Top 36 Music Albums of 1964 by kokkinos 
Disclaimer: The comments are taken from my diary, so there's a chance some of them might make little to no sense out of context.
- Chart updated: 10/01/2022 06:45
- (Created: 02/20/2022 21:40).
- Chart size: 36 albums.
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So, it was a long journey, many ups and downs along the way, lots of fantastic songs and albums, some others not so much, but in the end here we are, we made it to the other side. This is my #1 Bob Dylan album, Another Side Of Bob Dylan. You know, I like discussing music. It’s entertaining, it can be thought-provoking or informative, there’s a lot to like. That being said, there are a few cases where it’s not so easy. You like a song or an album, but the hows and whys are far from clear. It just speaks to you on a different level and if someone else doesn’t feel it, you can’t explain it, the listener and the artist create a special connection, a supernatural bond. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are more than a few aspects of Another Side Of Bob Dylan that make it a great album, yet I find it hard to justify why it ended up topping my list, finishing ahead of records such as Blonde On Blonde. This may seem like a lame excuse for being too lazy to write anything decent or useful about it, but I’d like to think I’m not the only one who feels that way and other listeners have had similar thoughts concerning their favourites. On a similar note, there’s always the danger of appearing too adamant because of how passionate you are about it and end up giving the impression that you are trying to force it down people’s throat. I prefer giving everyone the chance to discover it themselves.
Ok, enough non-sense, let’s get back on track. 1964 was a hot year for Dylan, he was in the zone. I guess this album can be viewed as a minor anomaly. If we forget about his debut for a moment and take a look at his first run of classic albums, this is the only one that didn’t create a fuss. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan changed the landscape of folk music and the singer/songwriter idiom forever, The Times They Are A-Changin’ is a protest of incomparable magnitude, Bringing It All Back Home came with the “Dylan goes electric” narrative, Highway 61 Revisited raised the stakes even higher, rocking the world like never before – or since – and Blonde On Blonde pushed the boundaries of what is known as popular music. Even the album cover appears somewhat obscure, there’s nothing flashy or intriguing about it. I am not sure if this kind of observations lead to a significant point, maybe taking a step away from the spotlight and the glory that comes with it makes this more “ordinary” and easier to relate.
Another Side Of Bob Dylan belongs to his acoustic era, but it’s far from its proudest member. Just like Blonde On Blonde is the lost sheep of his rock trilogy, the same could be said regarding this release and his acoustic trilogy. He’s already starting to lose interest in that and is eager to explore uncharted territory.
Despite being rather similar in sound, you can tell he’s been growing: he remains acoustic, but at the same time he tries to expand and gets more adventurous, offering a richer, fuller listening experience. He doesn’t rely on his idols as much and adds his own touch, those are distinctly his creations and you can’t confuse them with any well-known tunes of the past. At the same time, he manages to avoid compromising enjoyability for the sake of originality, that’s quite possibly his catchiest, liveliest and bounciest set of songs – up to this point of his career at least.
The shift is even clearer when it comes to the lyrical content. Being socio-politically alert is yesterday’s news and that’s a direction he’ll keep following for quite some time, that’s only the first sign of change, he won’t be the voice of a generation for much longer. In that sense, one could call it a transitional album. It might be a bit far-fetched, but in a way, I could compare it to Rubber Soul, which, on most days at least, is my favourite album by The Beatles. This precious moment that thankfully got captured on record before it would be lost forever, it’s the bridge between carefree and mature. They are not boys, they are not men.
Especially when compared to The Times They Are A-Changin’, the contrast in attitude is incredibly stark. Tight and austere gives way to loose and spontaneous, talk about a spectacular transformation. Actually, if I had to name one and only one element of this album that makes it special, I’d go with that one. It made a huge impression on me when I first listened to it. It was an eye-opener that single-handedly changed the way I view and approach music, I realised you can be funny and conscious at the same time. And by “conscious” I mean both socially conscious as well as – and arguably even more – self-conscious. He offers us an invaluable insight into where he stands and how he views himself in regard to his audience and to his art. The fact he chooses to do that in a half-serious, half-joking manner adds an extra dimension to this marvelous work.
