a testament to the innovation and creativity that defined the 1960s recording industry. Themes: "Surrealistic Pillow" encapsulates the ethos of the counterculture movement, exploring themes of rebellion, individualism, and the rejection of societal norms. The album's cover art, featuring a whimsical painting by artist Ron Cobb, sets the tone for the surreal and otherworldly journey that awaits the listener. The songs on the album reflect the era's exploration of mind-altering substances, with "White Rabbit" explicitly referencing the drug culture of the time. However, the album goes beyond simple drug references, delving into broader themes of cultural and personal transformation. The dreamlike quality of the music and lyrics encourages listeners to question reality and embrace a more expansive and open-minded worldview. Influence: "Surrealistic Pillow" had a profound influence on the psychedelic rock genre and the broader landscape of popular music. The album's success played a pivotal role in bringing psychedelic rock into the mainstream, paving the way for other iconic acts of the era. The bold and experimental approach to music and lyrics set a precedent for future artists to push creative boundaries and challenge established norms. The impact of the album extended beyond its initial release, with tracks like "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" becoming anthems of the counterculture movement. The fusion of folk, rock, and psychedelic elements on "Surrealistic Pillow" laid the groundwork for the development of progressive and alternative rock in the following decades. Pros: Innovative Sound: The album's fusion of folk, rock, and psychedelic elements showcases a pioneering approach to music that was ahead of its time. Iconic Singles: The inclusion of iconic tracks like "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" contributed to the album's commercial success and enduring cultural impact. Strong Vocal Performances: Grace Slick's powerful and distinctive vocals, combined with Marty Balin's soulful delivery, create a compelling vocal dynamic. Experimental Production: The innovative use of studio techniques and effects adds a layer of experimentation to the album, capturing the spirit of the psychedelic era. Cons: Limited Diversity in Songwriting: While the album is cohesive, some critics argue that there could have been a greater diversity in songwriting styles and themes. Short Duration: With a relatively short runtime, some listeners may feel that the album leaves them wanting more, although this is a subjective perspective. In conclusion, "Surrealistic Pillow" by Jefferson Airplane remains a groundbreaking and influential album that captures the spirit of the 1960s counterculture. Its innovative sound, thought-provoking lyrics, and enduring impact on the evolution of rock music make it a timeless classic that continues to resonate with audiences today. The album's pros far outweigh its cons, cementing its status as a landmark work in the history of rock and psychedelic music.
I loved this way more than I ever expected to. Just a great collection of songs. Definitely understand why this was included in the list. I only listened to the original track list.
Nuevo gobierno en Argentina y segundo disco de Jefferson Airplane. Llegué a esta banda por el documental de Woodstock, como supongo que muchas y muchos de la generación sub-35. Cada cierto tiempo vuelvo a éste trabajo o bandas de esa época, época con la que siempre termino conectando. Hay algo en esos sonidos y voces, en esos looks y estéticas, en esas letras, que son inexplicablemente atrapantes. Anoche con un amigo hablábamos del tema, de lo que no puede ser dicho y me citó a Deleuze con su idea de las casillas vacías, de algo que el lector termina completando por ser el lenguaje algo inabarcable. Eso pasa con muchas músicas y éste disco es un claro ejemplo.
I’d heard the hits before, but there are some other gems on this album. Embryonic Journey was particularly cool!
10/10 an absolute masterpiece of psychedelic rock every single song has something I cherish about it but obviously the masterpiece here is “White Rabbit”
Very good blues, folk, and psychedelic rock with a couple of anthems that define the genre.
so many bangers here on 1001albumgenerators.com, with this being one of the TOPS! when lyrics cant describe certain feelings enough, music comes by to assist it, which is exactly what happens throughout this album ! the whole world knows the power of white rabbit and today - they’re worldwide classics! my favourite song on the album is “embryonic journey” when i was 9-10 years old i always imagined walking down the aisle to this but arn playing the melodica was leagues ahead, perhaps at the vow renewals i will get my og dream come true! nothing else i really have to say, if you didn’t listen to this take the time to immerse yourself, it’s perfect !!! me and grace slick also have the same birthday so we are basically twins - 5/5 forever !
classique 4,5
Cowboy dark folk rock
It was a great experience hearing the album where some of the most iconic songs I knew came from. Hearing what felt like the b-sides made the more popular songs somehow more complete.
One of the gold standards from the era, this LP is a must hear, just ignore the whole Starship nonsense that came later.
Lekker!
Beautiful album! Worth a purchase! 5/5
I love this album. Will definitely listen to again
Good
Lovly
Apart from the classic tracks "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit", this album also contains the stunningly beautiful "Today".
Such a weird band, can’t believe I hadn’t listened to a full album of theirs before
Cool music, lots of variety, and I like the sound
Really my type of music.
Simply amazing.
Wow, plenty of songs I've heard before without knowing the source. Wonderful album
This is in my top five of discoveries on this list, along with Nightclubbing by Iggy Pop and Otis Blue. The first side is one of the best sides ever committed to vinyl, in a genre (sixties psychedelic pop) that is not one of my home zones. Fantastic.
Some crackers on this one!
It’s Psychedelic Rock, but it’s Psychedelic Rock with *Heart*.
Completely of its time but still sounds amazing. Grace Slick's vocal flourishes are perfection. We get a lot of albums from 1967 on this list which are questionable. Not this album: iconic, influential, the hits still hit. Full five stars.