Customer Reviews

Crown of Creation

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I am reading all the great "Bathing at Baxter's" reviews so I decided to replay both Baxter's and "Crown of Creation" and, sorry folks, but Crown IS the crown of JA's creations. Baxter's has the music, indeed, but Crown has BOTH the music and the definite lyrical edge. It's dark, and deep...very very deep..."soon you'll attain the stability you strive for in the the only way that it is granted, in a place upon the fossils of your time." Is this not just as relevant today as it was back then? Is that not the mark of great lyrics? Check this out, "You and me we keep walking around and see all the bull(bleep) around us...try to keep our minds on what's going down, can't help but see the rhinoceros around us...." The reference to Ionesco and the whole absurd choo-choo train is unmistakable. "Lather" DEFINES Jung's Puer Aeturnus ( eternal child ), and turns it on its head. "Greasy Heart" may be the only really dated song ( along with the cover, maybe - there are still alot of those mushroom makers floating around, maybe in less secure hands now ), but Gracey's ascerbic rantings against the shallowness of our relationships is perhaps even more relevant today. And then they throw in the weirdness of "Triad" and the hum-this-tune-all-day-in-your-head "If You Feel" just for good measure. I hate to burst your bubble Baxter bretheren, but "Waiting" ( as great as it was ) was just a warm up for what was to come next.

Crown of Creation represents the high water mark of San Fransisco's Jefferson Airplane.More elegant, complex and cohesive than "After Bathing at Baxters" (although that is indeed a fine album)and simply having better songs and purpose than "Volunteers" this disc is a must have.
The thing that really seperated the Airplane from the rest was the fact that everyone in the band was exceptional at what they did ( and I have still yet to hear a better, more original and more important bass player than Jack Casady) and all were at the top of their game at the same time, and this disc was recorded just before it all began to fall apart.

Regal and majestic, instruments and voices present us with one of the most powerful documents of an era.A group of young people fired and inspired by the times they were living in producing an anthem for those times and ours.A time capsule of joy and wonder poisoned by the reality of the war in Vietnam and the war at home.

The Airplane's fourth album literally picked up where #3 ('After Bathing at Baxters') left off. 'Baxters' was brilliant with its suite-like format, and almost exclusively electric, whereas their earlier work (especially 'Surrealistic Pillow') had been a bountiful mix of electric and acoustic songs. 'Crown of Creation' re-visits the mixture of electric/acoustic elements, but with a thicker reverberant sound such that the helpings of acoustic guitar are presented as a highly charged urban electro-apocalyptic sound space. All the songs are stunningly original.

Those vestiges of folk rock that had been expunged from the sound of 'Baxters' again flicker in 'Crown', but this is still their new sound. JA changed engineers after 'Pillow'; the new guy (who lasted at least through the 5th album, 'Volunteers') was seriously enamored of a higher horsepower feel, which here (whether the group is playing hard or acoustic rock) never lets up. From the vantage of his control room ('conning tower'), he sonically crafted the Airplane into a different sort of band, quite likely at their behest.

Here JA continued to make a strong case for being the greatest of the 'revolutionary' bands [the MC5, and CJ & the Fish notwithstanding]. They plumbed a wider gamut of emotion, invoking a deeper sense of tragedy, also rejoicing in the [somewhat tarnished?] beauty of it all, than probably any similar band, other than [possibly] the United States of America. [The USofA album, amazing as it is, was but a one-off'er.]

The youthful exuberance and idealism of 'Pillow' and 'Baxters' is still present here in transfigured form. With 'Crown', the Airplane gain greater mastery [to paraphrase Blake*] of the craft of metaphorically using corrosives to cleanse the doors and windows of perception, thereby revealing and reveling in a world beyond our customary boundaries [and not just those prevalent around 1969]. "Don't change before the Empire falls . . . you'll laugh so hard you'll crack the walls!" ["Greasy Heart"]

*[E.g. see "Auguries of Innocence" and "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell", in 'William Blake: Complete Writings', edited by Geoffrey Keynes.]

"Lather" Satire that is both biting and tearful. The lead guitarist approaches genius in his ability to mirror the mournfulness of the moment via his instrument's tone settings and his expressive playing. Slick's vocal manages to convey the private sort of horror of the events taking place.

"In Time" Not necessarily a drug song . . . it could be meditation, lovemaking, the beginnings of a waking dream . . . this one progresses slowly, passionately, beautifully. "Look further on past the surface . . . orange, blue, red & green are the colors of what I feel, and my mind you know it starts to reel in time."

"Triad" A Byrds' song which never made it onto their albums, with wondrous, slow acoustic guitar accompaniment; singer Grace really shows us the love.

"Star Track": "If your head spins 'round, try to see the ground if you can". 'Nuff said.

"Share A Little Joke" Exceedingly mournful song [sung by Balin]. Recollection of loss of innocence begins its recovery.

"Chushingura" Short, marvelous space-rock instrumental, rivaling the Stones' "2000 Light Years from Home".

