|
User
Reviews 5
Approval 97%
Soundoffs 61
Album Ratings 5465
Objectivity 88%
Last Active 09-06-22 1:37 pm
Joined 09-24-05
Review Comments 7,337
| 14 Years on Sput/mx: Top Albums of the 1960s
Missed my actual date, which was three days ago (24-Sep), after another list prompted me to check and see when exactly it was. Can't believe it has been 14 years - first joined mxtabs when I started learning guitar (I was 16 back then) and have since used the site on-and-off as a music reference. Not until my bony ass finally got a Spotify account at the beginning of 2019 did I start seriously logging and tracking everything I've listened to, but it has been fun revisiting classics and old favorites and chatting about them with greater frequency now. And I've also run into some pretty cool fellow film-bros, too.
In honor of this occasion, here are my (current) Top 10 albums of the 1960s, with five honorable mentions. | | 10 |  | John Coltrane
Giant Steps
'Blue Train' is my favorite Coltrane, but this is a close second. Yeah, sure, maybe neither of them are as groundbreaking as the avant-masterpiece 'A Love Supreme', but something about this is so delectable, so quaint, so pure, and yet still so full of energy and delight. I could listen to this all day.
Favorite Track: "Giant Steps" | | 9 |  | Love
Forever Changes
Such a smooth, warm, buttery album that seems so carefree and whimsical while you're listening to it, only to retroactively thrust all of its weight into your skull once it's over. Lost count of the times I've listened to this album and completely zoned out as if nothing else mattered for about 40 minutes. *Chef's kiss*.
Favorite Track: "You Set the Scene" | | 8 |  | The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
Always get weird looks when I tell people this is my favorite Velvet Underground album. Even weirder looks when I say that 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' and 'White Light/White Heat' are merely "good" (maybe even "just okay"). It's true, though - something about their sound had never completed jelled with me until I heard their self-titled (non-Nico-conjoined) release. A little poppier, more mellow, brighter, etc. I guess that's just what I needed.
Favorite Track: "Pale Blue Eyes" | | 7 |  | King Crimson
In the Court of the Crimson King
Maybe a cliche pick nowadays (is it?) but I can't deny my love of the Crimson. Personal favorite is 'Red' (obviously doesn't qualify here) but 'Court' is the album that introduced me to the band and led me down the rabbit hole many years ago. In fact, my first exposure to them might've been hearing "Moonlight" in the film BUFFALO '66, which remains one of my favorite film scenes of all time. A watershed album, and a masterpiece.
Favorite Track: "Epitaph" | | 6 |  | Charles Mingus
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Probably the jazz record I return to the most - even if not my absolute favorite, it's the one that most often feels "right" for just about any occasion. It caters to any mood and any time of day. As with any great jazz album, I'm always finding something new, a little quirk or ephemeral note or something that catches me completely off-guard and completely restores my love of the album.
Favorite Track: "Track B - Duet Solo Dancers" | | 5 |  | The Kinks
The Village Green Preservation Society
Another great and overlooked (even if mostly appreciated) pop album from the 60s: There isn't a single song here that isn't catchy in some way, either lyrically or melodically, and it's incredibly rare to find a 15-track album without some kind of sag. Had a hard time picking a favorite, probably the hardest time. The whole album operates on an uber-consistent level of quality.
Favorite Track: "Do You Remember Walter?" | | 4 |  | Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band
Safe As Milk
While I've probably spent more time with 'Trout Mask Replica', trying to decipher and unlock the treasures therein (and believe me, there are plenty), I've always thought Beefheart's debut was his best. Still instantly catchy and palatable without sacrificing his bizarre sense of style and songwriting. Obviously not as avant-garde of some of his subsequent albums, but there's nothing wrong with that.
