370 - Jefferson Airplane - Volunteers

Drop what you are doing and come join the Jefferson Airplane to an idyllic life that lies just on the other side of your hi-fi speakers. "We Can Be Together" starts the album off with a rallying cry to join forces to find a better world. We then see some of what kind of utopia we can have with "Good Shepherd" and the Grateful Dead country-ness of "The Farm" (Jerry Garcia plays pedal guitar on the track). Obviously, drugs are welcome in this Jefferson Airplane utopia and everyone will better understand the earth, environment, and what a tree cares about (apparently human names, crowds, and dreams "Doesn't mean shit to a tree" - from "Eskimo Blue Day"). The album closes on the rousing anthem of "Volunteers" (which I'm still uncertain if it is best as the last track or should have replaced "We Can Be Together" as the first track).

Overall, the music seems strained at times by a chorus of equal voices that try to harmonize without putting any voice backward into the mix. While the songs can differ in style from the anthemic "Volunteers" to the psychedelic "Hey Frederick," the guitar retains the listener's attention by always being in front of the mix; always roaring, slashing, and grinding each song away. For me, the guitar was a little too omnipresent and some songs could have benefited from lowering the guitar into the mix more.

Songs I knew I liked: "Volunteers"

Songs I didn't know but now like: I'm hesitant about mentioning "We Can Be Together" and "The Farm" because there are things about each that annoy me.

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: The album is mostly harmless to my ears, but "Wooden Ships" really got on my nerves.