Trout Mask Replica – CAPTAIN BEEFHEART*

Frownland/The Dust Blows Forward ‘N The Dust Blows Back/Dachau Blues/Ella Guru/Hair Pie:Bake 1/Moonlight On Vermont/Pachuco Cadaver/Bill’s Corpse/Sweet Sweet Bulbs/Neon Meate Dream Of A Octafish/China Pig/My Human Gets Me Blues/Dali’s Car/Hair Pie:Bake 2/Pena/Well/When Big Joan Sets Up/Fallin’ Ditch/Sugar ‘N Spikes/Ant Man Bee/Orange Claw Hammer/Wild Life/She’s Too Much For My Mirror/Hobo Chang Ba/The Blimp/ Steal Softly Thru Snow/Old - At Play//Veteran’s Day Poppy

Was Captain Beefheart’s double LP Trout Mask Replica the most pretentious album ever? Quite probably, but that didn’t stop some delusional critics heaping it with praise. (UK:21)

“I've never really appreciated it. I've given it all my effort but I can't get past the dissonance, the absence of classic album and song structure.”

“This one headed straight from my collection to the Salvation Army $1 box.”

“No one I ever played this album to likes it. That includes many people that are serious music lovers. This album exists only for people to name-drop it so they can look cool. I can't imagine anyone listening to it from start to finish.”

“I think it's terrible. The only thing I found eye-opening about it is how so many people think 'weird' = 'brilliant'. This isn't brilliant. It's some of the most unmelodic stuff I've ever heard. Yes it's weird and different from anything else, but that doesn't make it any good. His lyrics are goofy, but if you can't write a decent melody, or any melody at all for that matter, then you should take your lyrics and turn them into a book and don't churn out something like this.”

“This double album consists of 28 songs that range from beatnik poetry readings, to funky blues-rock, and fun comedic ditties. The songs wouldn't be too weird by themselves, but when combined into one double album, it is a crazy experience.”

“It's so wilfully obtuse and deranged that it's a real chore to try and get through it.”

“This was, quite literally, the worst album I have ever heard. Anyone who tells you that it's a masterpiece is completely out of their mind. For anyone to truly like this, they have to be insane. However, you'll find a hefty amount of idiots who use the 'I like Trout Mask Replica' line to sound more intelligent, or something. If he did this in seriousness, he'd have to be the most stupid person ever to have lived.”

To Our Children’s Children’s Children – THE MOODY BLUES*****

Higher & Higher/Eyes Of A Child I/Floating/Eyes Of A Child II/I Never Thought I’d Live To Be A Hundred/Beyond/ Out & In/Gypsy/Eternity Road/Candle Of Life/Sun Is Still Shining/I Never Thought I’d Live To Be A Million/ Watching & Waiting

To Our Children’s Children’s Children was another stunning album from the Moody Blues, possibly their most spiritual, inspired in part by the moon landing. The final review makes a pertinent point. (US:14 UK:2)

“Both one of The Moodies' most successful and cohesive concept albums, and one of the best of various musical explorations of space that came out in response to the Moon landing. It features some of the their most complex playing, the album sees various themes emerging again and again over its course, as the band plot a generally optimistic course for mankind's future. A mellotron-heavy masterpiece that attains progressive heights.”

“If ever there was an album to experience as a whole, this is it. In amongst the little linking fragments, which give the whole thing a very trippy/spacey atmosphere, there are some really nice songs. But the real gems still remain Candle Of Life and Watching & Waiting.”

“It really and truly is one of the high points of art/progressive rock, and definitely a 'sleeper' album if there ever was one. I can completely understand how some can miss the greatness of this album, because it took a long time for it to really grow on me. Once it did, though, it has moved me in ways that no other album ever has.”

“Inspired by the Apollo 11 moon landing, To Our Children's Children's Children focuses on time, space, travel and aging. What's wonderful about this record is the way all the separate songwriters bring together their disparate styles and ideas to complete the theme. They complement one another perfectly. They touch on the same themes, but they give them different flavours.”

“Generally, The Moodies get snubbed when critics/magazines make polls of all time greatest albums. I've listened to many of these and mostly they are not a patch on this one. Consequently future generations will probably miss out on this classic.”

Scott 4 – SCOTT WALKER*****

The Seventh Seal/On Your Own Again/The World’s Strongest Man/Angels Of Ashes/Boy Child/Hero Of The War/ The Old Man’s Back Again/Duchess/Get Behind Me/Rhymes Of Goodbye

Scott 4 was the last of the classic Scott Walker albums from the sixties. Mysteriously this one never reached the charts despite being considered his best my many music critics.

“Shunned when it was originally released, Scott 4 stands proud as one of the most sophisticated, intelligent albums I've heard in a long time, always complemented by the swirling strings that keep songs like Boy Child afloat on a musical cloud. But everything is great here, from the classic opener that manages to condense the Bergman film in just under five minutes, to the lonely, pensive pop that makes up the rest of side one.”

“Opening with the gorgeous The Seventh Seal, Scott 4 is a brilliant collection of baroque pop gems delivered as only Scott Walker can. Accessible enough to hook you on the first listen, deep enough to keep offering surprises on repeated plays, Scott 4 might be the absolute best place to explore Walker's baroque pop material.” “It was his only pop album that consisted completely of original compositions; these are simply the best tracks that Walker ever wrote.”

“The peak of his late 60s Scott series. It's a little too short, but then again, it's extremely good for what it contains, and it's all Scott Walker originals. It's one of my favourites, wonderful songs, lush arrangements, and what a voice.”

“Scott 4 is the first album that Scott Walker wrote entirely by himself. This comes off as surprising considering that his songwriting here is simply brilliant, while the man was mostly known for his beautiful voice. With his producer Johnny Franz, Scott Walker created a haunting and breathtaking album.”

“Absolutely stunning album full of superb arrangements. Here, Walker was moving on from simply performing other people’s music with gusto. Scott 4 is one of those records that when you start to listen, it prompts you to have a bit of a lay down and let the music sweep over you. A shame then, that the record was unsuccessful at the time of its release.”

Doctor Dunbar’s Prescription – THE AYNSLEY DUNBAR RETALIATION***

Change Your Low Down Ways/The Fugitive/Till Your Lovin’ Makes Me Blue/Now That You’ve Lost Me/I Tried/ Call My Woman/The Devil Drives/Low Gear Man/Tuesday’s Blues/Mean Old World

Doctor Dunbar’s Prescription was the quick follow up album from the British blues rock group The Aynsley Dunbar’s Retaliation, fronted by the former Bluesbreakers’ drummer.

“This album is traditional blues rock 'n' roll, with the incredible back-beat of its leader the famed Aynsley Dunbar. He has the magic touch when it comes to putting music out. If you like rock 'n' roll blues, you will not be disappointed with this album.”

“A mix of mid-fast tempo blues/rock, with guitar, and some very soft, very slow, heavy, traditional blues ballads, also with guitar and organ.”

“Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation is deep into the night music, these tracks are serious blues from a man who assembled a group as rich and musically diverse as he was. This is no nonsense music, it is not from the heart, this is blues from the soul. Blues like this was made to move you, but Aynsley succeeds in barely giving you enough space between the notes to breath. The music is played low and deep, with a strength that does not require high volumes of power to blast you into compliance, they simply pick up their instruments and strike chords that completely engulf your every sense.”

“Features sublime guitar playing. The band swing on the fast songs (unlike many of their contemporaries, who plodded), and the whole LP oozes class, but with lots of genuine blues feeling.”

“The quality of the music is superb; they really captured the feel of genuine American blues, but manage to stamp it with a distinctly British accent. The tracks are all originals, penned by the group, and evoke the New Orleans/Chicago style of blues. But this is no mere copycat exercise, there is an experimental, jazzy tinge to the sound, sometimes reminiscent of early Jethro Tull or Blodwyn Pig, that adds depth to the music. And I love the lyrics, meaningful and memorable, backed with some classy and elegant musicianship.”

