Reviews (page 2 of 14)
Surrealistic Pillow is a great example of what distinguishes a good vocal performance from a great one. The opener “She Has Funny Cars” and the following track “Somebody to Love” are both very competent garage rock songs. However, only one of them became an international smash hit. It’s quite obvious why: on “Somebody to Love,” Grace Slick takes the vocals. While the male vocalists on this record do a good job, Grace is much more expressive. Personally I like the timbre of her voice a bit better, but what really sets her apart is her vocal range and her more effective use of inflection and vibrato. I’m sure “Somebody to Love” would have been a fine song without her. However, her performance lifts the track from fine to legendary. Her singing on “White Rabbit,” the other hit single (which, no surprise, also features her out front), is especially impressive. While the genre blend of tango and rock is interesting on its own, the song is carried by her voice. She reminded me a bit of Florence & the Machine on this track; a band that would form 40 years later. I’m not saying the male vocalists are doing a bad job. Take “In the Morning” as an example. It’s a very traditional blues-rock leaning track. For a song like this to stay interesting, the execution has to be strong, since the musical ideas are rooted so deeply in tradition that they’re hardly exciting by themselves. In other words: here the male vocalist has to do some heavy lifting. I enjoyed the song, which is a testament to the musicianship on display. Still, while it is good, it is not as great as “Somebody to Love” or “White Rabbit.” I also don’t want to undersell what the band is delivering instrumentally. It’s very tastefully done classic rock that excites through its competent execution. The production is also very nice: raw enough for that “garage” feel, while clean enough that everything can be heard clearly - which, given the recording tech at the time, is an achievement in itself. I get that it was probably a risk to give a female voice the lead in a rock band at the time. I just wish they had dared to take that risk more often. Overall it’s a decent classic rock album with a few standout tracks. For me a decent to strong 3.
Surprised by how many songs I knew, was pretty good, recognised one they did on glee lol
Probably the biggest Woodstock act I’m not really familiar with. Pretty alright.
Bland
Hard to believe this album came from a band that would later inflict We Built This City on an unsuspecting world.
Decent. I feel like this is the second of theirs I've heard, but this one was pretty good. For some reason, I thought White Rabbit was like 7 minutes long. Huh.
Great album, deservedly a psych classic
I wonder if Marty Balin got a chuckle watching the 1999 movie The Matrix starring Keanu Reeves. Balin put Jefferson Airplane together to be the house band of a club he had just purchased called The Matrix. Then this brunette chick (Grace Slick) with a "White Rabbit" comes along and the next thing you know he's, like, fighting the system, man. Whoa.
a solid 4 that could err on a 5 but the core of the album underwhelms compared to the stand-out tracks. but golly, stand-out tracks they are!! and the ones that i didn't know, that i wound up liking, too-easily became ear-worms for the rest of the day. great stuff!! highlights - she has funny cars, somebody to love, today, 3/5 of a mile in 10 seconds, white rabbit, plastic fantastic lover, come back baby
I went into this album only knowing "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit," two songs I've always loved. I even got to hear them performed live when I saw Starship at Mohegan Sun just before the pandemic. Mickey Thomas still sounded incredible, and the female vocalist did Grace Slick justice. What surprised me most about this album was how much it reminded me of the Mamas & the Papas and The Byrds. The layered vocal harmonies, folk-rock melodies, and psychedelic touches made for a really enjoyable combination. "She Has Funny Cars" kicked things off beautifully with a cool beat and terrific vocal layering. "My Best Friend," "D.C.B.A.-25," and "How Do You Feel" continued that wonderful '60s folk-rock vibe. "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds" brought some welcome energy, while the short acoustic instrumental "Embryonic Journey" reminded me of Lindsey Buckingham's guitar playing. Of course, "White Rabbit" is still incredible. The way it builds to that huge crescendo is brilliant. And "Plastic Fantastic Lover" was a great way to close the album. The only songs that didn't do much for me were "Today" and "Comin' Back to Me." Both were a little too slow and didn't hold my attention. I also listened to the bonus tracks on Spotify. "Go to Her" really rocks, and I enjoyed the blues-rock sound of "Come Back Baby." Those were nice additional discoveries, although I'm basing my rating on the original 11 tracks. Overall, this was a terrific surprise. I came in knowing two classics and walked away appreciating a whole lot more of Jefferson Airplane's music. There's great musicianship, excellent harmonies, and enough variety to keep things interesting. 4/5 stars. Vinyl verdict: BUY!
I have heard of the band and listened to one song before today. I kind of get why I haven't heard more of them before. While not bad it seems very much like an album that fit well in the 60s while in both style and mixing. I had an okay time listening today but at the end I was kind of done and feeling like I wouldn't choose to listen again in the future, so many other bands and songs that I would rather pick.
Kind of tough to rate as an album, since it contains two of the most iconic songs of the 60s ("Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit," both of which Rolling Stone magazine includes in its list of the 500 best singles of all time.) and a lot of other largely forgettable songs that do a great job of capturing the "flower power" of the time. The entire experience begs the question: How many great songs does it take to uplift a lot of non-greatness to a higher level?
Quite good.
Worth more listens. Always loved White Rabbit.
First time listening to this album... fantastic portrait of a moment in time. The music, lyrics and production really set you in a summer of love vibe throughout the whole album. Somebody To Love and White Rabbit are obvious and gigantic songs emblematic of this era and pretty timeless. The rest of the album moves briskly but has a lot of relistenability, short catchy songs and an amazing instrumental that sets the mood for Alice to go down the rabbit hole
Good album, white rabbit and somebody to love are psych rock classics of course but there's some boring stuff here
Нормально, понятно что хиты Somebody to Love и White Rabbit качают, но в остальном достаточно типичное звучание.
Silly band name. Silly album name. Silly first song name (“She has Funny Cars” is kind of an all timer for that) There are two big reasons to listen to this album, and the biggest is that intense banshee vibrato vocal of Grace Slick on “Somebody to Love”. It's a simple song that becomes hypnotic, one of the most important female vocal takes in modern music. “White Rabbit” is its own little joy, but it is much more regimented, like a drugged march. Translating Alice in Wonderland into this sort of musical piece is peak, pure psychedelia, leading up to that pristine wail of “feed your head.” You could give that song to an actual rabbit and it would create psych on its own from the template. The album on the whole suffers the way so much psychedelia does. You're following Somebody to Love with the doofy “My Best Friend”, trading that drugged out swirling for a drugged out half-asleep vibe. Some songs walk a tightrope between both sides, like “today,” which has some lovely textures but ultimately feels sleepy. Lots of these are general psych, group vocals, standard guitars. It's weird that there isn't as much highlighting either Jorma's guitar nor Grace's voice. There are some nice harmonies on “How Do You Feel,” and great guitar on the interlude track Embryonic Journey. But it just doesn't stay consistent in anyway. Sadly par for the course with the style and era. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Day 420 Jesus, this was fantastic. Absolutely loved it. Highlights Somebody to Love 3/5 of a mile in 10 seconds Come back baby
2/5 some okay songs but it's just so bland and forgettable
3.5 mid pleasant to listen to
A little bit f daddy / champagne socialist. They were a great band. The politics were dumb.
