Mike’s 1969

Songs

1. Chicago Transit Authority–“Questions 67 and 68”
2. The Beatles–“You Never Give Me Your Money”
3. Dillard and Clark–“Polly” or “Through the Morning, Through the Night” (The sound of heartbreak.)
4. Kevin Ayers–“Town Feeling” (Brent knows that this entire album doesn’t do it for me. In spare doses, though. On most of his records there are at least one or two of these unbelievably melodic pieces with interesting, thought out arrangements like this one.
5. Roberta Flack–“The First Time, Ever I Saw Your Face” (I’ve said it before here somewhere, probably on the covers theme, as lovely a vocal as anything I may have ever heard. So perfect I can’t hear it sung by her live, or by anyone else.)
6. Love–“Gather Round” (In my opinion, Arthur Lee’s crowning masterpiece, and I think the last recorded song by this version of the band. Have come around to loving the totally superfluous jam at the end, which it seems to me is his final “Fuck off, I’m going to do whatever the damn hell I please” conceit on this album full of them.
7. The Meters–“Cissy Strut” (So many classic grooves in 1969…)
8. Aphrodite’s Child–“It’s Five O’Clock” (…and so much organ. I’m probably wrong, but I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anything like the fuzzed-out organ on this song. And I always love a good use of the theremin, hammy as it is here. Had this on cycle for most of a day at work this month. Thanks go to Tim for introducing me to this band for our first theme.)
9. Gun–“Situation Vacant” (Replacing the Dekker cut with this one, representative of the great hard rock that was happening.)
10. Flying Burrito Brothers–“Sin City” (Tough to pick just one cut from this album. Another one that I’ve only recently become familiar with, largely thanks to John and Tim.)

Albums
1. King Crimson–In the Court of the Crimson King (Oh come on, seriously.)
2. Procol Harum–A Salty Dog (God this is beautiful. “A Salty Dog” | “Too Much Between Us” | “The Devil Came from Kansas”
3. The Kinks–Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire (“Victoria” | “Shangri-La,” probably my favorite Kinks Song of All-Time, off what may well be their Best Album.)
4. The Velvet Underground–The Velvet Underground (“Pale Blue Eyes” | “Candy Says” | “Jesus“)
5. Fairport Convention–Unhalfbricking (Three great albums released in 69, two of which could have easily made my albums list. I resigned myself to selecting Unhalfbricking, I guess mostly because of “Autopsy,” and the fact that I love Martin Lamble, only 19, who died tragically in a car accident after the recording of this album. This track includes one of my favorite moments in recorded history, at 1:22, that guitar chord, was it a mistake? And one of my favorite guitar solos, starting at 2:11. I think I forgot that one when we covered guitar solos as a topic. Also, Ashley Hutchings’ bass is just shake your head ridiculous throughout this album. Check out how it drives everything on “Sailor’s Life.” Also!, a rhythm guitarist in Simon Nicol who provides crucial contributions. How often can you say that? I just can’t get over the fact that two of the members of the band were teenagers at the time of this mature and revolutionary recording.)
6. Sly and the Family Stone-Stand (“I Want to Take You Higher” | “Stand” | “Everybody Is a Star“)
7. Shirley and Dolly Collins–Anthems in Eden (What genre is this? Early Music I guess. Unlike anything else of the time, thanks in large part to Dolly’s arrangements, the use of early music instruments like crumhorns and the like, and Dolly’s own inimitable “portative” organ. Every time I listen it grows on me more. Includes the great Robin Williamson song “God Dog.” )
8. Captain Beefheart–Trout Mask Replica (I’ll take Bob’s picks, and “Ella Guru.”)
9. Colosseum–Valentyne Suite (Took my head off the first time I heard it 30-35 years ago, and has continued to do so every time since. The title track (start here) is one of the great progressive jazz/rock masterpieces, but don’t forget the propulsive blues on the first side, including “Buddy’s Blues“. Crank it up! Two bassists kills me, in every incarnation I can remember–later double-trio King Crimson, Donald Byrd, here. Other examples?)
10. Keef Hartley Band–Halfbreed (John Mayall drummer leaves the increasingly drug soaked acoustic fold of the Bluesbreakers, and puts out this deliriously rocking, driving, no holds barred masterpiece. Start with “Stacked” or “Born to Die.” I’m no big fan of this kind of electric blues in general, but when it is passionately done, with at least a hint of evil, as on the Colosseum and Zeppelin records also listed (wait, I forgot to list Zeppelin’s first record!, ah hell), well that’s another story.  Also check out Blodwyn Pig’s raucous Ahead Rings Out.)

