SURREALISTIC PILLOW

"Surrealistic Pillow" may sound naive and overrated to nowadays listeners, but we must be aware that it was recorded in late 1966 (released early 1967)! This album not only reflected the then burgeoning avant-garde music scene of San Francisco, it actually catapulted the entire psychedelic/acid rock movement with all its experimentation and expansion of the limited rock'n'roll format of the era. This album is a collection of excellent songs, starting from energetic and furious "She Has Funny Cars" through the closing acid rock vignette "Plastic Fantastic Lover". The only negligable song might be "My Best Friend" (by ex member Skip Spence). "White Rabbit" is of course as progressive as it could be in that time and it deserved a status of a "psychedelic anthem". A pure avant-garde, mixing influences from Ravel's "Bolero" and Spanish classics, presents a perfection done in a mere 2,5 minutes! Minimalist art at its best. Proto-prog? I would say - more than that! It is a genuine masterpiece!