Day 0091 - Velvet Underground and Nico

The Velvet Underground "Velvet Underground and Nico" (1967) - got it

I probably prefer the s/t 3rd album of all the VU catalogue, but this one is the more iconic and influential. Apparently this was mostly recorded in one 8-hour recording session.  The resultant album is a mix of nice melodic songs, with atonal feedbacky dirges. 

Due to the rough 'garage' sound of the recordings, and the lyrical subject matter (sex, drugs, BDSM etc.) the album was largely ignored by radio.  Critics hated it (rolling stone didn't even review it at the time!) people apparently thought it was all some big joke from Warhol.  However, history has been kind to the band, with the common comment being that the band didn't have many fans, but all of them went out and started bands of their own.

Day 0090 - The Who Sell Out

The Who "The Who Sell Out" (1967)

Another good album by the Who, it still sounds very restrained considering what they were capable of in a live setting. Great range of sounds though, and with a mix of faux commercials included in between tracks.

The commercial aspect was something of a self-aware joke as the band had been doing a few commercials by that stage, as well as maybe being a knowing nod at the fact that their music was a product that they had to sell in one way or another. 

They ended up getting sued by a number of the real products mentioned though, so maybe it was a little subversive or 'punk' after all.

Day 0089 - Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Pink Floyd "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" (1969) - got it

I find Floyd to be an intriguing band.  They changed so entirely throughout their career and obviously the loss of Syd Barrett as lead singer and songwriter was going to influence that, but even after he left they changed their sound.

Given the control that Waters exerted over the band in later albums it is odd to think of him taking a back-seat, and contributing only one composition here, but then I guess he was still finding his feet at the time.

This is a great mix of baroque pop, bawdy ranting, twee Englishness and LASHINGS of psychedelic exploration.  I would be surprised if the members of Blur (among others) hadn't listened to this album while writing their first one or two albums.

Day 0088 - Disreali Gears

Cream "Disreali Gears" (1967)

Well it's just good, innit.  Clapton's wailing guitar, Bruce's soaring voice, Baker's crazed rolling drums. They manage to make the more epic songs feel like half hour odysseys (in a good way) despite the fact that they're barely 3 minutes long.

Somehow there seems to be a whole lot of variety, even though there's clearly a uniform 'sound' to the album. The quirky, fun little tune at the end, closes the album on a refreshingly silly and light-hearted note.

Day 0087 - Forever Changes

Love "Forever Changes" (1967) - got it

Love were clearly on a roll here, with two albums in close proximity on the 1001 albums list.

I hadn't listened to this one in a while, and I kind of remembered it being a bit 'soft'.  Like it was nice, but lacking something.  I enjoyed it much more on this listen.

I think that some of the plaudits received by the band (as great as the Doors but overlooked because of their band being multi-racial) are overselling it a wee bit. Arthur Lee is a more than competent lyricist, but he's still not up to the standard of Morrison (IMO).

The music is interestingly arranged and well put together, ("alone again or..." and "the red telephone" being my favourites) but to my ears, they were kind of lacking the 'it factor', they made some really good music with a bit of 'it' but a little bit, but a little bit of it doesn't quite put them up alongside the big-hitters from the second half of the 60s.

Day 0086 - Hello and Goodbye

Tim Buckley "Hello and Goodbye" (1967)

This is one of those albums that I really 'wanted' to like.  I enjoy the music of Tim's son Jeff, and I like the idea of this album - inspired musically by sgt pepper, trying to say something worthwhile with the lyrics. 

I can listen to it and hear that these are imaginative arrangements around interesting songs, and for some reason I'm really just rooting for Tim, I want to like his stuff; but I've listened through this a few times hoping that it will click for me and it just isn't happening. 
 

Day 0085 - Headquarters

The Monkees "Headquarters" (1967)

Not bad, some nice poppy songs and some quirky funny moments.  To be brutally honest though, I don't know if it really deserves a place on the "1001 albums..." list over other better records. I guess they felt that the Monkees were historically an important band, being the first group manufactured for television, so needed to be represented.

Day 0084 - Triangle

Beau Brummels "Triangle" (1967)

This one was really good.  A really great mix of folk, country, pop and balladry with some interesting production and slight flavour of psychedelica, good use of the stereophonic field. Good mix too between bouncy, upbeat songs and slower, more meditative tracks.

This is a 'short but sweet' review.  Suffice to say, I really liked this!