His attempts at humour might seem a bit over the top in terms of both vocal performance and lyrics and I understand that can be off-putting for some of you, I would never complain about something like that, I genuinely believe he gets his point across in the most efficient way in each of those occasions and I absolutely admire how he has the confidence to do his thing without giving a damn. And most of his remarks are extremely clever, his irony is pure gold, not to mention the mind-blowing and immensely pleasing rhyming. When he is at the top of his game – and here he is, there’s no doubt about it - the man can do no wrong, simple as that.
When it comes to individual tracks, My Back Pages and Chimes Of Freedom are monumental songwriting efforts and have a place in the greatest song ever debate. Both of them see him employ a different songwriting approach compared to the one he used until now. You could say these two mark the dawning of a new era, the one that’s known as “visionary”. I’ve already brought it up while commenting on Bringing It All Back Home, where said technique is in full swing, so there’s no point repeating myself. However, I have to say I find the hilarious absurdity of I Shall Be Free No. 10 and Motorpsycho Nightmare equally appealing, this album has something for everyone.
That’s all I guess, Bob Dylan is the man. [First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
Ok, enough non-sense, let’s get back on track. 1964 was a hot year for Dylan, he was in the zone. I guess this album can be viewed as a minor anomaly. If we forget about his debut for a moment and take a look at his first run of classic albums, this is the only one that didn’t create a fuss. The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan changed the landscape of folk music and the singer/songwriter idiom forever, The Times They Are A-Changin’ is a protest of incomparable magnitude, Bringing It All Back Home came with the “Dylan goes electric” narrative, Highway 61 Revisited raised the stakes even higher, rocking the world like never before – or since – and Blonde On Blonde pushed the boundaries of what is known as popular music. Even the album cover appears somewhat obscure, there’s nothing flashy or intriguing about it. I am not sure if this kind of observations lead to a significant point, maybe taking a step away from the spotlight and the glory that comes with it makes this more “ordinary” and easier to relate.
Another Side Of Bob Dylan belongs to his acoustic era, but it’s far from its proudest member. Just like Blonde On Blonde is the lost sheep of his rock trilogy, the same could be said regarding this release and his acoustic trilogy. He’s already starting to lose interest in that and is eager to explore uncharted territory.
Despite being rather similar in sound, you can tell he’s been growing: he remains acoustic, but at the same time he tries to expand and gets more adventurous, offering a richer, fuller listening experience. He doesn’t rely on his idols as much and adds his own touch, those are distinctly his creations and you can’t confuse them with any well-known tunes of the past. At the same time, he manages to avoid compromising enjoyability for the sake of originality, that’s quite possibly his catchiest, liveliest and bounciest set of songs – up to this point of his career at least.
The shift is even clearer when it comes to the lyrical content. Being socio-politically alert is yesterday’s news and that’s a direction he’ll keep following for quite some time, that’s only the first sign of change, he won’t be the voice of a generation for much longer. In that sense, one could call it a transitional album. It might be a bit far-fetched, but in a way, I could compare it to Rubber Soul, which, on most days at least, is my favourite album by The Beatles. This precious moment that thankfully got captured on record before it would be lost forever, it’s the bridge between carefree and mature. They are not boys, they are not men.
Especially when compared to The Times They Are A-Changin’, the contrast in attitude is incredibly stark. Tight and austere gives way to loose and spontaneous, talk about a spectacular transformation. Actually, if I had to name one and only one element of this album that makes it special, I’d go with that one. It made a huge impression on me when I first listened to it. It was an eye-opener that single-handedly changed the way I view and approach music, I realised you can be funny and conscious at the same time. And by “conscious” I mean both socially conscious as well as – and arguably even more – self-conscious. He offers us an invaluable insight into where he stands and how he views himself in regard to his audience and to his art. The fact he chooses to do that in a half-serious, half-joking manner adds an extra dimension to this marvelous work.
His attempts at humour might seem a bit over the top in terms of both vocal performance and lyrics and I understand that can be off-putting for some of you, I would never complain about something like that, I genuinely believe he gets his point across in the most efficient way in each of those occasions and I absolutely admire how he has the confidence to do his thing without giving a damn. And most of his remarks are extremely clever, his irony is pure gold, not to mention the mind-blowing and immensely pleasing rhyming. When he is at the top of his game – and here he is, there’s no doubt about it - the man can do no wrong, simple as that.
