PAUL KANTNER, GRACE SLICK/SUNFIGHTER FTR 1002 (-71) US

Though presented as a solo project by Kantner and Slick, it could as well have been billed as a Jefferson Airplane effort...and then some - apart from band members also backed by Jerry Garcia, David Crosby and Graham Nash among others. I bought my first copy at release and always liked having one around. It still sounds very fresh and maybe even more up-to-date today as it's pro-vegan and in a larger perspective deals with commercialism vs. natural living. Then tagged as acid rock/psych, but in today's context maybe something like "eco-psych" fits better. I've seen rewievers hinting that their vast production of albums at the time - released both as band creations and solo efforts - did hamper the songwriting and made some of the outcome uneven or even bland, but I for one don't hear much of such here. I do love and want to return to some of the songs - "Earth Mother", "When I Was A Boy I Watched The Wolves" and "Sunfighter" all combining substantial with catchy. Also the guitars are good all through and if you like Slick's vocals you'll get a motherload. To say something negative - the audio on this US press is rather dense. Maybe a clearer, more separated sound would have added to the joy, but it is what it is and not much to do about it now. 1971 releases on Grunt also in Canada, Japan, Downunder and a couple of European countries. Japan 1972 Quadrophonic (R4P 5027). CD issues in US and UK, but to my knowledge non with bonus tracks. Premiere US had label as shown here on very thin floppy vinyl in a matt fold/out cover with sixteen page lyric/credit/picture booklet and inner with a Jack Traylor poem. (YZÄ*) (JÄF*)