A discovery and re-evaluation of the 1960s - Music Diaries

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

This is going to be my musical journey of both evaluating my existing 1960s chart, with also evaluating at least the top 100 albums of the decade, possibly along with a few gems I may pick out from research I've done or get suggestions for.

My method (for which I'm not quite done with for the 1950s), is simply getting the csv from my chart and then the csv from the sites 1000 1960s albums, and then "combining" them (only 7 albums missing from the 1000). I have three lists then at the end (original 2 and my final combined) that then make a master list.

I have a spotify playlist found here to help with this as well:
Overall:
https://open.spotify.com/user/122614575...wfhx0tiuU0
What was left over:
https://open.spotify.com/user/122614575...ueGHZkeCIi

The 1960s are such an interesting time period. I used to really only associate a certain sound which was mainly the late 60s, but this site has helped me realize that much of the sounds of the 50s bled over and even groups who I thought were strictly 50s were actually mostly 60s (Roy Orbison). Plus probably the last of the greats of Jazz, and then of course what most people see the 60s as.

I hope to listen to at least 200 albums from this time period and will update my log here as much as I can for each album. I really wish I had the time to really discuss everything I think about it, but unfortunately I just don't... unless I took a year to do this. I'll unfortunately be listing to much of this while slightly distracted either by this website or working or cleaning house. Rarely will it be where I can just sit back and truly soak it in with extreme detail. It will be more a survey than a deep dive.

EDIT: I think I'm going to just share my experiences with these albums. I don't consider myself a good music reviewer. I'm biased and don't write well enough when it comes to music. It's just too emotional for me and I lack the right vocabulary to make it logical.

Last edited by RoundTheBend on 02/14/2016 04:49; edited 3 times in total

meccalecca
Voice of Reason

Gender: Male
Location: The Land of Enchantment

I was actually doing something similar around the time I joined BEA. And former member Sp4cetiger was doing this back when he joined. It's a fun project.

If you're interested, I have links for playlists for each year of the 60s. It ends up being a lot of music. I haven't gone through and updated in a while, so some stuff is missing (like the Beatles discography which wasn't available)
1960:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...Sg4D0WNX2h
1961:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...WZDMKUbu8r
1962:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...wW7qRzv9c1
1963:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...JQH2aFiMHU
1964:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...qoGPddFJL5
1965:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...wGYDpAnZJR
1966:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...MkvTFKqCE8
1967:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...0u3KB5c3WK
1968:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...TdEodbY7vi
1969:https://open.spotify.com/user/jonnyleat...2mhVGBZG2I
_________________
http://jonnyleather.com

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

meccalecca wrote:

Wow, much appreciated!

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Satie wrote:

Gonna write up my '60s ones now.

1960: Odilio Gonzales - El jibarito de Lares
A wonderful little slice of Puerto Rican jibaro music, Odilio Gonzales's opus now appears to have just sort of been released out of nowhere. This was the first album of this style that I heard after transcribing an interview for my boss about this kind of music. It's infectious and lovely.

1961: The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet - Free Jazz
This year saw the release of Fournier's immortal recordings of Bach's cello suites, as well, but it seemed more appropriate to hand the title over to what I see as one of the most impressive new sounds from 1961, Coleman's immortal Free Jazz. I have a feeling this will be the only time he appears on this list despite having made oodles and oodles of incredible music, and this is probably one of his most instantly recognizable. Taking off into a very self-consciously avant-garde direction with jazz music, Coleman split jazz critics and audiences right down the middle, taking the modernist project of the '50s into overdrive and turning it into... well, the modernist project of the '60s. Daring, electric, it was quintessentially jazz while quintessentialy against everything it had stood for previously. Coleman's trail blazed white hot.

1962: Art Blakey and the Afro-Drum Ensemble - The African Beat
If 1961's peak achievement was sending jazz centuries into the future, 1962's peak achievement saw it (clumsily, perhaps orientalist-ly, but amazingly) thrown back to its ultimate roots. Though the handling of African folk music in the general might have been a bit ham-fisted and lacked musicological exactness, such considerations are honestly distractions from the real heart of this record: reasserting the African rhythmic idioms that made jazz possible in the first place in the dawning days of black nationalism and reconnections of black Americans to their motherland. These overtones melt away as soon as the record starts and Blakey's huffing, puffing, monstrous drumming rattles your head off your spinal cord. This is manic, leaping, shouting music that can't be missed.

