It's About Time: The 60s

The 1950s sowed the seeds of a tide shift. The landscape was still dominated by laid-back jazz, but the road began to fork in ways that would only become particularly apparent here in the next decade. In the 50s, pop music was essentially jazz with concessions, and rock music only existed in it's original form as rock 'n' roll. These genres had an indescribable level of influence on the music we hear today, but didn't yet resemble it. In the 60s the landscape became a lot more recognizable to a modern ear, with the rock explosion taking place and creating distinct subgenres beneath it's broad umbrella term of rock music. And it was very much a decade for rock music and folk, if Album of the Year is to be believed. We have legendary albums from legends like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix to name just a few, so what this decade may be lacking in variety it certainly doesn't appear to be lacking in quality. So let's dig into the best albums of the 60s and see if there's anything to be taken away from this highly creative time.

Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen

Kind of like: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bright Eyes Songs to try: So Long, Marianne; Suzanne; One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

I enjoyed most of the albums I listened to from the 50s, but I feel as though I was missing something like this the whole time: something with a lyrical focus and with something to say, and Songs of Leonard Cohen has plenty to say and says it all in such an interesting way. Going into this project, I was expecting to fill some gaps in my musical knowledge, but I wasn't expecting to have a radical change in opinion following a new perspective. I wasn't naive enough to think that new perspective wouldn't come as I listened to albums in the context of their time, I just never really found myself able to appreciate something in that way. Following a decade mostly made up of covers of jazz standards and entirely instrumental works, though, an essentially album made up of incredible poetry set to music was refreshing to say the least. It suddenly felt groundbreaking to hear an artist that cared about the words they sang.

That being said, something this lyrically dense is going to take a lot more time to fully understand, even if I can appreciate how rare this was at the time and actually enjoy the music for what it is. I have already had experiences where songs would suddenly click on the 5th listen while listening casually, and I expect that to keep happening for a little while. That being said, I do already have some appreciation for the level of lyricism on display, and can confidently recommend it to someone who, like myself, is drawn to music with a lyrical focus. That isn't to say the instrumentals are bad, of course, but much like how I never quite found myself resonating with a lot of the music of the 50s because lyrics weren't a priority, if you're mainly drawn to the musical elements of songs and albums, you may feel as though there's not enough to chew on here.

Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul

Genre: Soul, Progressive Soul Song to try: Walk On By

This sort of thing is exactly why I wanted to do this series: this is one of the first soul albums I've ever heard. I don't know why I've neglected the genre for so long either. It's not like country where, in it's cultural ubiquity, I was able to determine that it wasn't my sort of thing. In fact, all my small interactions with soul music have been overwhelmingly positive. And yet, I hadn't sought it out on a more mindful level. What I can say, though, is that this is an excellent introduction and has me wanting to hear more.

Something to be mindful of regarding this album though: it's made up of only four, very long songs. That's a draw of the album for me, but I know that it is a fairly daunting thing to see for some. I can absolutely attest to their quality though and how well that time is spent. The only arguable exception, in my view, is the closer, By the Time I Get To Phoenix which opens with a monologue the length of a song in itself. I would argue that the monologue is both endearing and useful in setting the scene, even if it is a little indulgent in that respect. That being said, the fact the song includes the lines "I'm gonna moan now moans" should make up for any feelings that it wasn't worth the wait.

It is a fun album, that has something to say, and even if what that something is isn't particularly mind-blowing and the fun comes first, I for one think that makes for a great time, whether you're more about analysis or vibes.

If you're not put off by the length of the songs (and you really shouldn't be, it doesn't feel it's length at all) and you have some interest in some upbeat, funky soul music, I can highly recommend this, making it 2-for-2 this decade so far that have really impressed me.

Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde

Kind of like: Leonard Cohen, Bright Eyes, Joni Mitchell Songs to try: I Want You, Visions of Johanna, Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)

This is where things get a tad controversial. I'm definitely not going to try to convince anyone that Bob Dylan isn't a great musician, or that this isn't a great album, but in my humble opinion, this album doesn't scream "one of the best to ever do it" to me, and that appears to be the regard in which this album is held amongst the general music fan public. Now that being said, there are a lot of songs that I feel do live up to that reputation, such as the songs in the songs to try section, along with a few others, but even then only a few really resonated with me personally.

I do have some praise for the album though, and I'm not sure whether this is due to some unmentioned remastering done in recent years because I can only find references to minimal, purely technical remasters for stereo mixes and the like, but the album sounds spectacular. Far more so than a lot of the music coming out alongside it. There are minimal imperfections (enough to give character, but never enough to frustrate), and the mix is perfectly balanced for the most part to create that ideal tapestry of sound.

Trying to figure out who to recommend this album to is tricky, because in theory it should very much appeal to me, but it doesn't. And if one of the most beloved albums from one of the most iconic songwriters to ever live doesn't appeal to me -- someone to whom lyrics are the most important aspect of music -- who should it appeal to? But then again, it is a beloved album, so clearly it must have merit that I am missing. My best guess is that I ought to recommend this album to someone who is like me and to just hope that my lack of connection is the product of some weird quirk of mine.

The Beatles - Revolver

Kind of like: Tame Impala, Elliott Smith Songs to try: Eleanor Rigby; Tomorrow Never Knows; She Said, She Said

And the controversial takes don't end there. I swear I don't think this makes me cool or interesting, but I don't really like most of The Beatles' discography. At least the parts of the discography I've heard. There is a key exception to that on the album scale, and plenty of exceptions from song-to-song, but unfortunately Revolver isn't the example that comes to mind for the former.

It is a particularly strange experience, because the album seems split right down the middle between songs that are too primitive for me to find enjoyment in or too experimental. And I don't think I'm particularly picky in that regard, but as strange as it is for an album to represent the two polar opposite ways I might not enjoy it, that is what Revolver does.

I also mentioned that there are song-scale exceptions to my Beatles-neutrality though, and there are definitely a few of those here. Particularly Eleanor Rigby and Tomorrow Never Knows impressed me. The latter especially so for it's experimental-yet-satisfying vibe which hasn't been diminishged after nearly 60 years. The rest of the album though, left me underwhelmed, even if the worst description of my experience would be something along the lines of "fine" as opposed to anything outright negative, the reputation this album has exceeds my enjoyment of it.

In a similar case to Blonde on Blonde, I feel as though I should be within the target audience for an album like this (albeit to a lesser degree) so I'm not entirely sure who to recommend this to outside of "anyone who thinks they might enjoy it". It's an extremely broad and unsatisfying recommendation, but I can't give anything else in good faith while there is such a massive disparity in the way I see this album and the way most people do. Especially considering even I didn't have a bad time with it. Worst case scenario, you're like me and you spend a little over half an hour on an album that you just don't get the hype for. Even then, at least you have an opinion on one of the most acclaimed albums of all time. Even if it doesn't make you interesting to not love it as much as everyone else, it can at least make the discussions you have about it more interesting.

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited

Kind of like: Leonard Cohen, Bright Eyes, Joni Mitchell Songs to try: Like a Rolling Stone, Tombstone Blues, Ballad of a Thin Man

To further complicate my relationship with Bob Dylan's music, this one hit. Big time. Maybe my personal opinion on the album still falls short of that of the general population, but in this case I found myself enjoying the album too much to bother considering the extent to which my opinion deviates from the general consensus.

I think a big part of why I enjoyed this album so much more than the other Dylan albums I've heard is the energy of it. It's not to say that Blonde on Blonde is lacking in energy, I don't think that's true, but it's a different energy to the one on display here. Here, the soundscape is plucky, youthful, vivacious, compared to the slightly different whimsical nature to his later album.

