Search - Mountain :: Nantucket Sleighride

Far better than Cream

David O'Brien | Dublin 18 Ireland | 03/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Life isn't fair.Cream got all the attention because of their supergroup status.Mountain were formed as a side project by Cream's producer Felix Pappalardi and were always treated like Cream's inferior cousin but I have to say that they were a better band in my opinion.

While Cream got bogged down in boring blues stuff, Mountain were more into proggy stuff mixed with hard rock.

The songwriting team of Pappalardi and Gail Collins (his wife and lyricist ) were at their brilliant best on this album.

The title song 'Nantucket Sleighride' is a prog rock masterpiece.The guitar keyboard and vocals combine wonderfully.

I love Mountain because a lot of their songs consist of different individual parts like all decent prog rock does.

'My Lady' and 'Tired Angels' are very similar songs but are both excellent at the same time.Again I think the keyboard in the songs really makes a huge difference.That's what sets them above Cream - Cream were more content to be a three piece with no embellishments.They wouldn't have had the balls to try and do stuff this experimental.



The only time I feel that this album suffers is on the songs composed by Leslie West.He was an inferior songwriter to the team of Pappalardi and Collins.But the Pappalardi/Collins good stuff really dominates this album and makes it an outstanding piece of work.



I also love the artwork on this album.It's worth buying the vinyl version if you can get your hands on it for Gail Collins' magnificent psychedelic sketchings on the cover and also the pencil drawing of the giant whale on the inner gatefold sleeve.



This album really belongs to a forgotten age when music was much more exciting and there was a hands on approach to the graphic design.They don't make them like this any more and it's a pity.



Alas , Mountain are always going to be haunted by their tragic end.Gail Collins shot Felix Pappalardi dead in 1982 after a row so unfortunately , that's the end of the genius.He will be sadly missed.I'm sure he would have produced some more amazing work had he lived."

This Is More Like It

David O'Brien | 04/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I trashed the sound quality of the new reissue of Mountain's "Climbing" and improperly lumped "Nantucket Sleighride" in with it. But there really isn't much tape hiss on this one, and the sound quality is MUCH improved over the original issue. Needless to say, this is a classic album, and well worth getting for its enhanced sound. But hang to your old "Climbing" cd -- the new one isn't any better. I guess I should assume that the original master of "Climbing" is basically unsalvageable and give the Sony folks a break on that one. Maybe."

A top 100 CD from 66-75

Mark A. Cartier | Portland, Or. USA | 08/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you need three Mountain CDs to purchase I would get this CD first, then Climbing! and then the two disc Fillmore East Concert from their bootleg series (followed by "Live - The Road Goes Ever On" and "Flowers of Evil").



I bought this LP when it was released in 1971 and to this day it is one of a few dozen LPs from that era that still gets consistent play 35 years later. The songwriting is excellent, the playing as well and the album sounds good.



It's a great classic rock album.



Leslie West is at the height of his powers in terms of playing and songwriting, Felix Pappalardi's songs are (as mentioned previously) truly wonderful as well. If someone loves 70s rock and they've never heard this album (and in particular Nantucket Sleighride, Travellin In The Dark, Don't Look Around, The Great Train Robbery etc.) you should consider purchasing this. Nantucket Sleighride alone is worth the price (and the live version is truly stunning) alone and it really is one of the great pieces of writing from that era.



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