"If You Feel" Great up-tempo [acid-dance] tune. Things turn optimistic on this one, though destructive at the same time [as in the idea that one thing must be destroyed, that the 'new' might emerge]. This song is a strange and stunning psychological mix, as lead singer Marty Balin simultaneously conveys mournfulness with a sense of overarching joy. Revel in this one if you will, as things really let loose from the get-go.

"Crown Of Creation" Begins the Airplane's own miniaturized 'Book of Revelation': a brilliant song drenched to the bone with their own brand of counter-cultural, apocalyptic imagery.

"Ice Cream Phoenix" More hints of an impending apocalypse [personal or universal?].This one is a little ponderous melodically, the lyrics are a bit prosaic in spots; but the messages they lay on us glow with a seeming immense importance.

"Greasy Heart" Grace gets funky and very satirical! "Woman with a greasy heart . . . automatic man!"

"The House At Pooneil Corners" Pithy, probing psychological tour de force. Steps up the tone of "Crown of Creation" in terms of the massiveness of its message, but here it's turning more personally hopeful at junctures. As tremendous an ending as was "Lather" a great beginning.

On my first listen, "Crown Of Creation" did not seem quite as powerful or full-tilt as "Baxter's"; my father remembers that when it originally came out in '68, he was disappointed that the album seemed a bit of a downer after the euphoric heights of its predecessor (back in the 60s, the zeitgeist of the times seemed to promise that each successive album release would be more and more "out there", so it seemed a bit ominous when all of the "bad trip" albums of '68--The White Album, "Beggar's Banquet", "Crown", etc.--came out). However, now that the 60s have played themselves out and one has the chance to look back in hindsight, "Crown" seems as incisive and darkly crafted look back at its year as "Baxter's" was for the Summer Of Love. Musically, it is a hybrid of "Pillow"'s acoustic balladry and pop sensibilities with "Baxter's" experimental hard psych: you know this is a whole 'nother kind of Airplane release when the first three tracks ("Lather", "In Time" and "Triad") are acoustic, meditative, and thoroughly unsettling in their lyrical bent. "Lather" is one of Slick's very best compositions, a foreboding look at a man (modelled after drummer Spencer Dryden) whose tug-of-war between innocence and old age mirrors that of the counterculture at the time. David Crosby's gorgeous ballad "Triad" continues the theme; Slick delivers a spine-shivering vocal performance here, as a cry for sexual freedom is turned into a piercing look into the soul. Even Marty Balin sounds pensive and forlorn on the slowly building "Share A Little Joke", and the side closes with the eerie "Chushingura", which slides its way into the fabric of the album as an underlying chill. The original album's side two is filled with catchy, explosive hard rockers like "If You Feel", Slick's cynical "Greasy Heart" and the title track; they all feature prime examples of the Airplane's blend of dextrous rhythm work (Casady is a mind-blower on this one) and exultant three-to-four-part harmonies, topped off by Kaukonen's furious wah-wah guitar. Kaukonen's own two compositions are the weakest here, although they continue the mood of the album and are tricked up by his playing. The apocalyptic sci-fi sequel to "The Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil", "The House At Pooneil Corners", closes the album in powerful style, as Kanter moves ever closer to the politicized direction he would take in the next few years. Unlike the simplistic sloganeering of "Volunteers", however, "Crown" makes a far more elegantly ambiguous mark on the listener, using subtler musical touches and lyrical turns of phrase to reflect the mood of San Francisco in 1968, one torn between the lingering psychedelic freedoms of '66 and '67 ("Triad", "If You Feel"), and the oppression of an engrained society both from within the new counterculture ("Greasy Heart") and without ("Lather", "House"). In many ways, this is the finest statement the group ever made, although "Baxter's" still outstrips it IMO for sheer daredevil ecstasy (and "Baxter's"--or "Pillow", for that matter--was not without a lyrical edge of its own).