This record sounds fresh relative to other relics of psychedelic San Francisco in 1967. The sound of West Coast rock wasn't all that up to speed until the mid-70s for the most part (outside of CSNY-types), if you're asking me. That all said, there's a three-song run in the middle of this that is fantastic - Embryonic Journey, White Rabbit and Plastic Fantastic Lover - all great tunes, killer jams, 60s rock or otherwise. White Rabbit deserves a special place in the annals of pop music. It feels like getting smashed into a brick wall whenever I hear it. Starts out soft and alluring and a minute and a half later you're freaking out in insanity of what's happening to the song, to your ears and your mind. Then poof - song over. Like a DMT hit or the first wave of a nitrous balloon - freak out - then over. Anyway, most of the record sounds dated, but Grace Slick has a fantastic voice and the Airplane deserves a lot of credit as the leaders of a scene and movement that probably got beaten and battered so that those that followed them out of SF in the 60s (the Dead, Santana, Creedence, Steve Miller, etc.) could fly.
Ahh the San Francisco Sound. Today is my favorite song on the album.
Classic
Good psychedelic rock, which feels like a big ask.
Bit of a mixed bag. The album shifts between rock, blues, folk and psychedelic. Not all successfully. Some nice riffs. femaile singar has a great voice - shame we dont hear her more. White rabbit reamins the standout followed by somebody to love. 3/5
'Somebody to Love' is probably the most exciting and emblematic song of the 60s and the hippie era. It's one of those songs that sound timeless but are unequivocally of a different era of humanity. Then there's 'White Rabbit,' which is a relentless storm of awe and weird. These two songs are enough to put 'Surrealistic Pillow' among the best records ever released, but the rest of the album doesn't disappoint either. Funnily enough, the lead single 'My Best Friend' was a flop, probably because sounds like a The Beatles ripoff, and 'Today' turned into a hit without ever being a single. All in all, in this album Jefferson Airplane manage to do in 2:30-3 minutes what many other artists can't achieve with much longer songs. Honestly, I'd loved it to have more Grace Slick songs than it does, but that's fine.
Very nice
Really good rock album
3.5/5. I’ve always primarily been aware of Jefferson Airplane through the two big hits “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” which are both movie soundtrack staples (anytime I hear somebody to love I just think of the cohen brothers film “a serious man.”) Those are both great songs of course, but there’s also some solid deep cuts here like “My Best Friend” or the fingerpicked instrumental “Embryonic Journey.” Though some of the track list is fairly standard (but not bad) 60’s psych-rock that doesn’t stand out too much compared to its contemporaries. But this was a fun listen all around, enjoyed my time with it.
It sucked bum
It’s a very long album didn’t end up finishing it but enjoyed the music
Decent album, obviously 2 stand out tunes, but the rest seems like a bit of a mixture, I listened on Monday afternoon with the Hens in the Garden.
A band I have come across now and then from that era but not really listened to very much. Their sound prompted me to find out more about the band history and influences. This album had a couple of their recognisable hits and can see how interest in them grew. An enjoyable listen.
This is a wonderful album, but I have always been a tad underwhelmed by the slower tracks here. My best Friend, How Do you feel, Today. They’re earworms. But all I really wanna do is hear Somebody to Love, White Rabbit, 3/5 of a Mile (although there’s better live versions of this one), and Plastic Fantastic. Love me some Jefferson Airplane. Underrated band
Classic album. Somebody to Love is an all-time song, so, so good. This is a really rangy album. Some of it is folksy, some psychedelic. Currently too sober to listen to this album the way it was intended! Embyonic Journey and White Rabbit are also classic tracks (White Rabbit maybe more classic, I just recognized the instrumental somehow. Must have been in a movie, much like White Rabbit.)
Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane had a few standout, iconic tracks that I recognized, but as a whole, I didn't really blow me away.
Notable Textzeile: When the truth is found to be lies And all the joy within you dies Don't you want somebody to love? Normalerweise bleibe ich an eher obskuren Textzeilen hängen, aber hier liegt die grandiose Einfachheit, Klarheit und Tiefe fast direkt neben der grandiosen „White Rabbit“ Verrätselung. Dazwischen ist ganz schon viel Füller, der gar nicht so psychedelisch ist, sondern eher harmloser Flower-Folk-Pop-Rock. Aber ich nehm ihnen das jetzt nicht übel, weil das Album eben trotzdem gut gebaut und abwechslungsreich ist und viele Songs nicht so ausufernd sind. Die beiden Überhits und ihr mannigfaltiger Einsatz in diversen Filmen reichen mir hier für eine hohe Wertung, zu Recht kulturell sehr significant.
Middle of the (psychedelic) road.
Im besten Sinne: genau das was ich erwartet hatte.
I love white rabbit and somebody to love but the rest not as much
More like a 7 out of ten. I’ve owned this album for over thirty years but have never spent much time with it. It’s never quite lived up to the high expectations for me.
3.5
3.5
A few standouts - Somebody to Love, Embryonic Journey, White Rabbit. The rest was good but not too memorable. 3 1/2 rounded up for how good of a song White Rabbit is.
Good album with quite the variety
Pretty solid album. Mix of folk, blues, and psychedelic rock. Contains probably their two biggest hits, but the b-sides are good too.
psychadelic
A classic 60s record, with bangers like White Rabbit and Somebody to Love.
Thoughts before listening: Jefferson Airplane is pretty good. You'd expect them to be more of a Grateful Dead style jamband, but they really aren't on their albums. Sure there are some psychedelic leads from Jorma Kaukonen, but this is ultimately psychedelic pop rock that would eventually evolve into the arena rock of Starship. In many ways, this band was leaning into the sounds of each era they worked through and to their credit, they created iconic songs for each of those eras. I much prefer this album and their hippie 60s era to what would come later for the band. Review: Yeah so this is psychedelic folk rock ala the Byrds with some extra psychedelia thrown in that became a major selling hit thanks to "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit". Outside of these massive, era-defining hits, there are some other gems on this album such as the lovely instrumental "Embryonic Journey" and the rocking opener "She Has Funny Cars". Overall, I can dig this album for sure although, I do prefer Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady's work with Hot Tuna which fits more into the jammy blues rock sound I would expect from the Airplane. The version of this album I am listening to is an expanded release that includes unreleased bonus material, and the band is at their best on these tracks. I especially like when they ramp up the distortion and rock out a bit, with some of my favorite songs being "Go to Her" and "Come Back Baby". There is an almost proto-punk/garage rock quality to those tracks that really connects with me, and I love the extended psych guitar work. A lot of that version of the Airplane was stripped out of the original release to allow it to focus more heavily on the more polished, radio friendly songs. I'll give this 4-stars
Não tem como avaliar abaixo de 5 estrelas, não só pela qualidade do disco mas pelo impacto cultural que teve no final dos anos 60 e toda a contracultura. White Rabbit é um hino psicodélico, e a trilha sonora mas cliché possível em cenas envolvendo entorpecentes. Somebody to Love também é clássico. Particularmente, Today e Embryonic Journey são os pontos altos, essa ultima me lembra Anos Incríveis.
Very nice :) Got some songs i already loved and will continue to love. (4.2/5)
The cold side, as always.
