Paul Kantner, Grace Slick – Sunfighter

Paul Kantner & Grace Slick – Sunfighter

Released in 1971, Sunfighter is the second collaborative album from Paul Kantner and Grace Slick, following their work together in Jefferson Airplane. A fascinating snapshot of the early-1970s San Francisco counterculture, the album blends psychedelic rock, folk rock, acid rock, and spacey experimental sounds with themes of environmentalism, peace, politics, and human consciousness.

Kantner and Slick recorded Sunfighter with an impressive collection of musicians from the San Francisco rock scene, including members and associates of Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Santana. The result is a communal, expansive record that captures the spirit of the era while developing the psychedelic sound associated with their earlier work.

The album opens with "Silver Spoon," a driving and politically charged introduction, before the brief "Diana - Part 1" leads into the atmospheric title track. "Sunfighter" combines psychedelic textures with a strong rock foundation, while "Titanic" and "Look At The Wood" bring a more reflective and experimental quality.

One of the album's most striking pieces is "When I Was A Boy I Watched The Wolves," an atmospheric track that reflects the record's recurring interest in nature and the relationship between humanity and the environment.

Side two continues with "Million," "China" and "Earth Mother," combining psychedelic arrangements with the album's broader political and ecological themes. "Universal Copernican Mumbles" provides a brief experimental interlude before the sprawling "Holding Together" closes the record with an expansive seven-minute finale.

Sunfighter is particularly notable for its sense of collaboration and its place within the evolution of the San Francisco psychedelic rock tradition. It bridges the late-1960s counterculture with the more experimental, politically conscious rock of the early 1970s.

An essential listen for fans of Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, Grace Slick, Paul Kantner, Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and psychedelic San Francisco rock, Sunfighter is a compelling and atmospheric album with plenty for collectors of vintage psychedelic and progressive-leaning rock to discover.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Silver Spoon – 5:40
2. Diana - Part 1 – 0:52
3. Sunfighter – 3:50
4. Titanic – 2:25
5. Look At The Wood – 2:08
6. When I Was A Boy I Watched The Wolves – 4:59

Side B

1. Million – 4:02
2. China – 3:17
3. Earth Mother – 3:16
4. Diana - Part 2 – 1:01
5. Universal Copernican Mumbles – 2:03
6. Holding Together – 7:40