Reviews (page 8 of 14)
Yllättävän vaisu tai ujo muuten kuin Somebody to lovessa (joka on tietty tosi hyvä). En tajua White rabbitin suosiota ihan täysin… eheä kokonaisuus mutta joo vähän laimea. Karsea kansi?!
Siinä missä Mamas and the Papas piilottaa synkkyyttä pirteän rockin alle, Jefferson Airplane piilottaa naiiviutta psykehtävän soinnin taakse (kuten niin monet). Hitti Somebody to Love on kuitenkin todella hyvä - ja niin on toisella kuuntelulla myös psykehitti White Rabbit. Itse asiassa levy rullaa kokonaisuutena muutenkin ihan kunnioitettavasti (tsekkaa Today ja Comin' Back to Me), vaikka bändi saisikin olla vähän pirteämpi ja rockimpi. 3,5
Some nice new finds on this beyond the hits. My Best Friend, How Do You Feel, JPP McStep B Blues - shockingly Mamas and the Papas sounding. But several slow dribblers kind of bring the album down on the whole for me.
Incredible album! One of my favorites so far. So dynamic and a lovely listening experience.
THEEEEEEEEEE psychedelic rock album, not one bad track
Oh, stoned 16 year old me was so into this album. I re-listened recently and it holds up. Great early psychedelica without the flourishes that can date the music. Compelling and catchy tunes, further enhanced by a hell of a lead singer, Grace Slick.
Outside of white rabbit and somebody to love nothing really hit me. Not bad, interesting for sure, but also sort of what I expected.
Solid 60’s album.
Your friends, they treat you like a guest...That actually sounds pretty good to me! Shows how much our society has changed that back in the day being treated like a guest was a bad thing. Now I wish any of my friends would treat me that well! I like side two more than side one. Never been a huge fan of this band but Jorma is a helluva finger picking guitar player (see: Embryonic Journey) and I dig Grace Slick for being a freak for like 80+ years now. I can't think of her or even this band without think of a random line from the Camper Van Beethoven song "Turquoise Jewelry" : "Take off that jump suit - you look like Grace Slick!"
I'm glad we got this album, pretty much exclusively because I've always enjoyed hearing "White rabbit", but it's weird to hear the remainder of an album that has nothing to really compare with that song. I'm reminded a bit of a much later album in this collection, "The La's" and their hit "There she goes", although that's not really fair to Jefferson Airplane or this album, since their other (decent) single, "Somebody to love", isn't that far from "White rabbit", although not nearly as interesting. The remainder of the album is disappointingly very late 60s-sounding and pretty forgettable, and some of the tracks are downright saccharine and annoying ("My best friend" and "Today" are an unfortunate one-two punch in this regard, and I'm shocked to read that they got substantial air-time back in the day). I *did* enjoy the Leo-Kottke-sounding instrumental "Embryonic journey", though, and there's something a bit compelling about "Plastic fantastic lover", perhaps simply because it was inspired by a visit to a plastics factory in Chicago while they were on tour. I have no idea how to rank this album, as "White rabbit" elevates it for me well above three stars, but so much of this album is so middling it feels like it cancels out the one great song. But it's a great song, and it wasn't until I read the Wikipedia entry that I discovered that part of why "White rabbit" seems so different is because Grace Slick brought it over from her previous band, The Great Society. Maybe we can post-humously share the stars among the two bands? And as much as I didn't find the album as a whole very interesting or entertaining, it's hard to ignore the impact it had at the time.
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.
Nice one
good stuff, honestly
Hippie rock, mid but not bad. IwouldplaythisasbackgroundmusicandnotrememberanyofwhatIjustlistenedto/5
I like the feel of this album and the variety between singers. I wouldn't mind a few more listens to make a true assessment, but it's positive so far.
I started out not really liking this album. After a while though, I found it growing on me.
Meh
It was good.
It was ok.
It would be very difficult for someone to not like this album and also have a good taste in music. This kind of sound was the start of everything music stands for and puts the love in summer of love. Embryonic Journey is one of the most moving sub 2 minute pieces I have ever heard. Solid 8/10
As much as I love "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love", I've never heard this album in full. I also didn't know this was the first album Grace Slick was on, she makes such a difference on the sound. The sound and the music is essential early psychedelia, on the cleaner pop side of things, but psych rock none the less. While I like the more aggressive and less structured music of Can and Amon Düül, this is marvellous record. The only thing I consider a negative, is the very basic early 60's style pop songs (like "My Best Friend", which was probably considered rock music then and sounds like every other popular group of the time) and full blast blues songs. I wish they'd left those out and tried to keep the whole album psych rock for a consistent experience front to back. Which might be too modern thinking for the time.
I know the singles, love em but the rest is kinda hit and miss at times
I'm glad this is an undisputed masterpiece of 1960s psychedelic rock, as it gives me reassurance that I really don't like this style of music. I can get down with most genres and periods, but something about 60s psych music doesn't click with me in the slightest. The sound might have felt "out there" to the village fete crowd in the 60s, but it is essential just a mixture of folk, soft rock, and crooning pop, without keeping any of the good bits. The songwriting seems dull and the vocals range from twee to overwrought to warbling. There are moments of an eerie otherworldliness which are the more interesting moments. But overall I don't get it. Clearly it's a me problem. 2.5*
Great psychedelic pop/rock and White Rabbit sounds like a masterpiece.