Favorite track: "Sure 'Nuff 'n Yes I Do" | | 3 |  | The Beatles
Abbey Road
Another long-time grower. Since I can remember, I've always been most fond of 'Rubber Soul' when it comes to The Beatles. It's still an amazing record, to be sure, but 'Abbey Road' is quite simply the closest that The Beatles ever came to sheer perfection - a nearly flawless blend of their pop sensibilities, progressiveness, and agreeable talents as songwriters and performers. I say "nearly" flawless, because I could do without 'Octopuss's Garden', but I've even come around to Ringo's pipes over the years. That medley is exquisite.
Favorite track: "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" | | 2 |  | The Zombies
Odessey and Oracle
Easily one of the greatest early pop records of the 1960s (or, I guess, *ever*, for that matter), and the whole debacle behind that album's release only makes it richer. To think that people didn't like this upon release is baffling, even with a glaring typo in its name, but I'm forever grateful this eventually saw the light of day and continued to keep its head above water long enough for later generations to have and cherish it.
Favorite Track: "Care of Cell 44" | | 1 |  | Miles Davis
In a Silent Way
For a long while, my favorite Davis was "Bitches Brew" but this has recently usurped the throne, and is probably one of the finest jazz albums ever created. It's ubiquitous, for sure, but still reveals new things with each revisit. It also contains one of my favorite moments in all of music (when the drums bust in around 13:10 on the title track). Post-rock before such a thing existed; the build-ups, the energetic releases, the enigmatic quality of it all, the fluidity...Such a masterful piece of work.
Favorite Track: "In a Silent Way / It's About That Time" | |
tectactoe
09.27.19 | Also worth noting: Imposed a limitation of one album per artist, otherwise 'Led Zeppelin II', 'Abbey Road', and 'Blonde on Blonde' might be somewhere in the mix. | ArsMoriendi
09.27.19 | Check Os Mutantes's s/t | Josh D.
09.27.19 | welcome to the 14 year club. Let's dance. | tectactoe
09.27.19 | 'Check Os Mutantes's s/t'
Will do, thanks for the rec.
'welcome to the 14 year club. Let's dance.'
And only 17 days apart, nice! | tectactoe
09.27.19 | Willing to take any other non-mega-obvious 1960s reccs, too - it's a difficult era to really "get into" for me, but the hits are absolutely incredible, so I'm sure there are plenty of gems that have passed me by. | Itwasthatwas
09.27.19 | 12/8/2 are great
The Beatles though just ugh | tectactoe
09.27.19 | Wish I could agree with you, brother. After long periods of not listening to them, I kind of begin to think to myself: "Man, are The Beatles actually the most overrated band of all time?" and nearly get excited to formulate some new, monumentally dissenting opinion of them. But then I listen to 'Abbey Road' or 'Rubber Soul' or 'Revolver' or 'Sgt. Pepper' and goddamn, they're just too good to deny. | PunchforPunch
09.27.19 | 1 is best beatles jahgreed | tectactoe
09.27.19 | Nice. I only know one other person who would claim that as their favorite so it’s always good to see more Rubber Soul fans. We exist! | ItsTheSquirrel
09.27.19 | I prefer Revolver but Rubber Soul comes as a close second | McP3000
09.27.19 | ive never liked any of Hendrix's albums | tectactoe
09.27.19 | Spicy take, I guess, but understandable in that they're all 'relatively' similar, and if you don't like the overall sound of one, you probably won't like any. | tectactoe
09.27.19 | (Regarding his stuff with 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience'; I haven't heard enough of his "solo" stuff to make a judgment call on it, honestly.) | accompliceofmydeath
09.27.19 | Dang, that's a long time. I missed my 10 year earlier, 11 with my original account. | Emim
09.27.19 | Great list, good to see Morrison on here | tectactoe
09.27.19 | Thanks. Any other non obvious 1960s reccs? | SitarHero
09.27.19 | Daaamn congratulations. And welcome back? | rabidfish