On Stage – JIM REEVES**

Mexican Joe/Yonder Comes A Sucker/Four Walls/I Missed Me/Tennessee Waltz/I Really Don’t Want To Know/ He’ll Have To Go/Walking The Floor Over You/There Stands The Glass/One By One/Guess Things Happen That Way/I Want To Be With You Always/Wildwood Flower/The Blizzard/Your Old Love Letters/Am I Losing You/ Bimbo/Stand At Your Window/Danny Boy

Unfortunately, there are very few recordings of country legend Jim Reeves’ live performances. The only such LP released in the 1960s, On Stage consists of an amateur recording with large chunks of dialogue, and is likely to appeal only to committed fans. (UK:13)

“Amateur recording of medleys with songs impersonating other singers interspersed with dialogue from Jim on stage with The Blue Boys.”

“This album was recorded on stage, live and in the rain at a small park in Pennsylvania."

“I never get tired of listening to this medley. Jim Reeves was such a good musician, and supremely talented.”

“It features what some regard as a somewhat atypical show with abbreviated versions of his songs.”

Get Ready – RARE EARTH***

Magic Key/Tobacco Road/Feelin’ Alright/In Bed/Train To Nowhere/Get Ready

Rare Earth were notable as the first white group to be signed to the Motown label. Get Ready was their first LP release on the label and featured the US No. 4 title track cover. (US:12)

“I'm sure this album always surprises most casual listeners of this band when they first hear it, as it contains some extraordinary fuzz guitar driven commercial hard rock that sounds quite unlike the sound they developed later in their career. Containing a few covers and some great period flavour, as well as a hint of soul, there is also some minor use of horns that shouldn't turn off non-fans.”

“A little overrated, it has the legendary extended version of Get Ready, which tends to overstay its welcome. Tobacco Road and the Traffic cover Feelin' Alright are also good, and a little more surprising is the Savoy Brown cover of Train To Nowhere.”

“The Smokey Robinson penned Get Ready gave the band their biggest hit, with their version surpassing the success of the original. The side long live version confirms the groups potential while on stage; as for the studio material, it provides proof the band had a special flair to rearrange tunes, so that no matter how many times they’d been covered they’d always find something relevant to add. Soulful interpretations and infectious grooves make this an album which is a pleasure to listen to."

“In my opinion this is a progressive rock album filled with soul, blues and funk. There's one of the best version of Tobacco Road, and the other two covers are very good too. And the whole second side is fantastic, which is a very long live version of the title track. Highly recommended to all music fans.”

“White guys playing with an incredible amount of rhythm during the psychedelic era. It makes for a great album.”

"Get Ready starts quietly. At about two minutes it picks up pace. As the song progresses it turns instrumental and the instruments weave patterns with each other. The music is funky in places, harder in others, and sometimes psychedelic. After an extended drum solo the vocals help finish the last minute of the song. Each time I hear this track I always wish it would last longer than its twenty one minutes.”

Monster – STEPPENWOLF***

Monster-Suicide-America/Draft Resister/Power Play/Move Over/Fag/What Would You Do(If I Did That To You)/ From Here To There Eventually

Monster was an overtly political album from Steppenwolf with some bitter comments on American foreign policy. The group's output at this time tended to focus more on quantity than quality. (US:17 UK:43)

“Another very typical example of the sound that made them famous, though put to rather biting socially conscious lyrics this time.”

“Even though Monster is perhaps the most socially and politically minded effort from Steppenwolf, it is an album worth checking out although it is not on a par with their first two LPs. The lyrics appear to be the most venomous in the band's career whilst the three-part title track is very applicable today.”

“Monster is non too inspired and comes from the time when Steppenwolf were releasing two studio albums per year. The Dylan-esque protest-rock, and the political lyrics never did the trick for me, so I consider this is to be minor and quite boring work. From here on the band started putting out sub par stuff, waving their freshest years goodbye too soon.”

“Most of the songs on this album are full of bitterness and sarcasm and bear strong commentary on the American political system, and of course its involvement in the Vietnam War. Kay, as most rockers at the time, was a representative of the rebellious young generation, which looked upon politicians with disgust. As to the music, this is classic rock, well written and well performed.”

“I was rather disappointed by the songwriting on this album. I'm all for social comment and political content in lyrics, but would expect a little more subtlety from Steppenwolf and certainly far better melodies. Move Over is a great track, but otherwise this record is much less to my liking.”

“Lyrically promising but musically the bar is set pretty low, a rushed, unambitious affair by a group that spread itself far too thin, releasing too many albums in too short a time. The album was clearly the most political they released, especially obvious on the long title track. The group seemed to be running out of ideas musically.”

David Bowie/Man Of Words Man Of Music – DAVID BOWIE*****

Space Oddity/Unwashed & Somewhat Slightly Dazed/Don’t Sit Down/Letter To Hermione/Cygnet Committee/ Janine/An Occasional Dream/Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud/God Knows I’m Good/Memory Of A Free Festival

The first mature album from David Bowie, the most creative musical artist of the early 1970s. Album charted a few years later when re-released as Space Oddity. The opening tale of Major Tom is a wonder to behold. (US:16 UK:17)

“This started a creative boom period in which he was blazing new trails. It features many acoustic guitar driven soft rock cuts, as well as a couple of ballads, but also a good hint of the classic Bowie sound that was to become his trademark during the next few years. He was at the top of his game as far as songwriting is concerned.”

“David Bowie dabbles with psychedelic rock on this album. The standout track is the hit Space Oddity where his musical legacy started. If you are into late 60s music, then this album is for you. My favourite tracks are Unwashed & Slightly Dazed and Letter To Hermione; both show a strong songwriter who is ready to make his mark in the world. Although not his best album, it remains one of his strongest.”

“Once you get into it you will be amazed at how wonderful it is. It has everything from pure pop ballad to psychedelic rock and progressive pop to folk. There is no doubt about the highlight, my all time favourite Cygnet Committee.”

“Bowie's first recognised foray into the world of music came with this release, an album which is more of a traditional singer/songwriter record than a glam rock goliath; however it remains a classic with enough style and swagger to still satisfy today's audience. The album shows a real maturity from Bowie.” ,p> “This album basically hints at David Bowie's progressive nature to come with a variety of songs that are wonderful. This is half folk, half progressive, and the results are absolutely jaw dropping. Bowie is one of very few artists that can combine two different genres of music into one and make it sound brilliant. An unusual but beautiful trip to take, with an artist known for the unusual, and I guarantee it's a journey worth taking. A very solid release that must be seen as a landmark in the history of music.”

Live In Las Vegas – TOM JONES****

Turn On Your Love Light/Bright Lights & You Girl/I Can’t Stop Loving You/Hard To Handle/Delilah/Danny Boy/I’ll Never Fall In Love Again/Help Yourself/Yesterday/Hey Jude/Love Me Tonight/Its Not Unusual/Twist & Shout

Live In Las Vegas was a very successful live set from Tom Jones, recorded at the Flamingo Hilton during the height of his international popularity, in an environment that would become his milieu. (US:3 UK:2)

“Tom at full power, a fine live document recorded in Vegas between seasons of his TV show. The songs are great, the band is swingin', the voice is large and in charge whilst the interaction with the audience is at times funny and charming.”

“In my opinion, this is Tom Jones' best live album. He is in excellent shape, and his voice sounds fantastic.”

“This was recorded when Tom Jones was at his best, around the time of his TV show, which means you get arrangements by Johnny Spence, his conductor and arranger from TV. The music is superb, with the rhythm and tempos energetic. Though it was recorded in the late sixties, there is nothing dated about this performance. It is to be enjoyed through the years.”

“It's all live and very cool. Great to hear the between song banter with the audience and get a feel of the concert back in the 60s. He does an amazing version of Danny Boy adding as Tom says, ‘a bit of blues to it’."

