Best Ever Albums

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Sun, 8 Jan 2023 16:59:16 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 01/08/2023 21:59

So, in case anyone is wondering, I haven't abandoned the ship, I intend to bring it back sooner or later - hopefully sooner. I haven't made up my mind yet, but I think it's time for something different. The '60s project was fun and stuff, but I think at this point it has run its course - on the other hand, this shouldn't rule out the possibility of returning to it further down the line, who knows. Some ideas would be a) time travelling back to a different period and exploring the various musical trends of that era or b) paying tribute to an artist by visiting his entire discography or c) focusing on a particular genre by tracing its roots and following its development over the years or d)tracking down new releases, we've somehow made it to 2023 after all. Many possibilities, I'll report as soon as I figure it out.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 17:50:46 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/10/2022 22:50

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Indestructible
Trends in jazz may come and go, but if there was one thing you could count on for most of the ‘50s and ‘60s that was give or take one seminal - and of course highly entertaining - hard bop album per year by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. And make no mistake, this is no small feat, especially if you take into account the “confused” musical landscape of the mid to late ‘60s, where countless new genres and styles were popping up left and right and jazz was losing the popularity battle, it’s great having the chance to listen to a “back to basics” record. Every member of the band delivers what is expected from them and then some more, the three horns are on fire – though my favourite is the one track that lies on the other end of the spectrum, namely the ballad When Love Is New, where their trademark high-octane performance that runs through the entire album gives way to sheer, cinematic romanticism. The aforementioned track was written by pianist Cedar Walton, who has been a solid member of The Jazz Messengers and has appeared in many of their albums, but here he is at his most delightful. Overall, you can tell the band ages like fine wine, as it benefits from experience without losing its excitement.
7/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Wed, 9 Nov 2022 18:21:47 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/09/2022 23:21

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Ennio Morricone - Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo [The Good, The Bad & The Ugly]
One of the most iconic movies of all time has to be accompanied by one of the most iconic soundtracks of all time. It’s rather tricky rating soundtracks as a standalone piece of art, they are eternally linked with the movie they were used in and as a result how you are feeling about the movie ends up affecting your opinion on its soundtrack. This was one of my main concerns when I decided to listen to this album. I watched Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo for the first time as a kid and I remember I didn’t particularly like it. I revisited it a few years later as a grown-up and sadly not much had changed, Clint Eastwood remains too badass for me. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a classic western, though it has to be said I tried to keep my exposure to this genre to a minimum, so my experience is rather limited, take this comment with a grain of salt. Anyway, all of that is probably irrelevant, as this is a soundtrack that anyone should be able to like no matter what. It is colourful and fits the needs of the film like a glove, it can be epic (for real, it inspires you to leave everything behind and go on to become a bounty hunter), light-hearted, sentimental, even pious at times. Cool stuff all round.
7/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Tue, 8 Nov 2022 17:26:19 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/08/2022 22:26

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Monks - Black Monk Time
Man, these guys are fanatics, they did punk before punk was a thing. To be fair, they are punk in attitude, it’s clear Sex Pistols followed their nihilistic, arrogant and sarcastic footsteps but that’s where similarities end, Monks are incomparably more interesting sound-wise. If the line goes Link Wray, The Kinks, The Sonics, then Monks are a giant leap forward, as they expand in various directions. They use a groovy organ before The Doors, the trademark krautrock hypnotic drumming before Can, the unconventional - and gritty - songwriting before The Velvet Underground, they bring jazzy elements to rock music - while never taking themselves too seriously - before Frank Zappa, they dive into the surreal and bizarre world of psychedelic rock before Pink Floyd. All in all, they are one of the most innovative bands of the ‘60s, which is a huge achievement if you take into account the competition. And the most impressive is they did it despite not caring in the slightest – the first commandment in punk’s holy book. Monks hold the key to being both “straight rock and roll” and “avant-garde” at the same time, a seemingly impossible task. Now, I’m giving it a relatively low score because this type of music doesn’t appeal to me that much, but please don’t be discouraged or thrown off by it, I can’t stress enough how great and influential this album is. And I think the average BEA member is into heavy and loud stuff way more than me, so if you’ve somehow missed it up to now, give it a try as soon as possible. Oh, and the band has a cool story as well, they were formed by American soldiers in West Germany, a fact that could have had a significant impact on their approach to music, who knows what would have happened under different circumstances.
6/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Sun, 6 Nov 2022 18:26:44 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/06/2022 23:26