I really really enjoyed this
Released in 1968, "it is considered to be one of the most influential and quintessential works of the early psychedelic rock era and 1960s counterculture." This is based on the music as well as the drug references. Some songs are more folk than rock but all have that trippy vibe. This band was really talented with two great singers in Grace Slick and Marty Balin in addition to Jorma Kaukonen lead guitar (classic sound), Paul Kanter and Jack Casady. Also, Jerry Garcia played on a few songs. I knew their classic top two songs but I really like the others on this album. Top songs for me are: She Has Funny Cars Somebody to Love Today Comin' Back to me White Rabbit
Definitely an album of the 60's, but perversely, not sounding completely dated. Yeah, I liked it. Definitely a high 3, wouldn't quite make it a 4
Nice. Enjoyable bit of flower power.
This was a lot better than I thought it would be. The two singles are the standout tracks, but the rest was of a high standard for Psychedelic folky stuff. It would have been my thing I have been my dad's age. In fact he rated them highly. Just a shame he never played them more!
Outside of the hits, I found this a little underwhelming.
Woooooooooooooahhhh
Grace Slicks rules this album. Unfortunately, most of the other tracks, barring the instrumentals, are a bit lame to modern ears. 2 stars + 1 star for White Rabbit alone.
Interesante. Me gusta el pase de folk clásico a un rock más psicodelico. Decente
Probably the album that made me listen to more 60s stuff.
Absolutely essential album on the list no doubt! However, a bit embarrasing to admin, but I have never listened to the whole thing! Only know 2 big hits like Somebody to Love and White Rabbit so this should be an interesting journey, for sure at least 3 based on the hits alone. After listening to this, "Today" is sick track as well and album has a general great psyuchedelic vibe and is classic for a reason, probably at least 3.5 RYM and I will be generoius here and most likely round up to 4 stars.
Other than the two singles, this is some really middling to cringe-worthy early rock music. Some of those rhymes are really clumsy.
Good!
Liked it more than expected. Has some Byrds and Mommas and Papas sounds. 4/5
The songs with the female lead are really good, the rest are solid but didnt make me feel too much. I think this album is suffering from coming after Superfly which had a similar sound but a lot more energy and some extra years.
"Feed your head"
Jefferson’s first incarnation and certainly its best this is one of the defining albums of the psychedelic wave of the late 1960’s
El Nil ho tenia en vinil i potser ho haviem escoltat abans. Jo, personalment, em vaig sorpendre al arribar a la de White Rabbit dient: “Ah! Son ells!” Un álbum molt i molt bó, per fumar, per conduir, o per sentir-ho al vinil a casa amb un incens i un gatet a les teves cames.<3
I love a lady singer :-)
Pretty obvious to everyone except the band that Grace should’ve been main vocals full time
Really classic psychedelic late 60's sound.
Enjoyed the whole album, although not all of it stuck in memory. White Rabbit and Somebody to Love <3
nice sound i like it
To me it sounds like a more raw version of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Although I prefer them, still good though.
Some bangers and some really interesting instrumentation and experimentation going on here. Jefferson Airplane is my favourite iteration of this series of bands.
Some good songs but not enough to carry the album 3
Not a bad one
Some really good songs on here, some that I’m not too fussed on. I can see why it’s on this list
I've seen a lot of people praising "Surrealistic Pillow" as one of the most underrated psychedelic rock albums. Personally? I don't care for it as much as I maybe should. I'm a fan of a lot of psychedelic music, so when I saw people hyping it up THIS much, I was pretty excited to listen to it. It sat on my list until today, when I rolled it on the 1001 albums generator. There are some good pop rock songs on here, such as "My Best Friend" and "Plastic Fantastic Lover." And the more folky songs such as "Comin' Back to Me" and "Embryonic Journey" are really beautiful. But when it comes to the "main attractions" of this album, the psychedelic rock, I was just left wanting more. They felt a little plain. This was my introduction to Jefferson Airplane, so I could be wrong about this, but it seems they're much better at folk rock than psychedelic rock. I'm definitely curious to hear what else they put out, though I can't guarantee I would love it. I think this is a decent album, but one of the most underrated psych albums? Maybe not. ----- #0002 Heard on: 14 Sep. 2026 Rating: ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ (171 / 324) Favorite track: Comin' Back to Me Least favorite track: She Has Funny Cars
meh
Some real classics on this album! Love a couple of tracks, but wouldn’t listen to album again
It should've been generated one day earlier
Havent heard this before (FALSE)
It’s been awhile since I listened to this one, and it’s better than I remember. The slower songs are just alright, but when they really gear into the psych rock it’s something special. Great opening song, “Somebody to Love” and “⅗ of a Mile” rip, and “White Rabbit” is a true all-timer; what a haunting, cathartic song. I never get tired of the way it builds. (And Grace Slick is one of the coolest women ever.) The mixing is pretty dated. It sounds like it was recorded in someone’s garage. It kind of adds to its charm.
Rate: 8.5/10.
I find the stereo mix of this distractingly bad and wish the mono version was on my streaming service. Nonetheless, this is deservedly considered a classic record. It kinda shows how psychedelic rock sprouted out of folk rock. There are very stereotypically late ‘60s songs here, but also some very pretty and (if my using the term may be forgiven) groovy moment here, too. Very much an album of its time. Nothing wrong with. It ain’t bad. It ain’t bad at all, the mix aside.
Lovely, cannot believe I haven't listened to them more! Reminded me of the Mamma's and the Papa's, which I love.
This was all over the place, pockets of brilliance into twee shite. On the whole forgettable, but rescued from 2 by *those songs*.
Incredible
I was already familiar with a couple of their big songs, but happy to find out that I really like the rest of the album too! Super groovy, easy listening, and really fun chord progressions.
Realizing I knew more Jefferson Airplane songs than I would have guessed the day before. Closed my eyes listening to this and immediately saw flower-decal Volkswagen buses and tie-dye. It’s crazy how good White Rabbit is for basically just being a recitation of Alice in Wonderland buzzwords. Ummmmmm yeah it was pretty good I don’t have that much else to say about that! Second act montage needle drop in my biopic: “My Best Friend”
yippee, psychedelic rock! fun transition from yesterdays noise factory Its cute! Its kind of like if the monkees showered less. I was excited to see a banjo on the cover but honestly over the course of the album I didn't really hear it. Stolen valor. Over time the songs kind of blended together which is sort of the point with a jammy album like this, but at the end of the day it didn't have too much of an effect on me. Ok now im gonna be harsh but its going to be two stars for this one. Not because its even especially bad but I think my metric for something being three stars is if I would listen to it again and I think if I want this vibe im always going to be reaching for cornell 5/8/77 instead. would have been at least a three if they had given daddy a dose of some banjo. also. i don't get the hype around white rabbit. that song is kinda dumb to me. Likelihood that the members of this band lezzed out IMO: 4/5 it was the 60s, look at their hair, its covering all of their ears, these guys were swapping out band members because they were running through the internal crew like crazy.
good road trip album. few complaints, not very much banjo at all, kind of a let down since he’s wielding that banjo so intently on the album cover. feels like false advertising. needed more grace slick lead vox, her songs (somebody to love, white rabbit) are the stone cold bangers of the album. 3/5 of a mile in 10 seconds is the other big standout for me the rest is pretty meh for me, just sounds a bit like b tier grateful dead tracks..really gorgeous guitar playing throughout that sounds wayyy more interesting in headphones though
8/10
I went into Surrealistic Pillow already knowing the big hits in "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" and yeah, they totally live up to the hype. Grace Slick is just on another level, and honestly, I wish she sang lead on everything. Outside of those heavy hitters, the rest of the album was a bit of a surprise. It’s got this weird mix of folksy, acoustic stuff and bluesy tracks like "Embryonic Journey." Some of the quieter moments feel a little dated and slow compared to the energy of the singles, but as a whole, it’s a pretty cool time capsule of that 1967 San Francisco scene. It’s not perfect, but those highs are so good that it’s easy to see why it’s considered a classic. Weirdly these poster children of the 1960s counterculture morphed into the 1980s corpo-synth-pop machine that produced "We Built This City" and "Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now", fuckin' sell outs!
