In this series, I will go through the decades and give a list of 9 albums I think are really neat that are (hopefully) slightly less obvious. You don’t need another person telling you to check out Bob Dylan (you should), The Beatles (yah), or Led Zeppelin (meh). The 60’s is probably my least listened to decade but there were some amazing albums to come out nonetheless. The albums will range in obscurity, I’m not going to claim to be giving the deepest cuts that no one has ever heard, but maybe these albums won’t be popping up on many “BEST ALBUMS OF THE 60’s” lists. I’ll also make an effort to have a decent variety to give a sense of all the corners of music genres in each decade, focusing mostly on alternative-ish ones. Hopefully you can find and enjoy some new tunes. These albums are in no particular order.
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969)
Genres: Pop Rock, Folk Rock
Okay. If you’re into alternative music, The Velvet Underground are far from unmentioned. Commercially panned in their time, they get no shortage of (well deserved) praise these days, especially in music nerd spaces. Anyway, I wanted them on the list so here we are. Though it is my favorite, their 3rd studio record is maybe the less obvious pick over their debut self-titled record The Velvet Underground and Nico. Even their second album White Light / White Heat probably gets more nods for being so influential on the New York music scene that would grow into Punk in the late 1970’s. The 1969 self-titled record is more subdued overall but showcases great songwriting from frontman Lou Reed. V.U. are known for their willingness to cover darker and more taboo topics in their lyrics when compared to what was normally accepted in the 60’s. Candy Says starts the album off as a somber ballad about depression and gender dysmorphia, stark contrast with the hippie sunshine love movement of the late 60’s. What Goes On picks up the pace with a great Rock and Roll groove and Pale Blue Eyes is one of my favorite love (?) songs of all time probably. The Murder Mystery is a weird storyline track with a double vocals situation going on and After Hours (sung by the bands shy drummer) sounds like it could have been posted on Youtube yesterday. Such a great album, check it out!
Nina Simone - Pastel Blues (1965)
Genres: Vocal Jazz, Soul, Rhythm & Blues
Nina Simone is incredible. She’s got a really great voice, serious piano chops, and wasn’t afraid to package those things in dark and haunting ways. This record starts off with a super stripped back track that presents Nina’s voice front and center immediately, only being backed with a clap and a hi hat. The song is gripping and draws the listener close for what is to come on this album. The following, Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out, is a great rendition of a classic blues song from the 30’s, kicking off a run of solidly performed piano blues tracks that showcase Nina’s powerful voice. However, the amazing high of this record that comes in the last two tracks is the reason for me including it on this list. Beginning with a chilling cover of Strange Fruit, Simone conjures up all of intense emotions of the original, setting the stage for the 10 minute epic improvisation jam that is Sinnerman. The first time I heard this song, I was on a crowded bus making all kinds of faces and shamelessy nodding my head, I have no regrets. The song is so dynamic, with instrumental highs and lows that build into a memorable high vocal riff from Simone (sampled in Get By by Talib Kweli), chills. Such a killer album, check it out!
Jackson C. Frank - Jackson C. Frank (1965)
Genres: Contemporary Folk, Singer-Songwriter
If you’re a fan of the ‘tragic fella with an acoustic guitar’ archetype, then you should listen to Jackson C. Frank’s 1965 self-titled record. This man really went through it. The opening track Blues Run the Game sets the stage and shows you, early, what you’re in store for on this album: warm, melancholic, acoustic ballads—Golden-Hour-Sad-Part-of the-Movie-Montage-Scene-Might Tear Up-core. This record is not without its variety though, the second track, Don’t Look Back is a more upbeat protest tune that recalls Dylan’s protest era, classic 60s. Other variety on this record comes in the subtlety of the guitar work and songwriting that may not be immediately apparent unless you’re the type to get offended when people say that acoustic Ed Sheeran song on the radio is the same thing as Elliott Smith or Nick Drake; but I digress. Other highlights on this acoustic gem include the forlorn Milk and Honey, the springy Just Like Anything, and the longing You Never Wanted Me. Such a warm album, check it out!
Pharoah Sanders - Karma (1969)
Genres: Spiritual Jazz, Avante-Garde Jazz
If you’re looking for some straightforward, relaxing, smooth jazz… this is not it, go to the next pick on this list. Pharoah Sander’s Karma is a unique spiritual free jazz journey in the vein of Sander’s mentor John Coltrane’s album A Love Supreme (which is really incredible also, a must listen if you are interested in listening to jazz). A relatively challenging listen for most non-jazz aficionados (including myself), the albums kicks off showcasing Sander’s insane saxophone chops, in all its visceral glory. Accompanied by fluttery flute, a wonderfully full upright bass, and a whole lot of shakers, this album flies into a hypnotizing passage with Sander’s reciting a repetitive lyrics about a creator and a masterplan and peace and happiness and whatnot, eventually developing into a yodel of sorts; yep. Sander’s breaks back into the main theme the piece eventually descends (or ascends idk) into chaos. Sander’s makes his sax sound disgusting in the best way, like some evil is being expelled from it or something. To top it off, his yodels break into yelps, its all really quite wonderful. I cannot really quantize this record by songs you should listen to, its just such an out of the box spiritual jazz record that fascinates me with its weirdness. This album is as rewarding as it is challenging, the more you listen to it the better you get at appreciating all its layers of chaos. Such a unique album, check it out!