When it comes to individual tracks, My Back Pages and Chimes Of Freedom are monumental songwriting efforts and have a place in the greatest song ever debate. Both of them see him employ a different songwriting approach compared to the one he used until now. You could say these two mark the dawning of a new era, the one that’s known as “visionary”. I’ve already brought it up while commenting on Bringing It All Back Home, where said technique is in full swing, so there’s no point repeating myself. However, I have to say I find the hilarious absurdity of I Shall Be Free No. 10 and Motorpsycho Nightmare equally appealing, this album has something for everyone.
That’s all I guess, Bob Dylan is the man. [First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
Year of Release:
1964
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,846
Rank in 1964:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
28
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Man, this is stunning. Actually, I was rather lucky to come across this record. I listened to it because I thought it came out in 1965, it turned out to be a 1964 release, talk about a happy accident. This album has so much going for it. Infectious rhythms with the occasional Eastern music influence that get you in a blissful groove paired with super catchy melodies. Apart from being a great composer and band leader, Ted Curson is also a fine player. His tone is warm but not outright romantic, there’s always a sense of excitement, I’d say he stands comfortably next to trumpeters like Blue Mitchell, Freddie Hubbard and especially Booker Little, who is in my opinion the one he shares the most similarities with in terms of playing style. The entire band follows him without any missteps, they are solid and traditional, but at the same time manage to sound fresh and creative. However, the one thing that makes this really stand out is that It displays an impressive range. The adventurous opening track, Kassim, would make guys like Roland Kirk or Sun Ra proud. East 6th Street is as cheerful as a Thelonious Monk, Chico Hamilton or Dexter Gordon number. 7/4 Funny Time is quirky and forward-thinking enough to be appreciated by Ornette Coleman, Frank Zappa or Captain Beefheart. The mournful Tears For Dolphy is heavily emotional, reminiscent of early Miles Davis. Despite its title, it’s actually the next track, Quicksand that feels like a “proper” tribute to Eric Dolphy, this would be right up his alley. Finally, Reava's Waltz would feel right at home in Mingus Ah Um. All in all, some of these comparisons are a stretch, but the point is there’s something for everyone here. No signs of slowing down after three listens, this has the potential to become an all-time favourite.
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I know this may be viewed as cheating, considering that the “proper” album was released in 1940 and this is a mere reissue with a few minor changes – actually, it can get quite confusing, as there are two different ones, both from 1964, not to mention the 1950 and the 2000 versions, go figure. Anyway, I guess it doesn’t matter that much, the main point is you should try to get your hands on any of them. One of the most important albums of all time – and that’s not only when it comes to American Folk Music, but in general. A concept album long before concept albums were a thing, he is using real life experiences revolving around the Dust Bowl as a source of inspiration to drop some dead straight socio-political commentary without compromising his wit or losing touch with reality by getting overly didactic. That’s songwriting at its finest, entertaining and thought-provoking. Sure, there’s a chance I might be slightly overrating it, but I can’t help it, the man is Dylan before Dylan and it should be obvious by now what my relationship with the man is – I seriously doubt anyone has written anything regarding Woody in the last 40-50 years without bringing up Dylan.
[First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
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It features only two Monk compositions, one that was already a classic at this point (Pannonica) and one that appeared on record for the first time (Teo). This doesn’t matter that much, though, as Monk really knows how to approach jazz standards, everything sounds so fresh and spontaneous, as if it’s the first time listening to these well-established tunes, his colourful and expressive style takes over. Monk and Charlie Rouse is a match made in heaven – the rest of the band is not to be underestimated either. I especially like how effortless and natural it all is, they take their time and do each number justice. Could this be better than Monk’s Dream? Probably not, but it’s up there for sure.
[First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
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Man, this was recorded less than a month before Dolphy passed away, to think of how much more this wonderful artist could have done, what a tragedy. Anyway, Dolphy live may be even more spectacular compared to the studio – if that’s somehow possible - and this album is no exception, he is on top of his game. Of course you know that already, so I’ll take a moment and tell you I loved the piano work here – see South Street Exit as a bright example. I will shamelessly confess to my total ignorance about Misja Mengelberg, though the first signs are extremely promising, anyone who comfortably stands next to Dolphy’s dominating presence deserves a pat on the back. And the way Miss Ann closes is incredibly mesmerising, Eric Dolphy may not speak a lot, but this is a quote for the ages.
