Customer Reviews

America's Choice

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4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
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During the mid-seventies, Hot Tuna adopted a power trio format and made their best records "America's Choice" and "Yellow Fever." While I am partial to the latter, "America's Choice" contains this band's best studio recordings. "Funky #7" is boogie rock at its finest with mind-melting wah-wah and fried, hipster lyrics. "Hit Single #1" is mainstream blues-rock pulled through infinity and twisted up by Jorma's nasal snarl and imagery straight out of a waterfront opium den. It is awesome. "Serpent of Dreams" is my all-time favorite Tuna composition; I could listen to it one million times and want it piped into my coffin once I've shuffled off this mortal coil. The impressionistic and obscure tale told by this song is both evocative and bewildering. There are so many layers of distorted, phased and otherwise warped guitar slithering across each other on this track that hearing it even once may just send you to the outer limits of human comprehension and experience (never to return). If you ever wondered what Robert Johnson would sound like if he could travel across dimensions and injected DMT directly into his pineal gland every 20 seconds, then you should buy this disc.

I know that Hot Tuna was really created to allow Jorma & Jack to explore the acoustic side of things, but this album is my favorite by the combo -and acoustic it ain't. This was Bob Steele's 1st foray with the boys and it was a departure point , back to Jorma & Jack's roots- kick a-- rock & roll. The only song on the collection that is not a frantic dash is the first, Sleep Song. This is the most melodic of the offerings and sets the stage for the rest of the meal. Invitation ended the original side one and leaves me gasping for more. Jorma's mastery of the Fender is punctuated with Steele's frenetic drumming while Jack calmly booms out the pace. Hit Single #1 gives us all a clue as what they really intend, as once again the band is off to the races in a very funky rendition. Watch out America- All of your little r& r bands don't measure up to what the "Pros from Dover" have to offer. The Rock masters from the Airplane were right on again. Subsequent offerings Yellow Fever and Hopkorv had their moments, but America's Choice remains my choice for Hot Tuna's hottest album. Buy it and re-live a golden time. This was the 70's, not that disco stuff that Hollywood insists was the beat of our generation. Long Live Kaukonen and Cassady! Bravo Hot Tuna!

It is apparent from the first moments of Sleep Song that Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady have hit the ignition on their newly honed power trio format complete with an exuberent Bob Steeler on Drums and shifted direct into mind-warp speed. The LP's blues-infected escapades that evolve into tightly honed psychedelic electric rock excursions are the best the '70's post-Cream era have to offer. Kaukonen, Casady & Steeler go for broke at the cusp of their musical chemistry and prowess to create a niche not since equalled, defining acid rock not only in terms of raw energy but in style and eloquence at the peak of their substantial musical powers. One is quickly hooked on the testosterone-churning rumbling of an unbelievable Jack Casady anchoring bass hook in Funky #7, over which Kaukonen and Steeler overlay an intricate and mind-blowing musical interplay. Walkin' Blues keeps the boys true to their deeply entrenched musical roots while Invitation and Hit Single #1 keep the trip peaking with the finest Kaukonen guitar statements that will please even the most discriminating blues-rock afficianado. By the time the Serpent of Dreams rears its psychedelic head, the appreciative listener becomes confident they have reached the land of no return, and are ready to revisit the Great Divide forever to satiate the craving for more. It is clear here that at the release of America's Choice(1975), Hot Tuna made a firm commitment to acheive its dream to become a true mainstream success in a then ultra-competitive rock music arena, based solely upon its very own distinct non-sellout sound, style and devotion to its musical ideals in this go-for-broke musical statement. The likes of this bold release would not be surpassed again by these baby-boom musical alchemists, the abilities of whom seem sorely lacking among the contemporary pool of artists at the beginning of this new century.

This is the album that made me a true believer. Lots of folks thought they were sour grapes that jumped from the Jefferson Airplane. What a ridiculous album cover. Totally nuts, right? What inane lyrics. Strange version of Walkin' Blues. What a sound Jorma had! Guitars with an edge that went on forever.
This album was actually made with quadrophonic sound when it was originally released in '75. You can hear the pieces of the quad effect at the end of Funky #7. I still think Hit Single #1 should have become one. And let's face it, nobody put on a show like this trio. They would play well over 6 hours on some nights. Who the heck even comes close now?

AMERICA'S CHOICE is a great electric Hot Tuna album. The songs are all top-notch, and Jorma Kaukonen's guitar playing is hotter than ever. The album seems to be a concept record about making errors and then realizing you need to change your way of doing things- and actually making the changes necessary. This CD inspired me to put pictures of pretty actresses on wall and in my wallet as a deterrent against self-indulgence. If you're starting a Hot Tuna collection, get this one, BURGERS, and YELLOW FEVER first.

AMERICA'S CHOICE was a radical departure from Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Cassidy's folk/blues based idea for Hot Tuna. Dropping Sammy Piazza for Bob Steeler on drums and letting Papa John "Screech" go off with the Jefferson Starship, the Tunas DEFINATELY tightened up their sound and became MORE of a power trio, with Jorma returning to the searing electric work that drove much of the Jefferson Airplane's VOLUNTEERS.

This was a good thing over the majority of the album (exceptions: "Invitation" and the so-so cover of Robert Johnson's "Walking Blues"), but the album overall feels a bit forced at times, where BURGERS felt like a genuinely fun album to make.

STILL, this is one of the better Tuna albums (along with the debut and BURGERS) and a pretty good addition to any Airplane fan, if just for Jorma's brilliant guitar and Cassidy's ALWAYS tasty bass.

Definitely right in line with "yellow fever"; as good as it gets burning electric rythym & blues. A definite addition to anybody's library if you really like driving rock and roll that "NO" other band has ever played!!!

I'm not sure any subsequent CD has captured this music as it sounded on the original LP, which would shake the walls of any house when played loud. As it said on the side of the LP, this must be played at full volume for maximum effect, so make sure none of the neighbors are home!

This recording isn't for everyone but if you like hard guitar playing that transcends mainstream monotony buy it. I've owned a copy for 25 years and I never tire of it. This was one of those 70s recordings that kicked ... in spite of all that "played-out" Disco music infiltrating the airways.

With this recording Hot Tuna started a particular a period in their lives: the "METAL YEARS"
Infact after "AMERICA'S CHOICE" they became a rock n' roll-hard rock band, instead of the folk-blues-rock band they were until 1973.
On this one you'll find some very good psychedelic-rock songs, like "SERPENT OF DREAMS" (in my opinion the best), "HIT SINGLE #1", "FUNKY #7" and some rock-blues songs too, like "WALKING BLUES" or "I DON'T WANNA GO".
But you'll find some mediocre songs, too, like "SLEEP SONG" (wich is BEAUTIFUL in the intro, but after that becomes just a boring ballad), "INVITATION" or "GREAT DIVIDE: RIVISITED".
Anyway good record.