Happy Trails
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1969
Album Summary
Happy Trails is the second album of the American band Quicksilver Messenger Service. Most of the album was recorded from two performances at the Fillmore East and Fillmore West, although it is not clear which parts were recorded at which Fillmore. The record was released by Capitol Records in 1969 in stereo.
WikipediaQuite a confusing album. Didn't really read or hear anything to suggest it's a worthy "1001" album and didn't massively enjoy it either. 4/10
I enjoyed side 1 as, despite it being a 26 minute song in 5 movements, it was accessible and a pleasant listen. Perhaps helped that it was a well known cover ('Who do yo love?'). It was also well performed - I didn't realise it was a live version until the applause at the end. Side 2 is somehow even more self indulgent. 4 songs this time. 2 are ok covers (although Henry from Neighbours still has the definitive version of 'Mona') and the other 2 just sound like dull jams with nothing going on to keep my interest. My snap judgement: QMS maybe good at noodling on a guitar, but are not blessed with much in the way of creativity or songwriting talent.
Maybe it was subversive, edgy or outsider when it first came out but it sounds a lot like every jam band since. Reminded me of the Grateful Dead or Jefferson Airplane. I'm not sure why this would be considered important unless it were earlier than the Grateful Dead or Jefferson Airplane and influenced them.
Saved Prior: None Saved Off Rip: None Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: This is one of those albums where it inspired a lot of music that ended up being much better. The first couple of tracks were pretty cool how they overlapped and sounded like one long jam session, but not something I'll be returning to.
Oh Christ, here we go. Even just looking at the cover I can guess two things: nowhere near as country as you'd think, and (probably) psychedelic rock instead. Plus it's 1969, so expectations are low. aaaaand boom, not country at all! Just psychedelic rock, extended jam SHIT. It was so boring I forgot it was on and only paid attention once spotify started playing "radio based on" songs. Fuck this stuff. it's an angry 1/5.
pretty accessible psychedelic rock with some darker, jazzy blues riffs, and a vague desert-y vibe. Good contemplation music. A bit too long for a casual listen.
It's ok. Just fine. Don't know why I had to listen to it though. I'm from the SF Bay Area and never heard of Quicksilver Messenger Service before.
Per Wikipedia: Quicksilver Messenger Service began as a SF-based horseback courier, but was forced to pivot their business to psych rock after an unfortunate sexual incident involving a large, valuable parcel and an Appaloosa. Tip of the hat to QMS for somehow, against all odds, squeezing a half hour of juice out of the 2 chord Bo Diddly beat and keeping it pretty interesting. C+ Also very interested to see Josh's review since he usually isn't a fan of live albums but has a special place in his heart for QMS.
This album is a great guitar solo, don’t think I needed to hear it though
The first 25 minutes or so is a very long and experimental version of Bo Diddly's 'Who Do You Love'? that meanders around pretty aimlessly and doesn't ever come close to being as good as Bo's version. So there's that. It's not a 1/5 but it's unspectacular. Heard better stuff from bands who were wildly off their tits in the same era.
As much as the music wasn’t at all offensive, I didn’t really enjoy listening to a band jam for 30mins. It wasn’t terrible music and would normally be a 2 star, but because half the album is a cover, I have to mark it down as I did for The Sonics. The infamous “star rating system” is nothing without consistency.
A song I vaguely know followed by 40 minutes of what sounds like people tuning their instruments, concluded by the worst version of Happy Trails I've ever heard.
the past 2 acid rock albums ive heard were both pretty underwhelming, but this one was great!!! about half the album is taken up by one long continuous track, apparently it's a bo diddley cover? im gonna be honest ive never heard a bo diddley song i dont think. maybe one on the radio but thats it. the cover is really good though, it goes thru a ton of sections that're all pretty cool (Where You Love is some rly weird improvisational bs for 1969), and the guitar tones are really good. Mona isnt my favorite thing ever but it picks right back up after that! also worth mentioning: this is the first live album ive gotten from this site! not sure how many there are :o very nice guitar tones on here, cool noodling. most of it is instrumental (i kept forgetting there was a vocalist at all) so its pretty nice to put on in the background and just let it go wild in the back of ur brain. great stuff :D 9/10
Love that this was recorded live and hat hte musicians just put thier stamp on some Bo Diddley tunes. Great psych rock record to listen to.
Alright I’m biased as a big fan of psychedelic bands from the 60s, especially ones from San Francisco, but surprisingly I didn’t know much about quicksilver other than hearing who do you love on car commercials. I thought about giving it a 4 because it certainly won’t appeal to everyone or be “objectively” great, but it’s accomplishes everything it’s going for and more. It’s an impressive feat to be a musically talented half forgotten live acid band in the 60s and yet still have your music played in mainstream 2020 commercials.
