This 1979 compilation culls the hit singles and strongest album tracks from
Jefferson Starship's four elemental-titled albums of the 1970s: 1974's
Dragon Fly (evoking air), the 1975 number one smash
Red Octopus (water), 1976's
Spitfire (fire), and the more obviously titled
Earth from 1978. These albums saw the
Jefferson Starship hit-making machine at its peak, so this collection is a fine entrance for those new to the band's '70s material. It's a remarkably democratic set; tracks are selected evenly from
Dragon Fly (three),
Red Octopus (three),
Spitfire (two), and
Earth (three), and are divided fairly equitably among lead vocalists:
Marty Balin (six),
Grace Slick (four), and
Paul Kantner/group (two). In the course of listening, it becomes obvious how strongly
Balin's increasing MOR sensibilities were guiding the group's path as the decade progressed: By the end, he was singing all the radio hits. The Top 40 hits -- "Miracles," "With Your Love," "Count on Me," and "Runaway" -- are, of course, all included, as are a few of the group's more ambitious efforts: the sweeping soundscape "St. Charles," the heartfelt poetry of "Caroline," and the remarkable
Grace Slick meditation on aging, "Hyperdrive." Unfortunately, owing to needless space considerations, some of the cuts are edited for length: "Miracles" is snipped from its seven-minute original to the 3:30 radio edit, and a minute is hacked from both "Runaway" and "Hyperdrive." The one unreleased track included, 1978's "Light the Sky on Fire," is an entirely forgettable
Marty Balin vehicle with misplaced horns and a
Pete Townsend-esque keyboard riff.
Gold, as a compilation, doesn't adequately showcase the instrumental talents of lead guitarist
Craig Chaquico, drummer
John Barbata, fiddler
Papa John Creach, or bassists/keyboardists
Pete Sears and
David Freiberg; nevertheless, it sits nicely as an overview of the group's multifaceted work in the second half of the decade. ~ Joseph McCombs