"Don't You Need Somebody to Love ?"

Original Released on LP RCA Victor LSP 3766
(February 1967)

OK, I was there, and I remember... so maybe I wasn’t there, but I’m here now... maybe. Surrealistic Pillow wasn’t a psychedelic album though it was ushering in the psychedelic era. This record is a combination of what one might call folk rock, but with definate leanings for what was to come. The 60’s weren’t really all of the 60’s, they were actually just the summer of 1966 and into the winter and spring of 1967, but we thought they’d go on forever.

Grace’s voice has never sounded better then on this very simple body of work. Most of the songs are about love and were written by Marty, ‘My Best Friend and Comin’ Back To Me’ are legendary standouts of mamouth proportion for the emotion they envoke. ‘White Rabbit’ was a banner song, the anthem of the 60’s.

This album is timeless in its feel and production. Being their second release, you can see what the group learned from their intital recording experience. The Jefferson Airplane did something here that many groups have tried to do and fallen short.

On every album up to ‘Bark,’ they’ve managed to create an atmosphere. That is to say, they didn’t create concept albums in the vain of the Moody Blues, but each song lead flawlessly into the next, stinging out musical visions of love, life, freedom, loss and drugs in a war torn country.

There was an equality to this record, each member of the Airplane were afforded the opportunity to display their talents to the fullest, right down to the mixing, where the playing field is totally level. There are chord changes unheard of before this time, people played off each other in a manner befitting the day. It was truely a heady time to be alive.

This album feels as simple as the cover convays, and fits like a good pair of boots. I’ve never tired of this record and don’t feel it will ever be lost to those who ventured to live a life during those years.

(in RateYourMusic)

Note: After many and problematic reissues of "Surrealistic Pillow" on CD, this 2003 edition, on BMG Heritage Label, mastered by renowned reissue producer Bob Irwin (of Sundazed Records fame), including the mono single versions of "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love," along with more 4 bonus tracks, is the best you can find. So, enjoy this wonderful remastering job (ripped here at 256 kb) of one of the greatest albums ever made in pop music!