“He is one of those performers who is somehow better live than in the studio. When I have been lucky enough to catch his live act I could feel his joy of performing in the air. His recorded live material exudes an indefinable excitement that is not quite captured in the recording studio.”

“It was not Tom's best song selection to do live, yet he still brings them to life and captures the excitement of Vegas when it was truly an entertainer’s Mecca. Those were the days when Vegas shined brighter, and Tom was headlining when singers could actually sing without vocal enhancements, and true live stage entertainers became legends. This will give you a glimpse back into that time when things were so good. I think that anyone looking for a supercharged live album should not look any further.”

Fat Mattress - FAT MATTRESS***

All Night Drinker/I Don't Mind/Bright New Way/Petrol Pump Assistant/Mr Moonshine/Magic Forest/She Came In The Morning/Everything's Blue/Walking Through A Garden/How Can I Live

Debut album from Fat Mattress, a relatively short lived British rock band formed by Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding. Despite performing at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1969 their popular appeal was fairly limited. (US:134)

"This is pure pop, maybe folk pop but certainly not psychedelic anything. Honestly this is nothing but fluff. There is not one memorable tune or what passes for a guitar riff on this entire release."

"This album answers the question of what happened to Noel Redding after he left the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The album is not that bad, the sound of the group has a folk style to it, although not what you might expect from somebody who just left the JHE. Still, there are some nice harmonies, exotic instruments (at least for rock & roll) and some decent songwriting. Overall, a pretty good album."

"This is a psychedelic rock album with some clear folk influences. The sound of this band doesn't resemble the Experience's sound at all. Most of the material is high quality and entertaining, It's a pretty balanced totality and none of these songs feels like filler."

"A good, if uneventful, psychedelic album. Far too much stock has been placed on Noel Redding's role in the album, and I certainly didn't see it as a vehicle for him. Highlights are more than sporadic and the whole record has an air of transcendental grooviness about it."

"First album by British prog band Fat Mattress founded by Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding. The band included skilled musicians and managed to write excellent material, but didn't achieve any commercial success. Although seldom considered as a classic, it is definitely as good as any other stuff recorded at the time and firmly belongs to the proto-prog legacy. Definitely worth investigating."

"I'm pleasantly surprised. Quality psych influence gets trippy with only a few forgettable songs."

Joe Cocker! – JOE COCKER***

Dear Landlord/Bird On The Wire/Lawdy Miss Clawdy/She Came In Through The Bathroom Window/Hitchcock Railway/That’s Your Business/Something/Delta Lady/Hello Little Friend/Darling Be Home Soon

A quick follow up album from blues rocker Joe Cocker which, like his first, is heavily reliant on covers. Joe Cocker! includes the UK No. 10 hit single Delta Lady. (US:11)

“I find this to be a very thorough album although he might have played it a bit too safe. I would like to see more deviation from the standard down south, blues rock sound which was then overly present in popular music. Still the main factor in separating this album, and artist, from a slew of unmotivated, hackneyed blues rock bands is the strong, ruffled, weathered voice of Cocker. When he opens his mouth, something deeply strong is emitted.”

“I fell in love with every track - the rockers are great, but so are the mid-tempo and slow songs. No one else has the ability to interpret like Joe Cocker does.” “Hot studio team and great song selection make this a good disk. Joe screams his head off like a white Ray Charles on acid. Take a stroll down memory lane and play this loud.”

“Joe Cocker has a really beautiful voice that admittedly not one everyone can get into. One can instantly feel the driving power of his voice in his absolute prime. The album also has a soul and gospel feel that is unmatched by any white classic rocker of that generation.”

“Cocker's singing is the main attraction of course, along with his raucous gospel/ R & B sensibilities. These are used to great effect throughout, on both his original material and the covers. To begin with, Cocker has always been the master of cover songs, and there are some gems on this album. The best is George Harrison's Something, and he wisely capitalizes on the great chorus to make this a truly great track. His rendition of Darling Be Home Soon is also quite nice with a great organ solo. The biggest highlights are Hitchcock Railway and Delta Lady. Hitchcock Railway is a seriously awesome and a much underrated tune, Leon Russell's Delta Lady is a little more well known, and is probably the best song on the album. It combines several musical styles, R & B, gospel, classical, and some rock, to create some of the most satisfying songs he's ever recorded.”

Changing Horses – THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND***

Big Ted/White Bird/Dust Be Diamonds/Sleepers Awake/Mr & Mrs/Creation

By the end of the decade the sixties hippie era had started to fade and groups such as The Incredible String Band began to go out of fashion as well as lose their inspiration. Changing Horses disappointed many of their remaining fans. (US:166 UK:30)

“The problem with Changing Horses is that it is a 50 minutes plus album with just six tracks. There are two very long songs White Bird written by Mike and Creation written by Robin. If you don't like these - then you won’t think much of this album. I do and think it should have been their breakthrough.”

“Now personally, White Bird is my all time favourite song and I can’t say enough good things about it. Its just a truly stunning song, from Mike's wonderful vocals, his strongest to date, to Robin's flute and sarangi to the clattering, climactic final chorus, and at just under 15 minutes in length it's more than the equal of anything else they had recorded previously. The other massive song here is the closing Creation. Its probably the most excessive String Band song and its either a product of genius or madness. The only problem with these two songs is that they do tend to overshadow their shorter companions, which is the main stumbling block for this album.”

“Try as I might I find it hard to get into this album. I don't hate it, there are parts of even the longer, completely rambling tunes that I find engaging. Its just find the irritating parts are too common and completely grating. Like that chorus to Dust Be Diamonds.”

“Obviously their first (psychedelic) source of inspiration was flowing away rapidly, leaving the shell of a thought and not the thought itself. Not that it's a bad record - it's just a disappointment after the glory of their earlier records. Most songs are quite good, although it seems that the smile The Incredible String Band presented to the world with this album is a little brittle and forced.”

“This album caused quite a split among the band's fans when it first came out. Some saw it as the culmination of the brilliant hippy weirdness developed over previous gems, to others it was just boring. The epitome or the nadir of The String Band depending on which side of the great divide you fall.”

Mott The Hoople – MOTT THE HOOPLE***

You Really Got Me/At The Crossroads/Laugh At Me/Backsliding Fearlessly/Rock & Roll Queen/Rabbit Foot & Toby Time/Half Moon Bay/Wrath & Wroll

Eponymous debut album from the British rock group Mott The Hoople. After several years in the doldrums they would achieve commercial success during the glam rock years of the seventies. (US:185)

“A very underrated rock album. The manic depressive mix of angry rock and roll and melancholic songs works very well. Perhaps it lacks some originality but, anyway, it's a first album. I don't care about the poor recording quality, or the limited musicianship of the band. This is rock 'n' roll, deeply heartfelt, played loud, without caring about technicalities.”

“Disciples of the Hoople will surely find something to enjoy on their Dylan-esque debut but, with the exception of lone rocker Rock & Roll Queen, it's simply snoozecity for me.”

“Although a lot of these were covers, I still don't think too much harm was done. I suppose the reason they would do covers was to 'cover up' the fact that they were poor songwriters, but I was proven wrong on the classic Rock & Roll Queen.”

“This is a good debut from Mott The Hoople, with a clever mix of folksy ballads and hard driving rock. Mott wear their influences very plainly on their sleeve for this album. Among other artists, I hear Dylan and The Stones. Hunter’s vocals, and the music too for that matter, are pure Dylan. The best original song on the album is probably Rock & Roll Queen which would become a live staple for the band. Mott The Hoople would do better and more interesting albums in the years to come, but this one has no weak tracks and there is a great late sixties feel to it.”

“For a band that were absolute dynamite on stage, their studio recordings were strictly second class. On this album more than any other there is a 'going through the motions' feel that displays a mood of doing a job rather than creating something.” “Mott The Hoople's first album demonstrates the well known vision held by the band of a cross between Dylan and The Rolling Stones. The vision works for about 3/4 of the album, then falls apart when the music loses its focus and wanders aimlessly looking for a tune.”