09.27.19 | Giant Steps >>> everything on this list. And I fucking love Oddesey and Oracle, too. | Emim
09.28.19 | I'm partial to Fleetwood Mac's early records | tectactoe
09.28.19 | Haven’t heard Giant Steps, I’ll check it out. I like ‘A Love Supreme’ well enough but prefer Davis and Mingus to Coltrane based on my small sample size. | tectactoe
09.28.19 | Thinking I might have to swap the Love and Dylan albums now that I think about it. (Just listened to Forever Changes again and it’s so good.) | Gyromania
09.28.19 | 5 is my #1. good song choice too but i think 'maybe the people' is far and away their best song | tectactoe
09.29.19 | Great song. My next choices would probably be ‘The Red Telephone’ and ‘Alone Again Or’. The whole album is essential, though. | rabidfish
09.29.19 | given that the intro to giant steps basically broke jazz for everybody, Coltrane took a massive dunk on all them hoes. Completely on another level. | tectactoe
09.29.19 | I’ll check it out this week! | teamster
09.29.19 | 14 years - awesome. Way to stay true. I bet you seen a lot of shit on this site. | tectactoe
09.29.19 | Sure, though many of those years were spent heavily lurking. | tectactoe
11.04.19 | Made a few changes. Also listened to "In a Silent Way" for the first time, finally (not sure what took me so long, as Bitches Brew is probably my favorite jazz album), and it is indeed fantastic, and could easily take a seat in the 1960s top ten once I get to know it a little better. For now, it will sit just on the fringe. But wow, what an album. | Bedex
11.04.19 | Nice colour scheme on this | tectactoe
11.04.19 | Are you colorblind?
Hell, maybe *I* am colorblind. | Bedex
11.04.19 | I might be extrapolating a bit
Also In A Silent Way rules, nice that you checked it | tectactoe
03.24.20 | Made a few updates to reflect some much needed changes. In other words: 1969 was a fucking phenomenal year for music. | Bedex
03.24.20 | can we get a 1950's top pls | tectactoe
03.24.20 | *gulp* | dedex
03.24.20 | 1969
in the sunshine | tectactoe
03.24.20 | maybe i'll do the 50s on my 15th year anniversary. tbh i've only heard...like...eight full albums from the 50s lmao. | dedex
03.24.20 | crazy how the 60s are well-covered and listened to by musicheads compared to previous eras
that decade started the shit | Bedex
03.24.20 | Geogaddi nice | JustJoe.
05.28.20 | talk about seniority | Emim
05.28.20 | You're no youngin yourself, Joe | JustJoe.
05.28.20 | that’s a sad reality
🙁 | Emim
05.28.20 | Right there with ya, bro | OmairSh
05.28.20 | Another "oldie" reporting in | Emim
05.28.20 | We're gonna have a whole wing in the nursing home | JustJoe.
05.28.20 | that sounds like a good time actually | OmairSh
05.28.20 | Where do I sign up? | JustJoe.
05.28.20 | it’s already included in your sputmembership package | FR33L0RD
05.28.20 | Really please to see, Miles Davis in this list.
13-10-4-3-1 are my fav. with a special plus for 3.
Nice list tectactoe | tectactoe
08.04.20 | Updates to reflect my ever-evolving feelings, especially toward this towering decade of music. | Ryus
08.04.20 | in a silent way is amazing yeah
the incredible string band - the hangman's beautiful daughter
leonard cohen - songs of leonard cohen
the band - t/t
van morrison - astral weeks
pink floyd - piper at the gates of dawn
would be my pop/rock/folk picks
jazz-wise, i like
john coltrane - ascension
albert ayler - spiritual unity
eric dolphy - out to lunch
wayne shorter - juju
| Ryus
08.04.20 | white light white heat would probably earn a spot too. that vu opinion : [
| tectactoe
08.04.20 | out to lunch is just on the fringe, and i think astral weeks was on the original list i made, but has since been bumped off.
dunno what it is about the VU self-titled that puts it head and shoulders above their other releases for me....i guess i like 'em at their most jangly, poppy, slow(ish)core(ish), sprawling selves? owo | tectactoe
08.04.20 | also just realized this is approaching 15 years, too, goddamn | Sinternet
08.04.20 | nice list rolling stone magazine | tectactoe
08.04.20 | thanks bitch |
|