I can understand the importance and merit of this, but I was a bit disappointed with it after recently becoming aware of "Somebody to Love" and several other tracks on here. The highs are undoubtedly great and carry the entire thing, but this is an uneven ride where much of the surrounding material is that slow dirging style of sugary psych-folk which sets my teeth on edge. The pacing is very "off" and it felt like the album never sustained any momentum at any juncture.
One of those late sixties albums where you can clearly hear the music shift from jangly guitar pop with catchy choruses into the complexities and layered instrumentation of what came next. Not to mention the way the lyrics veer from simple love songs to much more introspective poetry to whatever the hell White Rabbit is supposed to be. It's gone on my 'really ought to own a copy of this' list, as the last time I knowingly listened to it in its entirety would have been in the early eighties (hi Graeme), and it's quite a bit more brilliant than I remembered it being.
Parts were excellent. It seems to me that Grace Slick was underutilized, even though she sings the most recognizable two songs from the album. Some of this sounds very sixties in a kind of generic way, but at points the sound is also original. The bluesy songs were surprisingly good.
Definitely a good album, especially for 1967. Easy to see how this album's sound really influenced the following decade. Would definitely revisit.
No fue mi favorito pero fue agradable.
Eu costumo ter um pé atras com o rock psicodélico dos anos 60, mas Jefferson Airplane me fez mudar um pouco o pensamento. Este album contém quase tudo, desde músicas mais palatáveis até psicodelia pura, até musicas mais calmas. Uma variedade espetacular em um sólido album.
This was decent but not incredible. The only two Jefferson Airplane songs I think I know are the two big hits off this album, "Somebody To Love" and "White Rabbit" which are definitely the best songs on here. The rest is mostly just okay to me?
Some all time greats on here!
Quintessential sound to this genre and generation of music... Not an all the time album but iconic at the right time.
I always kind of thought Jefferson Airplane, and the song White Rabbit specifically, were a bit gimmicky in the sense that this is music for long haired, hippy stoners. To be fair, I was a long haired, hippy stoner in high school and I did love this album. I haven’t listened to Jefferson Airplane since high school and I honestly wasn’t really expecting it to hold up for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it today. It’s just a solid psychedelic rock album.
At first I rolled my eyes at YET ANOTHER 60’s/70’s rock album - but this one was alright you know.. Still.. bit more variety on the next addition of 1001 albums to listen to would be so appreciated.
oh sweet i know 2 songs off this, very popular songs somebody to love and white rabbit. haven't started listening yet just picking the album for the day. already a MUCH more pleasant listen than yesterday. i remember being at the woodstock museum and seeing their performance and omg.. yeah they apparently rocked that shit. yeah listening to this album is a huge refreshment from yesterday's BS. love the flute. ugh white rabbit is SUCH a good song. i mean i already thought this but omg.
I love this. Its just the right amount of psychedelic late 60s band that feels pretty modern. Great vocals, interesting tracks, and wonderful instrumentation. Not something I will return to again and again, but something I was pleasantly surprised by.
The tracks with Grace Slick vocals are strong, the rest fairly generic 60s psych-pop.
I recall hearing Somebody to Love at a very early age and loving it immediately and I had a similar experience with White Rabbit. I’m glad to learn that the rest of the album is good too!
Enig med Anna.
En klassiker. Er helt der oppe og snuser på femmeren. En av de sykeste fun factene i rockehistorien er jo at de senere skiftet navn til Starship og ga ut låter som «We built this city».
Får lyst på sopp. Sterk firer. Til de som syns den e litt lang: Spotify e helt dust. Det e en eller anna special edition pess som ligg der. Plata e egentlig ferdig etter spor 11.
Hørt på solseng på Granka. 12 av 15 låter er helt konge!
Et par legendariske hits, litt psykedelisk rock, litt streit blues. En herlig kombo!
Early psychedelic rock. Right. Okay. Let's see this. Wait actually this is nice. Wait nvm Scooby doo sounding ass. Good for her and her funny cars. Oh wait this song?? Wasn't this sampled by someone? Hmm okay pretty good. A little just meh but still good surely. Holy fuck how many songs are there. Jesus Christ. 3/5 of a mile in 10 seconds is not that much. Oh wait holy shit that's 316 m/h nvm. What tf are you doing that you need to be going that fuckin fast?? Hello?? Slow down Mr. Airplane. Genuinely what is this guy on about. Well I feel kinda tired right now, thanks for asking. Really weird titles ngl. I mean it is pretty good just meh. Unremarkable. Wait ok guitar. Why does the last song always bang. Favourite: Somebody To Love Least favourite: Comin' Back To Me
Its a well known album with great singles but to me its the beatles all over again but with a female voice.
Hell yessss Grace Slick!!!
Somebody to Love and White Rabbit are both stand outs. The rest is fine. Would have preferrer more of Grace Slick on lead vocals. 3/5.
Gave this a 5 before, shall demote as I don’t CRAVE hearing this but god damn is it great x
Pretty good. 2-3 good tracks but the whole album had a nice vibe, just with 2 or 3 standout tracks lifting it
solid
It was fun. A little too cutesy at times. Liked 3/5 of a mile.
Obv I've heard somebody to love before but i'd never heard this band. Diversity of sounds was great, still cohesive. Coming back to me and embryonic journey were highlights
this falls in the category of albums i've had on my computer since time immemorial but have never really gotten around to. i already knew 'somebody to love' and 'white rabbit' but otherwise these songs were new to me. fantastic album. 'my best friend' is bland and skipworthy (it was the lead single? lol) but apart from that, this is pretty killer. whatever their dalliances circa 1967, the beatles and the stones were not hippies. this is the actual factual san francisco pre-summer of love genuine article. stylistically it's what i expected: it shows the influence of the '60s folk revival and the british invasion, and adds the communal/anarchic energy of american counterculture. multiple singers/songwriters with varying backgrounds & styles keep it interesting over a tight 34 min runtime. an album widely classified as "psychedelic," but i find that that comes down mainly to a mood established by the performers (i.e., there aren't any avant garde jams or studio experimentations on surrealistic pillow). the vibes are strong enough to overpower the clunkier lyrics (including on 'somebody to love'). 'my best friend' aside (on its account i'd rate this album 4.5/5 if i could), the worst i can say is that maybe the middle of the album doesn't quite reach the iconic level of the first two and last two songs.
Not really my cup of tea, but certainly feels of its time. I lack the context to know whether this album was especially influential., though I know some of the songs are hallmarks of late 60s counterculture. I'm not that into the harmonies or the instrumentals. Reminds me of the Doors, whom I also don't really care for.
Interesting album
Very snazzy beats 3/5
Folksy, slow.
i liked this one quite nice
Incredible. Have already re-listened to it all the way through a couple of times.