From Memphis To Vegas – ELVIS PRESLEY****

Blue Suede Shoes/Johnny B Goode/All Shook Up/Are You Lonesome Tonight/Hound Dog/I Can’t Stop Loving You/My Babe/Mystery Train-Tiger Man(Medley)/Words/In The Ghetto/Suspicious Minds/Can’t Help Falling In Love/Inherit The Wind/This Is The Story/Stranger In My Own Home Town/A Little Bit Of Green/And The Grass Won’t Pay No Mind/Do You Know Who I Am/From A Jack To A King/The Fair’s Moving On/You’ll Think Of Me/Without Love

From Memphis To Vegas was the first double album from Elvis. The first half is a live concert in August 1969 at the International Hotel, Las Vegas. The second is recordings from the same Memphis studio sessions as his previous album. (US:12 UK:3)

“I consider the live disc to be the superior of the two halves. In addition to being his first live album, it was also a chronicle of his first live performance in eight years. It was his return to performing in front of his fans that was the true comeback. A satisfying album, the live part is essential, the studio half average.”

“This was a double release of two very different albums. The Memphis part is an above average country release. The selection of songs was good as they match Elvis' voice well. The Vegas half contains some of the best live work that Elvis would release. It is a rocking performance that immediately establishes his energy and engages the audience. This live performance is still worth seeking out as it presents a healthy Elvis Presley at the top of his game.”

“This is Elvis' first live album, and his best. It doesn't feature one single show, but rather highlights from several shows from his August 1969 engagement in Las Vegas. Elvis was really fired up here. He put his all into every song, even the older songs that he tended to sleepwalk through at later concerts.”

“When Elvis returned to play before a paying audience after an eight year layoff he did so with a vengeance. This captured a legend who wished to remind his audience that the fire still burnt. This album is ample evidence of that fire, with an eight minute version of his soon to be number one single Suspicious Minds that astonishes. Some of the ballad arrangements are weak and pedestrian, but no fault can be found with the vocalist or musicians.”

“Even though Las Vegas would later prove to be the bane of his existence, at this initial stage he brings the original rock and roll energy which made him famous.”

Golden Greats Vol. 1 – CLASSICS IV****

Everyday With You Girl/Spooky/24 Hours Of Loneliness/Mary Mary Row Your Boat/Something I’ll Remember/ Change Of Heart/Stormy/Traces/Sunny/Strange Changes/Waves/Soul Train

Golden Greats Vol. 1 was a well timed compilation album from the Florida soft rock group Classics IV who enjoyed several tuneful hits in the US during the late sixties. (US:50)

“Even though they had only a few hits, the Classics IV made their impression in 60s pop with unforgettable songs, and Dennis Yost's distinctive voice.”

“This group, with its patented sound, radio-friendly singles and under-rated lead singer, Dennis Yost, made a strong mark. They weren't together that long, but they produced some hits that are staples of oldies radio.”

“There are only three or four songs that made the charts. However, they are really great ones that are still being played today when lots of other songs have disappeared. These are well written songs that people can relate to. My favourite is Traces which I have always liked. It is a very melancholy song about an old love.”

“Most of Classics IV's late 60s music falls squarely into the 'not really worth the effort' drawer. But in amongst their catalogue of distinctly MOR white soul there is one quite brilliant track: Spooky. Featuring a ridiculously catchy organ riff, beautifully atmospheric vocals, a wonderfully gutsy sax break and a chugging bass line that sounds as though it was recorded in the studio's broom cupboard; it was, and still is, instantly unforgettable.”

“A unique vocal group showing their artistic craft and musicianship at the highest level you could ask for. Great songs, delicate voices and incredible performances.”

“Though the group found their mark with a soft ballad sound, they were not able to continue their success and gradually the chart appearances waned. In spite of a label change in an effort to rejuvenate their chart visibility, their style had become passé and could not hold up during the changing musical tastes of the seventies. During their heyday though, they created a number of very catchy and memorable tunes.”

“These songs are great, though a lot of them do follow the same sort of pattern.”

The World Of – MARIANNE FAITHFULL*****

As Tears Go By/This Little Bird/Summer Nights/Scarborough Fair/Monday Monday/Come & Stay With Me/Is This What I Get For Loving You/Yesterday/Tomorrow’s Calling/In My Time Of Sorrow/Go Away From My World

This is Marianne as we should remember her, not what she became. The budget release World Of was the only compilation released in the 1960s containing all her hits. Was Is This What I Get For Loving You the best single never to make the top twenty?

“These recordings are absolutely essential to almost any serious music lover’s collection. It wrenches you listening to her pure voice and knowing of the personal and vocal decay which spawned so quickly later on.”

“This was the era, of course, in which Faithfull was still a fairly high-voiced pop-folk singer, and not the far earthier one she'd become when she emerged with a much deeper and more gravely voice in her late '70s comeback.”

“Fortunately devoid of the atrocious Sister Morphine or anything from the 70s and 80s when she reinvented herself, these are the songs which made her famous.”

“It's a classic album of mid sixties girl singer, taking on pop hits, and more adventurous material with folk leanings. Her voice has a sweet, pure quality that suggests a certain air of innocence. It's full of passion, but none of the pain that would mark her later recordings.”

“The choice of material is excellent - most of these songs have beautiful melodies and strong hooks, while the lyrics are often poetic too.”

“The production and arrangements perfectly complement her voice, to provide a wonderful listening experience. This is truly the crème de la crème of sixties pop and goes to show that pop music can be timeless too.”

“This is an extremely nice album and shows her at her prime with a very clear and distinctive voice, good songs and accompaniment. A great collection of all the songs you will remember her singing. This was a fabulous nostalgia trip and has been played a lot. If you love the songs of that era then you will want this one very much.”

Engelbert Humperdinck – ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK****

I’m A Better Man/Gentle On My Mind/Love Letters/A Time For Us/Didn’t We/I Wish You Love/Aquarius-Let The Sun Shine In/All You’ve Gotta Do I Ask/The Signs Of Love/Café/Let’s Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye/Winter World Of Love

Last of the classic albums released by Engelbert during the late 1960s. His future releases would never reach the heights of this golden period. Engelbert Humperdinck includes the top twenty hits Winter World Of Love and I’m A Better Man. (US:5 UK:5)

“Engelbert delivers the goods here with some fine renditions of the big hits of 1969. The first side is standard pop hits, with Gentle On My Mind and Jimmy Webb's Didn't We. The second side has a groovy, stirring Aquarius - Let The Sunshine In and ensures that there's more than enough for all Engelbert fans. Another cool album from a fine vocalist.”

“This is real singing, flawless and effortless, the man is a legend. Not like the rubbish that's current now.”

“A masterful control over his voice. Incredible talent with romantic songs.”

“He sings far better than most singers today. Engelbert has an impressive voice that you will never forget.”

“Though some of his other songs may be better known, I've always thought that Winter World Of Love showcased his magnificent voice the best.”

“He is just fantastic. His voice is so beautiful that it enters very deep into your heart and fills you with joy.”

“When you hear the garbage that they call music today, and then listen to Engelbert and his glorious voice, it just breaks my heart that young people don't know the great music we heard when we were kids.”

“I’m A Better Man is an excellent song and his singing marvellous. I wonder why this wonderful Bacharach tune is so rarely heard.”

Return Of Django – The UPSETTERS***

Return Of Django/Touch Of Fire/Cold Sweat/Drugs & Poison/Soulful I/Night Doctor/One Punch/Eight For Eight/ Live Injection/Man From MI5/Ten To Twelve/Medical Operation

Return Of Django was the debut album from the Jamaican reggae group The Upsetters, and consists entirely of instrumentals. The title track was a UK No. 5 hit single.