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Nina Simone - Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone is probably the best when it comes to keeping you company throughout the night. To be honest, though, the opening track, I Love Your Lovin' Ways, had me worried for a moment, it is a run-of-the-mill, rather forgettable song that is totally uncharacteristic of her. Also, it’s worth pointing out that this album contains leftovers from various 1964 and 1965 sessions, which provided me with another reason to approach it with caution and keep my expectations relatively low. Thankfully, thinks get back on track right after this first misstep. Her trademark style is present here, she manages to effortlessly grab your attention without forcing matters or asking for it, she is painfully sensitive without becoming dramatic, she gets rid of anything unnecessarily flashy and keeps only what is absolutely essential to make her point. Even though she is a phenomenal singer, her performances remain subtle and elegant for the most part and that’s why the explosive parts feel so rewarding. And the most impressive aspect of it is that all of that comes naturally to her, there’s nothing polished or refined here, it’s pure, raw emotion, a direct and honest confession of what she’s keeping in her heart of hearts. And despite the personal tone, its entertainment value holds up as well. There are a couple of tracks that I would consider below par and they do have a negative effect on the overall atmosphere, but there are many gems here that more than make up for it. I'm not sure where it'd rank compared to the rest of her discography, most of her releases (I think this is the seventh or eighth record of hers that I've listened) have been on a similar level.
6.5/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Sat, 5 Nov 2022 19:39:35 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/05/2022 23:39

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The Byrds - Fifth Dimension
So, no Dylan covers this time and the Dylan influence doesn’t come across as loud and clear this time – which is a good thing of course, this change of direction was necessary in order for them to stand out - though there are still more than a few glimpses of their folk roots. That being said, it’s easy to tell they have made progress and added new elements to their sound. Their vocals remain gorgeous – while The Mamas And The Papas had graduated from The Beach Boys school of vocal harmonies, The Byrds drew inspiration mostly from the Beatles. However, the most striking aspect of this record is the guitar work. An important moment in modern music history, as the idyllic folk landscapes give way to the darker, disordered world of psychedelia, a new genre that wouldn’t stop making the headlines for the rest of the ‘60s. The album loses steam towards the end, the first half is significantly stronger than the second, but the point remains, its impact is not to be underestimated, many legendary artists were taking notes, apart from the obvious examples of fellow Californians such as Jefferson Airplane or Love, one could link them to the acid rock of Jimi Hendrix, the space rock of Pink Floyd, whatever Frank Zappa was doing and all the way to krautrock – and that’s only their psychedelic era, their contribution to other fields such as country or indie is equally impressive.
6.5/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Fri, 4 Nov 2022 21:02:53 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/05/2022 01:02

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The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
Ok, everyone knows it, that’s the absolute album of ’66, if not of the ‘60s in their entirety. There’s hardly any point in trying to describe why it’s so great and that’s both because it’s already been done countless times and because words barely do it justice. This is the sound of pop heaven, quite possibly the most beautiful album of all time – and one of the most influential at the same time, The Beach Boys became the gold standard of pop music. However, I have to confess I don’t visit it that regularly and I’ve never considered it a favourite of mine, even though I’ve always been fond of The Beach Boys, I think I’ve already mentioned that The Beach Boys Today! Is my go to album. There’s no particular reason for that – I mean, it’s virtually impossible to find anything to dislike here. If anything it’s all too perfect and I’m partial to their more naïve, innocent and imperfect version. Speaking of perfect, who knows how Pet Sounds would be viewed and how different would the history of music have been if SMiLE had been finished, but that’s another story, more about that at some point in the future, perhaps when we get to 1967.
7/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Fri, 4 Nov 2022 19:14:02 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/04/2022 23:14

Romanelli wrote:

This group and this album bears closer inspection and appreciation...the vocal arrangements of John Phillips to this day rival anything recorded before or since in the world of popular music. As a singer, there is nothing dated about this material in the way of vocals...and the vocals are the only really important thing about this group.

"California Dreamin'" is great...but please do not dismiss the real excellence of songs like "Go Where You Wanna Go", "Monday Monday", "Got A Feelin'", and their take on The Beatles' "I Call Your Name". These songs are all vocally insanely good. It's all in the arrangements, and how incredibly well they worked together to create these sounds.

Yeah, the vocals are far and away their strongest suit – I mean, drawing comparisons to The Beach Boys is the highest compliment one can receive in that department - and that’s exactly what makes their songs, even the covers, worth listening.
The dated part is mostly related to the overall hippy/flower power/summer of love atmosphere and as I said in the previous post, it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s a matter of perspective. If you are looking for an album that captures the zeitgeist and is essentially a photograph of the ‘60s, this is the way.
And there are some good songs in here, sure, but in my opinion California Dreamin’ is in a league of its own, a thing of sheer beauty, one of the all-time greats.
Thanks for posting, I appreciate your insights.

