Bear's Sonic Journals: Found in the Ozone
Bear's Sonic Journals: Found in the Ozone is a two-CD live album by the country rock band Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen. It was recorded in February and March 1970 – more than years before their first album was released in November 1971 – by audio engineer and LSD chemist Owsley "Bear" Stanley. It was released by the Owsley Stanley Foundation on July 24, 2020. The Family Dog at the Great Highway was a concert venue in San Francisco run by Chet Helms. On February 27, February 28, and March  1, 1970 Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen played three shows there, as the opening act for the Grateful Dead. On March 27, 28, and 29 they played three more shows there, on the same bill as the Youngbloods. "Found in the Ozone" contains their complete performance from March 28, along with songs selected from the other five concerts. It includes a total of 41 tracks – 7 original compositions and 34 covers. The album cover art by Chris Shaw is done in a retro-future, pulp magazine style and is reminiscent of the cover of the band's eponymous  fifth album. Critical reception. Jeff Tamarkin said in "Relix", "The group was still finding its way, and the sound quality, while crisp and quite listenable, feels homemade. But don’t let any of that keep you away: This is the most significant Cody release in dozens of years, and its early vintage makes it an essential piece in charting the development of this ever-exciting outfit that tossed together rockabilly, blues, country, boogie-woogie, Western swing and whatever else came their way." In "Tinnitist", Darryl Sterdan wrote, "Singer-pianist George (Commander Cody) Frayne and his crew were one of the  more interesting bands of the hippie era, fusing county, rockabilly, western swing, jump blues and more into an infectious amalgam that set the table for outfits like NRBQ... Admittedly, live Cody albums aren't hard to come by – there are probably at least a dozen on the market. But you won’t find one that sounds better than this." Track listing. Disc 1 Disc 2 Personnel. Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen Production