“The title track has got to be one of the best instrumental reggae songs there is. The album has its formula and sticks to it pretty close. Not all of the songs are as good, some come across as just organ doodling, although it never gets to the point of reminding you of a sleep inducing soul jazz album showing off the organ player. Everyone should have the song Return Of Django though, essential reggae.”

“Wicked ska instrumentals with some innovative organ work. Just listen to that guitar tone too, you see how you can be loud through timbre.”

“Rather average collection of early reggae tunes - not ska, which is way faster and bouncier than the stuff on here. Still, it's got Live Injection and Return Of Django, so though it's largely second-rate it's still fun and more than listenable.”

“This album not only set a standard for how ska should be produced and how it should sound, but also how it should be played. Crunchy, yet clean guitars play along to organ led songs that follow much more than a standard verse-bridgechorus- verse-bridge-chorus formula. This album contains a handful of the many Upsetter classics, notably the title track, as well as Live Injection. This is classic Upsetters the way it was meant to be heard."

“Contains the classic Return Of Django, but the rest of the album gets a bit repetitive.”

“All the songs on this are rocking instrumentals (some of them with eerie opening lines from Lee Perry like on Cold Sweat and Man From MI5) and all the songs are filled with old spaghetti western imagery with sometimes violent sounding solos. Basically this album is just solid rhythms played by an extremely talented band.”

Cookbook – CANNED HEAT***

Bullfrog Blues/Rollin’ & Tumblin’/Going Up The Country/Amphetamine Annie/Time Was/Boogie Music/On The Road Again/Same All Over/Sic ‘Em Pigs/Fried Hockey Boogie

Cookbook was the first compilation album from the boogie band Canned Heat which was slightly premature as it omitted one of their best songs Let’s Work Together. (US:86 UK:8)

“Great Canned Heat set for beginners. Contains some of their most popular songs including Going Up The Country and On The Road Again, plus the standout closer Fried Hockey Boogie. Once you get a taste of this collection, you'll want to search out other Canned Heat albums.”

“I like their two biggest songs, Going Up The Country and On The Road Again, but there is nothing else here that comes close to these standards. The rest is very, very average. Generally compilations are designed to not only bring out a band’s best moments into one place, but also to provide a pleasing taster for those wanting to investigate the catalogue further. It fails on both accounts because there is nothing here that leads me to investigate further.”

“I thought I would enjoy this much more. I still love their classics but the other songs on the album are just so-so. One must be in a mood to hear some simple rock and boogie to get into it.”

“A compilation with a dubious looking title. But despite that, the best way to get the head around Canned Heat is through a compilation, but to say that this is the greatest hits package is just pushing it. From what I know of the bands history they only had two, maybe even three, hits. But not to worry, Cookbook is a reasonable summary of Canned Heat.”

"On The Road Again is pure cool boogie, while Going Up The Country just wants to make you jump in a swamp on a sticky hot day, But, these two songs are where the album peaks. They may be played to death standards, but there is a good reason for this since they were songs that were a cut above many a Canned Heat track, songs which lacked that spark and creativity, though they do contain some feeling. The band had an honest and rooted blues touch, but the songs just were not there to give the band that kick. Sick 'Em Pigs is terrible while Amphetamine Annie stomps along like a zillion other Canned Heat tracks. Time Was, on the other hand, is welcome.”

Manfred Mann Chapter Three – MANFRED MANN CHAPTER THREE***

Travelling Lady/Snakeskin Garter/Konekuf/Sometimes/Devil Woman/Time/One Way Glass/Mister You’re A Better Man Than I/Ain’t It Sad/A Study In Inaccuracy/Where Am I Going

Chapter Three was an interim incarnation of the Manfred Mann saga, sandwiched between the pop of the original group and the later progressive Earth Band.

“Out of left field in 1969 came Manfred Mann Chapter Three. Totally unrelated to the pop years, this was a marriage of jazz and rock. Of course, this was a time when the cross-pollination of these styles held great promise. Many artists dipped into the waters in the next few years. There was some exciting music. Eventually the bandwagon got full and collapsed under the weight of record companies forcing everyone to 'fuse and bland out'.”

“This album drips with menace. Mike Hugg sounds like he has never slept in his life as he sings his way through the doom laden tracks backed by organ, bass, drums and assorted brass. The songs are simple but it is the big brass sound that makes the music exceptional, especially when the structure completely falls apart, in the middle of a tune, into a sprawling avant-garde of honks and squeals which, after dying down the tune, slowly grinds it's way back to the fore again.”

“This is not light listening, it is however one of the most interesting and satisfying LPs. The atmosphere created is claustrophobic but totally demanding. To fully enjoy this you need to appreciate the more extreme side of jazz, squeals and all.”

“Manfred Mann have always struggled for critical, though not commercial, success and if they were ever going to get it, it would have been with this 1969 project. Almost all of the tracks are individually ambitious and impressive. Mann's keyboard playing is almost mind-blowing at times, helped by its dominance in the production. The music tends to be at its best when organ meets the brass section.”

“Manfred Mann leaps from his mod pop days and into the murky waters of the British rock underground. The songwriting is top notch, and you get some great jazz inflicted background music, complete with sax/flute/trumpet solos and a horn section. But it's Mann's cranky organ that puts it all together sending it to a higher level.”

Captured Live At The Forum – THREE DOG NIGHT****

Heaven Is In Your Mind/Feeling Alright/Its For You/Nobody/One/Chest Fever/Eli’s Coming/Easy To Be Hard/Try A Little Tenderness

Captured Live was the first live album from the pop harmony group Three Dog Night recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles in September 1969. Most of their songs were covers which diminished their credibility with rock purists. (US:6)

“Three Dog Night were one of the seventies most popular groups and though most of their songs were composed by other songwriters, the combination of three excellent lead singers and a fantastic backup band, it's no wonder they had more hits than most bands.”

“When I was a kid, I was a die-hard Three Dog Night fan, and this is why. This is a great live album with some of their best songs featuring the deft vocals of the three front men and a really great band to back them up.”

“One thing you cannot accuse Three Dog Night of doing in concert is singing their songs exactly like what you heard on the radio. The singers were certainly slick, but they worked in enough soulful vocal harmonies to give their songs some gravity. Equally important, they picked songs by some pretty good songwriters. They also joined the bandwagon in terms of making songs from the tribal rock musical Hair fit for public consumption.”

“This album shows the world that they were more than just a vocal harmony band. While the vocals here are definitely good, it seems to me Three Dog Night wanted to prove that they could also stand tall with the hard rock bands of the time.”

“Three Dog Night knew which songs to pick and present in the style that would bring them millions of fans, and tons of million selling singles and albums worldwide. All of the members of this group already had years of experience in the music business. On this record, in front of thousands of fans, Three Dog Night, delivered the show.”

“I still to this day use this as my benchmark for judging live albums and live shows I go to see. If you like any of these songs on this album, unless you heard this album, you really haven't heard them yet. These guys took great hit singles and made them so much more. A collection of soul-based derivatives and remarkable techniques, this is an excellent album by a group caught in its prime.”

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid – SOUNDTRACK****

The Sundance Kid/Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head (Vocal)/Not Goin’ Home Anymore/South American Getaway/Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head (Instrumental)/On A Bicycle Built For Joy/Come Touch The Sun/ The Old Fun City/Not Going Home Anymore (Reprise)

The western Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid starred Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The Grammy winning soundtrack album featured songs composed by Burt Bacharach, including the US No. 1 single Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, sung by B. J. Thomas. (US:16)

“Bacharach's score for this Paul Newman/Robert Redford classic is probably his best known film work, as it contains the instant standard Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head which like the similarly infectious On A Bicycle Built For Joy is sung in the film by B.J. Thomas. The rest of Bacharach's score is equally impressive, slyly echoing the great scores of the John Ford westerns of the '40s, in much the same way the film itself plays with the conventions of the genre. Not Goin' Home Anymore, in particular, has the elegiac feel so integral to westerns, while South American Getaway has a bossa nova groove more in keeping with the era in which the film was shot.”