"When you hear music, after it’s over, it’s gone in the air. You can never capture it again." [First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
"When you hear music, after it’s over, it’s gone in the air. You can never capture it again." [First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
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And here comes top-12, the cream of the crop. Not sure if this one counts as a surprise, my impression is that most people consider it comfortably top-10 and borderline top-5, so I might be underrating it a bit.
It’s one of the rare instances throughout his entire career where Bob Dylan released exactly what was expected of him. He is fully into his role as the voice of a generation, something that’s apparent above all on his masterful delivery, every syllable is so bombastic, it’s as if his last, he demands your attention and he won’t take no for an answer, you simply can’t ignore him. Another reason why it’s easier to connect with this album is that it’s more straightforward - in sound, style, lyrics and attitude - than the ones that came right before (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan) and right after (Another Side Of Bob Dylan). His protest is fiercer than ever and he decides to compromise his artistic idiosyncrasy in order to reach a wider audience. You have to look no further than the album title (the only one of his acoustic trilogy not to contain his name on it) to realise this is Dylan at his least Dylanesque. (On the other hand, the title itself makes for a very interesting choice, especially the “a-changin’” part, but I will expand on that when it’s time to talk about The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, since that’s the album that introduced us to his multifaceted linguistic profile, so to speak). His willingness to speak in generalities applies to the lyrical content and the themes he explores as well, he doesn’t make any remarks regarding specific incidents, he’s contemplating on their greater implications for the most part, it’s the cultural norms, the institutions that need to be fixed, not the individual (see The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carrol or Only A Pawn In Their Game). So, It’s a cold, dead serious -austere might be the word I’m looking for - album, something that is reflected on its sound as well. I mean, a random Dylan tune will get stuck in my mind time after time and of course I don’t keep any statistics, but I can safely say it’s rarely one from this particular album, most of it is a tad dry if I’m being totally honest.
The opening and self-titled track is – as usual - legendary, if you only know 5 or 10 Dylan songs, this will probably be one of them. It was meant to become big since its birth and there’s a very good chance it’s his most anthemic. Each verse begins by addressing a different group, his goal is to have everyone involved – I’m not sure if “involved” is the right word, since it’s not exactly a call to arms, asking the listeners to undertake a certain course of action, it’s more of a warning that you have to be ready to accept the changes which are bound to happen anyway, you better not try to reverse the river – a sort of “the apocalypse is coming” prophecy if you will. So, let me rephrase, it’s not about involvement, he wants everyone’s attention. Any sort of personal attachment is gone, either emotional (he simply delivers the message, he doesn’t express any feelings concerning the upcoming changes, he isn’t happy or excited or threatened or anything, it’s a more “journalistic” approach if you will) or stylistic (he avoids anything too poetic, he’s getting straight to the point), he’s nowhere to be found, it could have been written by anyone (ok, not anyone, you get the point), it’s only his signature vocals that set it apart and assure us it’s a Bob Dylan song after all.
It is immediately followed by another one of my favourites, Ballad Of Hollis Brown. What an astounding change of scenery! There are many songs in Dylan’s catalogue that could be the foundation for a film, preferably a Western, but this would be one of the prime candidates if we were to make a horror movie instead. A life of poverty and desolation in rural America leads to a mental breakdown, which in turn takes the form of an shocking atrocity. The last verse is immensely powerful, as it adds an extra, outright devastating dimension of futility. Pain, violence, injustice, none of that matters in the grand scheme of things, the eternal circle of life and death just keeps going. And I have to say I quite like the guitar work here, it brilliantly showcases the power of repetition.
In the third track, With God On Our Side, the album takes another turn. The opening lines see the narrator once more distance himself from the action, he aims for universality and tries to remove every personal element. Here we at least get to enjoy his sense of irony as we watch patriotism falling apart. And I know many (both casual listeners and hardcore fans) tend to dismiss it for being too one dimensional or oversimplified, I like viewing it in the light of modern world’s absurdity and I think it works better that way. Then, it’s time for One Too Many Mornings and we keep jumping around, for an album that’s often described as monotonous, I’d say it’s got a decent level of diversity. He pushes politics aside for a moment, he’s too busy being heartbroken, short and concise. At first glance, it might be compared to another song (a masterpiece, to be exact) Bob Dylan wrote much later, which seems to be linked thematically or have the same central idea (“Stayed in Mississippi a day too long”). Still, they are worlds apart, the latter is filled with regret, it’s obsessed with the past. This one fleetingly looks back for a last time before he decides it’s time to move forward, not to mention there are no regrets, no one’s to blame (“You’re right from your side I'm right from mine”). Not saying that one's necessarily better than the other, they’re just different.