Wes Montgomery - The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960)
Genres: Hard Bop, Cool Jazz
Okay, now, if you want jazz that feels more like lo-fi beats to study or you want to seem sophisticated at your next dinner party, check out The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery. Even though the music is more palatable, Wes Montgomery is also a master of his instrument. On this record you will hear a relatively small band (guitar, piano, bass, drums) with most of the focus being on Wes’ guitar playing. His playing style is quite unique and influential on many jazz guitar players. An expert in phrasing, Wes does a lot of impressive chord solo-ing using only his thumb to play (which is very fun to watch if you look up a live video on youtube or something). Pretentious guitar players will harp that tone is in the fingers when playing guitar, not a product of gear or effects; I guesssssss they have a point when it comes to Wes Montgomery. His guitar tone is so warm and dynamic due to his thumb technique and octave riffs. Polka Dots And Moonbeams is a very pretty jazz tune that will have you slow dancing by yourself in the kitchen. Mr. Walker is a cool groove that will put a little hitch in your walk. Such a pleasant album, check it out!
Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul (1969)
Genres: Soul, Funk, Psychedelic Soul
Isaac Hayes’ 1969 album, Hot Buttered Soul, is a maximalist approach to soul that bares similarities to Pink Floyd’s approach to psychedelia (a stretch maybe). Just 4 long songs, this album is a ride that feels ahead of it’s time ushering in some psychedelic elements to soul that would be more prevalent in the early to mid 70’s. Walk On By is a 12 minute opener that starts with a, dare i say it, ~sexy~ guitar riff. The song’s slow paced laments developed into a jam filled with organ and modulated electric guitars swirling around your ears in stereo, it’s a real hoot. In contrast *draws breath, Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic is an ice cold 10 minute funk jam. One Woman is a more traditional approach to smooth soul, each track of this record feels like a welcomed turn into a different genre of soul. The 18 minute closer track kicks off with some shameless spoken word over a constant, droning organ chord. This album feels like Hayes’ making the album he wants to make and it has so much to offer. If you are a fan of funk and soul music, this is an absolute must listen. Such a… definition-of-cool album, check it out!
The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle (1968)
Genres: Psychedelic Pop, Baroque Pop, Sunshine Pop
My pick for the list occupying the bright sunshiney blend of psych-pop that can be found on the Beach Boys and some of The Beatles output. This album is filled with an abundance of cheery vocal harmonies, that the genre is known for, applied to well written songs all the way through. This genre isn’t one I typically spend a lot of time in, but when the time is right it can really lift your mood. The opening track, Care Of Cell 44, kicks off the album with the ole sitting on a bench swinging your feet cuz they don’t reach the ground feeling, maybe a little sway added in too, lovely. Hung Up On A Dream is a well-structured dreamy psych pop masterclass, while This Will Be Our Year is a more straightforward endearing piano rock song showing some decent versatility. Time of the Season is a huge hit to end the album on. Such a SsUuNnSsHhIiNnYy (that was a vocal harmony) album, check it out!
Junior Wells’ Chicago Blues Band - Hoodoo Man Blues (1965)
Genres: Chicago Blues
With Buddy Guy providing some tight and impressive guitar work, Hoodoo Man Blues is a classic Chicago Blues exhibition. Along with Guy’s guitar, the album presents Junior Wells’ gritty voice and nasty harmonica playing. Snatch It Back And Hold It is as groovy as it gets with the muted single string rhythms on guitar. The guitar work is one of the main draws of this record because Buddy Guy’s approach to playing keeps away from flashy blues bends (which i do love btw) and focuses more on slick rhythmic styles to back Wells’ harmonic soloing. The familiar and fun Hound Dog leads into a slow blues masterpiece, In The Wee Hours, where I struggle not to use the term sexy again. The Harmonica on that track is *chef’s kiss*, ooh wee amirite. Anyway, the tight tracklist packs in a lot of cool blues in its 40 min runtime. My only gripe with this record worth mentioning is the misogyny and outdated language, used to describe the girls Junior Wells was pining after, gets a little weird at times. Besides that, the nimble guitar and gritty performances are a staple in the blues genre. Such a slick album, check it out!
Tim Buckley - Goodbye and Hello (1967)
Genres: Psychedelic Folk, Singer-Songwriter, Chamber Folk
Tim Buckley, (absent) father of Jeff Buckley, was a well respected psychedelic folk singer of the 60’s and 70’s with a gorgeous voice filled with vibrato and theatrics. Buckley’s artistic progression would later land him in some super strange avant-folk territory (listen to the title track from his 1970 album Starsailor for example). However, Goodbye and Hello is a more palatable psychedelic folk record with some very strong highlights. The album starts strong with No Man Can Find the War but the stretch from Pleasant Street to Phantasmagoria in Two is the real star of this record. The latter track being one of my favorite songs with the traditional 60’s psych stylings. In that stretch we have I Never Asked to Be Your Mountain, which boasts some cathartic yelpy vocals from Buckley layered over a relatively chaotic pysch instrumental. There is also Once I Was, a serene love song in 6/8 time with gorgeous harmonica. If you’re into theatric vocals and 60’s psychedelia, this album is well worth the listen. Such an I-cannot-sing-like-this-but-im-gonna-try album, check it out!