Customer Reviews

Dreams

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Why aren't any of Grace Slick's solo albums available on CD in this country? "Manhole" and "Dreams" are available as imports, but "Software" and "Welcome to the Wrecking Ball" aren't available at all. Pity.

Grace herself detests every one of her solo albums but this one. She feels that, due to her lack of interest in them, they all failed. But she calls this one the best of her solo efforts. And, as one who has heard and appreciates each of them for what they are, "Dreams" is her best. I'll probably be tarred and feathered for this, but I think this is the best recording her voice was ever on. Don't get me wrong, I love Jefferson Airplane, I love early Jefferson Starship, but there's just something about this album...

I like the fact that this album is kind of an amalgam of all different styles. We have Spanish music on "El Diablo," metal on "Angel of Night," arena-rock-power-ballads like "Full Moon Man" and "Face to the Wind," the world music-influenced "Seasons," and the bluesy "Do It the Hard Way." On almost every cut Grace and her band are backed by a full orchestra. She also wrote & composed over half of this album by herself. Trust me, if you are a fan of Grace's at all, or if you're new to the wonderful world of the Airplane/Starship oeuvre, you cannot go wrong with this album. Stand-out cuts: "Dreams," "El Diablo," "Angel of Night," "Full Moon Man," "Let It Go."

This is most certainly Grace Slicks finest solo. After putting up with the corporate crap of Jefferson Starship thru the 70's, Slick dried out and came up with this beauty. No commerical trends here, just beautiful orchestrated ballads and hard rockers showing off that one of a kind voice. Sadly, she would return to the group that made her famous, leaving behind a one of a kind tour de force that she would never equal. It must be said that Jefferson Starship were extremely lame without her presence.

After owning this album in the 1980's I thought it would never be released on CD.
When I found it for sale I instantly purchased it, but with intrepidation, because it had been over 10 years since I heard it.
Well it doesn't dissapoint, all the tracks sound great & you wouldn't know it is a 20 year old album.
What a great voice Grace has, she could put a few modern day "singers" to shame.
Go on Treat yourselves to a timeless CD.

After the come-and-go moments of "Manhole"(Grace's first solo effort),she finally got the solo-thing right with this overlooked gem. At the time of its release(1979),people who weren't neccesarily Airplane-Starship fans were buying this one. It was simply Grace Slick, and a closer look at herself than she had ever given anyone in her listening audience. And what a look. I still hear those opening piano notes in the title-tune "Dreams", and get chills. And then there's the voice. Grace never sounded better.With a lush orchestra as well as guitars behind her, she proceeds to kick the ass off of anyone who had doubts about her after her well-publicized bitter exit from Jefferson Starship a year earlier.(Check out VH1's 100 Most Shocking Moments of Rock-n-Roll where Grace drunkenly abuses the German audience with reminders of World War II.-then fires herself). There's not a bad cut in the collection, and Grace's inspired vocals still amaze. Grace also shows off her song-writing that she always downplays. Her self-penned songs are as strong as the ones written for her and the whole production moves seamlessly from one moody moment to the next, ending with a tour-de-force"Garden of Man" that creates such atmosphere, you expect purple fog to start seeping thru the speakers.Why this album never got it's full deserved attention, I'll never know. It stands out today as one of Grace Slicks best solo efforts.Anything you liked about her in Jefferson Airplane or Starship, developed into this finest hour for one of rock musics most controversial and memoriable voices. A good album from rocks original bad girl.

"I believe in magic And I still believe in Dreams" sings a soulful Grace Slick in the stunning opening title song "Dreams" which is a brilliant vocal and beautifully arranged masterpiece of the highest order. Majestic guitars surround Grace in the exotic "El Diablo" which is flowing, complex and simply breathtaking!! Get ready for the musical journey of a lifetime with Slick throughout this magnificant tour-de-force which musically goes all over the place and this magnificent collection of memorable performances should have been a huge Grammy winning success!! Grace Slick went to the studio prepared to show us all that she has no peer in the world of rock singers and proved it in this amazing collection!! Listen to the urgency of her biting vocals in the soaring "Face To The Wind" and become a believer that nobody can top this rocking DIVA or hot guitarist and composer Scott Zito!!! High energy rocker "Angel Of Night" is a tour-de-force anthem that is a perfect showcase for Grace on vocals and Scott on guitar and they are perfection together. Haunting illumination of life's "Seasons" is a brilliant Slick original becoming a celebration of life that is unforgettable like a ride on a carousal that you don't want to end. Funky original Slick blues-rocker "Do It The Hard Way" is quite a song that gives a rare inside look into the soul of this classic lady. Soaring to glorious heights in "Full Moon Man", this singer is one of the greatest voices of the century as this awesome Slick original shows and this timeless classic celebrates ultimate love that goes on forever...another original Slick masterpiece "Let It Go" has a wonderful message that is a complete life experience and the soaring "Garden Of Man" takes one on a haunting journey becomming a soaring epic masterpiece!! Mixing classic arrangements with the magnificant voice of Grace Slick was a brilliant idea and in the liner notes Grace Slick herself is credited with the album concept so this is clearly her towering classic that needs to be recognized for the brilliant work that it is!! Any music lover will be astounded by the brilliance of this work as it is a once in a lifetime classic!! Bravo Grace Slick and thank you for this timeless musical treat...you are truly a magical musical wonder.

