Red Octopus

• Artist: Jefferson Starship
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1975
• Total Time: 42:01
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

Technically speaking, Red Octopus was the first album credited to Jefferson Starship, though practically the same lineup made Dragon Fly, credited to Grace Slick/Paul Kantner/Jefferson Starship. The difference, however, was crucial: Marty Balin was once again a fully integrated bandmember, writing or co-writing five of the ten tracks. And there can be little doubt that it was Balin's irresistible ballad "Miracles," the biggest hit single in the Jefferson Whatever catalog, that propelled Red Octopus to the top of the charts, the only Jefferson album to chart that high and the best-selling album in their collective lives. This must have been sweet vindication for Balin, who founded Jefferson Airplane but then drifted away from the group as it veered away from his musical vision. Now, the collective was incorporating his taste without quite integrating it -- "Miracles," with its strings and sax solo by nonband member Irv Cox, was hardly a characteristic Airplane/Starship track. But then, neither exactly was Papa John Creach's showcase, "Git Fiddler," or bassist Pete Sears' instrumental "Sandalphon," which sounded like something from an early Procol Harum album. Slick has three strong songs, among them the second single "Play on Love." Like Dragon Fly, Red Octopus reflected a multiplicity of musical tastes; there were ten credited songwriters, seven of whom were in the band. If there is any consistency in this material, it is in subject matter (love songs). The album is more ballad-heavy and melodic than the Airplane albums, which made it more accessible to the broader audience it reached, though "Sweeter Than Honey" is as tough a rocker as the band ever played. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Fast Buck Freddie (Lyrics)	Grace Slick, Craig Chaquico	Jefferson Starship	(3:28)
Miracles (Lyrics)	Marty Balin	Jefferson Starship	(6:51)
Git Fiddler [Instrumental]	Kevin Moore, Parker, Moore, Papa John Creach, John Parker	Jefferson Starship	(3:09)
Al Garimasu (There Is Love)	Grace Slick	Jefferson Starship	(4:15)
Sweeter Than Honey (Lyrics)	Pete Sears, Craig Chaquico, Marty Balin	Jefferson Starship	(3:21)
Play on Love (Lyrics)	Pete Sears, Grace Slick	Jefferson Starship	(3:43)
Tumblin' (Lyrics)	Marty Balin, David Freiberg, Robert Hunter	Jefferson Starship	(3:26)
I Want to See Another World (Lyrics)	Grace Slick, Marty Balin, Paul Kantner	Jefferson Starship	(4:35)
Sandalphon [Instrumental]	Pete Sears	Jefferson Starship	(4:09)
There Will Be Love (Lyrics)	Marty Balin, Paul Kantner, Craig Chaquico	Jefferson Starship	(5:04)

Credits

John Barbata (Drums), Dave Roberts (Horn Arrangements), David Freiberg (Keyboards), David Freiberg (Guitar), John Barbata (Vocals), Craig Chaquico (Guitar), David Cohen (Liner Notes), Craig Chaquico (Vocals), David Freiberg (Vocals), Frank Mulvey (Art Direction), Bobbye Hall (Percussion), Marty Balin (Vocals), Jeffrey Husband (Engineer), Papa John Creach (Violin), David Freiberg (Bass), Kent Duncan (Mastering), Grace Slick (Piano), Pete Sears (Bass), Rick Collins (Mastering), Jefferson Airplane (Producer), Paul Kantner (Guitar), Dave Roberts (String Arrangements), Larry Cox (Producer), Marty Balin (Guitar), Irv Cox (Saxophone), Jefferson Starship (Producer), Pat Ieraci (Production Coordination), Starship (Producer), Bobbye Hall (Conga), Paul Kantner (Vocals), Pete Sears (Keyboards), Papa John Creach (Vocals), John Barbata (Percussion), Grace Slick (Vocals), Steve Mantoani (Engineer), Paul Kantner (Guitar (Rhythm)), Steve Hoffman (Remastering), Pete Sears (Vocals), Jim Marshall (Photography), Larry Cox (Engineer), Grace Slick (Keyboards), John Barbata (Conga)

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