Don't feel anything particularly strong about this one. A few good tracks and sweet guitar riffs. Liked the snare drums in White Rabbit.
"She Has Funny Cars" 5 "Somebody to Love" 8 great classic song "My Best Friend" 6.5 "Today"6 "Comin' Back to Me" 5 "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds" 6 "D.C.B.A.–25" 5.5 "How Do You Feel"6.5 "Embryonic Journey" 7 nice acoustic guitar "White Rabbit" 7.5 another classic. "Plastic Fantastic Lover 6 it ok
la SORPRESA que fue para mi que en este album esté la ultima cancion del ultimo episodio de friends, Y NADIE MENCIONANDOLO EN LAS REVIEWS!!! es una pieza de historia ya solo por eso el album es precioso, representa perfecto el genero, y por más que a mi siempre estos discos de rock psicodelico de los 60 me suelen aburrir, este es objetivamente un muy buen album 7/10
Good
サイケって感じ。声が誰かに似てる気がするけど思い出せない、サイケ独特のサウンドがわかりやすくて、良いです
4/5 Favorite Songs: She Has Funny Cars Somebody To Love 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds Embryonic Journey White Rabbit In The Morning Go To Her Come Back Baby
Couple of bangers in there.
So trippy
I very much enjoyed this one. Great vibes, a little whimsical, crazy instrumentals. Plus I’ve always loved White Rabbit and Somebody to Love.
"comin' back" is pure poetry
Excellence but also slight horror throwbacks to that Alice in wonderland prod I done at drama school
Very mellow, good vibes. I really liked listening to this on a slow morning commute.
Only listened to about half, but good, relaxing music
White Rabbit allein ist ein Stern wert deswegen knapp 4/5
Another day of the 1,001 album challenge. This was a pretty good listening experience. The guitar and the female vocals absolutely banged. I will say this really isn’t what I jam to, which I’m realizing is true for a lot of music in this journey I embarked on. However, I can appreciate what this album had to offer even if it had some skips in my opinion.
Olha, não tem como não dar um 5 estrelas nesse aqui. Todas as músicas são muito boas, não passam do limite, no sentido de estender sem necessidade por puro preciosismo, aqui tudo é calculado e muito bem feito. Folk, psicodélico, rock, tudo muito bem encaixado e orquestrado.
Love it!
There are very few tolerable psychedelic rock groups, but these guys are one of them
This is someone’s cup of tea.. but not mine :’)
Holds up fairly well.
an entire hour - didnt think they could fit all of this music on a record... Somebody to love, not a bad track, white rabbit is a banger too - the rest can be left in the dustbin of history whoever the female singer is, carries the band
Very nice album. Lovely mixture of balladic melodies and clean early rock and roll guitar sounds. Complimented well by the vocals.
Bastante agrad
love the folk and psychedelic elements never knew this album had somebody to love 4.3/5
Two transcendent songs. Several excellent ones. A few that history remembers more fondly than the actual music warrants. That’s a masterpiece-adjacent album—not an untouchable one.
Really cool, much better than I was expecting to be honest. Enough variation in the songs to keep it interesting and some great musicinaship on display
Enjoyed this album a lot. Grace Slick what an awesome voice!
A title that is almost as perfect as the song Today. Ever thankful to the Coens for introducing me to these dudes (and gal). When the truth is found to be lies And all the joy within you dies Don't you want somebody to love
++: She Has Funny Cars, Somebody to Love, My Best Friend, Comin' Back to Me, 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds, D.C.B.A.–25, How Do You Feel, Embryonic Journey, White Rabbit, Plastic Fantastic Lover +: Today 9,7/10
Muy buen rock psicodélico. No imaginé me iba a gustar tanto. Entretenido álbum. 7/10
Best songs had Grace as the main vocalist, everything else was average
3.5 stars.
wouldn't listen to on my own but pretty good just kinda dated
Ok'ish
Top ! Mélange de rock folk, blues Petit air de Doors parfois et de Simon & Garfunkel
Really liked the song “Today”
Got a country blues vibe. A sign of a good album to me is when there are songs that leap out to me. Although with this album that isn’t the case and they all sound similar, that means that the album is at least consistent. 6/10
5/5
Great album. Had never heard this before and thoroughly enjoyed it start to finish. 8.7 out of 10 for me
Terrible, terrible name
I know it’s a classic and I enjoyed listening for the first and probably only time
Somebody to Love, White Rabbit and Embryonic Journey are all absolutely 5/5. The rest was pretty bleh.
Liked 3/5 of a mile in 10 seconds, the big hits Somebody and Rabbit, How Do You Feel. Overall pretty good, maybe a bit of distracted listen but not mind blowing.
I feel like we've been on a long string of middling albums where I just don't have a lot to say about them. There are some great songs off this album and it's mainly the ones that got popular (for good reason). Unfortunately, none of the previously-unheard songs for me really hit that much like I had hoped for.
Surprised how much I liked this. Really well done album and the hits still work. I only really knew of them because of other songs referencing them but glad I got to listen to and album
without grace slick this album would've been nothing
Amazing sound. Very good for road trips. Liked it.
i was expecting a lot of songs like Somebody to Love, that is cool and all, but i don't like it that much. but instead, it's surprising how a group that i associated with hippie music has so much blues influence and that energy is really present in their music Really cool
I own this album but haven't listened in at least 40 years. I liked it then. This time I had to listen to it twice - first in my car., then second on headphones in an effort to hear the nuance through the reverb. I'm glad I listened that second time. I heard a musicianship I hadn't heard before and the range of style, emotion, and musicianship I didn't know was there before. I will listen many more times now.
Makes me want to do drugs in the 60's and protest Vietnam Fave track: Somebody to Love
Harmless. 2.5/5
actually full fo classics!!!
I enjoyed this one. It had a distinct sound that one can identify as Jefferson Airplane, but didn't feel like every track was just a slight variation of the track before. Enough variety to keep me looking forward to how the next track would unfold. Would listen again.
There's a lot to be said for a band that explicitly sets out to defy conventions, but still maintains a strong sense of musicality. From an LSD trip set to an ever-building Spanish march ("White Rabbit") to a straight-ahead rocker that opposes the prevailing Free Love philosophy ("Somebody to Love") to a joyful 12-string acoustic instrumental ("Embryonic Journey"), this record goes places. Some of the tunes are more straightforward psychedelic rock, with echoes of the Grateful Dead and the like, but overall this is a talented band that is working hard to break out of musical ruts.