Great voice, some recognisable songs and a range of feelings throughout. The instrumental of Embryonic Journey gives cathartic feelings of reflection. 8.2/10.
.
The first half of 1967 saw the release of the first album by the Doors, the Velvet Underground, and Jimi Hendrix. It saw the revolutionary releases of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields/Penny Lane" and Sgt Pepper. Love and Traffic made their debuts in '67, and there were also sophomore releases by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and Cream. 1967 was the greatest year in rock 'n' roll history. Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane appeared in February of '67, showing what a deep bench this year boasted. And while it didn't charm me as much as I'd hoped, the primary Grace Slick contributions were remarkable. "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" do not grow old, and carry such power. They also represent their times well. The only other song that really grabbed me was "Plastic Fantastic Lover" (a song about TV, add it to a playlist with "Trouble Every Day" and "I'm the Slime" from the Mothers.) This is only a 3/5 for me, but it's a strong 3 with some 5/5 moments in a 5/5 year.
It is undenable that Jefferson Airplane played an important and pivotal role in solidifying psychadelic rock in the 60s. And because of this, I was looking forward to exploring their music a little more. It isn't bad, but this is one of those rare occurrences where the known singles from the album stand out entirely of what's memorable and important for this band. I did enjoy some of the other tracks, but in terms of quality and impact, I didn't find much here. Finally, it is hard to take Grace Slick seriously when you have the Jefferson Starship garbage mingling in your head.
Somebody to Love // My Best Friend // Today // White Rabbit // 3.5/5
white rabbit
This album has two amazing songs (White Rabbit and Someone to Love, obviously) and that’s about it. Why they had anyone besides Grace Slick sing is beyond me. I owned this CD. Listened to it I think twice, ripped those two songs onto Winamp, and never touched it again. For some reason, this album feels more dated than the rest of the stuff on this list. 3/5 stars, but only because White Rabbit is so incredible, even for those of us who avoided the whole drug scene.
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.
Man, the harder tracks are amazing. The folky tracks are a little much though. So much tambourine.
Was fine but nothing exciting. I had heard the singles before but nothing else really stood out to me.
I never heard the album before now. The familiar ones even better as part of the album. The psych is way more psychy. Even more original. Some really fine vocalizations and subtle (noninvasive) production. Grace is the perfect match for Jorma. Definitive.
This is 1967 encapsulated. White Rabbit, Somebody to love, coming back to me, absolutely iconic. And every time I sang somebody to love at the top of my lungs the cat sprang into my embrace. Quite literally a call to arms. The other songs, although rich and varied didn’t quite have the punch of Grace Slick they were of an era and evocative in their own way. It did get me thinking though, they started as Jefferson airplane, transmuted into Jefferson Starship - what would they be today? Jefferson teleporter, Jefferson Siri. Jefferson Hadron Collider. No matter - when logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead… Feed your head!
❤️❤️❤️
I love the obvious hits on this one, I like 50% of the other stuff, and the last 40% ... it's a bit too hippy trippy for me to really enjoy. Another where I appreciate the significance, and feel akin to the era in many ways, but there's something about this that's a little too ramshackle and inner aura or something. Individually, Slick is a force, Marty Balin has a one-of-a-kind voice, Kantner is a songwriter I like... maybe its Jorma Kaukonen that throws off the balance for me? (Maybe that's why I gravitate to Jefferson Starship over Airplane?) I don't know, and it's unnecessary to quibble. It's a 3.5 in my world, but I'm inclined to keep it at a 3 even with the stellar "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit." What d'ya want? It's friggin Monday morning.
White Rabbit and Someone to Love aside, listening to this album makes me want to side with the establishment.
I went into this album thinking for sure it would be a 5 or 4. I listened to this LP a LOT growing up and was very fond of the lesser known songs--She Has Funny Cars, Today, Plastic Fantastic Lover. It just didn't hold up to my memory of it.
Wow this was astonishing. Spooky, sad, tender, all of it
meh. it was kinda too mid tempo and folksy for me
This is another one of those albums where the sound of the decade they existed in settled on them like the ashes of Pompeii, preserving them just as they were. The 60s writ large, this album checks all of the boxes. At times you could be listening at the mamas and the papas, at others Simon and Garfunkel. The two break out songs broke out enough to make it to us all, “white rabbit” and “somebody to love”. Those two heavyweights carry this album to a three from me.
Album is pretty mediocre in general but I find it funny how one of their most streamed songs on Spotify is "Somebody to Love" probably because of the name being identical to the Queen song.
4.2/5
White rabbit er full stutt en æðislegt lag. Don't you want somebody to lvoe er líka sjöundatugarfínt. Restin er ágæt, en of mikið af filler fyrir fjarka.
Its a great album, good flow, bit outdated but was probably the nest at the time. Grace's voice is top shape and best in that era. Joma's arrangements were above average and the harmonies were only second to mamas and papas
not really into this one much, although it does contain two of the iconic songs of the psychedelic era, “someone to love” and “white rabbit”… so there’s that.