1963: Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Much ink has been spilled in service of broadcasting this high modern masterpiece to jazz fans and soon-to-be jazz fans. I can't do it service writing anything more than what you've already read about it. If you haven't heard it, this is yet another reminder to get on that.

1964: Grachan Moncur III - Evolution
As the jazz rocket's engines started firing on all cylinders and pushed it closer and closer to liftoff into outer space (more on that in a bit), the styles on the ground became more and more alien - the already borderline anti-social, confrontational, angular bebop had grown louder, heavier over the past few years, and it was just about to shatter. For a few years, though, a great transitional moment occurred: within the frame of bebop, prophetic figures looking ahead to completely free improvisatory music were beginning to have their first twitches of full flexibility, with solos that hinted to apocalypse ahead of time. Evolution is exactly what the title suggests - an indelible moment in the continuing mutation of the jazz idiom.

1965: Albert Ayler Trio - Spiritual Unity
And one of those pioneers, slaughtering form and disposing of the body, was Albert Ayler. A polarizing figure, Ayler used his saxophone less like a surgical knife and more like a chainsaw in his approach to dissecting jazz. This wasn't secular, secluded frustration, but an attempt at channeling God. The God of Coltrane, the God of the motherland, a pan-spiritual entity that had blessed the world with its children since time immemorial and was coming to forge a new Heaven on Earth. If Coltrane was a priest, Ayler was a rabid street preacher. Spiritual Unity is an indelible leap forward in a decade full of indelible leaps forward.

1966: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
While Coltrane Ascended, Sun Ra went to Other Planes and Magic Cities, and the rumbling powers of Latin America continued to attract the ears of curious westerners (clued in by 1959's Black Orpheus as the narrative commonly goes), another art form came into its own. Building on a heated rivalry with a couple gifted song crafters from across the pond, Brian Wilson entered the studio to construct rock's first masterpiece. Sure, Rubber Soul had coherence, but Pet Sounds had transcendence. Never before had a rock band so thoroughly captured the joys, exuberance, and folly of youth and the wisdom, feeling, and delicacy of old age. Of course, we all know what price Wilson paid for attempting to capture lightning twice, but in 1966, all that mattered was that it had struck. Sales fizzled, but the critics had an early call that this would mean something big. The past fifty years have been a testament to just how right they were.

1967: The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico
While Pet Sounds elevated rock to art form, The Velvet Underground & Nico allowed it to reliably dialogue with other art forms. Much has been said of the influence of this album, and it's surely all true and then some, but listen to it again - every terrifying atmosphere of clashing guitar and viola, the expanse that is covered in songs so intimate, the stoic and imposing Nico, the small moments of relief and straight-ahead rock energy is as complete a testament to the power of rock music as was ever recorded. All that we can hope to do is gawk, point, ponder, and hope that someday someone will make a rock album as good as The Velvet Underground & Nico.

1968: The Peter Brotzmann Octet - Machine Gun
So, by this time, many of free jazz's major voices had found their audience in Europe. Much arguing has been done over the potentially fatal blow that trying to turn free jazz into academic practice was, but to hear the initial recordings of the European free canon, it's not very apparent where exactly the books were drowning out the sound. Was it in Brotzmann's nuclear bomb saxophone that somehow managed to make even Ayler sound like Mickey Mouse? Or in Han Bennink's untouchable, manic style, blowing apart the very foundations of whatever venue was so unfortunate as to have these people in it? Revolution was happening in the U.S., but it was much further along in Europe, and these people had seen it tantalizingly close and ripped away years prior. These were no appropriators, these were people who offered musicians like Coleman a home away from home and offered free jazz music another place to thrive.

1969: Sun-Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra - Atlantis
While Captain Beefheart proved just how magic his band was and once again defied all expectations of what rock music could be, another cosmic journeyman made his masterpiece. Sun Ra, an alien composer from Saturn, had touched down on Earth years prior, releasing a steady stream of uniquely radical music, aligned with incredible visual displays at performances and an extensive spiritualist philosophy of the stars. While his contemporaries fled to Europe or into their lofts, Sun Ra knew he had simply to go to his spaceship. Atlantis is notable for many reasons, but the main one is that it shows both sides of the Sun Ra genius - on the one, his knack for intelligent composition and high expectations of his performers are showcased across the disc. Tight, succinct works that showcase his latest acquisition, one of if not the first synthesizers on a jazz record, cover the first side. But the real magic is in the extended jam of the second. While the Velvet Underground had tried to channel free-form freakout into their world with "Sister Ray," Sun Ra, as if in open response, turned it up to 11 and showed them how it's really done on the title track ode to a city crashing into the sea.

