Quicksilver Messenger Service Happy Trails CD

Quicksilver Messenger Service: John Cipollina, Gary Duncan, Greg Elmore, David Freiberg.
Without question, this follow-up to Quicksilver Messenger Service's self-titled debut release is the most accurate in portraying the band on vinyl in the same light as the group's critically and enthusiastically acclaimed live performances. The album is essentially centered around the extended reworkings of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?" and "Mona," as well as the lesser lauded -- yet no less intense -- contribution of Gary Duncan's (guitar/vocals) "Calvary." This album is the last to feature the original quartet incarnation of QMS. The collective efforts of John Cipollina (guitar/vocals), Greg Elmore (percussion), David Freiberg (bass/vocals), and the aforementioned Duncan retain the uncanny ability to perform with a psychedelic looseness of spirit, without becoming boring or in the least bit pretentious. The side-long epic "Who Do You Love?" suite is split into an ensemble introduction and coda as well as four distinct sections for the respective bandmembers. The perpetually inventive chops of QMS are what is truly on display here. The musicians' unmitigated instrumental prowess and practically psychic interaction allow them to seamlessly weave into and back out of the main theme. Yet all the while, each player takes center stage for uncompromising solos. "Mona" and its companion, "Calvary," continue in much the same fashion. Here the members of QMS play off each other to form a cohesive unit. This track also contains some of Cipollina's finest and most memorable fretwork. He is able to summon sonic spirits from his guitar in a way that is unlike any of his Bay Area contemporaries. A prime example of his individuality is the frenetic "Maiden of the Cancer Moon" -- ascending from the remnants of "Mona." The angst and energy in Cipollina's guitar work and line upon line of technical phrasing could easily be considered the equal of a Frank Zappa guitar solo. The brief title track, a cover of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans' "Happy Trails," seems almost insignificant in the wake of such virtuoso playing. It clears the sonic palette and also bids adieu to this particular fab foursome of psychedelia. ~ Lindsay Planer
If the quintessential San Francisco Sound is defined by lengthy improvised guitarwork and near-telepathic interplay, then HAPPY TRAILS crystallizes the genre on record. Extemporizing mightily two Bo Diddley songs ("Who Do You Love" and "Mona," the quartet introduces new realms of expression to rock music. Guitarists John Cipollina and Gary Duncan offer contrasting textures and sound, goading each other to greater heights. Largely recorded live in concert, HAPPY TRAILS encapsulates an era of experimentation, employing images that embodied the outlaw chic of the hippie subculture. Its strengths are not, however, bound to that era; the album's mesmerizing power remains as true as ever. The George Hunter cover painting is also indispensible.Rolling Stone (4/11/02, p.108) - Ranked #44 in Rolling Stone's "50 Coolest Records".
Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.136) - Ranked #189 in Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time"
Rolling Stone (5/3/69) - "...It begins with an entire side dedictated to Bo Diddley's `Who Do You Love,' superbly recorded at the Fillmores East and West...a beautiful example of the kind of communication rock'n'roll is all about..." -Greil Marcus