Like two skips but I had to pee
This is fine. I definitely prefer Grace Slick to the dude singer(s).
some iconic pop songs. some vapid filler.
banger after banger after banger
I have never heard anything from this band before aside from “Somebody to Love”, and this record is inconsistent but very solid. There are songs that I absolutely love, and others that I became annoyed with after one listen. I’d love to shout out to”Embryonic Journey” as it is a beautiful acoustic guitar track.
Brilliant. This is everything I wanted The Yardbirds to be, meaning you can feel soul here. These folks are pouring something into this music and it is utterly compelling. Plus the arrangements and performances are wonderful. It feels live. A bit noisy, too, lol. No "noise reduction" back then. Anyway, yes.
This was alright… this just sounds like music… this might of been psych rock in the 60’s but I def prefer newer psych rock
Kinda cool, just music that is great to vibe out to. Favourite Song: 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds
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.
Weird
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
Another group I was only familiar with by name, and I was pleasantly surprised that this was a 4 rather than my expectation of 3. The guitar tones are great, it sounds Beatlesque at times without being a rip-off, and at other times it's its own, cool, thing.
It was nice to hear the classic hits within the context of the album they came from.
Ha, I mean I guess this is a pretty rocking album.
# Album Name: Surrealistic Pillow # Artist: Jefferson Airplane # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Somebody to love - A classic which the majority of people will have heard. Its a great song too. This is such a good album with plenty of great tracks. # Top Tunes: Somebody to love / White rabbit / Embryonic Journey # Would I listen to it again? Hell yeah
I enjoyed this way more than I expected.
No doubt this is a great album but not my cup of tea, very 60s and surf influenced
At some points I felt I liked this a lot more than I typically like 60s psychedelia. At other times, it dragged on and on. This is rounding down, but like… there wasn’t that much chance of it rounding up.
I feel like Alice in Wonderland in a Salvador Dalí painting.
Paar hele grote hits, maar iets te veel los zand, en buiten de hits niet top.
3.5 - Good
I liked the whole album better than the radio hits.
fist album
So many evergreens on a single album.
Ready set take off
Generic British 60s 1/5
Radio hits: Somebody to Love White Rabbit Pretty guitar instrumental track: Embryonic Journey
Loved in my youth
To me this is the definitive 60s psychedelic rock album. The sound is emblematic of the time. Grace Slick's vocals are iconic. There is a mix of some blues rock in there as well. A couple songs that miss for me, overall great album.
3* might have enjoyed it more with a shroom or two
I had a passing knowledge of Jefferson Airplane and was familiar with the more popular songs from this album (Somebody To Love, White Rabbit and to a lesser extent, Today). So that was a strong start and the classic tracks that I have enjoyed over the years still hold up. There is also a gentleness to this album that I did not expect, specifically great harmonies and the less-than-psychedelic (more in the folk music category) tracks took me a little by surprise. Also some very bluesy tracks, with some psychedelic twang slipped in. I can see how this might be one of those "pillars of music" albums. I am more of a fan of the songs that are filled with simple, reverbing, fuzzy guitar riffs. Overall, I find the album a little uneven, but where the best tracks really standout to make it a worthwhile listen.
Sounds like the soundtrack to the 1960s.
* Favorite song: Embryonic Journey * From the days where you could pan all the drums to one side and guitars to another. Everything is drenched in reverb. Really a product of its time from a production standpoint. * Some really hokey songs in here (My Best Friend) * White Rabbit doesn't fit with the vibe of the rest of this record. It's so jarring compared to the easy-going folksiness of the rest, except maybe Go To Her. It feels like an experiment, which perhaps it was in its day. Full disclosure - I have never liked this song. It goes on the list of "Songs I've had enough of in this lifetime" * Definitely enjoy Grace Slick's vocal performances.
Some BOPS on this one! Classic
I knew a bunch of these tracks but was nice to listen to the album in it's entirety. I love Janis so overall enjoyed this album.
cool sounds throughout but surprisingly sleepy at times the kind of album i'd get to look cool but in reality i just want to listen to somebody to love and white rabbit and id let the rest play until i got tired of it! also dear white rabbit lovers - the cover by Mayssa Karaa on the american hustle soundtrack is slayful 11/10
Fun psychedelic album. White Rabbit is classic and maybe best of the genre. "J.P.P. Mc Step B. Blues" was great. Still can't believe this band became Starship and created "We built this city" but anything can happen with enough LSD.
One of the biggest bands of the time and this album does have a couple big hits. It's some good psychedelic rock but perhaps a bit dated. There's a blues song in the middle of this album too? A fine listen. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)
Very weirdcore, I feel as if it were the abomination that the 70's had made if they had every hippie put their combined endure and love into this album.
The singles loom large on this one, and whilst Surrealistic Pillow is listenable I think much of the album pales in comparison to 'Somebody To Love' and 'White Rabbit'.
Some classics on here
Early Prog rock? sign me up
I think there was a time some decades ago I really liked this, but I feel increasingly bored by Jefferson Airplane. Still, this album does some good stuff and has a few really good songs.