North Country Blues is one that usually fails to grab my attention, the opening lines of “Come an' gather 'round friends And I'll tell ya a tale” already somewhat loses me, as it makes its intentions clear. However, it has to be said that it’s one of the few occasions in this album where he manages to effortlessly combine personal drama and sociopolitical commentary. Only a Pawn in Their Game is a weird one, using Medgar Evers’ murder as a starting point, it takes a closer look at the roots of racism. Far from his most inspired or thoughtful effort (for me anyway), it’s only his performance that saves the day. Boots Of Spanish Leather is known as a poor man’s version of Girl From The North Country, which is not that far off if you ask me. This back and forth between the two lovers works surprisingly well as we understand each side’s (the one that’s leaving and the one that’s staying behind) point of view and of course their emotions, presented in a simple yet effective manner. When The Ship Comes In seems to be a fan’s favourite, I never understood why. In terms of lyrical content, it’s the closest to the opening track, change is round the corner. Nothing new or exciting here, using a ship as a metaphor for the changing times has been a thing since Noah’s Ark. I know there’s another proposed interpretation that considers this a self-referential song, i.e. the change that is coming is that a new singer/songwriter will emerge and cause a revolution in the world of music… and that’s Bob Dylan. A cool take I guess. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll is another heavily discussed song. He pushes his political agenda forward, returning to the tendency I brought up earlier, murder isn’t as horrible as injustice, because the former is an isolated incident, while the latter affects everyone. Finally, the album fittingly closes with Restless Farewell. Job done, he’s got his point across and now it’s time to move on.
As I wrote in a previous post, that’s one of my least favourite album covers by Bob Dylan (a completely secondary remark when it comes to evaluating the album), though I have to admit it suits the concept more than fine, the point is to move you and making you uncomfortable is one way to do it.
I might have appeared too critical of this record, that’s probably nothing more than a desperate attempt to justify why I ranked it so low. All in all, an excellent album, it would have been a career highlight for most of his contemporaries, but lacks the Dylan touch (something that the other two members of his a [First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
It’s one of the rare instances throughout his entire career where Bob Dylan released exactly what was expected of him. He is fully into his role as the voice of a generation, something that’s apparent above all on his masterful delivery, every syllable is so bombastic, it’s as if his last, he demands your attention and he won’t take no for an answer, you simply can’t ignore him. Another reason why it’s easier to connect with this album is that it’s more straightforward - in sound, style, lyrics and attitude - than the ones that came right before (The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan) and right after (Another Side Of Bob Dylan). His protest is fiercer than ever and he decides to compromise his artistic idiosyncrasy in order to reach a wider audience. You have to look no further than the album title (the only one of his acoustic trilogy not to contain his name on it) to realise this is Dylan at his least Dylanesque. (On the other hand, the title itself makes for a very interesting choice, especially the “a-changin’” part, but I will expand on that when it’s time to talk about The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, since that’s the album that introduced us to his multifaceted linguistic profile, so to speak). His willingness to speak in generalities applies to the lyrical content and the themes he explores as well, he doesn’t make any remarks regarding specific incidents, he’s contemplating on their greater implications for the most part, it’s the cultural norms, the institutions that need to be fixed, not the individual (see The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carrol or Only A Pawn In Their Game). So, It’s a cold, dead serious -austere might be the word I’m looking for - album, something that is reflected on its sound as well. I mean, a random Dylan tune will get stuck in my mind time after time and of course I don’t keep any statistics, but I can safely say it’s rarely one from this particular album, most of it is a tad dry if I’m being totally honest.