“The stand-out track, to my ears, is South American Getaway. But this is music that stands on its own and would grace any Bacharach album, movie or no movie. Its upbeat wordless vocals are so optimistic, and it would be a joy to see this piece performed live. And the soundtrack also marked the end of Bacharach's compositional brilliance. Bacharach's genius dominated the 60s, but he was only occasionally to regain his form in the 70s and 80s.”

“The only thing that keeps it from five stars is that there are actually only a few themes here and they are re-used in interesting but not spectacular ways. South American Getaway is the standout piece, but Bicycle Built For Joy and the main theme are also quite good. Raindrops is also good, but too much overplayed.”

“Burt Bacharach is pure genius, and this soundtrack is one of his more stellar efforts. My personal favourites are Not Goin' Home Anymore, a great tune, and South American Getaway, an alternating happy-go-lucky and melancholy tune. Of course, three versions of Raindrops is a good thing to have anytime. All in all, a great trip down memory lane and a great example of the genius that is Bacharach.”

Blue Afternoon – TIM BUCKLEY***

Happy Time/Chase The Blues Away/I Must Have Been Blind/The River/So Lonely/Café/Blue Melody/The Train

Blue Afternoon, the fourth album from folk singer songwriter Tim Buckley, consolidated the style of his previous releases. His next albums would be more avant-garde jazz in style. (US:192)

“The whole album is led by Buckley's incredible performances in which his voice becomes an instrument, at one with his own twelve-string guitar accompaniment. The use of exclusively real instruments, subtly amplified to create a spacey feel, adds to the overall mood of languorous melancholy that pervades the record.”

“The album is similar in style to Happy Sad but the tracks are, for the most part more tightly structured, more focused and the instrumentation is less sparse. This album was more of a consolidation of the Happy Sad sound rather than a giant conceptual leap forward, with many of the songs having been written prior to 1969.”

“Blue Afternoon was out and out melodic. Buckley uses slow brewed songs to experiment with melodic chord changes. This album is about hues and textures. Long stretches of gorgeous pastoralism that take on the grandeur of classical music. This is a piece to the Buckley puzzle, and he never made a more beautiful one.”

“Blue Afternoon returns Buckley to a more song based format rather than an album experience. I think this makes for a more monotonous listen as the songs end too quickly and bring me back to reality more than I'd like, and there's not enough variety in the moods to keep me looking forward to the next song.”

“Buckley's deeply sombre, yet rich, operatic vocals really steal the show, but these songs are just marvellous compositions beautifully arranged, with soft percussion, subdued electric guitar, and lovely vibraphone all contributing to the mellow mood.”

“Perhaps a bit too melancholy. I don't think Tim fully fulfilled his potential here, and the album does get a bit tedious unfortunately. That said it wasn't a weak album, just an underwhelming one.”

“Acoustic folk ballads fuelled by Buckley’s multi octave vocal, twelve string guitar and extended into jazzier waters via the pull of electric guitar, upright bass and vibes.”

Bakerloo – BAKERLOO***

Big Bear Folly/Bring It On Home/Driving Bachwards/Last Blues/Gang Bang/The Worried Feeling/Son Of Moonshine

Self titled sole album from the British heavy rock group Bakerloo, featuring blues and psychedelic elements. The trio soon split up with the members joining other groups of the era.

“For the most part it is blues and rock mixed, but with a lot of psychedelic and experimental elements. And best of all, there are some really nicely mixed in jazzy interludes as well, especially in the two first songs. A really nice mix from various genres, and getting it to work in a grooving way.”

“Hard blues rock with some prog and jazz touches. Super guitar work and this LP rocks. Not quite a forgotten masterpiece but this is very good guitar driven hard blues rock.”

“Bakerloo's lone studio album is a strong totality of hard blues rock with great jam sections and hints of progressive rock here and there. And I really like it that some of the songs are pretty lengthy. Album is excellent from start to finish.”

“Rather average work, guitarists like thousands of others do solid English blues. Listenable but not so legendary.”

“Moderately heavy UK blues rock - progressive? Not really, as much of this is blues without too much invention going on. Good moments here and there but not enough heavy for the heavy heads, not enough weirdness for prog/psych folk, and the blues playing is a bit damp and wooden. Average all the way through to my ears.”

“Check this album, because it's interesting heavy blues with elements of psychedelia and prog rock.”

“Fairly typical of so many bands of the time, it is a reminder of how powerful a good, tight, three piece unit can be. Excellent musicianship throughout. The album is fairly typical of the time, with the obligatory extended drum solo and a near twenty minute number. Impressive guitar work from Dave 'Clem' Clempson, who is underrated and rather forgotten in the pantheon of guitar heroes.”

Arzachel – ARZACHEL***

Garden Of Earthly Delights/Azatoth/Queen St Gang/Leg/Clean Innocent Fun/Metempsychosis

Self titled sole album from the British psychedelic group Arzachel. The members would later find greater recognition from their association with the Canterbury progressive music scene.

“Arzachel were a pretty cool band, who shouldn’t be as hidden in the dark as they are at the moment. On this album, I hear Emerson Lake and Palmer like keyboard playing, and even early Deep Purple like blues rock. To me that is enough to declare this album one you really need to hear. Just give it a chance and you'll see its brilliance sneak up on you. When you least expect it.”

“It is unbelievable that none of the musicians on this album had reached twenty years old when they made this record in the late sixties. These are the musicians that later formed, or were members of, groups like Egg, Khan, Gong, Hatfield & The North, National Health, that is, the cream of the Canterbury brand of prog rock. This record stands as an underrated masterpiece of progressive and psychedelic rock, containing some of the most brilliant trippy and instrumental passages in that style.”

“Hard to believe this searing psychedelic rock classic was actually recorded by teenagers. However they were the leading lights of the then developing Canterbury progressive rock scene; a very young Steve Hillage got his start in this band. Full of screaming guitar and over the top keyboards, the album plays more as a spontaneous live set than a studio performance. This, their sole album, is brain frying acid rock and must be considered one of the very first examples of space rock.”

“Taking cues from Pink Floyd and the Canterbury progressive rock scene they'd become attached to, this is a spacey, swirling psychedelic gem.”

“This is a mostly psychedelic rock release with some hints of early progressive rock and Canterbury scene music. Also the heavy psych influences are very clear. Only six songs here but the last two pieces are very long. Clean Innocent Fun and Metempsychosis are just incredible. Those are the biggest highlights but the shorter songs aren't any weaker either. Leg is maybe my favourite of these – a great heavy psych song. Arzachel's lone studio disc is a wonderful totality. If you enjoy psychedelic rock then you must listen to this album.”

Breathe Awhile – ARCADIUM***

I’m On My Way/Poor Lady/Walk On The Bad Side/Woman Of A Thousand Years/Change Me/It Takes A Woman/ Birth Life & Death

Breathe Awhile was the sole album released by the little known British psychedelic group Arcadium. They were linked to the legendary London hippie music club Middle Earth, which was closed after several police raids.

“The music is more derivative of Uriah Heap than Yes. While the playing is pretty tight and often hard/psychedelic rocking, the vocals are some of the weakest and most annoying you will ever hear. There are two long songs, I'm On My Way and Birth Life & Death, but these are more like long jams than progressive suites. Of these two, the former is by far the superior.”

“Remember, this was 1969, prog rock was going through its growing pains, so many bands still stuck to their psychedelic roots, and of course, Arcadium were no exception. The album opens up with the amazing I'm On My Way which starts off slowly, then they start getting into some great jams.”

“Overall Arcadium isn't a bad album. It just isn't outstanding and doesn't represent anything you haven't already heard better played from some other band. Perhaps if they had had more time on their side, and had invested in a better lead vocalist, the story might have turned out differently.”

“These songs really stick with you. There’s an extremely dark and haunting feel to most of them. The opening track I’m On My Way features weird chromatic lines that snarl around you like vines. The guitar tones are indeed of their times, but the high quality of the music helps transcend; superb use of Hammond organ is also a plus.”