Greats of this era not mentioned: Joao Gilberto, Nara Leao, James Brown, Nina Simone, The Shangri-Las, John Coltrane (!!), and many more. '70s to come.

mickilennial
The Most Trusted Name in News

Gender: Female
Age: 35
Location: Detroit

Much like the 1950's I worked on a 1960's list following certain criteria awhile back, but unfortunately I never organized or finished these lists but maybe they will be helpful tool for you? Stuff like this reminds me that I need to finish these intuitive reflections instead of letting to stay as unfinished messes.

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Gowi wrote:

Much like the 1950's I worked on a 1960's list following certain criteria awhile back, but unfortunately I never organized or finished these lists but maybe they will be helpful tool for you? Stuff like this reminds me that I need to finish these intuitive reflections instead of letting to stay as unfinished messes.

Thanks Mate! I'll have to check these for both my 50s and 60s revists!

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Ok, I'm going to start it!

First album I'll share my experience about is (ha, see what I did there):

95/100

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Although I have the US track listing on vinyl, I'm doing this from Spotify, which has the best of both UK and US releases:

1. Purple Haze
The beginning of this track is iconic... almost like a Beethoven/Shostakovitch pounding beat.

2. Manic Depression
I think this says it all:
Music sweet music,
I wish I could caress, caress, caress.
Manic Depression's a frustrating mess.
Well, I think I'll go turn myself off an' go on down.

3. Hey Joe
This is the sound of the 60s knocking at your door for me. I love how simple yet powerful this song is.

4. Love Or Confusion
I really don't know what to say about this song other than I like the psychedelic groove and chorus.

5. May This Be Love
Next to the Wind Cries Mary, this is another absolute beauty of the man Hendrix. I just melt with the rhythms, his smooth voice, slow moving bass, and beautiful guitar.

6. I Don't Live Today
Dig the tight drumming and guitar work and belting chorus.

7. The Wind Cries Mary
One of the most beautiful songs I think I have ever heard. There's something so soulful about this song with both the lyrics and the guitar playing. Just beautiful.

8. Fire
Totally something that gets me dancing (if only in my mind) immediately. Real good energy here.

9. Third Stone From The Sun
Rad groovy psychedelic thing going on here, but also some hard rock with a sweet melody/Grooving bass line.

10. Foxey Lady
I can't not think of Wayne's World when I hear this... hehe.

Joking aside, the intro to this so captivating and the rest of the song is just groovy and love the dynamics and passionate singing.

11. Are You Experienced?
This is like Beatleseque artistry going on here. I only say this because I first was associated with reverse sounds, and the piano with Beatles like stuff. Absolutely beautiful, this song immediately takes you to another place for me. I no longer feel like I'm listening

12. Stone Free
More cow bell... hehe. Probably least favorite track on the record, yet has killer guitar solo. Just not really impressed.

13. 51st Anniversary
Also pretty average, but pretty hard to all blow your mind like the rest does (for me anyways). Still dig the flow of his lyrics.

14. Highway Chile
Love the piercing guitar and walking bass work in this one, piercing intro/chorus/pre-chorus and groovin' verses. Of course his smooth lyrics and singing seals the deal.

15. Can You See Me
Also a little above average. Not much to say.

16. Remember
Almost like a motown song. A little above average.

17. Red House
Funny and bluesy, yes please. I think I first heard this on a soundtrack. That intro though! Very few blues guitars sound that good.

Overall feeling this album leaves me in: There's no denying this man's guitar playing blows my mind. So much soul and emotion in his playing. It expands my mind/ears with his over the top emotional playing and warms my heart with his softer melodic playing.

His lyrics and voice are just so smooth. It's almost like a Sam Cooke soul, but with a blues edge and psychedelic smoothness.

The rhythm section is solid and totally backs him/completes and complements him well. And that's saying something.

I actually dig how this was recorded so that the guitar vibrated the snare drum (small dumb tidbit, but yeah, I like that).

Last edited by RoundTheBend on 02/14/2016 09:01; edited 1 time in total

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

95/100

Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin

1. Whole Lotta Love (100)
The bass tone on this is massive. The breakdown in the middle and vocals on this are amazing. Love the percussion work as well.

