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Bark

Jefferson Airplane - Bark Audio CD

A fair review of the Jefferson Airplane "Bark" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Jefferson Airplane reviews here, or go back to the Jefferson Airplane tabs.

Band: Jefferson Airplane
Title: Bark
Rating:

Release Date: 1996-01-30
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: When the Earth Moves Again 2: Feel So Good 3: Crazy Miranda 4: Pretty as You Feel 5: Wild Turkey 6: Lawman 7: Rock & Roll Island 8: Third Week in the Chelsea 9: Never Argue With a German if You're Tired of European Song 10: Thunk 11: War Movie

Just Listen, Go Back and Remember, .....
I'm in my 67 Mustang, 8-track rolling, traveling to LaPorte, Indiana to see a group of women whom I befriended earlier in the year. I don't know about everyone else, but this album defines the early 70's for me. There were guys around too but partying with these ladies was great. Driving around all night, visiting who knows who. Listen to Third Week in the Chelsea, close your eyes, Your THERE! .

a late period masterpiece
MUCH more diverse and interesting as far as songwriting goes than I initially wondered. This is what you call total underrated brilliance.

Jefferson Airplane was NOT ready to hang it up by the time the 70's rolled around. Honestly, if they were, the songs wouldn't be as good as they are.

"When the Earth Moves Again" reminds me of the classic Jefferson Airplane that we loved so dearly from the 60's. Just a great piece of writing. "Feel So Good" is one of those foot-stomper songs. Love the boogie rock style and think it's memorable enough to have been a hit song.

"Crazy Miranda" reminds me of those Grace Slick songs she would write on those early Jefferson Starship albums. "Pretty as You Feel" is kind of groovy, don't you think? The verse melody contains some rather silly lyrics though. And then. THEN. . .

"WILD TURKEY RULES" I LOVE this energetic, rocking, take no crap instrumental featuring brilliantly melodic guitar solos and scorching violin jams. This is just *awesome*.

"Law Man" is a wonderful pop song with Grace Slick on vocals. I think you'll find it instantly enjoyable because it contains one of those feel good melodies that you can put on your own personal compilations (if you were to create one!)

"Rock and Roll Island" has a pretty good vocal melody. It's a bit strange though, the way it's written. I can't quite get into it entirely, but certain parts catch my attention. "Never Argue With a German" is STRANGE! I think Grace Slick is singing the entire song in German but I'm not sure. What's different about it (besides the German lyrics) are the drum beats and the almost electronic sounds with weird, spooky vocals in between the verse melody. What is all THAT stuff going on? I love it though.

"Thunk" is much different from the rest of the album. Almost reminds me slightly of Billy Joel's "Piano Man" for some VERY strange reason (yes, I know, I'm the only one to think so!) "War Movie" rules. You'll love the vocals I guarantee it!

GREAT album overall. Now I need to get away from this computer because I was just outside at 3 in the morning shoveling snow, and everything around me feels extremely white and I can't get that image out of my eye and it's making me delirious, lol. .

An interesting Airplane album, a little weak, but interesting
First, Marty Balin departed in 1970, shortly after the 'Volunteers' tour ended. 1971's 'Bark' featured a lot of changes in Jefferson Airplane's lineup. Also, drummer Spencer Dryden left the band that year as well. Dryden was replaced by session drummer Joey Covington; Balin was not replaced.

So, 'Bark' is different from any other Airplane album. Jorma Kaukonen becomes a singer for Jefferson Airplane, after he proves he can sing lead vocals with Hot Tuna.

The surprise hit 'Pretty As You Feel' is still pretty good. Grace Slick's vocals are calm and mellow, and the rest of the band is in good shape too. 'Third Week In The Chelsea' features Kaukonen's vocals, and it sounds just like a Hot Tuna song. It is much bluesier than the average Airplane song, with a little bit of folk thrown in the song as well.

The rest of the album, well, it's weak under Airplane's standards. 'War Movie' is right up there with one of the worst Jefferson Airplane songs of all-time. It's not a bad or terrible song, but under Airplane standards, it's just not that good.

It's a good album as far as records go, but it's just not a great album, although there are some good songs here that any Airplane fan should listen to, most notably 'Third Week In The Chelsea' and 'Pretty As You Feel. '

Overall, it's better than 'Long John Silver,' but it's still not great. Casual Airplane fans are best suited by buying either a compilation album or buying the studio albums from 1966-1969 ('Takes Off,' 'Surrealistic Pillow,' 'After Bathing At Baxter's,' 'Crown Of Creation,' 'Volunteers'). But if you are an Airplane collector, this is a must own.

Recommended for the Airplane collector or die-hard Airplane fan. Otherwise, this can be skipped.

Flashes of brilliance, but too much experimental filler

"Pretty As You Feel" sounds like a hippy jam recorded in an opium den. This set has two really terrific tracks. I remember hearing it played late, late at night on "alternative" FM radio back in the early '70s, and marveling at the eerie, slightly menacing vibe. The vocals and arrangement are simply perfect. It's one of the best things the Airplane ever recorded.

"Lawman" puts Grace front and center in a (mostly) thrilling performance. The lyrics manage to sound both defiant and melancholy, and the astonishing final verse simply soars with world-weary fury. Sadly, the arrangement inexplicably falls apart in the last few seconds of the song, draining the energy out of what should have been a blazing finale.

The rest of the album is a very mixed bag. Kantner makes three attempts to capture the space-hippy magic of BLOWS AGAINST THE EMPIRE and fails every time. Jorma submits a couple of pleasant but unremarkable numbers, and Grace throws in some weirdness involving tape loops and obscene suggestions in psuedo-German that is amusing to hear exactly once.

All of the better anthologies contain both "Pretty As You Feel" and "Lawman", so only completionists need bother with BARK.
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Many memories due to BARK.
I thought it was amazing! I had never heard music like this. I first heard BARK in May 1972. "Pretty As You Feel" blew me away. I heard it at a friends house. I immediately bought my own and played it non-stop for weeks. When I went to the store shortly thereafter and saw LONG JOHN SILVER I immediately bought it and loved it. I had 2 perfect albums in my mind. My friends all loved these 2 albums too. Then a few weeks later I heard VOLUNTEERS for the first time. Was stunned by how this music affected me. I was 17 at the time. Now I HAD to hear EVERYTHING produced by Jefferson Airplane! After all these years everyone knows me as a 'Jefferson' fan. I have over 40 CDs of their various incarnations. But BARK and LJS hold special places in my collection!.

You can see a complete list of all Jefferson Airplane discography, or go back to the Jefferson Airplane tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.