will be revisiting albums that came out before the magazine was founded in July 2002 and assessing its current cultural relevance. This week, we’re looking at Jefferson Airplane’s 1967 sophomore album, a project that launched the voice of Grace Slick into the stratosphere and cemented the band as one of the great counterculture acts of its generation.
Along with her remarkable lead vocal, Slick brought two of what would become Jefferson Airplane’s biggest hits—“Somebody To Love” and “White Rabbit”—from her past in The Great Society.
Jerry Garcia stepped out of the metaphysical realm as a spiritual guide to lend his incredible guitar abilities to three tracks: “Today,” “Comin’ Back to Me” and “Plastic Fantastic Lover.” He combined his Grateful Dead madness with the deadly blues-folk combo of Kaukonen and Casady, and “Today” is a misty romantic ballad that brings a spacey feel to the grounded, earthy energy of his dreamy acoustics. Balin and Slick’s vocals intertwine in a gorgeously longing harmony.