Fantastic freak out medley on side 1. Then "Mona" Maiden Of The Cancer Moon" Does any other album scream San Francisco more than this?
This was right up my wheelhouse. I was wondering how long track 1 could be when I looked and realized I was deep into track 3. I mean that as a compliment. The whole first side of this album was a fantastic and interesting jam. Like the pig-pen era Grateful Dead with a harder and tighter edge. Great guitar parts. I never heard to this and will come back to this for sure.
This is a wonderful tribute to Bo Diddly. Most of the album is comprised of Bo Diddy covers or Bo Diddly inspired tunes. Side one is a tour de force - Who Do You Love Suite. Almost all rock groups in the late 60s and 70s wore the Bio Diddly influence on their sleeves for a song or tune. What Quicksilver Messenger Service did was something different. Rather than simply play or modify the famous Bo Diddly rhythm, they use it as a starting point and explore all the intricacies contained therein. I also love that it was recorded live at Fillmore East and Fillmore West, but they don’t tell us which coast.
Meu favorito até agora! Kkkk Muito bom. É bem mais rico do que os outros que eu escutei até agora. 5/5. Definitivamente.
очень круто! треки перетекают один в другой, альбом как одна полу-импровизационная композиция (как выяснилось (так пишут в вики) - смесь рока и джаза) захотелось снять короткий метр построенный полностью на хэппи трэйлс (что опять же говорит о его структуре)
Возвращаюсь в игру. Тру Детектив + Джентльмены Гая Ричи (в подтверждение!!! у меня после окончания альбома медиатека продолжила проигравание похожего и включила Cream — Sunshine of your love из Джентльменов) Такое я люблю Очень приятные мне звучание и музыкальность, кайфово просто сидеть и слушать, следя за мелодией
Holy fuck. What have I been doing with my life that I haven't listened to this before now? This is exactly what I want out of psychedelic blues rock. A whole side dedicated to an absolute killer rendition of "Who Do You Love?" Yes please! I am now looking for the Pure Pleasure pressing of this as soon as I'm done my vinyl diet.
Good psychedelic rock, but sort of spirals into repetitive instrumentation at times
It was good. Jazzy in a way that reminded me of Jethro Tull. I would definitely listen to it again.
4/5. Jammy electric guitar riffs and solos, with upbeat drum kicks and deep-voiced vocals. The first 25 minutes is just one long, rambling and waning guitar riff. Great background music for introspective, manly things.
Sounded like a jam session or an experimental album -- didn't realize it was a live recording until I heard the crowd. Luckily, it's a jam session I enjoyed. Would listen again!
Cool jam bad album, starts out strong with "Who do you love" and is basically a set. Solid song changes. Lots of mood changes. Cool album
Pretty good sound. Like it but it’s not likely to make my rotation. 3.5
What the f——-? Mind blowing guitar solos. Like Roy Rogers on acid. Loads of fun but I don’t think I’ll be listening to it again except as mood music for my apocalyptic western RPG.
Alrighty, from Donovan's drippy end of psychedelia, to the proggy jam band guitar wailing end. I enjoyed this a lot. Fave track - the entire first 6 tracks being one long noodly "Who Do You Love?"
Und so sehr der Adamsapfel vor Virilität wie bei Morrison zu bersten droht, und so sehr die Anfänge ein Pendeln im comme il faut der Zeit zwischen Santana und Led Zep gefangen sein mag, es gibt ihn dann doch, den spielfreudigen, freien, jazzig-psychedelischen Ausbruch ganz weit raus. Dorthin, wo der Art Rock das Licht der Welt erblickt hat, Jodorowsky einsam diese Welt zu fassen versucht, Motorpsycho durchs Wurmloch hinüber wandern auf Happy Trails, tripping but not falling.
Exceeded my expectations. Starts as fairly common 60s rock, then shines with seamless song transitions and fascinating experimentation.
A nice slice of psychedelia. Like a DJ trance mix with guitars. A total surprise and definitely one I'll revisit.
Half the album sounds like an improvised jam session and I am absolutely on board with that. A joyous treat of psychedelic rock and amazing guitar work. Will definitely stay in rotation for me.
Really cool, A side is phenomenal but B side got a little boring, it’ll get played again
Hmmm. They show up with three KSHE Klassics, but none on this album. Fun to listen to, but mostly instrumental. Many of the songs are variations of Bo Diddley's "Who do you Love". I like it. Good jamming background music.
Yup. Gonna keep this one on a faves list for a while. I can see it now.
Love me some psych rock and extended jams are my jam so this was right up my alley. The side B tracks are great too.
Cool psych music. Gets pretty far out there at times, perhaps too far out there on Song three. Some of the songs sound straight out of the Mayonnaise fake book, specifically Calvary, which slaps real hard. 4
Psychedelic Rock Bo Diddley remixes 13 minute instrumental A lot of guitar riffs
Opens with a group of songs based around Love, and they're all pretty good. Where You Love gets a little grating to the end with the screaming, but then kicks into the next tune and picks things back up. I should have realized Who Do You Love is a cover, I only know the Thorogood version. After the Love set, we get into "some Rock" as the frontman puts it. It definitely turns away from the bluesy-ness and leans into the psychedelic guitar with the next few songs. Calvary is looooong, I don't know that it needs to go as long as it does. Overall, was excited when the album started as I'm into this type of music, but Calvary was the point I was ready for it to end. Still lots of good in here so it's getting 4 stars, but I think if it was a bit shorter it would have been a 5.
Wow, hard to believe that they made an entire album out of two classic, short songs. I liked this a lot, although some of the more trippy parts of of the jams were a bit much. That said, great guitars and mostly great jams. You can clearly see why they played so many shows on the same bill as the Dead. I will listen to this again and probably download.
I imagine this album is going to score quite well in this group. I thought it was a very interesting concept to have one long song broken up into segments for half the album. I really enjoyed the guitar in When you love. Like when the Dead jam there were some parts I didn’t enjoy as much (where you love) but overall liked this one.
Alkupuolen Who Do You Love Suite on suorastaan jazzahtavaa klassikkorockia! Sen perusteella annetaan 4/5, ei ne muutkaan biisit huonoja olleet.
Starts off shy, but later progression makes it shine. A solid prog-rock album. Highlight: Calvary
Well I was kind of distracted so I will listen again. Sounded indulgent. But I think when I listen again with my headphones I will really like it. So going to give it a four.
My dad has this record, I heard it a few times in high school because it was one of his favorites so even though it's the 1990s this is blasting out of the speakers in our home. It's a good record to my ears still. I like the psych. And I probably got that from my POP. But also, you see, there's this Boris record Rainbow with guest guitarist Michio Kurihara who likened inspiration for his tone to the tone of the lead guitar on this record. And, all I have to say is that as good as Happy Trails is that Rainbow record slays it. So it's hard to not rate this one relatively and in that context.
I wasn't holding out a lot of hope for this based on the name and the cover art, but it's true what they say about assumptions. I really liked this album. It was really ahead of its time given the whole "do you love" theme, connected tracks that bleed together, and the fact that they seem to have beaten everyone to the drug-rock era (clear and obvious influence on the Doors and others). I'm giving it a bump in the rating just for being early to this scene.
Groovy, gritty and legit bluesy psychedelia. The vocals aren't exactly soaring, but the axe explorations are steadily impressive and totally diggable. Dumb ending cut, though. Had to be there, one supposes, and wouldn't that have been fun, at either Fillmore.
Great psych/acid rock. Really shows the artistry that took over Haight/Ashbury in the late 60s.
Love the concept of blowing a song up this much but a lot of it winds up sounding samey
What a great album. It was like discovering another early Grateful Dead I never heard of. Must have been a wild party in those San Fran days!
Vaguely remember the group's name but never heard their music. Liked it.
This album cover really made me think this would be a country soundtrack or something so I was pleasantly surprised by the club style psych rock I was met with. The first half being split up seemed a little pointless to me but if that's the way they wanted to present it, I think it's a cool idea. Overall - 8.1
nice overal, at time it can be a bit too instrumental which long lasting random noises but i think its not too bad
Rock Jam session. Lidt lange men sjovt setup. Musikken fejler som sådan ikke noget men live Jam er ikke det samme når man ikke hører det live
I had never heard of this album before it was recommended. It starts out so strong, but the second half of the album is less interesting. Part of me thinks that this album would be better if it was all instrumental. Every time the vocals come in I sort of tune out. 3/5
Some interesting songs on this album, including who do you love. Other than that many songs blended together.
It's impossible to listen to this without at least tapping a foot, shaking your head, dancing a little. That Bo Diddley rhythm is irresistible. I'm not one for solos usually, but the first 'side' of this album is pretty great. I didn't even realise it was live until I read the Wiki page. The B side loses its way a bit though.
Definitely great for its time, and pretty interesting, but it lags at points.
The deconstruction of "Who Do You Love" into a whole side of an album was interesting. I liked the album as a whole, don't think I had heard anything by Quicksilver Messenger Service before this.
I remember liking Quicksilver Messenger Service more than this, upon relistening to this record. Maybe it was other records of theirs I liked more? My AP Gov teacher in HS introduced me to them. COOL DUDE