Quicksilver Messenger Service (1970) The Hat - LOST 70s GEMS

Quicksilver Messenger Service's first album of the 70s and first eligible for a post is 1970's Just for Love was their first with founder Dino Valenti who writes the vast majority of material on this their fourth and most commercial effort. Dominated by The Hat an acoustic blues rocker that is fine for passive listening with it's ear pleasing mix of acoustic slide licks that are dripping in soul and melodic vamping. Gone Again is an airey, jazz tune with echo chamber vocals, Santanesque guitar and trickley piano with such a lilting melody that is beautiful. 

  Wolf Run Part 1 is the opening track; a one minute instrumental featuring Dino Valenti's entrancing, full bodied flute lines that sound like the roar of the jungle against a layered African drumming pattern such as a conga with the Maracas. The rock n roller Freeway Flyer with it's country slide guitar and T Rex styled chug as well as it's false start is good particularly when the lead guitar starts to wail in a distorted moan like an robotic BB King. Cobra features the barnstorming drums of Greg Elmore barrelling away while the ferocious acoustic strums gallantly and the lead pedal steel so punchy it's metallic swing and so menacing as the music remains. Look out for the melodious blues notes that come into the song so elegant and the pace speeds up. 

 
The best is still The Hat with it's classic blues feel and highly original playing, blues twangy guitar notes slipping and a sliding in fantastic, tasty fills between the laidback piano pulse and Valenti's superb singin; so sweetly serenading in a raw and fiery manner. It's the best of their talents; Elmore's stomp of a beat, John Cipollina's slide playing, Nicky Hopkins' bracing piano and Valenti's groovy voice. The album is chock full of twangy Jazz and Blues slide guitar licks, classical piano and airily dramatic production. The album like the colourful landscape cover is a mix of psychedelic pop from the 60s and longer Prog Rock songs from the decade to come.