The Best of Mountain [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster]

Performer: Mountain
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: The 2003 expanded edition includes four bonus tracks. Mountain: Leslie West (vocals, guitar); Felix Pappalardi (vocals, bass); Steve Knight (keyboards); Corky Laing (drums). Producers: Felix Pappalardi. Compilation producer: Bob Irwin. Recorded between 1969 & 1971. Includes liner notes by Ben Edmonds. Liner Note Author: Ben Edmonds. Photographers: Gail Collins; Glenn A. Baker; Jill Furmanovsky; Jim Cummins. A year after Mountain decided to call it quits in 1972, their first greatest hits collection was issued, titled simply THE BEST OF. While the band had issued only four studio albums and one live set during its brief three-year career, it had racked up several bona-fide classic rock radio staples. The band centered around singer/guitarist Leslie West, whose beefed-up Clapton riffs served as the basis for the band's blues-based power rock, while bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer Corky Laing proved to be a mammoth rhythm section. Only their finest songs are included here, highlights being the sexed-up anthem "Mississippi Queen," as well as the psychedelic ballad "Nantucket Sleighride," the fierce heavy metal rocker "Never in My Life," and the melodic "Theme for an Imaginary Western," the latter penned by ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce. Mountain's meteoric ride through the early '70s was as memorable as it was brief -- so much so that this excellent greatest-hits set was released less than four years after the band had inaugurated their career at Woodstock. In retrospect, its easy to understand why the strange chemistry (pun intended) struck between boogie-loving, Clapton-worshiping guitar hero Leslie West and eclectic bassist and Cream producer Felix Pappalardi was fated to be a short one. But during their brief run, Mountain's adventurous proto-metal did indeed resemble a somewhat twisted but effective American version of the legendary power trio that inspired them. Of course, Mountain would continue to re-form off and on over the years, but seeing as most of their later efforts were disappointingly under par, this set covers all the stuff you'll need -- most essentially, Homer Simpson's favorite song, the immortal "Mississippi Queen." [The 2003 reissue of The Best of Mountain has new liner notes by Ben Edmonds, great photos, improved sound, and four bonus tracks: "Long Red" and "Dreams of Milk & Honey" from 1969's Mountain, "Silver Paper" from 1970's Climbing!, and "Travelin' in the Dark (To E.M.P.)" from 1971's Nantucket Sleighride.] ~ Eduardo Rivadavia

Q - 3 Stars - Good Uncut (5/03, p.116) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...This compilation shows that Mountain were not merely among the first hard-rockers, but were among the best..."

Led by power-riffing guitarist Leslie West and bassist/songwriter/producer Felix Pappalardi, Mountain formed in New York City in 1969. With songs like "Mississippi Queen" and "Boys in the Band," the Woodstock alums have come to represent the fierce technique and utter heaviness (and often the unfortunate excess) of the best 1970s blues-inspired hard-rock bands. Pappalardi was tragically murdered by his wife in 1983; however, West and drummer Corky Laing continued to tour and record under the Mountain name into the 2000s.

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