-damnn i actually really liked this. these people know how to craft a song and they really showed off their range here -I can’t even name what i like about it so much, it’s just very well-done -honestly very few low points on this record. the upbeat ones are probably my favorites -Favorites are She Has Funny Cars, Somebody to Love, and White Rabbit
I like psychedelic rock as a whole and I really like Grace Slick’s voice. Some exceptional tracks and a few meh ones.
Great “Age of Aquarius” vibes from this record. Haunting vocals and cool guitar work. Could use a bit more sitar. Standout track are: “Somebody to Love” and “3/5 of a mile in Ten Seconds”.
Varied sounds of the songs on this album from psyadellic to blues with some rock songs throne in.
Grace Slick is amazing. Unique - and beautiful - voice. Had many of these songs on Worst of album, but heard some new ones here.
Dos temarracos
Absolutely rips, great stuff
Somebody to Love, White Rabbit
A lot of nice songs
Rating: 7.5/10 Some very good classic rock.
An icon of 60's rock, this album is a good listen with a few surprises I wasn't expecting (a blues song!). You could certainly do worse.
Felt like more poppy grateful dead with harmonica. Maybe this will convince miles the grateful dead weren't gods green gift to this earth
I can't sleep and the streaming service I'm using keeps pausing commercials every time it switches to the next episode
That mono production in 2025 hits like a tab of acid. And not in a pleasant way.
This album almost feels schizophrenic the way goes from super mellow folk music to electric psychedelic rock. I do appreciate their willingness to experiment and not be pigeonholed. It was a bit long, I would have cut a few of the folk tunes, but I do appreciate this album’s creativity.
Some good, some not so great. Decent album with a couple killer cuts.
-A pretty good album 👍🏽 -It had a very '60s vibe to it, kind of similar to the Beatles -My fav song is: My Best Friend? -My least fav song is: Embryonic Journey <-- Weird name, was just some guitar. Wasn't terrible but just boring.
Gotta say I was positively surprised by this one. Not usually a big fan of the whole 60s psychedelic scene (which actually has me dreading a lot of what's to come), but the understated production , simple instrumentation and quality songwriting on this one were a very welcome surprise. Great record!
Not my cup of tea
Not my jam. Put me to sleep. Would maybe be more fun if I was high.
I kind of love this, the transition from swing to straight in My Best Friend had me relistening multiple times, Somebody to Love is clearly a classic, and overall I enjoyed the vibe of it quite a lot.
Meh
Great tunes and lovely acoustic guitar tones
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!
solala, zwei/drei halbwegs bekannte Lieder dabei; aber ist auch schon in die Jahre gekommen
Es un disco buenísimo. Es considerado uno de los pilares de la psicodelia pero tiene un pragmatismo increíble: blues, rock de guitarras acústicas, progresivo, baladas y juego de voces (cambiando de voz líder de mujer a varón).
Quintessential psychedelic rock.
A classic album. Somebody to Love and White Rabbit do all the heavy lifting here, but it's still a decent album, overall. Grace Slick's voice is so incredibly iconic.
Some hits but generally it felt rough around the edges. 3.16
Pretty cool
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
The two songs people know and like, and then a bunch of poor-to-mid ones. Not helping matters, my copy was labelled “Bonus Track Edition” but appears to have six of them. Maybe the OG would have been less tiresome but now I’m in a bad mood.
A classic
It was okay but that about sums up it, okay, some really nice tracks but VERY sleepy album just not something that’s very fantastic to me
Very good psych rock. Consistent all the way through, great combination and palace of instrumentals and vocals. Weird out the wall, I love this.
83% Best: Somebody to Love; ⅗ of a Mile in 10 Seconds; How Do You Feel; White Rabbit; Plastic Fantastic Lover Must-Hear? Sure
still psychoactive now
3.5
Soft 5. This album was enjoyable to listen to! Good instrumentals and fun vocal work. Many songs fell on the "Good but generic" side. 'White Rabbit' carries it heavy for me and takes the fave slot.
Good album if you're in the mood / chilled out 3/5
This is an alright album where the "Somebody to Love" song is their most popular one but "White Rabbit" sounds very similar and somehow has more listens but doesn't have that part that is really cool. Overall, not too bad, it was fine as a background listen.
Love the 2 hits, the rest was good too but unsure how often I'd go to listen to this
I like the vibes, but I’m giving extra credit here because I love Jorma Kaukonen so much. Give me Embryonic Journey for an album and I’ll give you five stars!
A few of the songs are here are more lame 60s folk rock than I would have expected but the number of bluesy, psychedelic, rocking songs and the mega hit White Rabbit redeemed the album. I enjoyed the majority of this album after its getting off to a slow start.
Ok
3/5
The drummer is really good. Standout Tracks: "Somebody to Love" "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds" "White Rabbit" Worst song: "Today"
Familiar with half a dozen Jefferson Airplane songs but had never listened through an album before. Fun, funky. Sometimes almost childlike (in a good way). I like the narrative/literary nature of many of the tracks (like Alice in Wonderland). Go To Her probably slaps the hardest.
Mucha onda sesentera y un par de hitazos espectaculares. Me hizo muy feliz descubrir aquí White Rabbit. Padre padre disco.