I love Brent’s idea to partition jazz, which allows me to cheat and list 20 albums! Good thing, because there was a ton of great jazz.

Jazz/Other
1. Miles Davis–Filles de Kilimanjaro (May well be my favorite album of the year. If I had to pick one cut, “Mademoiselle Mabry.”)
2. Pharoah Sanders–Karma
3. Don Rendell & Ian Carr–Change Is (“Cold Mountain“)

4. Moondog–Moondog (“Lament 1, Bird’s Lament” | “Witch of Endor“)
5. Don Cherry–Eternal Rhythm (“Part 1” | “Part 2“)
6. Archie Shepp–Yasmina, a Black Woman
7. Sun Ra–Atlantis
8. Joe Henderson–Power to the People (“Black Narcissus“)
9. Sonny Sharrock–Black Woman (“Black Woman.” Sonny sure was busy in 1969, appearing on two of the albums I list here (Karma and Eternal Rhythm) and this one. Also from 1969, his appearance on the pretty good Herbie Mann Memphis Underground album, “Hold on, I’m Coming.” Wait for it, it’s worth it, or just go ahead and skip to 5:35!)
10. Art Ensemble of Chicago–People in Sorrow

1969, man, what a time that must have been. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Music Emporium (“nam myoho renge kyo” | “Velvet Sunsets“) or Buffy Sainte-Marie’s avant garde masterpiece, Illuminations (“God Is Alive, Magic Is Afoot” | “Poppies“)

My 1969 Collection

Well it’s 1969 OK

albums

1.  The Mothers of Invention  – Uncle Meat  |  Electric Aunt Jemima   Mr. Green Genes  King Kong I-VI

2.  Sly & the Family Stone – Stand  |  Stand!  I Want to Take You Higher   Everyday People

3.  Pharoah Sanders – Karma  |  The Creator Has a Master Plan

4.  The Rolling Stones – Let it Bleed | Gimme Shelter

5.  Frank Zappa – Hot Rats | Peaches en Regalia The Gumbo Variations

6. Peter Brotzmann – Nipples | Tell a Green Man

7.  The Beatles – Abbey Road |  Something

8.  Tyrannosaurus Rex – Unicorn | She Was Born to Be My Unicorn    Cat Black (The Wizard’s Hat)

9.  Alice Cooper – Pretties For You |  Levity Ball  No Longer Umpire

10.  Captain Beefheart – Trout Mask Replica |  The Dust Blows Forward ‘n the Dust Blows Back   Neon Meate Dream of a Octafish

Songs

1. Nation Time – Joe McPhee

2.  Pale Blue Eyes – Velvet Underground (s/t)

3.  Signed D.C – Love

4. Lay Lady Lay – Bob Dylan

5.  Music Is the Healing Force of the Universe – – Albert Ayler

6.  Phallus Dei – Amon Düül II

7.  Sun of the East / Terrestrial Beings – Don Cherry (Mu)

8. Cousin Kevin – The Who (Entwistle)

9.  Freddie Freeloader – Miles Davis

10.  No Fun – The Stooges   Ground breaking and relevant to all garage rock thereafter

1967

lp’s

1.  Absolutely Free (Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention)   plastic people  | The Duke of Prunes

2.  John Wesley Harding (Bob Dylan)  The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest  |  The Wicked Messenger

I cannot express how much I have been influenced by my top two album picks. 

3. Between the Buttons (Rolling Stones)  She Smiled Sweetly

4.  Cosmic Tones for Mental Therapy (Sun Ra and his Myth Science Arkestra) Voice of Space

5.  Magical Mystery Tour (The Beatles)  The Fool on the Hill

6.  The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (Pink Floyd)  Lucifer Sam

7. The Velvet Underground & Nico (The Velvet Underground & Nico) Femme Fatale

8.  Safe As Milk – Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band Zig Zag Wanderer

9.  Lumpy Gravy – (Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention) Full Album

10. Forever Changes (Love)  Alone Again Or

songs

1.  Underdog by Sly and the Family Stone (A Whole New Thing)

1. Do right Woman, Do Right Man by Aretha Franklin (I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You)

2.  The Black and Crazy Blues by Rahsaan Roland Kirk (Inflated Tear)

3.  Suzanne by Leonard Cohen (Songs of)

4.  Straight, No Chaser by Thelonious Monk (Straight, No Chaser)

5.  For Adolphe Sax by The Peter Brötzmann Trio (For Adolphe Sax)

6.  Chelsea Girls by Nico (Chelsea Girl)

7. 2000 Man by The Rolling Stones (Their Satanic Majesties Request)