I'm sure it's a result of my greater interest, but I also found myself appreciating a lot more of the lyrics on this album than the lyrics on Blonde on Blonde. In particular lines like "swallow your pride, it will not kill you, it's not poison" from Tombstone Blues and "I wanna be your lover, I don't wanna be your boss" from It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry stick out to me in particular as one-liners, but Ballad of a Thin Man, Desolation Row, and of course Like a Rolling Stone are also excellent examples of a more drawn out lyrical masterclass.

My recommendation for this album is essentially the same as Blonde on Blonde, just more confidently this time. If you are particularly drawn to lyrics in music, you'll love this. Particularly if you find that straightforward folk music is sometimes a little too stripped back for your liking.

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

Genre: Jazz Song to try: A Love Supreme, Pt. 2: Resolution

I think this is the album that finally allowed me to get jazz, and to an extent all instrumental music. I started off as frustrated as ever, with Acknowledgement being as difficult a listen for me as any other moment on my jazz journey thus far. Everything felt disconnected and hard to grasp onto. But that didn't last long. Once the album had moved onto Resolution, it all started making sense. The album started to click into place, I noticed that there was a theme and a narrative developing and that feeling of disconnection and turbulence I felt in the first song was very intentional.

I noticed the titles and the way the album was unfolding musically and put together that this is an album about love and conflict resolution. I doubt that is an impressive thing to pick up on, it seems obvious now that I've recognized it, but its the first time I've actually noticed a theme in an instrumental album as opposed to just feelings or vibes. At the time of writing, I don't know if that was a one-off with this album or whether this album has made everything click in my mind, but I'm very happy to be able to say that I've enjoyed and understood an instrumental album on a deep level. That alone has made this series worth it to me.

It is because of that experience that I recommend this album to anyone who may have heard jazz before and struggled to connect with it, as I have. It should really be your second album after Kind of Blue in my opinion.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland

Kind of Like: Cream, The Rolling Stones Songs to try: All Along the Watchtower, Voodoo Chile, 1983... (A Merman I Should Turn to Be)

In many ways my thoughts on this album are very similar to my thoughts on Revolver, with some slight variations. Both albums feel split between time periods: the time they existed in, and the relative future. The main difference is simply that I prefer the Jimi Hendrix brand of what is now retro compared to that of The Beatles, but another factor is that Jimi Hendrix's leaps into the future don't leap quite as far. It makes for an album that is far more palatable in my opinion, because there are moments on Revolver that feel like they're pushing boundaries even today (which is good in isolation) but then there are moments that feel kitschy and outdated. That's a whiplash-inducing experience, but here both poles of that experience are brought way closer together and the experience is a lot smoother as a result.

As you may expect from what I've written there, many of my personal highlights come from the more experimental moments (notably the ones in the songs to try section) but I'd like to call attention to some of the songs that show their age a little more because, as I mentioned, I quite enjoy Jimi Hendrix's brand of retro. Songs like Crosstown Traffic and Rainy Day, Dream Away are sitting at the intersection of retro primitivism and interesting modernism and it allows me, personally, to enjoy the endearing aspects of classic music while also giving me something more to chew on. Much like Hendrix's biggest hit, All Along the Watchtower, he takes primitive elements and propels them as far into the future as he can, turning it into an experimental, guitar-led masterpiece in the process.

King Crimson - In the Court of the Crimson King

Kind of like: Pink Floyd, black midi Songs to try: 21st Century Schizoid Man, Epitaph

This is probably my favourite album of all the ones I've listened to for this project so far, and when I saw that this was amongst the albums that was next up to be listened to, I knew it was about to get good. I had already listened to this album before, so I knew going in that this was an album of musical epics. And every other song on this album is an absolute paranoid masterpiece.

Chances are you've already heard at least a sample of 21st Century Schizoid Man, but it's likely if you haven't listened to this album yet that you're unaware of Epitaph or In the Court of the Crimson King. I highly recommend you address that by listening to this album if you're at all into prog rock. Not just because those songs are amazing either -- although with them making up three fifths of the album it wouldn't be totally insane to listen to it just for those songs -- the other two songs are also great additions and the whole album feels so impressively timeless. It genuinely feels as though it would be an amazing album if it was released today, or even ten years from now. It's something to behold. Even with the knowledge when I first listened to it that it was on the older side, I was under the impression it was an album from the mid 80s at least, and that is incredibly impressive. I genuinely can't think of an album that is so timeless.