A classic hippy generation album. Grace Slick has that voice that women can lose themselves in and one that could almost make a man murder someone based on the evil sounding harmonizing she dishes out. The slow songs fail in comparison to everything else on the album, which is shocking because I’m a sucker for a slow song. You could call White Rabbit a slow song if you want and then I’d be wrong but let’s face it, White Rabbit is a monster in its own. It has no label. This album does do much in move the needle I feel. It’s just cookie cutter rock that occasionally dips into the pop realm. Choice cut: White Rabbit
She Has Funny Cars has great drums but didn’t really connect to the lyrics or melody. Somebody To Love is possibly the strongest second song on an album ever. Such a mighty sound, so well executed. Her voice has so much power and pain. My best friend, love the harmonies within the vocal performance, melody is solid too just not as catchy. However the change in tempos throughout keeps you locked in completely. Today, builds suspense and melancholy very nicely, I was really pulled into the story. The mini crash out at the end when singing “it’s all for you” so perfect. Straight into Comin’ Back To Me, with a long and slow intro makes total sense. I personally love the talking poetry take for the lyrics. The subtle melody is great to keep you guessing where it will go next. A well written musical version of yearning. I’d love to be two glasses of wine in listening to this next time. Woah, the complete switch back to the sound at the beginning with 3/5. This feels like the big crash out about missing someone to the point of being driven mad. Just needing to be in a circus. D. C. B. A. that last line “You were the world to me for a while” is quite frankly harrowing. Again showing their ability to make sorrow more upbeat. How do you feel, I love that pipe?? that brings you in. The chorus of vocals feels moving. I am interpreting this as being in the strange situation of meeting a fan, but could be completely wrong. Like i’m imagining them just not wanting to let them down because it “brightens up their day”. Embryonic it’s a guitar solo that is intricate and stunning. And that’s from someone who hates guitar solos usually. I’m actually having the thought that Harry Styles may have sampled it? White Rabbit seems very cautionary from the get go about drug abuse. Talking about asking Alice, i’m assuming in wonderland. Lyrically and melodically very interesting. “Feed your head” is fitting. Plastic Fantastic Lover falls a bit flat for me. Nothing grabs me. Some lyrics still ring true today but the composition doesn’t thrill me. In The Morning immediately does make me excited to see what they will do to the blues. I’m liking the instrumentation for sure. The rest is letting it down, and it’s truly too long, because it’s the same over and over. J. P. P., such a sweet song of friendship!! I think it’s adorably made. Simple but well constructed. Go to Her, feels like Somebody to Love’s cousin. I’m not the biggest fan, seems like a half assed version to repeat it. The guitar solos too long and feels unimpressive even with the pick up of tempo. Ending on Come Back Baby, the bass has a great performance, I really like that. Apart from that i’m a bit tired of feeling like this is a melody Ive heard on like 3 other songs at least. Over all the album has great vocal performances, fab rhythm sections and a lot of guitar solos. It’s too long. Personally it would be a much higher score if it took out about 5 songs. Anyway yeah most likely won’t listen to it in its entirety ever again.
The higher energy, harder parts were nice, but the rest sounded pretty run of the mill. Somebody to Love a classic nonetheless
Not as Rock 'n' Roll as I expected. More folky, even has a Simon and Garfunkel sounding track.
[4/10] no hate
pretty solid psych rock
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.
Didn’t expect to recognize Somebody to Love. The production on this so far is really cool & groovy. Damn, Today is romantic as hell, first save off the album. Really enjoyed this one!
It would be much better to have more of female vocals in this album. Somebody to love is a banger; White rabbit is tense and just great. And guess what they have in common?
I understand the cultural significance. As my wife mentioned, Grace Potter isn't front and center. It is a lot of music and I'm a big fan of Jorma, so Embryonic Journey and In the Morning made my ears perk up. Molly Tuttle does a great version of White Rabbit. Again I wish there was a 3.5, I may round up. The mix is a bit bright.
Not really my style, a little bit too old for me
3 Some ok hits, and does a good job representing genre, but overall a bit long
You better fimd somebody to love
Two great songs. Instrumentals were better than expected. Will listen again
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.
will relisten! liked it a lot more than I thought!
I almost rated it higher just because it has white rabbit
What a time to be alive
A couple of all time great songs and a bunch of extremely medium songs
I didn't realize how many of these songs I knew. Fun 60s jams
Good classic rock
My dad was very happy to hear this one when I was trying to find albums from the list that he’d like for our road trip
A deep dive I had once done in high school and one of the most quintessential psychedelic pieces rock albums. Very fun
Despite not knowing about its existence, this specific album is what I had in mind when I signed up for the project. Psychadelic rock is a relative blind spot of which I am tangentially aware of in greater culture (60s montages) but never really deep dived or learned the context. This album seems to be considered the prototypical example of the genre. Unfortunately, I threw out my blacklight posters from college just last week, so the experience wasn't all it could have been.
Solid classic, love me some Jefferson Airplane.
point7.
Wow this album was incredibly good. I really liked Somebody to Love. The whole vibe of this album was great and I can see why it's in this list!
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
no me gusto mucho, no es un disco muy reescuchable; no creo que lo escuche nuevamente.