2. What Is And What Should Never Be (100)
This song melts me somehow. Definitely top 5 Led Zeppelin songs for me. The post chorus and verse are some of the most beautiful music I've heard. The dynamics really add to the song as well. Then the gong sounds and pan of guitar and then explosion of soulful singing... just the some of best for me.

3. The Lemon Song (100)
The return of the gong. Dig the guitar tone on this, and wow is that some rad bass walking and drums.

4. Thank You (90)
The beginning of this song's guitar sound reminds me a bit of "rock" music to come that I actually don't like, but I actually do like this song. I like the almost psychedelic sound it develops later and the intimacy of the point where it is just organ/vocals. Roberts voice on this is probably the best performance next to the acoustic guitar solo next to the organ playing. Not sure what the fade out fade in was all about.

I heard something about how Zeppelin was awesome but it's influences were terrible. This song's intro is a good example of that to me.

5. Heartbreaker (90)
Solid, loud, riff rock. Another song will killer bass tone. Pending on my mood I think this song is either great or a little too repetitive. The break down to just Jimmy Page is sometimes awesome and sometimes lame pending on my mood as well.

6. Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman) (80)
Above average almost like a Monkeys pop sound... meh.

7. Ramble On (100)
My heart melts when I hear this opening bass line. Just beautiful. AND THEN EXPLODES into a chorus that makes you want to jump up and jiggle your fanny. Then that singing guitar part after the first chorus and a slight variation of that after the second chorus. Songs just don't get better than this for me. Has so many elements in it that I just love. I also love the simple percussion during the verse: note to drummers, there are other options than loud and very loud that can be good options too.

8. Moby Dick (80)
Massive tone riff rock starts this out, rad guitar breaks, but then goes into this drum solo which I remember hearing a better live version of once, but this was ok nonetheless. Not the best drum solo, but not the worst. I'm mixed on this song... it's either really good riff rock and some interesting drum solo or just some guys dinkin around and then decided to record.

9. Bring It On Home (90)
Really like the intro and then just explodes into riff rock. Love Plant's vocals on the first half and how it ends.

Overall feel: I love a lot of the musicianship on this album. All four are just great musicians/performers and have a solid voice of their own. Plant's vocals are so soulful, Jones' bass lines are ranging from melodic, to beefy toned riff rock, to funky bass walking. Page's guitar tone is still a staple in rock today, and Bonham's drumming isn't just always in your face... he knows his craft.

I think if this album was just a bunch of riff rock it wouldn't have the dynamics to be rated so highly for me. I think with Ramble On, Whole Lotta Love, What is..., and the Lemon Song's bass funk, this album has much more dynamic for me than just a riff rock/dad rock album for me.

Last edited by RoundTheBend on 02/14/2016 09:01; edited 2 times in total

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

85/100

Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones

1. Gimme Shelter (100)
One of the greatest songs ever written in my opinion. The female vocal really makes it too. The groovy guitar part in the beginning and the percussion. The guitar work (is there harmonica as well, can't tell?). It's just an eargasm for me. Then the lyrics and meaning of the song are just superb.

2. Love In Vain (75)
The guitar intro is great. I have a hard time liking Mick's blues/country singing. I think the song is good, I just think the performance of the vocals is lacking something for me. Can't really say why. The guitar work, which really is stellar, brings it up from a 60 to a 75.

3. Country Honk (65)
I wish I could rate Honkey Tonk Women instead of this song because it really is a better performance. But alas I must be a purist or whatever. The chorus is just so poorly performed. If it were I'd give this a 90 if not 100. I get they were "trying" to go for a real old timey sound, but I just don't like it. I do think the fiddle playing is a cool edition that I don't think is in Honkey Tonk Women. What's funny though is if it was Hank Williams, I think I'd expect it to be at this "quality" and therefore rate it at its level, if that makes sense. The honking is funny.

4. Live With Me (85)
That sass/sexiness that sometimes like from the Rolling Stones. Solid bass line. I also dig the sax... kinda miss that in modern music these days. Pretty rare.

5. Let It Bleed (70)
Like the piano and slide guitar in this. Mick's lyrics and vocal performance are just a little above average. Not a favorite.

6. Midnight Rambler (100)
The live version of this is a has little better energy on the hot rocks compilation, but still a swinging good time. Second best song on the record. Love the harmonica work on it. The break down near the end is a highlight for me as well.

