If you're seeking a cultural artefact of the Woodstock era look no further than this 1969 offering. The last album to feature original leader/vocalist Marty Balin and the 'classic' Airplane line-up it's very much 'of its time'. If 'After Bathing at Baxter's' was the Airplanes's acid high-point then 'Volunteers' sees the band steeped in the social and political issues of American hippiedom. Contemporary themes such as nuclear apocalypse, (Wooden Ships), ecology, (The Farm, Eskimo Blue Day) and youth rebellion (We Can Be Together and the title-track) dominate the album and musically it veers through folk and hard rock (Good Shepherd and Hey Frederick) and even tongue in cheek country (A Man For All Seasons), all shot through with the unique airplanian sound and vision. Aided by a plethora of West Coast chums including Jerry Garcia and David Crosby and British pianist Nicky Hopkins (famous for his work with The Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck and Quicksilver to name but three), the soaring, angular harmonies and Jorma Kaukonen's edgy and acidic guitar work are all in place. Unfortunately the mix is very muddy and the superb rhythm section of Jack Casady and Spencer Dryden gets buried under the audio gloop. 'Volunteers' remains as much a product of its time as 'Deja Vu' and 'Let It Bleed'.