It was fine. I felt a lot of the songs were indistinguishable from one another, overall the album fell short.
own
Great and timeless album. Amazing to see how many songs and techniques got perpetuated through time for an album made in de 60s. Would definitely listen again, even thou its not my genre of preference.
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.
Neat old psychedelic rock. A nice listen even if only a couple songs stand out.
Solid sounds of Psychedelic San Francisco. As with many of these classic rock albums I find the deep cuts to be more interesting than the extremely well-known hits.
258/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Fab psychedelic rock album.
I thought this album was actually a good listen and it certainly has a feeling of the hippy era, I liked it.
Psychedelic rock album what can I say. Love some songs but would hardly put on an entire album of it again.
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
Acid was better in the 70s. Couple of bangers
A tour de force of 60s music that I generally dislike. Harmonizing vocals in a very 1960s style. Acid psychedelic stuff. Great guitar though on Come Back Baby (terrible voice...can someone else sing?). My Best Friend is pretty solid though, even though it's a bit cheesy.
actually pretty deece
Some good psych rock. I really like the way the singers voice flows.
Beautiful progressive rock record with numerous hits & psychedelic compositions
Jesus, how many different people wrote the songs on this album? Bubblegum pop to existential dread from song to song; it's pretty jarring. The songs that hit, though? Holy shit. Just put those on a playlist and leave the rest.
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.
I liked this album more than I thought I would, especially all the songs up to and including White Rabbit. Plastic Fantastic Lover is skippable; the rest is not bad blues inflected psychedelia, definitely of its time.
she has funny cars- 5 or 6 somebody to love- 6 or 7 my best friend- 6 today- 5 comin back to me- 4 3/5 of a mile in 30 seconds- 4 dcba-25- how do you feel- embryonic journey- white rabbit- 7 or 8 i didnt finish it but thats cause i didnt want to
Listened to the 11 tracks original release. Besides the iconic "Somebody to Love" nothing remarkable on for me. 2,5
Ambien on vinyl. That might be what you're into, I find this one pretty dull. I can see why it was selected, because Jefferson Airplane were in the right place at the right time, but there's far better psychedelia than this album, even from the same year.
You can still hear this album's influence today. Plus great tunes
Psychedelic hippie blues. A couple of iconic songs. Production quality stinks, but still pretty good stuff.
I guess I have a think for psychedelic music. Who knew? 4/5
Good shit!
This album had really good vibes. Your two standouts, Somebody to love and White rabbit are both immense classics, standing the test of time. However, the rest of the album fails to jump out at me. Many of the songs have similar taste and sounds, which does draw back from these two major hits.
A lot of sounds, nice songs, and nice voices...
Very good 60s, psychedelic music. Some massive songs on here.
Love White Rabbit and Somebody to Love
great opening, inviting enough. nice accelerando concluding "My Best Friend". overall very good coherence and alternation of themes/vibes. "Comin' Back To Me" is BORING, like 5 pm café soundtrack boring. They wrote that song, felt like they had to hide it somewhere, ok track 5, great. hippieness is moderate, which is greatly appreciated. boring shit between track 5 til "White Rabbit", that is really the outstanding piece, which is why everybody knows that one. "Somebody To Love" is great too, but stuck in the hippieness. "Plastic Fantastic Lover", great. Rest is, um, history.
Absolute banger,. The vocals , the instrumental everything is spit on.
Liked it more than I thought I would
Two absolute 60's bangers with Somebody to Love and White Rabbit - unfortunately everything else is a bit forgettable. Really half arssed album cover also. Also suffers from me being a little burned out from all the late 60's pyschadelia on the list. I think I have almost reached my fill.
Enjoyed parts of this
Good thing I had a surrealistic pillow because this bored me to sleep
it's aight
It's pretty good. I didn't find a deep cut to add to my collection, but it was solid. Most of it sounded a lot closer to the Beatles-ey sound of the time than what I expected from the hits I knew.
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
There are a bunch of good songs on this album, but only a few great songs. And you can guess who sings the great songs.
Psychedelic grooves, some seminal stuff on here, lots of genres peppered in. Cool man
this seems to be the general consensus, but the best songs are the ones sung by grace slick. everything else is good... just not as good lol
Listening to this album wasn't a bad experience and Starship were one of the important bands of the Americam Psychedelic scene in the 60's, but beyond 'You Need Somebody to Love & "White Rabbit there's not much on offer here. Back in the day I'm sure this would've sounded ground breaking but it's not really well. A good album but not brilliant.
Норм,найдется любитель,я думаю, но это точно не я. Пару песен слышал раньше, одна из альбома даже нравится и это все.
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.
Good psychedelic fun
7/10 like the Beatles but not as good. Embryonic Journey and White Rabbit highlight tracks
Buen disco
If Grace Slick isn’t the lead singer this record sucks. However - Somebody to Love and Go Ask Alice are iconic so 3 stars.
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
Somebody to Love and White Rabbit are so good they raise my rating a star, rest good but not nearly as standout.
