October 18, 2018 - Quicksilver Messenger Service - Fresh Air (1970)

Oooh, have another hit...of fresh air, courtesy of quintessential Bay area band Quicksilver Messenger Service. I've loved this song since I first heard it. I think I can say the same thing about Spirit's Fresh Garbage. I was a freshman in high school doncha know.

It was written by one Jesse Oris Farrow, who sang it as Dino Valenti, whose real name was Chet Powers. Three of a kind. His vocals lunge at you from the back of a cold and empty hall, trapped in the glorious agony of some kind of fever. Dino was a freaky guy. According to music writer Richie Unterberger, Dino's "lyrics were trippy stream-of-consciousness one-sided conversations, seemingly directed toward a never-ending parade of beautiful but confused young hippie women."

The layers of reverb create a confusing atmosphere, where are we? John Cipollina plays slashing guitar under the foggy clouds of sound, joined by second guitarist, Gary Duncan, ducking and diving bongos, a groovy bass, and...da drums. The other instrument of note (!) is the piano, played by the legendary Nicky Hopkins, who adds a shimmering Liberace quality to the mysterious affair before heading down the boogie-woogie trail.