I appreciate some of the stuff JA did, I grew up on true classic rock radio and "Somebody To Love" & "White Rabbit" (both with over 330M listens) were constants so I know them super well. This is my first foray into the full album. First take is it sounds dated, but it is 1967. Some of the guitar work is fun and inventive (see "In The Morning"). "My Best Friend" is a folksy number and an odd fit. Marty Balin's "Coming Back To Me" was just boring and showcases what he'll do when he goes solo. The back half of the album feels like cutting room floor stuff (tracks 11-15). Best track I didn't know, "Come Back Baby". Eclectic mix with rock, folk, blues and ballads - but because of that it feels disjointed and cobbled together to me. I don't know if the album is Top 1001 worthy. 3 stars for two megahits everyone knows and longevity/influence.
somebody to love, and others
She Has Funny Cars - kind of boring, not doing much for me. Somebody to Love - classic song, interesting guitar parts that feel somewhere in between surf rock and psychedelic music. It’s a fine enough song, i know it’s famous, but out of big classic famous songs so far it doesn’t do a ton for me. My Best Friend - is this like a cowboy clomp rhythm? Picks up midway with a fun beat. Today - i like the guitar parts on this one. Comin' Back to Me - fine little folk song, kind of boring. 3/4 of a Mile in 10 Seconds - This song probably went pretty hard in the '60s. *Random break thought: I'm not really into this album, but I think it's probably kind of unfair because the music is fine enough, it's just pretty old. I'm sure that at the time this was pretty great stuff, it just doesn't resonate as hard right now. You can hear the beginnings of psychedelic music here, and the influence of some of the bouncy surf rock guitar stuff. There's some real musical talent here, the guitar parts seem pretty solid and the songwriting seems well thought out. I think it's probably a pretty solid album for its time, so I don't want to rank it lowly, it's just an older style of music I'm less interested in personally. Also why in the world is this album an hour long? Also this album is later than I realized, it's 1967 so kind of right during the Summer of Love which makes a lot of sense. This feels like hippie music. DCBA - 25 - Dreamy, hippy. How Do You Feel - Yeah, this sounds about like 1967. It's folky, hippie, dreamy. Again, not my favorite personally but this is kind of the quintessential sound of the summer of love in my mind. Embryonic Journey - Okay well first of all, this name sucks. Holy cow this is a fingerpicking masterclass though. It's so annoying that this is my favorite song on the album so far and it's got the worst name imaginable. White Rabbit - Obviously one of the most famous Jefferson Airplane songs. The intro is trippy and vibey, definitely more interesting than most of the songs so far. Definitely thought this was going to be White Room by Cream and got all excited and realized my mixup, which was kind of a bummer. Plastic Fantastic Lover - This one is kind of cool, more of a jam than the others. In the Morning - Very bluesy, which is odd because it doesn't really mesh with the rest of the album? Just a complete vibe change. What is going on here? This is like a completely different band? I like it though, it's a decent little blues track. I prefer the bluesy stuff to the hippie stuff. *Note: This album is all over the place, and I don't think in a very good way. JPPMC Step B Blues - This is NOT a blues song what are we doing here. 'In the morning,' a blues song in the middle of the album followed up with a NOT blues song called 'JPPMC Step B Blues,' why is this album so famous? Go to Her - Guitar on this one is pretty sick. The vocals are not my favorite but this one kind of bops. Come Back Baby - Back to the bluesy thing. Cool little solo with some fuzz/crunch tones. Album Highs: Somebody to Love Embryonic Journey White Rabbit Come Back Baby Album Lows: How Do You Feel Comin' Back to Me 3/4 of a Mile in 10 Seconds I think this is a 2/5. I don't hate the album, but I don't really like it. It has a few highs but doesn't fit the 3/5 criteria. There are some cool guitar parts, some interesting trippy/vibey songs on here. I don't know that I love any of the songs enough to put this one as a 3/5, but there's some musical talent in here.
I knew I listened to a lot of Jefferson Airplane growing up, but never really past when my parents would play it around me. Really hit me like a ton of bricks when I heard hit after hit on this album and realized where a bunch of formative songs and melodies actually came from. True flower power album, and probably in the top 10 of the 60s.
Wow I liked this so much more than I thought I would. It felt very nostalgic, I’m not sure my parents ever actually played it but it felt familiar and comforting. I also thought white rabbit was one of my least favourites off the album (though maybe that’s because I’ve heard it a lot before).
At the start, I thought this could be anything. But something I didn't expect was lullabies. The middle few tracks kind of blew me away with how slow, melodic, and relaxing they were. The energy picked back up in the latter part, which was nice to see though. Something that this shares with the other Psychedelic Rock we've had so far is that the lyrics are really quite difficult to grasp the meaning of. Language changes over sixty years, I suppose. Rating: There's a balance to strike here. Some of these tracks are fun to bop along to, enjoyable. Others are the sap fests that might feel romantic if someone is singing them to you, but otherwise, if tastes and orientations don't line up, are likely to make one's eyes roll, and fall asleep. It's got to go in the 3 star range. A product of the 60s, not so hot in the 20s.
3/5 Favorite Song: Somebody To Love
Amazing album! It was psychedelic and had a lot of acoustic guitar in it. The acoustic guitar was a really good touch. The album is one of the greatest of all time and definitely deserves it's spot on here! Timeless!
2.7 I listenend to this a while back and thought it was ok. Not the best but i think it had its moments here and there.
Very delicate tight rope to walk here but good balance of poppier psychedelic tracks, 60's folk/protest rock, and generally solid 60's style production. May be a classic with more repeated listens
lurv.
La de White Rabbit no se por qué pensaba que era de The Mamas and the Papas. Está bien, un poquito largo de más pero tiene cosas que decir.
Tres solide album! Une seconde ecoute aide beaucoup! J’adore
Really cool. I've listened to this before, so it was fun to revisit this kind of messy psych folk rock blues album. Its interesting, because it sounds pretty tame and not so out there, but at the time, this was really weird and kind of experimental. Somebody to Love and White Rabbit are the obvious winners of the record and kind of embody the entire spirit of the band. Fun relisten today!
I know White Rabbit (a tour de force), I kinda know Somebody To Love, I don't know the other songs. Reputation of this band/album is big, I find I can't just approach this album as simply music, status in 60s counter-culture mythopoesis looms over me. But I am not here to review the counter-culture's rise and fall, except to any extent this album enacts or prefigures them. I view with jaundiced eye the vague/silly aspects of lyrics, any/all indications of selfishness and sexism, instrumental twangings and ramblings that don't quite fit together, blues I could find anywhere. If I just assess all this from a perspective of whether I want to listen to it in 2026, outside any "history of American popular music" educational purposes, the broad answer is that this album doesn't work for me. It's got a little bit of good and a large serve of mediocre, so I'll say it's Pretty Poor, 3/10. (PS Sometimes I wonder if I am harsh on what the generator serves up - then I step aside and listen to some songs I consider Truly Great - and I feel reinforced that I need not be too generous to pedestrian offerings, however popular they might be.)
Some of it sounded like The Mamas and Papas, Peter, Paul and Mary. It was okay - Not gonna change my life
Standouts: Somebody to Love, Embryonic Journey, Go to Her, Come Back Baby I've always wanted to listen to a Jefferson Airplane album (or their spinoff bands, like Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna), so this is a fun start to the 1001 albums challenge. The mixing and mastering on this album is excellent; love the use of panning and soundstage. This album captures a variety of quintessentially 60's sounds: folk guitar riffs and spoken lyrics, British invasion arrangements and guitar effects, Beach Boys-esque vocal harmonies, and even blues harmonica — while somehow remaining cohesive. With a sound so unique yet familiar, it's no wonder that Surrealistic Pillow pioneered psychedelic rock and maintains cultural significance almost 60 years after its release.
Ta weno
A good listen.
Not really my style, but not bad for what it is.
Yay, a 60s psych rock album that I can enjoy without drugs! Mid 4
3.68 stars out of 5 for Jefferson Airplane. This was an important album of the late 60's. This was San Francisco's answer to The Mama's and Pappas, with a more psychedelic vibe and feel. The flute playing is really gorgeous along with the folk-inspired guitar work. Yes, it has Somebody to Love and the amazing White Rabbit on it, but they feel like outside songs compared to the rest of the album. And both of those songs were not originally done by the Airplane, so that's probably why they don't match the rest of the album's vibe. But it works, and this is a great album. A snapshot in time for sure.
