csberry

Quicksilver_Messenger_Service-Happy_Trails

I have never listened to Quicksilver Messenger Service. In all honesty I can't say that I had really heard of the band before getting to them in the Rolling Stone Top 500 Albums list. I have a vague feeling of seeing the name previously, probably as a mention when reading about the Grateful Dead, Santana, or Jefferson Airplane. Anyways, I approached this album with not much of an idea of what to expect.

I really enjoy the first side of Happy Trails - a side-wide suite where they take the blues classic "Who Do You Love" and turn it into a 20-something minute exploration of blues, psychedelia, and a little space rock. The fact that this was recorded live just amazes me on each listen. The second side follows the first side's mixing of blues and trippiness - venturing a bit further "out there" than in the first half. Many of the songs run together, so I found it hard to distinguish between songs other than repeated glances at the player.

For me, I really prefer this version of late 1960's blues and psychedelia much more than Cream. While the solos from Cream could be more musically acrobatic, they were also very pompous and overindulgent. Quicksilver Messenger Service is very balanced on this record. Each member has several times where they get to spotlight their talents, but those spotlights seem more integral to the flow of the songs than Cream's "now it is time for Ginger to tap on the drums for a long time before we get back to the song."

Songs I Knew I Liked: None

Songs I Now Like: The whole "Who Do You Love" suite on the first half

Songs I Don't Want to Ever Hear Again: "Happy Trails" would probably get skipped after more listens.