Customer Reviews

What About Me (Mlps)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A suitable follow-up to the group's seminal (fourth) album, "Just For Love", the album, "What About Me", produced soon after its release with its title song a widely-played anthem of sorts for the early 1970's. The title song was aired repeatedly over the radio on numerous progressive-rock FM stations from coast to coast. It was written by Dino Valente; the song's lyrics reflected the songwriter's concern for the environment as well as his strong distaste for certain laws of the land at that time, specifically, laws prohibiting the use of some recreational drugs. The song, "What About Me", was a forceful, and yet a typical, protest song of the late 1960's and early 1970's, played over the airwaves during a period of time when the country was engulfed in numerous protests that took on a wide range of issues, including protests against our nation's involvement in faraway Vietnam, an unjust war that, for a good number of years, had no visible end in sight. Fortunately, with the eventual passage of time, positive change did come!!

Certain tracks on this particular album were recorded during the same sessions in Hawaii that produced its predecessor. As a result, the lineup of the band, in essence, remained unchanged on this album with the heart of the group's driving force consisting of two(2) competent lead guitarists in John Cipollina and Gary Duncan, and the infamous piano player, Nicky Hopkins. The rest of the band consisted of David Freiberg on bass, Greg Elmore on drums, and the late Dino Valente as singer and songwriter.

Soon after the recording of these "twin" albums, namely, "Just For Love" and "What About Me", the band's lineup began gradually to change. With the arrival of Dino Valente at this particular time during the group's history, and just in time to inject some much-needed energy, there appeared to be a sudden shift in power within the group and thereupon, a slight change in its musical direction, too. Mr. Valente's immediate background, prior to rejoining the band, had been as a solo artist in New York City. Consequently, the band now began to record an occasional ballad or two sung by Mr. Valente, in contrast to the band's other tracks that reflected San Francisco's brand of harder (and at times, psychedelic) rock. Having had rejoined the band as lead singer, Dino Valente became the group's frontman on stage and, for better or worse, the band's de facto leader, as oftentimes was the case within a rock band at that time when the lead singer and writer of most of a band's songs took the helm.

The title song of this album, "What About Me", was similar in its intensity and stance (critical of society's ills) to another song that Dino Valente had recorded during his days in New York City while he sang as a lone troubadour. The song, "Children of the Sun", likewise became popular, and with time, it grew to become another anthem of sorts for its day. As such, it received its share of airplay on the radio, too, but predominantly in California and on the West Coast. (The song can still be heard on Dino Valente's only solo album, "Dino Valente.")

I am not a music critic who will cite numerous reasons why certain songs should or shouldn't be on a CD, but I do know what I like. This is something that I find extremely relaxing, and I play it for the same reason I listen to CSN, The Grateful Dead, It's A Beautiful Day or Van Morrison. It is an incredible collection of songs. I would find it interesting if a critique would mention songs on this album not making it onto any radio program, because I grew up during the sixties, and it was a trend to want things that didn't get air play. Everyone wanted the "underground" sound. This album has it. I listen to it when I need escape from the stress of day-to-day [...] I listen to it when I need to relax my hands that grip the wheel when I drive in busy traffic.

This was an excellent album, but it lacked some of the great songs such as Fresh Air. Other than the song choice, the album was great. The guitar playing was just as great as their other albums. I would only get this one if I really liked Quicksilver. If I were just a person whose friends had reccomended it, I would get something along the lines of the anthology because that has all of their really big hits. But if you want to hear some not as famous songs, but just a good, get this one. This is a great cd for listening to on loong trips becuase everybody will like. My dad who usually listens to Tony Bennet, my mom who listens to the Stones, and me (I listen to punk rock) all listen to Quicksilver and we have no arguements about listening to it.

C'mon people, get real. This album, and its predecessor, Just For Love, are weak drop-offs from their previous efforts. Chicks will dig this for the Dino songs and the "mellow" groove nature of some of the jamming. While that's all fine and dandy, all you have to do is listen to the first two albums to realize how far they'd fallen by the time of the release of this album in late 1970. It's no wonder John Cipollina left after this album. Duncan valiantly tried to keep up as the standard bearer after Cipollina left, but two inconsequential albums were all he could muster before the band petered out.
One other thing....I've never liked the sound of these two albums recorded in Hawaii. There's such an abominable echo and tinniness to the proceedings, it really detracts from the music. Dino probably using too much reverb on his vocals to make it palatable.