The shit thats blaring through my pip boy while Arcade is getting ripped limb from limb by a deathclaw
Bom album, algumaa músicas eu já conhecia e só
Wauw dit is heel erg goed! Ik vind vooral de zangeres erg cool. Positief verrast!
Classic Psych. Standouts are Somebody to Love and White Rabbit.
No idea what I was getting myself into. Incredibly surprised in a good way. Some great tracks and just sounds so well done.
When Grace sings, this is great stuff. When the dudes sing, it's just mediocre.
Psychedelic Folk-Rock in the sixties - not what I hear usually but I recognize that this is one of the roots to the music I do hear. Very interesting and worth a listen.
yuckyyyy
eh
who is jefferson and why does he have an airplane?
not for me sorry everyone
I enjoyed the fuzzy production and admired how hypnotic the simplistic drums could be. Grace Slick has incredibly powerful voice. The unfortunate thing here is that she shares vocal duties with a weaker vocalist and doesn't get the time she deserves. This album in its original form only runs for 33 minutes, but feels much longer. "Somebody To Love" and "White Rabbit" are iconic counter-culture anthems, but this album's hippie appeal eventually ran thin on me.
I'm surprised how mediocre this was. Of course I've heard "Someone To Love" and "White Rabbit" going in, but all the other tracks are really quite average.
There are a couple big hits and the rest is pretty forgettable.
I recognized one song: Somebody To Love. The album wasn’t memorable. It was by no means horrible but also I wouldn’t re-listen to it.
Really great.
If you want people to know that your movie or TV show is set in the late 60's or the 70's you just need to add a few of these songs on there and you'll be golden. This album is kind of why they call Classic rock Classic for a reason.
3/6
para escuchar tirado como the dudeee
Even if you didn't know anything about Jefferson Airplane, there is no doubt that you could guess the era this album came from just by listening to it. The album has that distinctive 1960s psychedelic rock sound. I'm very familiar with the two big hits from this album, as they are classics that you still hear regularly today. But I'd never heard the rest of the album. Some really good songs on here and the album felt like a cohesive piece that all belonged together. If there is one critique I could make, it is that Grace Slick should have sang lead on more songs. I don't think it's an accident that the two songs she sang lead on are the two songs that are the most iconic and well known on the album. Her voice is just incredible. Definitely belongs on the list and a very solid album.
Ok, 70s Rock, I like some of it, some I don't care for.
One of those albums i know songs from but never listened to. Im not a huge psych rock listener, but it was a great album to have on in the background while i worked! Maybe i’ll have to give it one more listen. Good album not the album i’d reach for first thing but would listen again!!!
not a big fan
I expected a lot of folk, hippie nonsense from this one, but was pleasantly surprised. Beyond the 2 well-known hits, there are some excellent tracks. Plastic Fantastic Lover and 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds are among my favorites. There are a few boring clunkers, but, overall, you can hear how this would have been new and exciting in 1967 and go on to influence a lot of subsequent acts.
i found it listenable. recognized the track today who i thought was by someone else tom scott? album was ‘jammable’
I enjoyed this album much more than I thought I would. Plenty of variety and of course some great songs. Rating: 9/10 Favorite Song: Somebody to Love
Love the psychedelic sounds accentuated by a long reverb. Groovy and moving. Good contrasts of ups and downs. The country and blues sounding bits do stick out like a sore thumb though. 4/5
Very psychedelic, but also very folk. There are several hits on this album, but the 60s folk rock side didn't do it for me.
8.31.26 im back and i loved this album. Favorite Song: She Has Funny Cars/Plastic Fantastic Lover
Rien de spécial vraiment.
Incredible Album
Good songs were really good, rest was just fine
I'm not really one for the Flower Power rock of the 1960s. If I'm being totally honest, the best tracks here by a mile are White Rabbit and Somebody To Love, both of which feature lead vocals from Grace Slick, whose voice contains so much power that she should have just done the whole thing herself. The rest is so-so, but I can see the influence somewhat.
2.91
The first side is incredible and beautiful (only track 3 is less impressive but still enjoyable). Second half two. Just beautiful, psychedelic, touching music. I love the collectivism of the band. It's another solid 4
It has everything, this album. And just when you go, ”but no, maybe it’s not a 5 afterall”, it hits you with perfection again.
Pretty fun
Solid classic rock record with a couple of really great songs.
Bliss. Rabbit must be one of the best tracks ever.
Somebody to love is obviously a great hit.
I didn't feel this one that much as others might say, found it somewhat boring tbh
I will not include the bonus tracks from the 2003 reissue in this review. Ahh, Jefferson Airplane, one of the pioneering groups of psychedelic rock, helping usher in the San Francisco sound. They were very much at the forefront of the counterculture movement with their two big hits from this record, "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit". While the latter is more prominently featured across media than the former, both are damn good with their punchy song structures and Grace Slick's powerhouse vocals. Very few lineup changes felt as impactful as Grace becoming the female vocalist for Jefferson Airplane, alongside jazz drummer Spencer Dryden also brought into the fold, and those two singles proved that impact. But here's the thing - how does the rest of Surrealistic Pillow hold up? Well, I'd say the album is pretty good, albeit a tad dated in places. For a record clocking in at only 33 minutes, we run through a variety of soundscapes with the band's distinct psychedelic folk sound. Spencer's syncopated drumming all over "She Has Funny Cars", the hauntingly beautiful love ballad "Today" that featured gorgeous vocal harmonies and the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia on that airy lead guitar, the elegant acoustic guitar ballad "Comin' Back to Me", the groovin' rocker "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds", the obtuse country-rock duet between Grace and Paul Kanter on "D.C.B.A.-25", the three-guitar instrumental piece "Embryonic Journey" that gives way to the jazz-inspired call for expanding one's mind on "White Rabbit"; this album is quite the trip. Speaking of trips, a good deal has been said about how the lyrics on this record were likely written while the band members were taking acid and other such drugs, which certainly add to the surrealistic wonderment and the desire to enlighten oneself. That said, yeah, this album is dated, and it can't be denied. Besides the obvious drug influences of the time and how emblematic the lyrics feel in the lead-up to the Summer of Love, there are some other notable quirks here and there. Besides her vocals, Grace Slick also laid down recorder on "How Do You Feel" and "Comin' Back to Me", which are pleasant but add to how time-locked this record is to early 1967. Also, for as much as I think Paul, Marty Balin, and Jorma Kaukonen do a solid job with their respective vocals, it's evident that Grace was the best vocalist in the group, and it's not even close. Finally, there are admittedly a few weak songs that didn't quite fit with the rest of the record, like the plodding lead single "My Best Friend," which was written by the band's former drummer Skip Spence, or the goofy Balin-penned closing track "Plastic Fantastic Lover" that's only saved by once again having Jerry Garcia play lead guitar. All in all, there is more to Surrealistic Pillow than its two big singles that I wound up having a good time with. Jefferson Airplane would continue to experiment with psychedelic rock until their split into other groups, like Jefferson Starship. At the very least, they've already etched their mark into history with this record.