Re: I'm going back to the start

Romanelli — Thu, 3 Nov 2022 20:03:10 GMT

Author: Romanelli

Posted: 11/04/2022 00:03

kokkinos wrote:

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The Mamas And The Papas - If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears
One of those albums that has the ‘60s written all over them, you can listen to it for just one minute and you can instantly classify it as a product of its time. I guess it’s arguable If that’s a good or a bad thing. On the one hand, it takes you back in time and is highly successful in recreating this very specific atmosphere. On the other hand, you may find it unbearably dated, it’s a matter of preference after all. Anyway, it’s hard to deny what a lovely record it is. It combines the pop sensibilities and vocal harmonies of The Beach Boys, the “summer of love” psychedelia of the Sgt. Pepper’s era Beatles, the folk elements of The Byrds or Peter, Paul And Mary and the occasional nod to British Invasion (e.g. Straight Shooter comes with Kinks-esque and early Beatles-esque energy and vocals). It goes without saying that California Dreamin’ is a huge song that towers over the rest of the album – which isn’t that consistent to begin with, so having one track stand head and shoulders above everything else, the problem becomes even clearer. It’s a shame they didn’t last longer together – though they aren’t the only group to have been affected because its members broke up, see Fleetwood Mac – but at least that song, that one moment of pop perfection if you will, secured their place in the history books.
6/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Thu, 3 Nov 2022 18:53:19 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/03/2022 22:53

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Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Tue, 1 Nov 2022 19:08:17 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 11/01/2022 23:08

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Violeta Parra - Las Últimas Composiciones De Violeta Parra
Well, I guess it’s rather far from the most obvious or expected choice to start the 1966 exploration, but it’s an album that made quite an impression on me the first time I listened to it – according to BEA, I rated it for the first time all the way back in 2014, so it’s been a while. The most striking aspect of it is that she has a really expressive voice that proves to be essential when it comes to overcoming the language barrier, as I have little to no idea what she is singing about. If I had to take a stab at it, I’d say that even though it all sounds relatively simple, light and easy-going, there’s an underlying pain. And after I took the time to read a bit about her background and her story, it confirmed my initial thoughts. The opening track is the clear highlight to the point it may slightly overshadow the rest, it perfectly captures this somewhat bittersweet feeling that runs through the album. Also, it has to be said that the guitar work is excellent, nothing fancy or unnecessary, distinct, direct and to the point, it manages to create a unique atmosphere combined with her voice.
6/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Mon, 31 Oct 2022 16:37:42 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 10/31/2022 20:37

Two years without MF DOOM, rest in peace.

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Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 15:43:17 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 10/30/2022 19:43

And let’s wrap 1965 up with the usual year chart and move on to 1966.
Now that it’s all said and done, I have to say I expected 1965 would have been a much stronger year than 1964, which wasn’t the case, I consider them more or less equal, looking forward to finding out what 1966 has in store, which is supposed to be even greater.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 14:55:49 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 10/30/2022 18:55

Hayden wrote:

RIP Piano jazz :lol:

Yeah, I buried it right next to jazz guitar. 😁
Joking aside, there are many jazz pianists I like, though the typical piano/bass/drums trio rarely works for me (though I can occasionally enjoy the work of the likes of Bill Evans/Cecil Taylor/Duke Ellington/Michael Garrick/Oscar Peterson/Jan Johansson/etc. to various degrees), it usually takes a “bigger” setting to make it to my favourites (Andrew Hill, Mal Waldron, Sun Ra, Thelonious Monk and so on and so forth).

Re: I'm going back to the start

Hayden — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 19:00:46 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 10/29/2022 23:00

kokkinos wrote:

it's piano jazz at its finest.
7/10.

RIP Piano jazz 🤣

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Sat, 29 Oct 2022 18:53:20 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 10/29/2022 22:53

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Johnny Cash - Orange Blossom Special
Ok, I have to admit Johnny Cash shows some commendable adaptability here, he proves to be capable of following the sign of the times. What I mean is that he doesn’t go all out to keep true to his country roots. Instead, he is willing to add contemporary elements to his sound, as he moves closer to the ‘60s folk scene. After all, this album is notable for the inclusion of three covers of Bob Dylan songs (It Ain't Me Babe, Don't Think Twice, it's Alright and Mama, You've Been on My Mind). I don’t think this style suits him particularly, though if I’m being honest I have to say I never found him that relatable no matter the setting. Still, it doesn’t feel as unnatural or phony as I had expected before listening to it, I definitely appreciate the effort – and it’s undoubtedly better than the most famous Dylan/Cash collaboration, namely Girl From The North Country from Dylan’s Nashville Skyline.
4.5/10.