The opening and self-titled track is – as usual - legendary, if you only know 5 or 10 Dylan songs, this will probably be one of them. It was meant to become big since its birth and there’s a very good chance it’s his most anthemic. Each verse begins by addressing a different group, his goal is to have everyone involved – I’m not sure if “involved” is the right word, since it’s not exactly a call to arms, asking the listeners to undertake a certain course of action, it’s more of a warning that you have to be ready to accept the changes which are bound to happen anyway, you better not try to reverse the river – a sort of “the apocalypse is coming” prophecy if you will. So, let me rephrase, it’s not about involvement, he wants everyone’s attention. Any sort of personal attachment is gone, either emotional (he simply delivers the message, he doesn’t express any feelings concerning the upcoming changes, he isn’t happy or excited or threatened or anything, it’s a more “journalistic” approach if you will) or stylistic (he avoids anything too poetic, he’s getting straight to the point), he’s nowhere to be found, it could have been written by anyone (ok, not anyone, you get the point), it’s only his signature vocals that set it apart and assure us it’s a Bob Dylan song after all.
It is immediately followed by another one of my favourites, Ballad Of Hollis Brown. What an astounding change of scenery! There are many songs in Dylan’s catalogue that could be the foundation for a film, preferably a Western, but this would be one of the prime candidates if we were to make a horror movie instead. A life of poverty and desolation in rural America leads to a mental breakdown, which in turn takes the form of an shocking atrocity. The last verse is immensely powerful, as it adds an extra, outright devastating dimension of futility. Pain, violence, injustice, none of that matters in the grand scheme of things, the eternal circle of life and death just keeps going. And I have to say I quite like the guitar work here, it brilliantly showcases the power of repetition.
In the third track, With God On Our Side, the album takes another turn. The opening lines see the narrator once more distance himself from the action, he aims for universality and tries to remove every personal element. Here we at least get to enjoy his sense of irony as we watch patriotism falling apart. And I know many (both casual listeners and hardcore fans) tend to dismiss it for being too one dimensional or oversimplified, I like viewing it in the light of modern world’s absurdity and I think it works better that way. Then, it’s time for One Too Many Mornings and we keep jumping around, for an album that’s often described as monotonous, I’d say it’s got a decent level of diversity. He pushes politics aside for a moment, he’s too busy being heartbroken, short and concise. At first glance, it might be compared to another song (a masterpiece, to be exact) Bob Dylan wrote much later, which seems to be linked thematically or have the same central idea (“Stayed in Mississippi a day too long”). Still, they are worlds apart, the latter is filled with regret, it’s obsessed with the past. This one fleetingly looks back for a last time before he decides it’s time to move forward, not to mention there are no regrets, no one’s to blame (“You’re right from your side I'm right from mine”). Not saying that one's necessarily better than the other, they’re just different.
North Country Blues is one that usually fails to grab my attention, the opening lines of “Come an' gather 'round friends And I'll tell ya a tale” already somewhat loses me, as it makes its intentions clear. However, it has to be said that it’s one of the few occasions in this album where he manages to effortlessly combine personal drama and sociopolitical commentary. Only a Pawn in Their Game is a weird one, using Medgar Evers’ murder as a starting point, it takes a closer look at the roots of racism. Far from his most inspired or thoughtful effort (for me anyway), it’s only his performance that saves the day. Boots Of Spanish Leather is known as a poor man’s version of Girl From The North Country, which is not that far off if you ask me. This back and forth between the two lovers works surprisingly well as we understand each side’s (the one that’s leaving and the one that’s staying behind) point of view and of course their emotions, presented in a simple yet effective manner. When The Ship Comes In seems to be a fan’s favourite, I never understood why. In terms of lyrical content, it’s the closest to the opening track, change is round the corner. Nothing new or exciting here, using a ship as a metaphor for the changing times has been a thing since Noah’s Ark. I know there’s another proposed interpretation that considers this a self-referential song, i.e. the change that is coming is that a new singer/songwriter will emerge and cause a revolution in the world of music… and that’s Bob Dylan. A cool take I guess. The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll is another heavily discussed song. He pushes his political agenda forward, returning to the tendency I brought up earlier, murder isn’t as horrible as injustice, because the former is an isolated incident, while the latter affects everyone. Finally, the album fittingly closes with Restless Farewell. Job done, he’s got his point across and now it’s time to move on.
As I wrote in a previous post, that’s one of my least favourite album covers by Bob Dylan (a completely secondary remark when it comes to evaluating the album), though I have to admit it suits the concept more than fine, the point is to move you and making you uncomfortable is one way to do it.