“An absorbing, intoxicating proto-prog album with a decidedly downtrodden feeling and flourishes of biting acid guitar, compellingly dark with a tangential songwriting approach that is challenging, but always enriching. They stumble their way through certain passages but always come out the better for it, lush and dynamic with great subtlety and drama.”

“There aren't many bands that managed to melt down heavy rock based psychedelic music with straight forward progressive rock, but Arcadium have done so and in fair success, a solid album.”

Phallus Dei – AMON DUUL II***

Kanaan/Dem Guten Schonen Wahren/Luzifers Ghilom/Henriette Krotenschwanz/Phallus Dei

Phallus Dei was the debut album from the Munich experimental group Amon Duul II. They were pioneers in establishing Germany as a major force for avant-garde electronic music in the seventies.

“This is Amon Duul II's first album, and it's everything that the American psych and freakout bands promised but could not deliver. Furiously surging, ebbing and flowing, the music combines elements of garage rock, avant-garde, psychedelia, and just plain all-out weirdness. All the lyrics are in German but it doesn't matter; what matters is that you will be swept away. Truly psychedelic music, not for the faint of heart, but spiral into the Duulian atmosphere and you may never return.”

"Phallus Dei, the last track of this psychedelic masterpiece, is an extended magnificent jam-session, divided into various movements, always getting the trance way. The middle-section is quite extraordinary, a madness of bongos and Turkish drums side-by-side with savage screams.”

“Phallus Dei introduced the dark, layered space psychedelia that made Amon Dull II one of the most inventive bands of their era. Some of this seems hokey now - the ghost noises on the second track, for example. But for innovation and a blueprint to truly dark underground music, this album has few peers.”

“Phallus Dei is a psychedelic mind-trip that is light-years ahead of most other releases of the era. One big sloppy stew of a musical melange that lacks only a light show and some love beads to complete the sixties experience. And perhaps a ticket for your trip back to Earth.”

“Dissonant and thickly layered, but not once noisy or monolithic. The harmonies and textures are deliciously subtle and ambiguous, but rhythmically the music is forward moving, even rocking. One of Krautrock’s most important statements, Phallus Dei is surprisingly 'rock' but also very unusual.”

“Amon Duul II were an early practitioner of Krautrock, and they were also one of the best. Here we have their gritty, psychedelic sludge-drenched debut, which is still one of the band's best, even if it's a little mad. An epic long trip that seems never to end, but is nonetheless captivating and fascinating."

Get Together With – ANDY WILLIAMS***

My Cherie Amour/You Are/Yesterday When I Was Young/Love Them From Romeo & Juliet/Quentin’s Theme/ Good Morning Starshine/Sweet Caroline/Get Together/More Today Than Yesterday/Put A Little Love In Your Heart/Aquarius-Let The Sun Shine In

Andy Williams ended the sixties with Get Together, an album that features recent pop covers in an unconvincing attempt to make him appear a little more hip to the younger generation. (US:27 UK:13)

“I grew up listening to this album. The music is timeless and Andy's voice is at its best. It fills my soul, lifts my spirits, and takes me back to my childhood in all ways that are good.”

“In 1969 Andy Williams was in the midst of a transition. He turned 40 that year and he was back on NBC with a new show. No longer content to be the tuxedo or sweater clad champion of easy listening, a new Andy Williams emerged. This was a newer, cooler and hipper Andy. Take a listen to this classic album, and get to know a newer view of Andy Williams, a really cool view indeed.”

“His style, his voice, well, it never failed to make me happy or soothe my frayed nerves from the work day. Now whenever I travel long distance in my car, Andy is right there beside me, making the journey so much easier.”

“The Love Theme From Romeo & Juliet is done with great sensitivity; and Good Morning Starshine shows Andy really making the transition from the early 60s to what was then more current music, this time from the musical Hair. Sweet Caroline is one of my very favourites on this LP; Andy does this beautifully and Get Together is yet another terrific cover of a song more hip and happening than Andy had previously performed. Similarly, More Today Than Yesterday, Put A Little Love In Your Heart and still more music from Hair - Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In end the album in a way that leaves me wanting more.”

“Get Together was a typical Andy Williams album of the time, one on which he simply listened to what was on the radio in the spring of 1969 and picked out some tunes he liked -- Stevie Wonder, Neil Diamond, a couple of songs from the musical Hair that had become pop hits. He wasn't particularly effective on such material.”

The Allman Brothers Band – THE ALLMAN BROTHERS****

Don’t Want You No More/Its Not My Cross To Bear/Black Hearted Woman/Trouble No More/Every Hungry Woman/Dreams/Whipping Post

The eponymous debut album from the Southern blues rock group The Allman Brothers. They would become one of the major American rock acts of the early 1970s. (US:188)

“The Allman Brothers' self-titled debut album is an impressive brew of blues, rock, jazz, and even classical influences. Gregg Allman's vocals are fantastic and his organ work blends incredibly well with the twin guitars of his brother Duane and Dickey Betts, setting the stage not only for future Southern bands, but for the jazzrock fusion movement of the mid-to-late-70s as well.”

“Their debut was one of their better studio releases as it fused rock, blues, and even a little jazz into a soulful mix. Gregg Allman has a perfect blues voice and the combined lead guitars of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts made for one of the best combinations in rock history. The album is just about a perfect selection of five original compositions by Gregg Allman, plus two cover songs, that blend into a cohesive unit as each builds upon one another as the album progresses.”

“This album is a testament to the rock/blues music that characterized the early Allman Brothers. Every song is blues centred with Duane Allman and Dickey Betts sharing the lead guitar spotlight, assaulting their respective guitars with powerful blues jams. Gregg Allman supplies the vocals, Berry Oakley the bass, The music stays basic but powerful, with one extended blues guitar lick after another.”

“What a debut album, one of the best of all time. Southern Rock is born, but again it's much more than that. The Allmans didn't just draw from the usual sources. Sure there's blues, and a lot of it. There's soul, funk, and rock, but there's also the element that made The Allmans unique for their time, a very healthy dollop of jazz. And that's what sets The Allmans apart from any other bands from the genre they created. As a band The Allmans are all fantastically talented, Duane and Dickey Betts are both phenomenal guitar players, and Gregg's keyboards are superb and sublime."

“The musicianship is laid-back and mellow but intense at the same time. Every song is strong, a very solid debut.”

Hollywood Dream – THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN***

Hollywood No.1/The Reason/Open The Door Homer/Look Around/Accidents/Wild Country/When I Think/The Old Cornmill/I Don’t Know/Hollywood Dream/Hollywood No. 2/Something In The Air

Hollywood Dream was the sole album from the British one hit wonder Thunderclap Newman. Created by The Who’s Pete Townshend they topped the UK singles chart with Something In The Air. (US:161)

“Even with Something In The Air's anthem status, the rest of the album definitely holds up. Hollywood Dream is a solid musical experience which gets under your skin as the tunes roll along. This album is one to be enjoyed repeatedly over time.”

“The tunes are infectious and will hook you from the beginning. Every song is a surprise, whether through the lyrics or the amazing intertwining of the melodies and many instruments played by these three brilliant musicians, or the clever arrangements. There are juxtapositions of ragtime jazz interspersed with soaring rock guitar solos, obscure Asian instruments and good old Dixieland style horns, which sometimes shift over to jazz and R & B styles.”

“Despite the revolutionary disposition Hollywood Dream is a rather gentle album showing more airy moodiness and halftones than rebellious emotions.”

“Delightful album with a unique sound, a handful of all-time great songs, several more good ones, and a few filler-ish but quite listenable tunes. Something In The Air is rightly recognized as one of the classic singles of its era, but there are a couple that are even better: Open The Door Homer has a similarly great, wondrous vibe and is one of the best Dylan covers ever, and Hollywood Dream is one of the finest three minute pop-rock instrumentals.”