So much good, so much okay. Best Song: Somebody to Love Rating: 5/10 Stars: 3
Songs with the woman singing - classic and great others - boring!
album
zzzzzzzz
если бы не хитейшие хиты была бы 2
epic psychedelia/acid rock album. Includes the classics 'Somebody to Love' and 'White Rabbit'. The expanded CD is well worth a listen.
decent
I've been listening to Jefferson Airplane most of my life. The top hits are obviously well known and regarded. I was surprised by some of the other songs (without Slick as the lead singer). They are very psychedelic. Good stuff. I agree with the other reviewer who says, we need an 8 minute version of White Rabbit. Jerry Garcia played on this album. I want his kind of noodling.
✈️🌸🌻🎸🐇
9.3/10
loved the vibe of this, possibly enhanced by it being another sunny day. didn't blow me away but equally no qualms. will i listen again ? quite possibly yes
Was looking forward to this, hadn't listened in a few years and it was as good as I remembered. Only things stopping me from giving it 5 stars is that some of the best tracks weren't actually on the original album but were added in a reissue.
A lovely time capsule of an album. Most of the songs are solid but the ones with Grace Slick on lead vocals are the highlights.
Is this the band with the most name changes? Or are they always just new bands? Either way, this album is just ok. Top tracks: "Embryonic Journey," "Somebody to Love," "White Rabbit"
--She Has Funny Cars...I like the way their voices blend --Somebody to Love...Slick's got the power --My Best Friend...not enough Slick --Today...lame flower child stuff --Comin' Back to Me...more flower child stuff but this one is compelling --3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds...a fun rocker and head bopper --D.C.B.A.–25...interesting psychedelic track. cool guitar tone and Grace Slick's voice just works --How Do You Feel...could be a the Mamas & the Papas song --Embryonic Journey...pretty (12 string?) guitar instrumental --White Rabbit...THE 60s psychedelic drug song, in my humble opinion. Slick slays again --Plastic Fantastic Lover...eh, it's just kind of there
Some songs on this really spoke to me - such as Comin’ Back To Me and Today. I like the general ambience of this album - and Surrealistic Pillow is such a great name for an album omg. I would be interested in hearing more from them !
It was nice to put a face on Somebody to Love, but I ain'f felt more after that.
I’m actually pretty impressed with this one. There were a couple of tracks which seemed to drop into “classic 60s vocal harmony” territory but maybe they were the leaders in creating what I take to be a classic sound. Somebody To Love and White Rabbit are right up there in the all-timer category but I am left scratching my head trying to work out where I know Embryonic Journey from…?
A great album between blues rock and psychedelic rock. People know the singles. What's underappreciated are the subtle rhythm guitar works.
It was okay
There was a time in youth when I experimented with many different genres of music, and I bought the cassette of Surrealistic Pillow, thinking all the tracks would sound like White Rabbit, which I was familiar with. Needless to say I was disappointed. White Rabbit is a unique creation, and I disregarded the rest of the album (except, of course, Somebody To Love, which I had heard once or twice before and liked it). Today I am listening to it again and find so much more in the other tracks that White Rabbit is just another song on it. The mix of styles is interesting and the guitar work is sublime. I can hear proto-Led Zeppelin here: I had heard Robert Plant tell how he was inspired by San Francisco’s music scene in the 60s. Well now I get it. 4.5 stars
“Somebody To Love” is such an iconic track, I feel like house music has recycled and rinsed this one so many times and no matter how strange the sampling/rendition is, the highlight is always Grace Slick’s sharp vocals. That’s true for all of this album. Shes a powerhouse that brings this San Francisco sound together. “Comin Back To Me” was a nice acoustic ballad that oscillates between sweet in tone and contemplative for little moments. “Embryonic Journey” feels like a b-side to Comin Back To Me’s a-side. A majority of the songs blend in with all the other psych rock of the late 60’s, but that doesn’t take away from this being a well-made project. “How Do You Feel” is a good example, with its typical chorus vocal being executed really well. Let’s go firm 3/5. I’m all good with it being scored higher though
I think that White Rabbit is one of the top 10 songs to come out of 60's, so I was pretty excited to listen to this album. Unfortunately the rest of the album doesn't really sound like it. The rest of the album is much more folk oriented, which is fine, but not really my thing. Still a pretty good album overall. High 3.
Prachtig
Not really blowing me away, but probably the best psychedelic rock album not made by The Beatles on the list. Sometimes feeling a little Beatles, sometimes there's some Dylan in there. Some classics like Somebody to Love and White Rabbit. But yeah. It's great for psychedelic rock. Fine for me.
I wrote a review for this, I swear! It disappeared. So briefly: Cool mashup of styles and genres, experimentation that isn’t embarrassing, a couple of stone classics.
Prefer Jefferson Starship, but this is OK.
Someone to Love and White Rabbit are alltime classics and then they just noodled until their time in the studio ran out.
This is ok with some hits. But the list is much too over indexed on this era of music. Embryonic Journey is my favorite track here.
Good 60s album with a few iconic songs. Could be a 4 on repeat listens.
one of my favorite genres (can’t tell if high voiced man or low voiced woman)
Equal parts blues, psychedelic, folk and rock. A. Elton pot of genres. Not sure how I feel about the male vocal harmonies though. Grace Slick is slick by name slick by nature
1. 3.5 2. 4.5 3. 3 4. 2.5 5. 3 1. 4 2. 3.5 3. 4 4. 4 5. 5 6. 4 It blows my mind that this band had Grace as a vocalist but barely utilized her, at least on this album.
This is just a straight up very good sounding album, no skips. Psychedelic and genre blending. Some absolute classic tracks on this album, I have learnt about a favourite band of mine that I didn't even know existed. This is why this websites is such a cool experience you never know what you'll find.
If I had been 19 in 1967, I would've loved this album I'm almost sure of it. But in 1967 my parents were babies so I wasn't born. That said, I think I could listen to some songs from this album unironically and love it. I tend to not like pop music from the 60's, but there something about this that makes it stand out.
220. ok
This typical, cliché 60's garbage is doing nothing for me.....or maybe I'm just having a bad day
I like 2 songs
Very good album. What's interesting about it is that half of it is what people think flower power music is, and the other half of it is what flower power music actually was.
I knew White Rabbit and Somebody to Love, so the new-to-me songs fell nicely within that space. It’s definitely a time capsule of its era. The vocals, especially the lead female, are distinctive and strong. While psychedelic rock is not my favorite genre, I enjoyed the songs and found their quality lifting to the whole. The more I imagined myself alive at the time, the more I enjoyed this set like a nostalgic memory of a life I might have had.
Im gonna have what she's having
Okay.
A great psychedelic rock record with some bangers. I'm not fond of the ballads but it's still a nice addition to my collection. Favorite Song: Somebody to Love ; White Rabbit
Good album, very representative of the San Francisco psychedelic scene. Yes, I know it's easier when you're one of the founders of that particular scene! I still think that "Somebody To Love" is the outlier song on this one. Finding out it was written by Slick's brother, and originally done by her earlier band makes way more sense. Still, the Airplane knock it out of the park. Can't believe I never realized that the song "Today" was the same song that Tom Scott covers (but his version ends up in Pete Rock/CL Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You").
Fuck, no.
I don't like this because this sort of early Hippy psychedelic "we all just need to love each other" hopeful kind of nonsense make me want to stab myself in the eye with a salad fork.
6/10