I might have appeared too critical of this record, that’s probably nothing more than a desperate attempt to justify why I ranked it so low. All in all, an excellent album, it would have been a career highlight for most of his contemporaries, but lacks the Dylan touch (something that the other two members of his a [First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
Year of Release:
1964
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,605
Rank in 1964:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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That’s slightly more sophisticated and ambitious, adding more personal elements and slowly moving away from standard pop of the time. It’s way more consistent too. There’s no breathtaking song that stands out, but it all fits together nicely, it establishes a smooth groove and never lets go. Curtis remains the absolute star – and of course his songwriting keeps growing – but it feels more like a team effort.
[First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
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I was a big fan of Chico Hamilton’s 1963 album - Passin’ Thru - and this might be even better. We are down to a quartet instead of a quintet, though it’s hard to tell, as the sound is so full and rich. The guitar work is once again lovely, subtle and well-thought out, big props to Gábor Szabó. The saxophone is also on fire, I’m sure Charles Lloyd would fit nicely in a Mingus band. The opening track, Man From Two Worlds, stands out by being ahead of its time, I bet someone like Frank Zappa would be a fan. Blues Medley is so unapologetically happy and energetic, impossible to resist. Forest Flower takes another interesting turn as it gives Albert Stinson and his bass the chance to shine. Drum solos usually annoy me, but Chico Hamilton manages to avoid common pitfalls so to speak and as a result it was surprisingly tolerable. Child's Play establishes a warm and romantic mood, which may initially feel like a well-worn theme, but it’s creative enough to keep your attention. Blues For O.T. should be a favourite of any flute afficionados, while Mallet Dance somehow combines elegance and bombast. Love Song To A Baby is an excellent choice for a closing track, wishing us goodbye in the most smooth and tender manner.
[First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
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Speaking of emotional soul singers, one simply can’t miss Otis Redding. Another gone way too soon artist that had so much more to offer. Despite his limited time, he will always be a very serious candidate for the “greatest singer of all time” title. If there’s one complaint to be made concerning this album, it’s rather obvious: too many covers. Still, if there’s anyone that can get away with it, it’s Otis Redding. He can make everything work, though as a general rule I slightly prefer the ballads compared to the harder, up-tempo tracks here. You don’t need me to tell you that Pain In My Heart and These Arms Of Mine are the two heavy hitters, though there’s hardly a weak track. (I'm afraid my ratings have gotten out of control lately, so I'll show some restraint for now and - in danger of underrating it - reserve the right to change it anytime.)
[First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
Year of Release:
1964
Appears in:
Rank Score:
473
Rank in 1964:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Man, Roland Kirk knows how to entertain the crowd. This works like one long, relentless banger, he – and the rest of the band as well – is in the zone, they won’t let you ignore them, they demand your full attention throughout its entirety. The only time they take a break is when Roland Kirk feels like taking a moment to banter between tracks, which adds to the atmosphere, any live album would benefit from it. He's got many great album and this is undoubtedly one of them.
[First added to this chart: 10/01/2022]
Total albums: 36. Page 1 of 4
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Top 36 Music Albums of 1964 composition
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| Bob Dylan | 2 | 6% | |
| Thelonious Monk | 2 | 6% | |
| Eric Dolphy | 2 | 6% | |
| The Impressions | 2 | 6% | |
| The Beach Boys | 1 | 3% | |
| Blue Mitchell | 1 | 3% | |
| Chico Hamilton | 1 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 36 Music Albums of 1964 chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 2nd to 3rd Dust Bowl Ballads by Woody Guthrie |
| Down 1 from 3rd to 4th Monk. by Thelonious Monk |
| Down 1 from 4th to 5th Last Date by Eric Dolphy |
| New entries |
|---|
 Tears For Dolphyby Ted Curson |
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Other year charts (from the 1960s) by kokkinos
Top 32 Music Albums of 1965 by kokkinos (2022)Top 33 Music Albums of 1963 by kokkinos (2022)
Top 18 Music Albums of 1962 by kokkinos (2021)
Top 14 Music Albums of 1961 by kokkinos (2021)
Top 13 Music Albums of 1960 by kokkinos (2022)
Top 36 Music Albums of 1964 ratings
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