Day 0083 - Da Capo

Love "Da Capo" (1967)

I own a couple of Love albums but this is not one of them. A first-time listen would point to this maybe being my new favourite of theirs. The self-titled debut was brash and 60s-ish; but also kind of samey and somehow uninspiring.  "Forever Changes" was beautifully put together, but lacked a certain energy.  "Da Capo" manages to tick both boxes, with some great rocking tunes that feel like they 'do something'. 

Not entirely sold on the gargantuan "Revelation" that takes up the whole second side of the album, I'm more of a fan of concise songs that say what they need to say without mucking about. long songs are fine if they kind of have some motivation for being long, like they take you on a 'journey' or something. There are actually moments of brilliance in it, just not enough to carry the full 19 minute weight of the song.

Day 0082 - Moby Grape

Moby Grape "Moby Grape" (1967)

See I want to listen through these in order, partly because I'm methodical about these things, and partly because it's a way of sort of hearing the evolution of music through the years and following that 'journey'.  The only problem with that is that you get these 'milestone' albums that completely shake the pot, followed by a number of albums that are building on the new sound, but are then overtaken by the next.... er, pot shakers; that's the case here.

There is actually some really great stuff, but having recently listened to bands like the Beatles, the mamas and the papas and the thirteenth floor elevators for this list, I can kind of hear a lot of their sounds popping up in this album.  It's not bad, it's just not "ooh wow!" At the time, the sounds were still fairly fresh, but listened to in the context of the last 5 or so decades of music, it's nothing amazing.

Day 0081 - Safe as Milk

Captain Beefheart "Safe as Milk" (1967)

Hmm not a lot to say about this one.  For all his reputation as a consummate weirdo, Beefheart's "safe as milk" album sounds like a pretty basic '60s garage' affair.  There's a momentary detour into poppy soul with "I'm glad" and a couple of moments of weirdness, but nothing compared to his later albums.

Apparently Beefheart had recently got out of a contract with A&M whose rep had deemed the songs 'too negative' and 'not safe for his daughter's ears'.  Really though they are safe; safe as.... well, y'know.
 

Day 0080 - Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield "Buffalo Springfield Again" (1967)

According to the book, Neil Young and Steve Stills were in fierce competition by this stage, with their fellow songwriter Ritch Furay often sidelined as a result.

It definitely doesn't sound like a unified band, the Neil Young songs sound very Young-y and Stills' have his sound. They are a group of strong songwriters so it's a totally listenable album either way. I couldn't say that I have a favourite songwriter on this album either, I was wowed by songs from each of them.

Adding to the issues making the album, apparently Young wasn't around half the time and their bassplayer spent a certain amount of the recording time under arrest for drug possession!

Day 0079 - Electric Music for the Body and Mind

Country Joe and the Fish "Electric Music for the Body and Mind (1967)

Country Joe and the Fish started off as 'the Instant Action Jug Band', but renamed themselves to hook into the communist vibe (the name being a reference to the nicknames of Stalin and Chairman Mao).

They started off as a folk group but gradually drew in elements of rock and blues and got in on the emerging psychedelic movement and drove it into the open.

This is another of those albums that didn't blow my mind but I enjoyed it well enough. "sad and lonely times" is beautiful, and the psychedelic epic closer "Grace" is brilliant!

Day 0078 - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Beatles "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1967) - got it

The guy who wrote the blurb for this one in the 1001 albums book is kind of down on rubber soul and revolver so I looked to the liner notes of the CD instead.  A lot of interesting stuff went on, apparently. The Beatles wanted an unconventional sound for this album, so instruments were distorted, EQed, limited, reverbed, strings were recorded using headphones as microphones, brass instruments were recorded with microphones jammed right inside them, human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!

This used to be close to my favourite Beatles album due to the bright, varied colourful nature of the songs... ,I'd probably lean more towards Rubber Soul and Abbey Road with a slight wink at Magical Mystery Tour seeing as it has Strawberry Fields and my personal favourite "I am the Walrus"

Sgt Pepper is still a fantastic album, and a brilliant artistic statement. Though, the songs are strange, wonderful and beautiful, each member was definitely going off in their own direction, with George blowing is sitar load all over "within you without you", Paul totally indulging his penchant for the plummy and saccharine "when I'm 64" and "she's leaving home" but proves that he isn't a one-trick pony with the rock of the title track and the playful 'lovely rita'. John outshines everyone though with Lucy in the sky and one of the best album closers ever in 'a day in the life' ...yes I know there's a bit of Paul's in the middle, and the song wouldn't be the same without it, but it seems like John's moody, dreamy parts are just on another plain, and once it's all through together with the joining 'orgasm of sound' it just transcends most of everything else that they or anyone else has done, Ringo slips some great drumming into the mix almost unnoticed.