8.  Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite (The Beatles)

9.  Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (United)

10.  The End by The Doors (The Doors)

1967–Mike

Albums

1. Jimi Hendrix Experience–Are You Experienced? We’ve heard these songs a million times on FM radio, right? But rarely, if ever, have I pulled out the album and listened to it start to finish. I’ve played “Axis–Bold as Love” a heck of a lot more throughout my life since purchasing it on 8 track in 7th grade, and it holds a special place in my heart for that reason alone. That may be why listening to “Are You Experienced?” again this month took my breath away. It is so familiar, yet listening to it in its entirety, so new. Youtube doesn’t do this justice. Spotify version sounds pretty damn good. Did I really, some time back, manage to post a list of guitar solos without including one from this album? Shoot me.
2. The Velvet Underground & Nico. Every song, maybe especially “Heroin.”
3. Love–Forever Changes.
4. The Doors. I remember when it was not cool to like this album. Imagine that. The least heralded songs–Back Door Man (one of my top B1 tracks of all time, I think I might have mentioned before), Crystal Ship, Alabama Song–are just as good as the well-recognized greats like “Break on Through” (what a first track!), etc. Tim noted Densmore’s drumming a few months ago. Check “Touch Me” again. It always surprised me how little they were able to accomplish after Morrison’s passing, such a great band.
5. The Kinks–Something Else by the Kinks. So many great songs.
6. The Beatles–Magical Mystery Tour. It might actually be “Flying” that pushes this over the edge of greatness for me. Weird, huh?
7. Aretha Franklin–Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You. Includes several of the great songs of this or any year, including the title track, the vocals rapturous (is that a word?) and the band, well christ, every element is just perfection: the organ, piano, bass, drums, the backing vocals, the guitar. The fucking horns!
8. Pink Floyd–Piper at the Gates of Dawn. I swear this music we listen to, it generates its own electricity. It could solve the world’s energy crisis, couldn’t it? Astronomy Domine; proof.
9. Pete La Roca–Turkish Women at the Bath. The biggest surprise for me this month. This was re-released in 1973 as the Chick Corea “Bliss” album, which is what I have but had never listened to before this month. John Gilmour and Corea do shine here, but La Roca wrote many of these songs, all spell-binding and beautiful. Start with the title track, but also check out “Bliss” and all the rest, available on Spotify along with his other brilliant album, “Basra” (released in ’65). What a find.
10. Sun Ra–We Travel the Spaceways. Feels a little bit strange to select this as a top ten album from 1967, in spite of the fact that it consists of recordings from the late 50’s. But as this is a go-to album from one of my favorite artists of all-time, and I don’t think I’ve had an opportunity to sing his praises yet on this space, I couldn’t resist including it. Some Ra fans will find this to lack some of the experimentation or freedom of his later work, but elements of that can still be found here, alongside several of his greatest melodies, such as Tapestry for an Asteroid.

I’ll try to get to a song listing soon. Here’s a list of the top 50 albums I own from 1967.

moonra’s leaps and bounds

lp’s

1.  Sonic Youth – Murray Street It can be easily observed that SY had multiple leaps within their career, but I find Murray Street the most significant.  It could be argued that the addition of Jim O’Rourke in the band pushed them beyond their original limits, but I’m not going to take a stand on that.  I feel the cohesiveness between the production quality and the extended instrumental pieces helped the band find a significant leap that carried through to Sonic Nurse as well as Rather Ripped.  Empty Page and Rain On Tin

2.  Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique.  At the time I was all about the fun and games of License To Ill, however, when I purchased the cassette tape (I got the orange one) titled Paul’s Boutique I journeyed into the oblivion of amazement and wonder; wondering…  how f’n long did it take these guys to synthesize all these damn samples, it was completely brilliant.