Just briefly - Grace Slick had (since she no longer records per se) - the greatest, musically-appealing female voice in R&R for decades. (And the only persons I've seen who have the same basic on-stage presence are Madonna and Gwen Stephani.) Grace had tone, perfect vibrato, clarity and the ability to hold a note on pitch and with meaning for days.

Anyway - Dreams was a triumph, of sorts, after the big ups ('Theme from the Movie Manhole,' and the little-mentioned 'j'...) and the downs (It's only Music) of the 'Manhole' album.

I WORE OUT my vinyl copy of 'Dreams.' Finally ruined the cassette version in the late 90's. When the CD FINALLY came out (import) I was ecstatic....got to hear Grace at her best again. Just listen to the title track. Now there is singing and performance brilliance. Listen to "Full Moon Man." Wow....Grace and instruments sireening away forever...

This is a must have for Airplane/Starship/Grace Slick fans. Too bad she's not recording anymore....I could use some new vocals in my head by Grace!

I remember very clearly being given a copy of this album when it came out, back when I was a Jr. in High School. At the time, I was listening to a pretty wide variety of music (like KISS, the Who, Doobie Brothers, Black Sabbath, Amy Grant [yep...Sabbath and Amy back to back], Zeppelin, Genesis [they hadn't yet turned to inconsequential mush, but they were well on their way], etc.), and I was something of a Jefferson Starship fan (I wasn't yet mature enough to really appreciate Jefferson Airplane, but did like some of their stuff). I immediately fell in love with DREAMS. It practically consumed me. The lyrics are extremely personal, and the music is a huge departure for Grace. This is a rare window into the soul of an artist. It is absolutely brilliant. My musical tastes have changed, grown, expanded in inumerable ways since high school (world music, funk, electronica, modern symphonic, etc), but DREAMS remains at the top of my list. And I imagine it always will.

A few years ago, I lost my huge LP collection (along with everything else) in a house fire. DREAMS is the only album that escaped the fire practically untouched. It now hangs framed on the wall in my office.

Thank you, Grace, for sharing your soul with us, and for giving us this enduring work of art.

I remember when I first listened to El Diablo in early 80s and how amazed I was. I was a kid at that time. In those years it was difficult to find US LPs in my country (Turkey). I had to wait for years to buy the album. After I bought that I carried the album to wherever I go. Each song in this album has a story and they help one to visualize the static environment around oneself. With the first tunes of Dreams you will find yourselves in a magical environment. El Diablo, Seasons, Do It the hard way and Garden of Man make this album a masterpiece. It is sad though that now I am in the US and had to look for Korean version of this cd. I guess after Grace's truly amazing career with Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship this album crowns her talent and diversity of musical taste.

I confess. After the debacle of "Miracles" I opted to not watch my favorite musicians from Jefferson Airplane descend into Vegas and state fair schlock meisters. As much as I love Grace Slick, and count her as the first female ROCK vocalist not beholden to the blues, jazz or folk, I couldn't watch the death spiral.

So. That being said. I missed Dreams when it first came out. Recently, I was shocked and appalled by the shoddy "Best Of" CD RCA threw together. I figured if nobody else was going to do it for me, I would create my very own Grace Slick box set.

In doing that I tracked down Dreams. I was blown away. Gone were the sometimes annoying Slick vocal idiosyncrasies, the too brittle biting tones, the too bombastic sarcastic lyrics. Instead, here was a full voiced, mature, reflective singer. She keeps her cutting edge, but with more personal songwriting. Her well known love of Spanish music is front and center in El Diablo. Garden of Man is breath taking in its evocative, ethereal washes of sound and double tracking vocals. Face to the Wind is epic beauty.

Did I hear this correctly? Grace is singing a straight forward unabashed love song in Full Moon Man? Throughout her career Grace was never known for wearing her heart on her sleeve. Turns out it suits her. Who'd thunk it?

Her new-found sobriety yields an AA anthem of sorts in Let It Go. It wouldn't be Grace Slick without a caustic, self-effacing turn. That comes in the middle of Do It the Hard Way with "I'm the queen of the nuthouse!"

All together, it's a beautifully complete piece of work. It's nearly a "concept album" in its themes. Above all, it's a virtuoso vocalist who's at peace with herself making the album she wants to make. If you love Grace Slick and may have missed it the first time like I did, track it down and buy it.

By far the best Grace Slick sounds on any of her solo cds. Everyone seems to think Manhole is her best but I disagree. On Dreams her voice sounds stronger and clearer....as if she really cared what it sounded like. On Manhole she sounds ok but doesn't sound as if she really cared how it sounded, she was busy with the Jefferson Starship at the time also, so solo ventures or LPs with Kantner/Freiberg just seemed like something to do because they asked her? She was expected to help ? Anyway, if you love Slick, her voice, her writing....ANYTHING with her on it is worth it...to me anyway...but Dreams is all Grace and very special. Both of my sisters...both younger than I love this cd but are Not fans of anything Grace did....and both have this cd.....buy it, hopefully someone..some label will put out a really really complete anthology of her career...a box set...I would love it....