| | Full Review | Ratings (661) |
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| 4.0 excellent | Iai EMERITUS | June 14th 07 |
There's simply no denying the highlights here. "White Rabbit" is absolutely incredible, its stoned ramble, mariarchi rhythms, slippery melody, and steadily building tension making it quite possibly the finest thing the psychedelic era produced. "Somebody To Love", the other famous track here, is just a flat-out great pop song - it even managed to survive a load of parachuting babies when Boogie Pimps covered it a few years ago, so you KNOW it's good. They're definitely the peaks for me, but there's lots to enjoy about the "She Has Funny Cars", "My Best Friend", "3/5 of a Miles in 10 Seconds", and the pastoral guitar solo "Embryonic Journey". At times, it feels like Jefferson Airplane are mocking the bands around them by adopting their styles seamlessly without sounding like pastiches, and often improving them - "She Has Funny Cars" sounds like The Doors gone good before moving into the band's own territory, "My Best Friend" sound more like The Beatles than half of the songs The Beatles wrote themselves, "How Do You Feel" has shades of The Byrds, and so on. If there's a weak spot, it's the slightly boring "Today", which sounds like Love's "Andmoreagain" without the same level of inspiration, but everything else is easy to love. No doubt, this is one of of my very favourite albums of the 1960s.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.0 good | Robbit | May 7th 16 |
Jefferson Airplane's 2nd album (and 1st with Grace Slick) has become revered as an essential psychedelic artifact. I won't argue
that "Someday To Love" and their 60s take on Alice In Wonderland in "White Rabbit" aren't worthwhile and great songs. Even if we've
all heard them to death by now, I will fully acknowledge that these were very special songs.
However, the rest of the album seems quite dull and unremarkable in contrast to these two shining diamonds. I felt the same way
when I brought this album home from the library when I was a young child, yet always blamed myself for missing something. After
years of exploring their catalog, I discovered that they were always a bit inconsistent in the songwriting department. There are
some really great moments of inspiration amidst a great deal of less than brilliant meandering and experimentation.
Maybe this requires a dose of Owsley's finest acid to fully appreciate? In the pale unflinching light of 2013, SURREALISTIC PILLOW
just doesn't seem as remarkable as the older hipsters have always claimed. I'm not saying it's a BAD record, but it does contain
some boring stretches that seem to last a bit longer than one would want.
Highlights: "Somebody To Love", "White Rabbit" & "Embryonic Journey".
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Sowilei | June 9th 12 |
I wish I could meet my plastic fantastic lover too, one day. Fantastic album, a special atmosphere, some marvelous melodies, despite of a few lyrical and quite naïve lyrics (My best friend...)
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Gassman3268 | May 10th 12 |
If I was the producer for this album my advice to the band would have been "More Grace Slick!" Both of her premiere songs on the album (Somebody to Love and White Rabbit) are some of the best and most iconic songs of the late 1960's. Yet while some of the other songs on the albums are quite good, almost all of them could have used more Grace Slick.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Barabajagal | December 10th 11 |
Grace Slicks two main contributions, White Rabbit and Somebody to Love are my main highlights. However the guitar picking in embryonic journey is brilliant and Comin' back to me is a charming low key affair.
Bump |
| 0.0 | Rocksta71 | April 19th 07 |
This album really surprised me! It's got sone really great songs on it and some excellent lyrics too! Like in the song "white rabbit". It has some really pyschidelic guitar sounds and other sounds too this is an absolute must-buy for any fan of classic rock.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | The Door Mouse | January 26th 07 |
Jefferson Airplane have always been a band that I love, to love. Surrealistic Pillow features every thing good from these guys. I could be Grace Slicks eerie folkish voice, or the either happy or mysterious psychedelic feel that they were born to give off. This album is so consistant that the the best song is an iota better than the worst song. The song White Rabbit is maybe the best psychedelic song of all time. It defines the genre. It makes many references to Alice in Wonderland and 'Shrooms'. The song My Best Friend is a very upbeat, happy and a bit trippy tune. And Somebody to Love is more of a heavier, pushy tune and that is the most aggressive this album gets. It is not too aggressive and I think that is the point. This isn't your heavy 'classic rock' album. It is just a soft, melodic and relaxing album.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Hawks | May 14th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | Harff7 | April 26th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | doofy | January 11th 24 |
| 3.8 excellent | Dewinged STAFF | November 14th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Matty CONTRIBUTOR | October 30th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | yinei007 | December 26th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | KManoc1 | November 28th 22 |
| 2.0 poor | fog CONTRIBUTOR | June 17th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | Oatus | May 18th 22 |
| 3.5 great | sncold | February 10th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | Vaio | December 8th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | biggzhc | September 27th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | DJTrpTrp | September 23rd 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Mac | July 20th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | iGuter | March 13th 21 |
| 3.0 good | Jimmer | March 12th 21 |
| 4.5 superb | benkim | March 3rd 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | KuyJuk | July 14th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Source | July 5th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Mike01 | June 11th 20 |
| 4.5 superb | Saro61 | April 25th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Medonie | April 5th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | igi78 | March 3rd 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | EyeLovya | February 29th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | J1m1 | October 12th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | bbgames | September 21st 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | vil1 | September 12th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Jux | April 22nd 19 |
| 5.0 classic | rufous | March 20th 19 |
| 3.0 good | Superb | March 15th 19 |
| 4.5 superb | Ogara | December 10th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | Pho3nix | November 14th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | Josh | May 16th 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | NateMa | April 18th 18 |