You know, I've always wanted to listen to an album from a band whose name is comprised of a US president's last name and an aerial method of transportation. Fortunately, Jefferson Airplane has me covered with their second album, Surrealistic Pillow. This album's great! Never before have I been so happy to listen to a classic rock album. The style here is very enjoyable. I like that it's not definitively one specific style of rock. Most albums fit comfortably into something like psychedelic rock or hard rock. This album largely has elements of folk and psychedelic, with a bit of blues in there as well. I like listening to this music. The singing and writing are both pretty good as well. I especially like Grace Slick's vocals. The album has some great songs, with the obvious highlights being "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit." Both of those songs are excellent, but the other songs are also enjoyable. Overall, this is just a nice album that I really like. Good job, Jefferson Airplane! High 4/5.
Excellent classic
• 4/5 • White Rabbit and Somebody to Love are fantastic and make the most of Grace Slick • I was surprised at the variety in the tracks: not solely psychedelic, but acoustic, blues, etc. Some good tracks but not at the level of the iconic singles
It was okay. One brilliant song and some decent others but would not rush to listen again
General impression: this is the kind of 60s music you hear in Tarantino films Detailed review: I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, mainly because I knew nothing about them going in. Turned out I did know “Somebody to Love.” This is some killer ‘60s psychedelia. Kinda wish I could go back in time to drop acid and spin this record. It’s just got a great, layered, punchy, vital kinda sound. Some of the tunes didn’t hit as well but most of them did. Deeper thoughts (context): really intrigued to listen again, it might upgrade the score. Score: 4.2 Number of albums left to review: 938 Number of albums from the list I’d consider “must-listens”: 37 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 26
Was expecting it to be a lot more psychedelic and was pleasantly surprised in how much they mix up genres. Enjoyed the one bluesy song very much
Kind of that loose acid hippy rock that requires well written songs to not be annoying. A few songs approached that.
Made me want to watch the Cable Guy.
Maybe it was more monumental at the time? Idk I’ve always changed the station every time Jefferson Airplane comes on the radio so it might be a personal preference. Jefferson STARSHIP, on the other hand… (kidding!)
The names are so bad it’s crazy. Surrealistic Pillow? Embryonic Journey? Easy on the acid fellas. Music ain’t that bad though. Some of it is 60s schlock, but the blues tracks are fun. My dad said he liked White Rabbit when he was younger, not a huge fan myself
A psychedelic standard. Has some good jams, a few great even. A lot of it is pretty forgettable to me though.
Actually good
Some good tracks on the first half but faded. 2.5
Nice, groovy. Vet ikke om æ ville hørt på hele albumet i en sitting.
This was great. I was humming along the entire time whether I knew the songs or not. Very 60's and very Jeffereson Airplane. The production quality also made it sound very "of the time", as it wasn't the best I've ever heard. Three stars.
I'd probably give this 3.5 stars for my own personal enjoyment, but there is no doubt this had a huge influence. I just don't like it enough to give it 5 stars, as this is not the type of album I would go back to regularly, but there are some flashes of brilliance amidst the psychedelia. And, of course "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" are classics that most people have heard one way or another.
The two well known songs are so different from the rest!
A couple of great songs but overall it doesn’t come near White Rabbit.
I can't say I'm a big fan of the band, but there are a couple songs from Jefferson Airplane that should be included on anyone's greatest classic rock songs list from the 60's. Somebody To Love and White Rabbit are a fine introduction to Grace Slick in her debut with the band on the album, Surrealistic Pillow. This record has a certain vibe and energy that perfectly suited the time period and era and Slick's strong vocals ties it all together. Personally, this album is the essential record from the band I need to hear and I don't need to the hear the rest of the group's catalog, especially when they transformed into the Starship.
.
No one knows what it means but it’s provocative.
Super groovy, loved this all the way through! The vocals! Ahhh!
Since the best-known (and best) songs on this album are so classic, I was expecting the full album to be more Grace Slick heavy and uh better. But even if White Rabbit and Somebody to Love are pretty unmatched high points, this is still a pretty good psychedelic rock album all the way through. 3.5/5
I’m not a fan of psych rock myself but this album had a few good, recognizable tracks
White Rabbit is the only good song on this album.
Man this shit sucks. There's two good songs and then a bunch of nonsense.
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.
One of my all time favourite songs white rabbit. A soaring peice of psycadellia , however he rest of the album is a bit wishy washy the only really good track being 'someone to love', made me conclude the lady should have sang on all the tracks.
Somebody to Love is great, the rest somewhat less so. The extended bonus edition goes on a bit too much too.
I enjoyed the songs I knew enough to make this a tolerable album to listen to.
This one’s tough. Two of the greatest songs ever written, but the rest is jangly forgettable nonsense.
Some highlights, mainly the singles.
Every so often in my younger days, Saturday nights were spent round my pals house with a bag of cans and some funny cigarettes and a Woodstock 69 dvd, which had Jefferson Airplane on it. Blew my mind then, and I still find some of their tracks have that ‘punch in the gut’ sound that nostalgia leaves behind. Realised after listening to this they do have a more 60s rock/pop side to them too. Not all tie dye pysch. Either way, I enjoyed them them and I enjoyed this a lot now. Way better than most other 60s records that have been on this list, and tread that line well between pysch and blues/rock. Good stuff
Actually thought this was great. Going through this list I've learnt I don't care for much 60s psychedelia, this is definitely the best example of it. Has a classic 60s sound but thought the songs in general were just better put together than their contemporaries. Want somebody to love sounds about a decade ahead of it's time but even the more standard 60s stuff was good. I might listen again but it's not a 5 for me, just not my genre. 4.5 but more a 4.