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Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas
We are less than two months away from Christmas, let’s get in the mood! It’s an iconic album and for good reason, it perfectly captures the spirit of Christmas from a child’s point of view. Of course this doesn’t mean that an adult can’t enjoy it. It’s so pure and innocent that it makes for a nostalgic time travel back to one’s childhood, but at the same time is so cool, light and playful that you won’t get overly sentimental, it quite simply has infinite replay value and it doesn't even have to be Christmas, it's piano jazz at its finest.
7/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 19:34:55 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 10/28/2022 23:34

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Sun Ra And His Myth Science Arkestra - Fate In A Pleasant Mood
In case you’ve missed him, here’s some more Sun Ra. I know it’s a lot and I won’t repeat what makes him great, but it has to be said that this record is quite different compared to yesterday’s one. It remains an exciting trip – as usual - , but at the same time its title is justified, it comes with a relatively light, playful and more pleasant mood, indeed. As a result, there’s a significant shift in the album’s aesthetics. The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra, Volume One was closer to the spirit of Roland Kirk – with a touch of ‘70s Herbie Hancock - , while Fate In A Pleasant Mood approaches Thelonious Monk’s territory, though there are moments where we are back to Middle East, for example Kingdom Of Thunder would definitely get Yusef Lateef’s stamp of approval. Anyway, not his best, but it's worth at least a listen.
7/10.

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Freddie Hubbard - Blue Spirits
Well, I think it’s been some time since I commented on a Blue Note album and this one features enough big names – as is the case with most releases of this label - to make up for it, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Hank Mobley, McCoy Tyner, Pete LaRoca, etc. Funnily enough, it’s Hubbard’s last Blue Note record, though he makes sure he’d go out with a bang. It’s easy to call it with the benefit of hindsight, but you can tell he’s ready to move away from the somewhat tight, restricting, deeply rooted in hard bop environment of Blue Note and explore uncharted waters, going in various directions. This “growing up” of Hubbard is actually the most interesting aspect of the album – still, don’t expect anything extraordinarily unconventional like Coltrane, Dolphy, Ayler etc., it’s only the first step - though I have to add that James Spaulding’s flute is a delight. On the other hand, I guess fans of his earlier work might have been disappointed with this one, Open Sesame’s uncontrollable energy is nowhere to be found, youth slowly gives way to maturity.
6.5/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 19:34:08 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 10/28/2022 23:34

I wasn't sure if there's a better place to post this, so I'll leave it here, exciting news:
Pulp 2023 reunion

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 18:38:38 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 10/27/2022 22:38

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Sun Ra And His Solar Arkestra - The Heliocentric Worlds Of Sun Ra, Volume One
It should be clear by now that 1965 was a highly productive time for Sun Ra, as he released 5 (!!) albums within a single year – to be fair, though, some of them had already been recorded. Actually, I did write a comment about one of them, Angels And Demons At Play, a few days ago, it’s literally two posts above. Anyway, this is one of his most atmospheric efforts, which is quite a statement if you think about it. I mean, he’s always eager to establish a certain mood with his music, but here he walks the extra mile in that department as he really takes his time, the build up is slow enough to draw you in without forcing matters, it all flows naturally. Despite the titles of the tracks, which point towards space, the way he hypnotises the listeners is more reminiscent of his other main source of inspiration, namely the ancient times, mostly Egypt. That’s definitely the case when it comes to the first couple of tracks. As the album progresses, things do get trickier and weirder, so one could make the argument that it develops an alien side as well, which is admittedly more interesting and adds some much needed excitement. Overall, I’d say this is suited to people who are familiar with his work and consider themselves fans or at least have had a positive listening experience so far, while it’s probably not the best entry point to his discography if you are a rookie, it's quite challenging.
6/10.

Re: I'm going back to the start

kokkinos — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 16:55:49 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 10/25/2022 20:55

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The Beach Boys - Beach Boys' Party!
We’re getting painfully close to their big one, it’s round the corner and we can almost smell it at this point, but hold your horses, there’s one last stop before we get to it. Beach Boys’ Party! Is a relatively overlooked entry in their catalogue - and for good reason, may I add. As its title implies, the concept is rather straightforward. They are In the middle of a party, having fun without a care in the world. I guess it’s a kinda cool concept, even though it wasn’t exactly born out of artistic vision, they were under pressure to release a new album and they couldn’t bother coming up with anything more serious/professional, as they were too invested in the big one I was talking about just a moment ago. So, yeah, I expect a hardcore fan would like having it in his collection. Other than that, it barely serves any purpose – and if you’ve been following this diary, you’ll probably have noticed I usually appreciate nonsensical ideas. This one, however, lacks any merit whatsoever, you’d be just fine if you were to skip it altogether. That being said, Alley Oop is hilarious and makes for a good laugh.
5/10.