| 3.5 great | Emo | January 19th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | ellagos | January 16th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | nateiv | December 18th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | Holsety | December 10th 17 |
| 3.0 good | Rdv | December 8th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | mabewa | December 7th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | wg98 | December 5th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | adios | October 8th 17 |
| 3.5 great | Yotimi | September 27th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Xerian | August 14th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | gilly | June 20th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | deslad | June 2nd 17 |
| 5.0 classic | random | April 26th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | elry2k | March 27th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Trundle | March 23rd 17 |
| 3.5 great | manu8a | March 15th 17 |
| 3.5 great | p4p | March 8th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | Spluger | March 5th 17 |
| 5.0 classic | tofue | February 6th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | wham49 | November 26th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Collis | October 24th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | slagun | October 8th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Cygnus | June 28th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hideman | June 23rd 16 |
| 3.0 good | Greem | April 22nd 16 |
| 3.0 good | wwf | February 13th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | timmy36 | February 9th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | orlock | November 24th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | btati | November 12th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | dosia | October 27th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Snuron | July 26th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | swoen | May 26th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Denis | April 16th 15 |
| 4.5 superb | Luxx | March 29th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | Muzaker | February 22nd 15 |
| 5.0 classic | ANJ45 | February 1st 15 |
| 4.5 superb | ToCho | January 21st 15 |
| 3.5 great | jmh886 | November 25th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | KaNe00 | October 16th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Panuchy | October 16th 14 |
| 3.5 great | ffs | October 7th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Zurreal | July 28th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | MvdW | June 22nd 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | JinBey | May 20th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | Lilt98 | April 20th 14 |
| 2.5 average | 13km | March 26th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | TheIbar | February 15th 14 |
| 3.5 great | SeiGor | January 24th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | tarkus | January 8th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | zundza | December 8th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | manosg EMERITUS | October 30th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Emyr | October 17th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Mendigo | September 27th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | tef | September 9th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | DUIF | June 8th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Veldin | May 29th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | bol90 | March 24th 13 |
| 3.5 great | FLRTE | March 14th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Penlord | February 12th 13 |
| 3.5 great | ezba45 | December 28th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | faraday | December 1st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | bobbi | October 5th 12 |
| 3.5 great | Dunpeal | September 21st 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | seifer | July 19th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Loois | June 13th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | KILL | June 12th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Onetwo12 | February 21st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | Spon426 | February 21st 12 |
| 5.0 classic | StAAder | January 22nd 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Sumire | January 15th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | Magnaza | November 28th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | BiOZed | November 9th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | JMZ | November 2nd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | dartek | October 28th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | boleyn2 | October 27th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | Jips | October 27th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Vasky87 | October 25th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | taroo | October 2nd 11 |
| 3.5 great | Sowilo | August 3rd 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Wolfe | June 28th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tupik | May 10th 11 |
| 2.5 average | kount | May 5th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | DeStijl | April 16th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | kojpl | February 7th 11 |
| 3.0 good | Oli100 | January 23rd 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Vice94 | January 22nd 11 |
| 3.5 great | iemona | December 7th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | rymo | December 7th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | Janson | December 6th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kmiller | November 18th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | cvrcmrc | September 1st 10 |
| 3.5 great | ShyGuy | August 17th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | EPence | August 15th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | des | August 10th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | Fried | June 6th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | lkd | December 25th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | ferrum | November 25th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | theoedd | October 28th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | click5 | September 19th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | JesusV4 | September 2nd 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | aresx | August 18th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | jfac123 | June 23rd 09 |
| 3.5 great | Garito | August 21st 08 |
| 4.5 superb | JaCox | April 12th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | Kaleid | March 31st 08 |
| 3.5 great | woee | March 30th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | midas | March 21st 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | Windows | February 19th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | Egglord | November 9th 07 |
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