I'm fine with psychedelic/folk rock. I only knew the singles, but had a good time listening to this. I think the female vocals are much stronger, and I enjoyed the songs she led on more. Somebody to Love, and White Rabbit are great, and the whole album zips by. I think if there was one musical era I'd have liked to have been in, it would be late 60s psychedelia. Tie-dye, hallucinations, the evolution of rock.
Think my first and probably only exposure to Jefferson airplane is from the bathtub scene in fear and loathing. Saw that film a fair amount as a teenager so kinda knew what they were associated with.....Wouldn't have been able to tell you that "somebody to love" was their song, although I know it. When this was good it was great. The more bluesy, psychedelic tracks particularly. However, there were quite a lot of tracks that were too beatlesy for me which passed me by. Was reading that the grateful dead were the psychedelic band that stood the test of time, rather than these guys. I thought this was considerably better than the grateful dead album we had, but in their defence it was a live album. Really like the psychedelic blues rock sound and I'll definitely be back. Bet it was a fun time to live through! Favourites: Somebody to love Comin back to me White rabbit In the morning 4
Few classic hits. Never listened to the whole album. Now I have, and I don't think it changed much.
Yes, I'm a hater of Jefferson Starship "We Built This City" in large part to how far they evolved/drifted away from their identity as 'Airplane'. Yes, on 'Surrealist Pillow', the songs with male vocals are of the fey flower child essence, and songs with Grace Slick's vocals remarkably intense, all guiding out on a trippy soul safari.
Grace Slick's voice is wonderful. Dark, weird, explorations of life and the human psyche
Groovy man! Obviously, 'Somebody To Love' and 'White Rabbit' stand above the rest of the tracks, but the rest of the songs are still enjoyable.
Jefferson Airplane could have yelled into a well for 30 minutes and this would probably still be a 4 due to “Somebody To Love”. Grace Slick sounds unbelievably good.
How could I give the album containing White Rabbit anything less than 4?
Candidate
good album
I mean... it was fine. What I expected. They are psychadelic. They are fun. No surprises.
"White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" make this a four. You can leave the rest of them.
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!
Embarrassed to say this is the first time I've ever listened to this album, and it was much better than I expected. A bit sprawling at 17 tracks, but a surprising amount of range.
I liked this. Some of the poppier tracks remind me of Oddysay and Oracle. A couple of these songs drag, but when they hit they hit. Somebody to Love and White Rabbit are all time classics, I also liked the opener and My best friend. 4
It’s emblematic of the Summer of Love, but runs a little long and the songs where Grace Slick doesn’t sing lead aren’t as good in my opinion.
Hopelessly outdated seen from 2024. Not more than interesting compared with their musical contemporaries.
Eerste album via deze app. Leuk om een keer het hele album te luisteren. Laffe hap maar prima tijdens werk.
Favourite song - 3/5 of a mile in 10 seconds
Great album stylistically. Perfect representation of the late 60's sound. Makes me want to turn on, tune in, and drop out. The hits off of this one are total classics, and while a couple of the other tracks lost my interest a bit, overall it made me long for the days of dropping acid and sitting in a room with black lights on. Solid 4/5
Never really been fan of “White Rabbit”. I mean it’s ok, but it’s no “Somebody to Love”, which easily makes it into in the top 5 songs of the 60’s. The rest of the record pales in comparison to those two hits, but it’s enjoyable overall. This band is clearly at their best when they’re playing in rock mode rather than folky acoustic shit. 3⭐️
THREE STARS!!!!
I really like
Whilst dripping of the 60’s it’s the iconic Slick showpieces that make this.
I loved every single thing about this album!
Has all the hit singles I knew, those were great. Rest of the album doesn't quite hold up.
It's hard to believe this is the same band that would later record We Built This City 😆 The album is essentially the entire 60s music scene in one handy package Quite long for an album recorded for vinyl.
A time travel with a couple of very strong songs. The sound never appealed to me fully.
Just sound
Not for me. 1/5
I thought I’d like this more. It’s good, but not great.
Did not use a private spotify session. Knowing the two classics from this album and with a title like "Surrealistic Pillow", I expected something more psychedelic and trippy, but it was more folksy and bluesy. The folksy stuff isn't for me, but there is enough good in this album to overlook it.
Solid shite
Oh no, I really liked this
A couple of nice hits, the rest is also not too bad
Best Song: White Rabbit. There's a reason this song is so beloved. It feels so refreshing to hear a song that eschews traditional formats and just rises in this inevitable-feeling crescendo. A rocket launch of a song. Worst Song: My Best Friend. This just feels like cosplaying as The Beatles. There is already an over-abundance of these corny, sugar-sweet harmonies in this era of music, this album would have been better without them here. Overall: A few truly fantastic songs, surrounded by a greater number of just okay ones. I can't help wish that they'd leaned harder into some of their more creative, experimental tendencies, and that they'd given their female vocalist more opportunity as her vocals stand above the rest.
Some bangers surrounded by an okay album. Rotational
Great album
Jefferson Airplane are pretty good dad rock.
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