Quicksilver Messenger Service
's debut effort was a little more restrained and folky than some listeners had expected, given their reputation for stretching out in concert. While some prefer the mostly live
Happy Trails
, this self-titled collection is inarguably their strongest set of studio material, with the accent on melodic
folk-rock
. Highlights include their cover of folksinger
Hamilton Camp
's
"Pride of Man,"
probably their best studio track;
"Light Your Windows,"
probably the group's best original composition; and founding member
Dino Valenti
"Dino's Song"
(
Valenti
himself was in jail when the album was recorded).
"Gold and Silver"
is their best instrumental jam, and the 12-minute
"The Fool"
reflects some of the best and worst traits of the psychedelic era. ~ Richie Unterberger