Like everyone else, I love "What About Me?" and that's why I bought the album (when it was on vinyl) initially. But the song that caught my ears most on this particular QMS album is Gary Duncan's "All In My Mind" with the beautiful Bossa Nova chord progressions and arrangement that reflects his Jazz roots and love for Brazilian music. Gary also played bass on this cut and it's one of the finest bass work on any Rock tunes (though you can hardly call this one that, it's more Brazilian)!!

When I first heard Gary's solo on this tune, I couldn't believe how beautiful, sensual, expressive, quintessential, capricious, and concise it was all at the same time. This amazingly beautiful solo is really neck to neck with the legendary solo rendered by the great Jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery on "Once I Loved."

Gary Duncan, while he was often overshadowed by the two other more publicized members of the band, is the one who has nimbly and powerfully laid down the basis of the QMS with his gutsy, powerful, colorful rhythm and down-to-a-point, sensuous, haunting, complex but flowing solos. So it's great to hear him really shine on this tune and show his true form as THE mastermind of their music. Those of us who listened to the QMS closely all know it was Duncan who really DELIVERED the music. So I think he really deserves way more recognition for being the true genius he is. I'm a sucker for great guitar playing and listen to many great players including Pat Martino, John Scofield, Mike Stern, Scott Henderson, Robben Ford, Jim Hall, to name a few, and I put Gary Duncan in one of the world's top 10 most talented guitar playing musicians of all.

Also, I actually like Dino's lyrics to this song better than anything he's ever written, as it really echoes his spiritual approach to his rather unusually interesting life. I feel the real sense of "saudade" all over the song; longing for life. You also realize from listening to him sing in this rather odd key (as the tune was originally composed to be instrumental) that he has a such a great range in singing and actually was a good vocalist even though he was often criticized for having a nasally tone to his singing.

"Subway" is another great tune but I like the version they did at Kabuki Theater more because it has a raunchy Bluesy kick and the soulful movement to it.

Actually, I'd buy this album even if it has just these 3 tunes, though I like the wispy breezy tone on Gary's guitar on "Long Haired Lady" a lot.

I love this lp and Just For Love but why is this one $4 more? And the offer to buy this and Just For Love together is no deal, it's the same price as separately. C'mon amazon, get your poop in a group.

The second QMS album after Dino Valenti muscled his way in, "What About Me" is an uptight hodgepodge of outtakes and scraps that is desperately trying to give the impression that the band is still together. In reality, John Cipollina and Nicky Hopkins were already on their way out, and David Freiberg, given almost nothing to do, would be gone in a matter of months. The title song, "Subway," and "Baby Baby" are about as good as Valenti's songs get, but most of the rest is either forgettable ("Spindrifter," "All in My Mind") or junk ("Long Haired Lady," "Good Old Rock and Roll"). An unfortunate step toward tarnishing Quicksilver's reputation.

Quicksilver Messenger Service (Quicksilver)/ What About Me: The song "What About Me" may be the best counter-culture song of rebellion ever produced, even if it did come out just as that culture was falling apart. I love the song and often repeat it a few times before I get to the rest of the album, which never matches the heights of the title track. Quicksilver never made a `masterpiece' album but always seemed to match the thoughts and feelings of their era. I am of that era and I enjoy listening to their albums, but they rarely had more than a couple of songs per album that would remain relevant and memorable. This album was made during their best period, but at best it is a four-star effort.

If you like Quicksilver and grew up in a time when they were going strong like I did then you'll love this CD. It sounds like the old band and maybe it is. I don't know when it was recorded, never bothered to look, but it sure sounds nice. It's great that a band has their own signature sound, which makes them instantly recognizable from the first note. It's not a good idea for some bands to depart from this because their agent told them to. Evidently no one told Quicksivler Messenger Service to do this and even if someone had they didn't listen!

If you like Quicksilver Messenger Service and have never heard this album before you can rest assured you won't be disappointed if you buy it.

This is a great album with music reproduction better then the original vinyl
copy that I originally had