3.  Eric Dolphy – Ironman.  I own a lot of Eric Dolphy and I have found his music appealing from his Prestige recordings and beyond.  However, it was the release of Ironman where I noticed he began to let himself completely go. The sounds and movements he ripped out in front of the vibes on this album completely changed his sound and direction; which lead to his stellar release Out To Lunch. Iron Man

4.  Silver Jews – American Water.  Not my personal favorite by the band (that would easily be Bright Flight), but probably the only album by the Silver Jews I would recommend to someone who never heard them before.  Overall, AW could be considered their perfect release.  It’s the kind of album that surprises me they didn’t completely blow up after it come out, but then again, they are the Silver Jews. Random Rules, We Are Real, Buckingham Rabbit.

5. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.  Probably the first album I thought of when hit with this month’s theme.  Despite breaking out musically, I would like to point out that Tweedy’s writing essentially leaped as well, with deeper thoughts and connotations:  “I want to hold you in the Bible-black predawn. You’re quite a quiet, domino, bury me now. Take off your band-aid cause I don’t believe in touchdowns.”

6.  Rahsaan Roland Kirk – Inflated Tear.  This is the album where I feel Rahsaan opened himself up and exposed his inner secrets, musically, not lyrically.  True genius, and a leap reflecting outlook and direction.  The Inflated Tear, The Black and Crazy Blues.

7.  PJ Harvey – Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea.  I always admired PJ Harvey, but this album made me fall in love.  It captured my interest through storytelling and just a raw glimpse of NYC, told and sung through the throaty voice of this beautiful storyteller.  This lp opened the way to a series of her best work, in my opinion.  This Mess we’re In (w/ Thom York),   The Whores Hustle and the Hustlers Whore

8.  Fugazi – Steady Diet Of Nothing.  I honestly went back and forth with Kill Taker and Steady Diet, but concluded that this was the album where Fugazi showed they were no longer pegged as a post punk/hardcore band, but rather much more diverse than what they represented earlier in their career.  Stacks, Long Division.

9.  Love – Forever Changes.  This album was a unique turn of events for Love and their attempt at taking things in a completely new direction, things were slowed…down… and touching! Alone Again Or

10.  The Rolling Stones – Exile On Mainstreet  John P-Rock may state that I am cursed by what I believe this album is and represents, therefore I am. All I will comment at this point is Exile = welcome to what music will never be again.

*11 Honorable Mention:  The Clash – Sandinista!  Goodbye 1979?  They touch upon just about every main style of music and do it all correctly.  Charlie Don’t Surf  Police On My Back  Rebel Waltz

Songs

1.  Beastie Boys – Finger Lickin’ Good.   I struggled not listing Check Your Head as an album, as once again it was a past obsession of mine.  I chose this song mainly of the genius sample of Dylan’s Just Like Tom thumb’s Blues, I will still occasionally play the song just to hear out the ending.

2.  David Bowie – Station to Station.  The career of Bowie for me was one surprise after another, especially for the first two decades.  Station To Station was a throw over the top.  I cannot express how much this song has influenced my life and how I listen to music.

3.  Bob Dylan – Idiot Wind.  About as badass as it gets for good ole bd, the never ending leaper.

4.  Joni Mitchell – River.  raw and smooth.

5. Radiohead – Let Down.  We all have our favorites, this song seemed to wrap everything together, and show the world that Radiohead is pretty much creatively capable of anything.

6.  Defiance, Ohio – You Are Loved.  New levels can be reached for any talented band, this is a perfect example of one.

7. Ghostigital – Sense Of Reason.  Maybe a bigger leap for me personally, but that’s sort of what this is all about, right??

8.  Joe Lally – Billiards.  I believe Joe Lally incorporated everything right within this track.  This song alone was a musical leap that should have changed his complete course, however, it stood out as more of a rare star, but incredible nonetheless.

9. Melvins – Shevil.  A leap to….. everything.

10.  Ornette Coleman – What Reason Could I Give / Civilization Day.  Ok, so I cheated a little by choosing two songs, but to me they go together, as I would never listen to the first without the second.  Like many of the “greats,” there are multiple periods of Ornette’s career I could have focused on regarding leaps, as he had many.  The Science Fiction Sessions always stood out for me a complete leap into the unknown for Ornette, and what I have always viewed as some of his best material.

*11.  ZU and Spaceways Inc. – Theme De Yoyo.  The true artist is always leaping, Ken Vandermark is a constant leaper as a band leader and musician.