7. You Got The Silver (80)
Another good guitar work piece. Just read something really interesting. This is the full song to feature Keith's vocals throughout the whole song and the last recording to feature Brian Jones (on Autoharp). The overall song I'm not crazy about though.

8. Monkey Man (85)
Rad intro- love it. Then the guitar and mick come in, and the guitar is some classic Keith, but not crazy about Mick's lyrics... the vocal emotion and melody are still good though.

9. You Can't Always Get What You Want (100)
Someone on this site gave a review of the album: starts with give me shelter and ends with this song, what more can you ask for... hehe. True... this is another one of their best songs. As a personal note, my parents used to sing this to me as a kid... so thanks to the Stones for being part of my childhood.

On a more serious note, the choir/children's choir(mix?) maybe could have been better? I don't know, I like it and I don't. Not sure why. Love the brass with the guitar and the vocal/lyrics are some of Mick's best performances. I do love the choir ending the song, just not so much in the beginning. I love how it is solemn, but then gets down. It's political and social commentary is great.

Overall Feel:
I want to rank this higher for the iconic stuff it has on it as well as some personal favorites, but really just feel there's a bit of filler on it. Sometimes the Stones work for me best as a best of collection (I mean the best tracks on here are featured as best of material)... but then they do have Some Girls and Exile on Main St which are great albums.

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Revolver by The Beatles

1. Taxman (100)
Love the bass line, love the guitar solo, and love the hate for taxes.

2. Eleanor Rigby (100)(
I've always found it weird that the vocal line pans from stereo to right in the beginning just a little off... and after all these years they never fixed it. Anyway, beautiful song about being lonely. Love the string arrangement (Martin?) and stories. AND Finally something more solemn from the boy band.

3. I'm Only Sleeping (100)
This song is just pure fun. Pretty rad to hear reverse guitar work so early in the 60s. I like how the ride cymbal carries over and then the guitar almost mimics it coming back. I can appreciate sleep.

4. Love You To (90)
I wonder why this song never gets remembered as a song for having Indian influence. Love John's pessimism on this record (they'll screw you in the ground).

5. Here, There And Everywhere (85)
I copied this from amazon and they lumped it together so I have two 5s.
Granny music from Paul, right? It is quite pretty though.

5. Yellow Submarine (50)
I liked this song when I was a kid and just hate it now for some reason.

6. She Said She Said (100)
Dig the lyrics. Dig the more modern sounding guitar sounds. But mostly the DRUMS... Ringo really was a great drummer for his skill of playing to the song. I also really am impressed with his drum tone for these earlier recordings. Technically maybe not the best drummer, but I musically really enjoy it.

7. Good Day Sunshine (100)
Solid pop song. It makes me happy when I listen to it and not in a corny way somehow, even though it is super cheesy. I like the piano and bass.

8. And Your Bird Can Sing (90)
Nice grit on the guitar tone. Dig the chorus. Another good pop song.

9. For No One (90)
The bass and piano on this go very well together. Again, glad to hear the boy band have a more solemn song. Pretty heavy song about love/long term relationships actually.

10. Doctor Robert 90
I remember reading this is the guy that introduced them to LDS or something drug related at the least. Another fun/silly Beatles song.

11. I Want To Tell You (90)
I like how the piano is a little off or something on this. Also, the guitar that starts it out is really modern sounding for its time.

12. Got To Get You Into My Life (90)
Another great pop song. Dig the little guitar solo and great vocal performance by Paul to end it all.

13. Tomorrow Never Knows (100)
I love stuff that drones, but the lyrics and just everything about this song takes me to a different place.

I think the last few songs really have some of the best vocals from the Beatles. Maybe not melody, but just belting out good vocals. This album is the marker really of them maturing way beyond where they were as musicians. That's one thing I REALLY respect - the ability of a musician to explore new ideas but not go so far out that they loose focus of good music. Beatles really nail that on the head and it really started on this record in my opinion. They had some things like the first feedback recorded, but nothing as groundbreaking sonically as this album. Not my favorite or even what I think is their best work, but a really good mix between a good pop group and true artists. Pivotal moment.

I'm realizing that probably why this record is great, but not my favorite of theirs is it doesn't have my favorite songs on them. Great songs, but not my personal favorites, which is kinds strange considering this is the first Beatles record I owned (my parents had Sgt. Peppers and Abbey Road already). But those latter two still are my favorites.