1001+ Albums: 60s Block 5

1001+ Albums:

60s Block 5

The Rolling Stones

   Artist: The Rolling Stones

   Year: 1964

       This is the sound of a band that shows promise, one that would emerge to be called one of the greatest of all times. At this point though, it's sloppy and spotty, and you can tell this is a group still finding its way more than anything. Blues filtered through a rock n roll mentality, or possibly vice versa, but most likely a little both ways. A couple good tracks, but also a lot that just don't work very well.

   Rating: B-

A Hard Day's Night

   Artist: The Beatles

   Year: 1964

       This is the Beatles first great album, as far as I'm concerned. What worked very, very well before simply transcends at this point. The flow of the songs is perfect, and so are many, in fact nearly all, of the songs themselves. 

   Rating: A-

Bert Jansch

   Artist: Bert Jansch

   Year: 1964

       It's hard not to compare every folk artist of the 60s with Dylan, but his shadow really is so large it is difficult to. Bert Jansch is actually pretty different in his style than Dylan. He is, for one, a better guitar player, a lot more picking and complex playing than Dylan's mostly strumming. And while it isn't really matching the visionary or social heights of Dylan's songwriting, it is still pretty well worded music, with at least a little political heft in some places.

   Rating: B

Live at the Regal
   Artist: BB King
   Year: 1965

       Not my favorite of the live albums I've listened to. There is certainly enough energy, but it never goes electric for me like Sam Cooke's or even as much as James Brown's (although, to be fair, that's probably my own fault and depends on the mood I'm in). The music is still good though, upbeat, fast blues.

   Rating: B


I've Got a Tiger By the Tail
   Artist: Buck Owens and His Buckeroos
   Year: 1965

       This isn't as terrible as the cover promises it will be. Don't take that as praise, it's still not very good, or to be fair, not my thing. I've heard worse country, but I've also heard definitely better too. It has a touch of rock with the electric guitar, but it's still through and through a country album.

   Rating: C-