Disco de Jefferson Airplane: “Bless Its Pointed Little Head”

The Airplane were not a "good vibes" band like the Dead. By the time this very live LP was issued they had long transcended their folkie beginnings. They were also capable of rocking as hard as any Sixties band from Detroit, as one quickly learns by the completion of "3/5's Of A Mile In 10 Seconds" & "Somebody To Love." They also raise the energy level on "It's No Secret" & "Plastic Fantastic Lover," but can still make the hookah bubble on Donovan's "Fat Angel." Gracie & Paulie rarely sounded more together while flying free, with Marty working up a sweat rather than just batting his eyelashes at the hippie girls in the front row. Jorma & Jack have become mutually telepathic, while Spencer Dryden plays the drums to wake up the dead, pun intended.

Bob Rixon, WFMU

For a short while in the late 1960s it seemed like The Jefferson Airplane could do no wrong; the triumph of "Surrealistic Pillow" was followed by "Baxter's" and "Crown" and the group became legendary for its live shows. "Bless Its Pointed Little Head" captures them at the peak of their playing abilities--in only a few months they were able to transform songs like "3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds" and "Plastic Fantastic Lover" into charged warhorses, capable of taking audiences on an adrenaline (or other chemical) rush not so unlike that of the punk bands a few years later; however, no punk band could offer up the lush psychedelic dreamscape of "Fat Angel" or "Bear Melt", the latter which features Slick delivering an improvised vocal which ends with the haunting "...or you could...listen to a hundred different reasons why you can't go..."

This review is short but sweet; if you are going to call yourself a complete Airplane fan you must have this album. There is no question they created their own dynamic sound in the studio. But this album shows the creativity of Airplane when they are playing live! This album is all about explosive live rock. Strap yourself in for this one, even the songs you think you know will show a brand new side!

This is one powerful mother of an album right from the enlightened use of the King Kong clip to start it off through the segue into 3/5ths of a Mile in Ten Seconds which moves the band into top gear from which it never stops throughout the entire duration of the album.

To borrow a phrase, this band rocks. The songs here are truly inspired with Somebody to Love and Plastic Fantastic Lover being given such a powerful interpretation that the originals seemed to have been written by someone with less passion.

Donovan Leitch, ostensibly a British folk singer, has never sounded better than when others play his material. From Jeff Beck through the Allman Brothers to the Airplane, each of these artists have provided superb interpretations especially here with Fat Angel. This song at once both moody and inspirational at the same time is lifted onto an entirely different plane from the original and it seems intuitively correct that the author would enthusiastically approve of the change.

Rock Me Baby, Other Side of This Life and It's No Secret continue the high energy levels and the last two tracks maintain the momentum. You are almost left breathless as the Airplane juggernaught thunders by and the dancers call out for more.

Where, oh where are the master tapes for the shows that these tracks were recorded from. We could do with the whole lot if they are out there.

This album certainly took me to the other side of this life and I think it is this album which shows what a heavyweight Bay Area Band the Airplane really were, truly deserving their place in the panthenon of the greats along with the Dead and Quicksilver.

Fantastic. Play VERY LOUD.

This abum comes higly recommended! Even at their worst the Jefferson Airplane were better than just about any one else. This album, one of three live releases, falls in the middle and is better than 30 Seconds but not quite as good as the Fillmore East. Some people say that this album is a bit flat but I think it's more because of the recoring quality and not because of any lacking on their part. I'm not always in the mood to hear Bear Melt or Rock Me Baby, which are great by the way, but require a little more listener attention to appreciate than the other more accessable songs. I saw the Airplane 18 times beginning with the original band up to the 1989 reunion and with one exception (their performance at the Sacramento Pop Festival stunk) they were never less than staggering. All this rambling leads up to one thing: BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!!! You'll thank yourself.