The song has kind of a jazz feel and a time signature similar to Dave BrubeckвЂ™s вЂњTake Five.вЂќ And just check out the intertwined twin lead guitars of John Cippolina and Gary Duncan which ring out with righteous clarity.ДЄnother throw away tune, вЂњItвЂ™s Been Too LongвЂќ follows before we hit the 12-minute epic that leaves me breathless every time I hear it, вЂњThe Fool.вЂќ ItвЂ™s a multi-sectioned piece that flows from one mood to another. After sliding guitar chords introduce the song, Elmore and Freiberg set up a propulsive rhythm as Gary Duncan unleashes his full-throated warning about the вЂњflash of fire, ten times brighter than the day.вЂќ It was a great intro for this band that was somewhat muted by the next two pop flavored songs, вЂњLight Your WindowsвЂќ and вЂњDinoвЂ™s SongвЂќ which sound more like American Bandstand fodder from 1963 or so.Д«ut then comes вЂњGold and Silver.вЂќ It was originally titled вЂњAcapulco Gold & Silver,вЂќ named for strains of marijuana, but Capitol Records had a problem with that title. But itвЂ™s the QMS version that fully explores the apocalyptic and religious imagery of the song.

The opening track, вЂњPride of ManвЂќ was written by folk singer Hamilton Camp in 1964 and was covered by Gordon Lightfoot in 1966. But 23 of those minutes are taken up by the three songs that make the album a classic: вЂњPride of Man,вЂќ an instrumental called вЂњGold and Silver,вЂќ and the epic, 12-minute-long suite, вЂњThe Fool.вЂќ The album is only 32 minutes long, short by even 1968 standards. Their self-titled debut album was a mix of expansive, intricately woven journeys with twin lead guitar and older style rock tunes that in retrospect, seemed like they came from the early 60s, not the psychedelic 60s. But they were one of the last of the first wave psychedelic bands to sign a record contract. By 1967 they were in the forefront of the San Francisco scene, regulars at the Fillmore and playing major events like the Monterey Pop Festival. After a few twists and turns, the band coalesced around guitarist John Cippolina, singer and guitarist Gary Duncan, bassist and violist David Freiberg, and drummer Greg Elmore. The only problem was, the day after he did, he got busted for drug possession. But Big Brother and the Holding Company still had Janis Joplin, for the moment.В ThereвЂ™s a little confusion about the origins, but singer Dino Valente is reputed to have initiated the band. This was when The Grateful Dead were still The Warlocks and The Jefferson Airplane didnвЂ™t yet have Grace Slick who was in The Great Society. Quicksilver Messenger Service was formed in 1965 in the nascent days of the San Francisco psychedelic scene. Take a Flashback 50 to the eponymous debut of Quicksilver Messenger Service However, enthusiasts of those albums will find much more to revisit on Shady Grove than those who favored the first two records.Quicksilver Messenger Service 50 Years On by John Diliberto This somewhat uneven effort would sadly foreshadow QMS's journey from psychedelia and into a much more pop-oriented sound on their follow-up, Just for Love (1970). However, the down-home cowboy waltz 'Word's Can't Say' never gets out of the stable, unfortunately.

Additionally, QMS try their hand at the same country & western-flavored sound that was making the rounds with their San Fran contemporaries the Jefferson Airplane ('The Farm') and the Grateful Dead ('Dire Wolf'). The slow and dark 'Flute Song' is a trippy minor chord masterpiece that is augmented by the shimmering effect of Hopkins' airy piano lines which mingle throughout the light orchestration. Kicking off the disc is an up-tempo rocking version of the traditional Appalachian folk song 'Shady Grove.' The QMS reading is highlighted by John Cipollina's trademark fluid fretwork and a familiar 'Bo Diddley' backbeat - reminiscent of both 'Who Do You Love' and 'Mona' from the live ensemble LP Happy Trails. The band incorporate a number of different styles on the album. Another possible reason for the shift in style as well as personnel is the conspicuous absence of Gary Duncan (guitar) - who is rumored to have been a 'guest' of Bay Area law enforcement at the time. Ironically, the one stretched-out instrumental is courtesy of their latest acquisition - Brit recording session guru Nicky Hopkins (keyboards). Shady Grove (1969) is comprised mostly of shorter and self-contained pieces as opposed to the long and extended jams that were so prevalent on their self-titled debut (1967) and Happy Trails (1969). The third long-player from San Francisco psychedelic icons Quicksilver Messenger Service (QMS) is a direct contrast from their previous discs.

Quicksilver messenger service