Oh and PS, one of the best album covers of all time

Day 0077 - Chelsea Girl

Nico "Chelsea Girl" (1967)

Despite featuring a host of well known songwriters (including Bob Dylan and members of the Velvet Underground) this manages to come out with a relatively uniformly 'Nico' sound.

I enjoyed the album, though I'll admit that I haven't really gone ga-ga for Nico.  I mean she's an artist I'll happily sit and listen to, but I don't have a desire to seek out her music as such.

Day 0076 - Beach Samba

Astrud Gilberto "Beach Samba" (1967)

The opening line of this album is a gently crooned "Stay, we'll make sex with music"... which is enough to get anyone's attention.

Aside from one quite brassy, bouncy song, this album mostly keeps a smooth, relaxed pace.  I love a bit of samba and bossa so this one was right up my alley.  The second to last track "you didn't have to be so nice" features a duet with Astrud's 6 year old son and it is sincerely adorable.

Easy listening bliss

Day 0075 - Nina Simone "Wild is the wind" (1966)

Nina Simone "Wild is the wind" (1966)

Apparently Nina's tendency to bounce between genres made it difficult for critics to pin her down, so led them to dismiss and underrate her.  It's a shame really, because this album, which was compiled from a variety of studio and live performances from across 2 years, covers multiple genres without feeling disjointed at all.  If anything, this mix of genres anticipates the work of popular artists such as Amy Winehouse and Lake Street Dive, with its combination of soul, jazz, motowny RnB, and blues.

Nina too is one of those singers who can communicate a world of feeling just through her voice.

Day 0074 - The Yardbirds (AKA Roger the Engineer)

The Yardbirds "The Yardbirds" (AKA Roger the Engineer) (1966)

From an Eric Clapton-featured album to a band that formerly featured the slow-handed axeman. The Yardbirds always sound great on paper, their guitarists included Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. The band more or less evolved into Led Zeppelin and they're constantly cited as a reference by many musicians.  Sadly though, they've never really really blown my mind. I guess there's the historical aspect to take into account, they were possibly much more arresting when they first emerged... but when you know about Cream, Hendrix, Zeppelin etc. and then go back and listen the Yardbirds, it's not quite the same.

The first half of this album just seems a pretty generic '60s rock' sound.  Around the middle of the album some more interesting sounds emerge, in songs like "Farewell" "Happenings 10 years time ago" and then a bit later with "Turn into earth" and "Ever since the world began".

Day 0073 - Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton

John Mayall and the Blues Breakers "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton" (1966)

As I've said before, I can be 50/50 on blues as a genre, I mean I like some tracks but there often just isn't enough variety for my tastes... this album is good though, it mostly stays squarely in the blues camp but still manages to feature some crazed jazz drumming, some hints of 60s rock and of course the whole thing is lifted by Clapton's sublime playing.

Day 0072 - The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

The Thirteenth Floor Elevators "The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators" (1966)

There are some good tracks on here, but overall it doesn't really stack up for me.  The production feels kind of flat, and the instrument (which is apparently an amplified jug) that features throughout starts out sounding zany and interesting, but really gets old after the first couple of songs.

Day 0071 - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (1966) - got it

Short but sweet.

According to the book, the duo's first album 'the sound of silence' was a bit of a rush job, with the record company wanting to take advantage of their initial success.  With PSR&T, Paul took control so that he could he better realise his creative vision.  It is a beautiful sounding album, one that, despite the sparseness of some of the arrangements, makes good use of the stereophonic field.

Through the heart-melting beauty there is a good dose of social conscience and commentary, which a lot of artists seem to steer away from these days.

Day 0070 - Aftermath

The Rolling Stones "Aftermath" (1966)

The first RS album where they wrote all of the songs themselves... and it benefits from this, with a nice variety of strong songs.

Brian Jones (who was apparently a bit bored by this point) stretches out beyond his guitar duties to add some sitar, marimba and a variety of other instruments.
Several tracks were omitted for the US edition of the album; but they got 'Paint it Black' instead, which is pretty sweet compensation!