After losing part of the audience that made "Surrealistic Pillow" such a huge seller in 1967 by releasing the acid-drenched weirdness of "After Bathing At Baxter's", Jefferson Airplane took stock and came up with an artistic compromise. "Crown of Creation" features much of the warm acoustic texture and balladry of "Surrealistic Pillow", yet features songs that rock as hard as the heaviest numbers on "After Bathing At Baxter's". What makes this all work so splendidly is that the song structures are more conventional, the lyrics are more focussed, no excessive instrumental passages, thoughtful pacing of songs for impact and, most importantly, the cleanest, most sympathetic production the Airplane ever received in the studio. The most obvious key to the rejuvenation of the Airplane's fortunes was the return of group founder and lead vocalist Marty Balin who had withdrawn creatively due to excessive touring and cries of equal time from other group members. On the previous album, "After Bathing At Baxter's", Balin only contributed one song, "Young Girl Sunday Blues", a lovely ballad. Here, however, Balin has written or co-written four songs and it is his presence that tempers the extreme political sloganeering of Paul Kantner and Grace Slick and the restless musicianship of lead guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady. As much of the success of "Surrealistic Pillow" was due in part to Balin's contribution (he wrote the bulk of the original material on the early albums) it must have seemed only natural to encourage his creative participation again. On "Crown of Creation" you will not only find some of the Airplane's loveliest moments this side of "Surrealistic Pillow" (Balin's "In Time" and "Share A Little Joke", Slick's cover of David Crosby's "Triad" and her own "Lather") but you will find some bone-crunching hard rock (Slick's "Greasy Heart", Kantner's title track, Kantner/Balin's ominous "House at Pooneil Corners"). It should also be noted that the performances are all exceptional, even if all of the songs aren't. Kaukonen's songs are too wordy, not really songs per se, but are usually redeemed by some exemplary wah wah guitar. The bass-playing of Casady is practically virtuoso throughout (check out the title track and "Greasy Heart"), and the harmony singing of Slick/Balin/Kantner is nothing short of stunning, particularly on the title track. All in all, a solid, if not great album that should please any Airplane fanatic; it probably will spend more time in your CD player than much more acclaimed Airplane albums. For the casual listener, apart from "Surrealistic Pillow", this is a good introduction to the world of Jefferson Airplane. Enjoy.

Jefferson Airplane's 1968 album 'Crown Of Creation' is a classic. Like their debut from two years before, it is often overlooked. And that is a shame, because this is easily one of their best albums.

One of the things that has always stood out to me about this album was the album cover. The "explosion" on the front with the band members trapped inside is a very interesting cover, perhaps one of the most interesting and definitely one of the most original covers of the '60s.

And, the music is superb. 'In Time,' 'Greasy Heart,' 'The House At Pooneil Corners' (essentially 'Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil, Pt. 2'), 'Lather' and 'Ice Cream Phoenix' have always been standouts in the Airplane catalogue.

Overall, if you've never listened to 'Crown Of Creation,' you need to. If you like Jefferson Airplane even a little bit, than you will appreciate 'Crown Of Creation.' It's not their most famous album by any means, but it should definitely earn a place in your record collection.

I highly recommend this to any Jefferson Airplane fan. It's a very underrated classic.

Highly recommended. A must-listen.

ENJOY!!!

This is one of the essential recordings of the 60's. Jefferson Airplane reached a peak with this album, and never was as good again. Any genius that the Airplane had is contained herein.It contains perhaps the greatest collection of songs most people have never heard. Great writing, incredible guitar licks, and inspired singing and drumming characterize this album.

First of all,what an outrageous cover package!! If I were only including "Rock" music in this review,"Crown" would surely get a very high 5-star. And unlike "Crown's" competitors of the time, it would be way up there. Only when listening to a wider range of popular music,going back to the 30's,would it be given a lower rating. Side One has three quasi-masterpieces in a row: "Lather","In Time",and "Triad". "Lather" is a small gem,and when you listen to the lyrics closely (which thankfully is easy since Grace used great elecution) you'll notice a very wry humor everywhere, along with certain sadness that,yes,we all have to grow up.In fact, I have known people a little like Lather. The next two are remarkable in their subtle play between the various guitarists,a sound that seems unique even now,and the songs are again excellent."Share a Little Joke" is fine too. Side two seems to fall off a bit.Probably their loudness puts off an open minded over 40-ite like myself,and I never cared that much for them anyway. Still,when in a rollicking mood,they do hold up against much of the competition of the time. "Crown of Creation" itself does seem like plagiarism (see,I would never have guessed until reading the Amazon reviews),but no matter who wrote the original lyrics,they are at the least, very interesting...Which sums up this album: very interesting,and very well done,and even a little timeless too!

On the one hand I have always wondered at the contrast between Kantner's lyric for "Crown" and his subsequent efforts which did not seem to spring from the same pen. I believe that A Music Fan is correct. But to dismiss the album solely on the basis of that would be a grave mistake. Over the years this has remained my favorite JA album. The Airplane has been one of my favorite bands since my sister gave me her copy of "Surrealistic Pillow" back in 1967 after she decided that she didn't like it. On this album it all works. It has none of the childish-sounding hippy-dippy stuff that makes their other records difficult to swallow at times. This record, perhaps more than any other defines psychedelic rock as a valid artform. Acid rock has often been criticized for it's disconnection from reality. Crown defiantly screams that incredible clarity can come from surreal experiences. This record is a must-have for anyone who doubts the oft-made claim that the counter-culture produced nothing of lasting value. It belongs on the same shelf as Wheels of Fire, Axis Bold as Love and, yes, the White Album. In 1968, that most disruptive, depressing year, art in the form of popular music reached the very heights. For that I am deeply grateful.

The only thing that needs to be said about the record is that it is a true reflection and characterization of the conflict that surrounded our lives in the late 1960's. JA records in vivid detail their generation's struggle to change the world. If you lived through it, listen carefully; and it will take you back to re-live events and feelings we have lost but not forgotten. Expect it to be a very emotional trip. This is more than music.