“This is a totally solid album of psychedelic British pop rock. My main beef is that the songs can be formulaic - they all seem to be decent mid-tempo rockers with sudden breaks for contrasting quirky jazz/honky-tonk piano interludes. It works on Something In The Air, but it starts to get a little repetitive elsewhere."

“Trouble is by the time this album came out in Britain the singles and albums markets were considered to be very different and Thunderclap Newman were seen as a 'one hit wonder' and the album was deemed not worthy of serious attention.”

MK II – STEAMHAMMER***

Supposed To Be Free/Johnny Carl Morton/Sunset Chase/Contemporary Chick Con Song/Turn Around/Six Eight For Amiran/Passing Through/Down Along The Grove/Another Travelling Time/Fran & Dee Take A Ride

Follow up album from the British blues rock group Steamhammer. It consists entirely of original songs, with a musical style that includes jazz and progressive rock elements.

“This one contains all the best elements of Steamhammer: great playing, experimentation and an appreciation for a variety of influences. It starts out jazzy, brooding, slow and progresses into a fine tasteful blues jam without being flashy.”

“Steamhammer were a true jam-band that deserve a proud place among their peers. The album has all the right ingredients, including gently grooving mid-tempo rockers, good musicianship and a gradual progression toward dreaminess and longer improvised pieces.”

“They move into a more progressive and psychedelic direction this time even if the album still includes a clear blues rock sound. From the shorter tracks like Johnny Carl Morton to the lengthy jam fest Another Travelling Time, the album sounds great. The album has a bit of jazz sound at times too, which is really nice to hear.”

“This one has much less emphasis on blues material (actually very little). It's got a much more progressive sound, featuring some horns and sax, but retaining the good hard rock influences of their first.”

“Supposed To Be Free and Passing Through are well worth a mention, but the albums killer track has got to be the wonderful Another Travelling Tune which makes this a must have album on its own. From the rambling flute opening through the laid back bluesy guitar riff that follows, this sets the trend for wonderful guitar/sax interplay, with distinctive vocals adding to the mix before the guitar/sax/flute combination takes it through highs and lows to its conclusion. I once heard this described as the first example of progressive blues.”

“Sometimes, the tracks are blues, hard rock and jazzy with excellent sax parts. There are also some psychedelic elements revealed by the harpsichord and typical fuzzy guitar notes. The omnipresent hard rock/bluesy electric guitar has a pretty conventional sound: there are some good solos, but the sound is a bit subdued.”

Spanky’s Greatest Hit(s) – SPANKY & OUR GANG****

Sunday Will Never Be The Same/Makin’ Every Minute Count/Lazy Day/Commercial/It Ain’t Necessarily Bird Avenue/Everybody’s Talkin’/Sunday Mornin’/Like To Get To Know You/Give A Damn/Three Ways From Tomorrow/Yesterday’s Rain/And She’s Mine

A fairly comprehensive compilation album from the sunshine pop vocal harmony group Spanky & Our Gang. At their best they encapsulated the idealistic spirit of the era. (US:91)

“An ethereal blend of voices, horns, strings, poetic lyrics, and a folk-rock beat, all dreamy harmonies and overtones. As with every outstanding band, Spanky & Our Gang's sound was more than the sum of its parts, and this elusive quality shines through in all their songs.”

“As harmony groups go, Spanky and Our Gang were quite a combination of talent. All six members contributed vocals to a blend of pop, rock, folk, country, blues and jazz material. Their hits were mostly upbeat sunshiny tunes that sounded great on radio.”

“Unfortunately for Spanky and Our Gang, their music was so vocally and instrumentally intricate that most cover groups can't reproduce their sound. Because of that, you don't hear these hits performed very often by others. As a result, they aren't remembered as much as they should be. Too bad, because Spanky and Our Gang were truly one of the more talented and sophisticated groups of the era.”

“There was really nothing this group could not sing. They succeeded at everything they did, jazz, pop, Broadway, blues. Sure, Spanky was the lead voice, but all of the group were very talented and willing to experiment.”

“In my opinion, they can't do wrong. And you can't go wrong listening to this terrific band at their best. They're songs are timeless and they are one of the greatest sounds to come out of their era.”

“Well-crafted sixties' sunshine pop featuring some winning, inventive five and six part jazz harmonies. Spanky and Our Gang were one of the better and more successful folk/soft-rock vocal groups that featured a strong female lead in the late 1960s. If you like sweet harmonies by great vocalists, you won't be disappointed by this album.”

Sea Shanties – HIGH TIDE***

Futilist’s Lament/Death Warmed Up/Pushed But Not Forgotten/Walking Down Their Outlook/Missing Out/ Nowhere

Sea Shanties was the debut album from the British hard rock band High Tide. They were unusual in that equal prominence was given to the violin as to the electric guitar.

“Sea Shanties is a relentless barrage of rock, the rhythm section is tight and heavy, the guitar is mind-blowingly intricate and gnarly, and the effect-laden violin matches the lead guitar in weight, making High Tide a unique hybrid in rock history. This is definitely doom rock.”

“Yes it is raw, recorded live in the studio, to try and capture the 'in performance sound'. Always difficult to do that. The violin and guitar interplay is great.”

“This is really great hard rock from 1969. The songs are extended, though the chord structures pretty chunky and basic, and lo and behold, they have a violin.”

“The violin played an important role in the sound, here for the most part, it is a novelty. Vocals are muddy and buried and not that interesting when they surface anyway. When they slow down and avoid the screech factor you see what might have been, then they kick the bombast in again. Sadly I found myself checking my watch too frequently during the long songs.”

“What makes High Tide different from similar bands was how the violin played on the same level as the electric guitar, in terms of loudness and soloing time.”

“High Tide were probably one of the most interesting hard rock bands to come out of the late 60s. They're certainly a very heavy, intense and imaginative head trip.”

“About as heavy as an album could get in 1969 without being full-on proto-metal, High Tide's secret weapon are the nuanced violin performances. This touch of gentle class amid the band's whirlwind of acid-drenched fuzz creates an intoxicating brew.”

“This disc is filled with very powerful and very heavy music for it's time. The overall sound is still really psychedelic even though clear progressive and jazz fusion elements can be heard.”

Renaissance – RENAISSANCE***

Self titled debut album from the British progressive group Renaissance formed out of the remnants of The Yardbirds. After splitting the band would reform in the early seventies, but without any of the original members. (UK:60)

“The dominant forces were co-founders Keith Relf and Jim McCarty. The duo had been the psychedelic half of the final line up of The Yardbirds. This means that in terms of musical history, Renaissance are the counterpart to Led Zeppelin of the groups that sprang up from their demise.”

“The long opening track Kings & Queens is one of the highlights of the album. There is also much flavouring from eastern music and psychedelia. Jane Relf sings on Island and Wanderer. Keith's vocals are reminiscent of his Yardbirds days on the longest track Bullet, which incorporates a heavy dose of psychedelia in his wild harmonica solo and an eastern music type chant, set over a great jazz and classically fused piano.”

“Although Jane Relf looks very like Annie Haslam in every picture of this incarnation of Renaissance, most of the vocal work is done by brother Keith, and the sound, is dominated by his guitar work. The result is that, like the later classic Renaissance, this record is dominated by quiet jamming on piano and lyrics, that often betray a significant social consciousness.”

“While Renaissance features quite a bit of keyboard work and longer tracks, this album is remarkably unpretentious and very listenable. Kings & Queens and Innocence are sophisticated, yet aggressive tracks, which sound like a progressive folk version of The Yardbirds.”

“The original group just about managed to scrape out a couple of albums before they imploded, and this one is a fine piece of early symphonic prog. Pianist Jim Hawken's playing is prominent in the mix, and the ethereal vocals of brother and sister team Keith and Jane Relf have a quality to them which hadn't been seen much before in rock music.”

“An ambitious and novel prog rock idea, but mostly missing the mark. There are far too many classical piano passages, supported by too little interesting material.”