Day 0069 - Freak Out

Frank Zappa and the Mother's of Invention "Freak Out" (1966) - got it

This album has hints of the sounds popular at this point of the 60s... but with a huge helping of weirdness on top.  Nowhere near the virtuosic oddball stylings the band would exhibit once Frank fired half the band and ensconced himself well and truly in the driver's seat, but still comfortably 'out there'.

There are one or two pretty solid pop songs here, a direction that Zappa would explore more completely with his doowop album "Cruisin' with Ruben and the Jets".
"Trouble every day" sound suspiciously like it is mocking Bob Dylan... wouldn't surprise me, as Zappa was making fun of EVERYBODY at this point in his career

The last couple of tracks start to investigate some weirder, musique concrete-esque territory (which, again, Zappa would explore more fully in later releases).  All in all a startling and well formed debut.

Day 0068 - Midnight Ride

Paul Revere and the Raiders "Midnight Ride" (1966)

According to the book this bad were somewhat reviled at the time, due to being a bit theatrical in their stage costumes and performance. They regularly featured on one of Dick Clark's tv shows, which did nothing to add to their 'cool'.

It's odd though that they were dismissed, because this is really good music! The album seems to veer between sounding unbelievably 60s and sounding totally fresh and like it could have just been released. One of the songs sounds vaguely like Ween, to my ears. At times it's garagey and punky, at other times it's perky and poppy... either way I would say it doesn't manage to be boring at all.

Day 0067 - If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears

The Mama's and Papa's "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears" (1966)

Good solid pop album with hints of the folk backgrounds of the various band-members.

This album is as about as 1960s as a mop-topped JFK being assassinated by the moon landing. I prefer the folkier, mellower songs here, but the vaguely moddish pop on some of the other tracks works okay too.

Day 0066 - Face to Face

The Kinks "Face to Face" (1966) - got it

That was really good, I've never been hugely familiar with the Kinks outside of the 'hits' (though, as noted above, have since picked up a copy of this album).  This was great, a really nice mix of beautiful melodies and great vocal harmonies, but with a harder rock edge underpinning it. "Session man" is a bit of a throwaway track but 'Party Line', 'Too much on my mind', 'Rainy day in June', 'Sunny afternoon' and the raga-tastic 'Fancy' more than make up for it.

Day 0065 - Black Monk Time

The Monks "Black Monk Time" (1966) - got it

Brilliant album.  It somehow manages to sound haphazard, yet musically tight all at the same time.

The Monks manage to convey the frantic vibe of a world coping with the advent of the atomic bomb, perhaps combined with a touch of PTSD of these ex-GIs trying to make sense of the world around them (drawing on the influence of their time in service).

 Hailed by some as one of the first punk albums, and it would not surprise me if they were an influence on some of the bands generally credited with pioneering that movement.

Day 0064 - Blonde on Blonde

Bob Dylan "Blonde on Blonde" (1966)

Rock's first double-album... I would say that this is one of those double albums that just feels like it would have been better as a great single album.  "Rainy day woman..." is still one of my favourite Dylan songs, and an interesting way to start the album,  "I want you" is brilliant and "Sad eyed lady of the lowlands" is beautiful.. actually there were no songs that really grated on me here, it was just a bit much Dylan for my tastes all in all.  A single disc version of this album is a Bob Dylan album I would happily buy

Day 0063 - The Fifth Dimension

The Byrds "The Fifth Dimension" (1966)

Principal songwriter Gene Clark had left and much like Pink Floyd and Split Enz this meant that the remaining songwriters had to adapt to fill the void.

The result is a mixed bag... but not too mixed.  All of the tracks are at least listenable, and there are some straight-up pop gems in here, like the title track and the legitimately brilliant 'eight miles high'.  This latter track apparently got banned from radio simply because of the word 'high' featuring in the title. Some other tracks are pretty enough songs, but they mostly just feel like filler.  Their cover of 'hey Joe' is really nothing to write home about

Day 0062 - Fred Neil

Fred Neil "Fred Neil" (1966)

This was a really good album; I'd never heard of Fred Neil previously.  This album includes his original version of 'Everybody's talking' (slightly slower than the more famous Harry Nilsson version).  It's just a great all-round 'singer-songwriter' album with folk, country, blues and even some eastern flourishes in a song or two.

After listening to this album, I checked out some of Fred's other works and found this song, which is a rootsy blues track, so low and slow that it feels like it's barely crawling!