Electric Music for the Mind & Body-Country Joe & the Fish

One of the simplest pleasures in avid music collecting is having a first experience with a established masterpiece. Even the most seasoned music junkie can have a record that they KNOW they must listen to, but dont get around to it for awhile.

Even I admit to my shortcomings. Sure, I can tell you the first Kinks song John Gosling ever played on (Lola, by the way), and how many lead singers Black Flag has had (5), and i still dont really know my way around the Captain Beefheart catalog.

And until this weekend i had never heard Electric Music for the mind and body by Country Joe and the Fish.

A solid piece of work. Every track a unique work of art. The thing that strikes me most about this album is that, hearing it 38 years after it came out, its extremely dated, and timeless at the same time. Listen to it and you will know what i mean.

Country Joe was a veteran of the local Country,Jugband, and Bluegrass seen in Northern California before plugging in and joining The dead, jefferson airplane, janis joplin, and moby grape and (now) eternal representatives of that great mid-60s pop-psychedelic san francisco sound. His record stands next to the airplane's surrealistic pillow, and big brother (joplin)'s cheap thrills as definitive. In fact i think it may be THE definitive one. The guitars and organs probably sounded dated the day this record came out, but the arrangements and song structures are classic and folksy. Making this true folk rock. The musicianship is obviously of the virtuoso caliber. This one really deserves its classic status.

Sometimes i am glad i dont hear certain things til late. Hearing this for the first time at 34, well, its a nice reminder of the joy of loving music. old and new.

Country Joe McDonald