dimanche 2 Mar 2008, 13h36m
As you can probably tell from a quick glance at my charts, most of the music I listen to is from the 1960s and 1970s. Here are some of my favourite albums from those decades. I have tried not to choose more than two or three from the same artist. If you haven't heard any of them I recommend you check them out soon!
The Beatles - Revolver
I love all the Beatles albums, but this is one of my favourites. There's not a bad track on this album - it's just brilliant from start to finish.
Listen: Tomorrow Never Knows
The Kinks - The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society
The most striking thing about this album is the 'Englishness', with almost every track dealing with the subject of memories, nostalgia and aspects of English life. There are some very catchy melodies on this album that you won't be able to get out of your head!
Listen: Village Green
The Rolling Stones - Between The Buttons
This may seem a surprising choice as it's certainly not the Stones' most popular album. However, I think it really shows their diversity, with some typical rockers, beautiful ballads, fun music hall-style tunes and great psychedelic pop songs.
Listen: Yesterday's Papers
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
My favourite George Harrison album (in fact, one of my favourite albums by any solo Beatle). Apart from possibly the 'Apple Jam' tracks at the end, there's not a single song on this album that I don't love!
Listen: Beware of Darkness
Cream - Disraeli Gears
There are one or two tracks that I don't like much but in general this is an excellent album with some really outstanding songs.
Listen: Tales of Brave Ulysses
The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle
I heard this album for the first time last year and I just wish I had discovered it earlier! This is one of the few albums by any band other than the Beatles or the Kinks where I love every single track. I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes melodic, psychedelic 60s pop music.
Listen: Brief Candles
Paul McCartney & Wings - Red Rose Speedway
This is probably my favourite album that Paul released with Wings. I think Band On The Run is probably better but I just find myself listening to Red Rose Speedway more often.
Listen: Little Lamb Dragonfly (1993 Digital Remaster)
The Kinks - Arthur (Or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
Another great late 60s Kinks album. Not quite as good as Village Green in my opinion, but a very close second.
Listen: Victoria
The Doors - The Doors
Surely one of the greatest debut albums of all time and one of the best albums of 1967, which is saying something when you consider all the other great music from that year. I was blown away the first time I heard it and I still love it now.
Listen: The Crystal Ship
Paul & Linda McCartney - Ram
Much better than Paul's first solo album in my opinion and it's probably my favourite of any of his albums both with or without Wings.
Listen: No previews available
John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band
A truly fantastic album. Not always easy to listen to as it's so emotional – I have to be in the right mood – but there are some absolutely brilliant tracks here.
Listen: Love
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
There are some absolute classics of the psychedelic era on this album, a few other great songs, and only a couple that I don't like much at all. If you're just getting into Jefferson Airplane's music, I recommend you start with this album.
Listen: White Rabbit
Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Okay, I know Dark Side Of The Moon is everyone else's favourite Pink Floyd album, considered to be their masterpiece etc, but if like me you prefer the earlier Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd then this is an amazing album. There are maybe two or three tracks on the album that I find difficult to listen to, but the rest are uniquely brilliant.
Listen: Matilda Mother
The Doors - Strange Days
All of the Doors albums are also worth listening to, but apart from The Doors, this is the only other one I'm going to include here. Strange Days was their second album and has a darker mood than the first one. It's almost as good, but there are a couple of weaker songs towards the end.
Listen: People Are Strange
The Beatles - Rubber Soul
Almost a perfect album. The only track I don't like much is What Goes On, but I love every other song on the album. Rubber Soul was the first Beatles album I ever heard so has always been special to me.
Listen: Nowhere Man
The Who - The Who Sell Out
I think this is my favourite album by The Who. I don't really like the concept of making it sound like a radio show, but there are lots of great songs throughout the whole album.
Listen: Armenia City in the Sky
The Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
I love this album. The first half consists of six fantastic, catchy songs. The remaining six tracks tell the story of Happiness Stan who is on a quest to find the other half of the moon. Stanley Unwin's narration between the tracks can be slightly annoying but the songs themselves are great.
Listen: Rene
John Lennon - Imagine
I can never decide whether I like this or Plastic Ono Band the best - they are both amazing albums. Imagine includes lots of my favourite John Lennon songs including the title track, Jealous Guy and Oh My Love.
Listen: Jealous Guy
The Beatles - The Beatles
The White Album is another of my favourite Beatles albums, because it contains such a variety of different styles of music. There are also twice as many songs as on any other Beatles album!
Listen: I'm So Tired
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
I remember feeling disappointed when I first heard this album after constantly reading how great it was. I already knew God Only Knows, Wouldn't It Be Nice and Sloop John B, but it took me a lot longer to appreciate the other tracks. There are lots of beautiful songs on the album, so if like me you didn't like it much the first time you listened, I recommend you give it another chance.
Listen: You Still Believe In Me
Ringo Starr - Ringo
I've included some John, Paul and George albums, so it's only fair to include an album by Ringo too! This one is probably his best, thought I do love Goodnight Vienna too. All three of the other Beatles contributed to the album and there are lots of great, catchy pop songs here. If you've never bought any Ringo albums before, I suggest you start with this one.
Listen: Oh My My
There are lots of other albums I like, but I have to stop somewhere!