Mountain

Mountain, Leslie West | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 16, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002ASH
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,551 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The 1969 album that made "The Great Fatsby" a guitar hero and led to the formation of the namesake power trio. Felix Pappalardi's already on board for Blood of the Sun; Blind Man; Baby, I'm Down , and eight more. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No Muss, No Fuss - Good Heavy Rocking, August 19, 2000

By 

BluesDuke "A sacred cow is worth but one thin... (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mountain (Audio CD)

Fresh from the split-up of Cream, whom he produced (and for whom he did co-write but two songs, "Strange Brew" and "World of Pain"), Felix Pappalardi spotted Leslie West fronting a semi-legendary garage band (the Vagrants, who actually charted with an absolutely glorious, grungy version of "Respect") and thought to cut a solo album on him. With Pappalardi joining in the fun on bass and keyboards, this was the result. And a damn good one.

As a guitarist, West's calling card was chunky power chords, smooth distorted riffing, and precise, lyrical solos (he was never a speed merchant but he didn't have to be); as a singer, his rasping yelp was immediately recognizable and - as "Blind Man" and (especially) "Southbound Train" revealed - he was a passable blues singer as well. The heavy riff style and Pappalardi's presence (never mind his bass style) got only too obvious a round of comparisons to Cream, but West's first solo album stood up in its own right - maybe not a genre giant, but not exactly a pretender, either.

He unfurled about the best cover of "This Wheel's On Fire" outside the Dylan/Band axis of them all; "Blood of the Sun" and "Dreams of Milk and Honey" still acquit themselves very well as riff-and-rollers. Of course, in early 1969, who knew he had anything as transcendent as "Mississippi Queen" in his immediate future? For its own time and place, this was a surprising - and pleasing - solo debut. West, Pappalardi, and drummer N.D. Smart added organist Steve Knight, dubbed the band the same name as the album, went to Woodstock, and became stars, albeit not for very long...

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Early 'Leslie' in the RAW!, November 14, 2005

By 

Daniel L. Aversano "'The Lorp'" (NW Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mountain (Audio CD)

Well, there he is, the fat kid from Long island who finally gets a record deal and gets his first record produced by the powerful (Cream) and brilliant (just listen to later Mountain in the studio!) Felix Pappalardi. This is no crack back-up band as some have said---while the drummer wasn't the best, and would be replaced by the Hard Rockin' Corky Laing on the first true Mountain album, 1970s 'Climbing!'---the bass player is one to listen to: none other than Felix himself!

Just listen to the grinding unison riff of Blood of the Sun----what you are hearing is the beginning of one of the most ferocious, hard rock bands ever---their signature 'heavy', driving sound, as in Mississippi Queen and Never In My Life. The fact is, ONLY Mountain sounded like that...They were clearly one of the great American Hard Rock bands of that era (as were Grand Funk Railroad, though constantly maligned by the press), and could be outstanding Live on a good night.

This is a raw, in your face example of a young talent and experienced producer, and the result was very good. Some of the highlights are the gutsy blues 'Blindman', 'Southbound Train', and 'Dreams of Milk and Honey'---the last one a song which would later become part of the band's long, improvisational jam piece live: the 'Dream Sequence' which can be heard played flawlessly on 1971's 'Flowers of Evil' album.

So while it is not Leslie West at his best---Felix had yet to hone his skills as a guitarist---it is some of his most freewheeling, let it hang-out there playing, a very good first record, and would lead to much BIGGER and better things! I would say that for all of us hard rockers of the late 60s and early 70s, this record is a classic, and a must have, especially for any youngsters who are interested in what good hard guitar driven rock sounded like in 1969. American style. And the record stands the test of time.

'The Lorp'

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of the top three Mountain Albums!, December 1, 1999

By 

Philip D Thompson (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mountain (Audio CD)

This album is truly smokin! This is the record Leslie put out before officially naming the group "Mountain", although that is the albums name. This album, along with Climbing & Nantucket Sleighride are all you need. Any other Leslie West/Mountain albums are for true fans only! Believe me this album is very excellent!