Best Of Grace Slick, The - Grace Slick

Advantages: Brilliant, Underated, Inspring
Disadvantages: Patchy

...I have had this record for 33 years and never tire of hearing it. Critically unpopular on its release it has outlasted its contemparies in my heart that were lauded to the heavens at the time (remember Sparks and the New York Dolls)? Its beauty and ethereal sounds thrill me still. Slick, Kantner and Frieberg, were able to assemble musicians and production (freed from group centred egos) that were able to transcend the crap sound of the late Airplane. Grace Slick (with the exception of White Rabbit) has never sounded better. Stand out tracks Flowers of the Night (inspiring rebel music), Harp Tree Lament, Whiteboy and Scetches of China. A couple of dud tracks you can live with but this record still inpires me evey time I hear it. All in all nine thumbs up.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Beautiful, inventive, joyous, funny, etc, etc.
Disadvantages: Stevie singing rather than Stuart

..., it becomes a joyous buzz of euphoric instruments, cunning harmonies and naive but knowing lyrics. And, inevitably with B&S, the more you listen, the better it becomes... The b-sides to the single are an added incentive to buy. "The Loneliness of a Middle Distance Runner" is already a classic for those hungry for bootlegs and live recordings, and it's a rather wry glance back to a more innocent B&S. That's not to say it doesn't fit in with the rather shiny and slick group of 2001 - it's such a strong song it could grace any pop gem. "Take your Carriage Clock and Shove it" is a graceful but derivative B&S-by-numbers tune. Taking as a template "A Century of Fakers" crossed with a certain popular classic (see if you can work out which!), it's swoonsome but not incredibly interesting. As ever, it's all relative - B&S's worst moments ("Beyond... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: -
Disadvantages: Is this REALLY Alice Cooper?

...towards the sound of those 80's US bands like Quarterflash, Loverboy and Marshall Hain......ie glossy, overproduced and ultimately soulless. The saving grace is the usual Cooper self-deprecating ironic lyrics. Was there a band? Dunno, it all sounds fed through a Fairlight to me. OK we have Alice Cooper (vocals), and Mr Fairlight (synths, bass vocoder, treated guitars and electro drums). Job done! The one truly great track on here is a cover - Clones (We Are All)......sounding very much like Gary Numan's "Cars".. if you follow the Pink credo that an album where the cover version is the best song on it automatically means that album is shite (and that's a credo that has served me well down the years), bear in mind poor Mr C's condition during this album recording. Because the next track, Pain, is lyrically one of Alice... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful