*. Quicksilver Messenger Service .* (Remaster 2012)

Album: Quicksilver (1971)(Remaster 2012)
Genre: Prog Rock (Rock/Blues/Psych.)  /  USA

A textbook example of how even a minor, backwater hippie album may well still be pretty good. Most of the songs here are actually quite intense, as Dino Valente struggles between high ideals and mental health issues. “Hope” is a pretty excellent power pop; “Don’t Cry My Lady Love”, a poignant, gentle ballad, is my favourite in the set, the clear, ringing piano like the singing spirit of a mountain stream. Also a couple of standard rockers, although Gary Duncan’s punchy good-time piano-based rock n’ roll “I Found Love”, which I would have disdained in my full-on prog years, just makes this old hippie smile now. Wah-wah guitar and organ fill out the album’s Woodstock-era sound nicely. The mysterious, spooky “Fire Brothers” is the story of the album’s cover, though I don’t know which came first. "Out of my Mind" is a powerful, intense acoustic number. “The Truth” ends the set on a passionate extended groove with the band sounding very self-assured. So, thanks Rymers! I reckon this should be called the “Hawk Mountain” album. Review by "SandyMc" (Rate Your Music).

RATING:  7.75 / 10

.    .