As you can probably imagine, this is a wholehearted recommendation. Particularly if you're into rock music of pretty much any sort. For something so experimental, it is extremely broad in its appeal, I think. If you're a rock fan who somehow hasn't heard anything on this list, I think this is my highest recommendation. Even with the classic Jimi Hendrix album competing with it. This is an amazing album.

The Beatles - Abbey Road

Kind of like: Tame Impala, Led Zeppelin Songs to try: Come Together, Here Comes the Sun, I Want You (She's So Heavy)

What are we doing here? What, you want me to tell you that the most iconic album of all time is good? That's what we're doing here? Well yeah, it's good. It's really fucking good. It holds up, and if you put it in the context of its time its downright breathtaking. They found a middleground here which they desperately needed compared to Revolver's stark polar opposite sides, and it makes for an album that even over half a decade later feels fresh and relatively modern.

My issue here is that everything to say about this album has already been said. And pretty much all of it is positive, and pretty much all of that is true. I have nothing to offer here. You know you need to listen to this album if you haven't already, you probably have a pretty good idea of whether you'll like it, so again, what am I doing here? I guess consider this a reminder: this is an album you should have an opinion on if you're at all into music. And chances are it'll be a positive opinion. I recommend this to fans of music.

And that concludes the most redundant write-up I've ever made.

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

Genre: Avant-Garde Jazz Song to try: Track A - Solo Dancer

This album provided a really fresh take on jazz compared to what I heard before it. Whereas the majority of what I've heard up until this point has been relatively lowkey, this album is energetic, lively, and a little experimental too. Unfortunately I had a harder time connecting to this album than John Coltrane's A Love Supreme earlier in the list, but I had a lot more fun with this than any other jazz album I've heard.

Now, I'm not sure how much I'm being overly vigilant for themes and narratives after A Love Supreme, but it seems to me that the album details a night out and the pursuit of a romantic interest through dance. It seems to run the gamut of emotions in that regard, from lonesome yearning, to insecurity, to confidence, to competitiveness and jealousy. Again, maybe this is overanalysis, but I felt it all over the course of the album.

Its an interesting case because it appears to have all the markers of a jazz album I wouldn't be able to enjoy. Its the most chaotic jazz album to this point, it bounces from idea to idea, it has a bunch of elements competing for your attention, but somehow it all just works for me. And it may not be my favourite jazz album, but so far it has definitely been the most enjoyable to me.

I think my recommendation for this one is going to be very similar to that of A Love Supreme, in that this is definitely a jazz album for people who don't get it. There is a key difference though: whereas A Love Supreme was a great choice for people who missed the thematic rigidity of other genres, this is more for people who don't care too much about that, but in general find the sound of jazz unexciting or too laidback. This album is definitely neither of those things.

Final thoughts on the 60s

Its a bit of a writing faux pas to retread the same ground like this, but I really feel like this decade is best summed up by my introduction: it is the decade in which the modern music landscape really began to take shape. Where the 50s had a bunch of jazz legends represented, the 60s was chock-full of superstars of music as we'd picture them today. The people who pioneered instead of perfected (although in some cases you could make the case they did both). It was truly an exceptional time for music, and as much as I believe that music would be totally different if not for the things that were accomplished in the 50s, I feel as though it would be totally unrecognizable if not for the influence of the 60s.

On a personal level, I can finally say that I've listened to a Bob Dylan album that I enjoyed, and on top of that I have heard a jazz album that I have a proper connection to now. The Leonard Cohen album and Hot Buttered Soul were also new to me and both of those were also very enjoyable, so while I had already heard half of these albums, I definitely took plenty away from this decade too.

Now onto the 70s!