Top 10 for 1967

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground & Nico

Classic Rock | Album | 12 March 1967

The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut studio album by The Velvet Underground and the German singer Nico. The album was recorded in 1966 on Ludlow Street, New York while the band were featured on Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable tour. Warhol, who designed the album's record sleeve, served as co-producer alongside Tom Wilson.

Pink Floyd
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Classic Rock | Album | 5 August 1967

Cream
Disraeli Gears

Classic Rock | Album | 2 November 1967

The Rolling Stones
Their Satanic Majesties Request

Classic Rock | Album | 8 December 1967

Love it or hate The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band' is widely regarded as one of the most important albums in popular music. Upon its release in May 1967 popular music shifted slightly, and every band raced to release their own swinging 60s masterpiece. The Rolling Stones were no different, and anticipation was high for the oddly (and controversially titled) Their Satanic Majesties Request album upon release in December that year. Instead of being overwhelmed with the riches within, most fans felt the complete opposite - and for good reason. This wasn't an album that could even come close to competing with The Beatles, or even The Stones themselves for that matter. 'Sing This all Together' is an odd sing-along ditty opener that feels like a writing-in-progress jam. Just as it wakes up, it seems to lethargically crawl back to bed without generating much excitement. 'Citadel' is a big improvement, but feels rather dated - as though it had escaped from a tape recorded a couple of years earlier. 'In Another Land', Bill Wyman's sole vocal performance for the band, is an odd psychedelic track that feel more at home amongst the early Syd Barrett Pink Floyd recordings than The Rolling Stones. It is an interesting song, but still far from being worthy of being released as the first single from the album (as it was in the U.S.). '2000 Man' is the closest this album comes to 'classic' Stones, and it is certainly a stand out track. The chorus is horribly overproduced, but it still was of enough interest to the world that KISS later covered it on their Dynasty album. The reprise of 'Sing This All Together' is totally pointless, and the limited charm the first version had is totally missing here. This is filler, pure and simple - and over 8 minutes of it. Side two opens with the diamond in the rough, the only real jewel in the album's crown. 'She's A Rainbow' bursts to life, and although it does reek of 60s styling, it's a timeless song all the same. This is evidence that behind the experimentation of the album (and the clear rush to get something on the shelves before Christmas), the songs had some potential. 'The Lantern' is lacking any punch, and although it is actually one of the better tracks on the album - still feels like it is not fully realised. It again adds to the felling that this is all a bit rushed. 'Gomper' is a 5 minute 'freak-out' mess, and is potentially the worst song the band ever put their name to. It was seen as cool and progressive to introduce Indian instruments into you songs during that era, even if they had no real reason being there. This is a great example of that, feeling more like the song was built around the sounds of the instruments than anything harmonic or melodious. Anyone not on acid at the time of their first listen must have been wondering exactly what they were listening to here. If this wasn't psychedelic enough for you, here comes '2000 Light Years From Home', easily the most 1967 of the songs here. The Hammond organ could be from no other time period. It is actually an endearing track though, and is certainly more listenable than the preceding 5 minutes. 'On With The Show' ends the album, and would actually be a fun ending if the rest of it was better quality. Sounding like a drunken cabaret announcer, Mick Jagger urges the listener to enjoy themselves as the band will now play through some old standards, and if by chance you are too drunk - they'll send you on your merry way in a cab. How many people in December 1967, after laying down their hard earnt money to buy this album, must have wondered if the band themselves should have probably taken that cab ride home rather than record any of this? Whether we like it or not, as fans we have to sometimes accept that good bands are capable of making bad albums. When this is the case though, usually you will hear cries of 'if any other band has made this it would be held in higher regard!', and that is often true. When it comes to this album though, it is just plain bad regardless of who made it. This is the sound of a band chasing a trend instead of staying true to themselves, and the simple fact that when the band re-emerged 6 months later they released the back-to-basics 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' shows that even they realised that.

The Doors
Strange Days

Classic Rock | Album | 25 September 1967

'Strange Days' is the second studio album by The Doors. It arrived only eight months after their self-titled debut album. After the latter's successful release, the band started experimenting with both new and old material in early 1967 for their second record. Upon release, It reached number three on the U.S. Billboard 200, and eventually earned a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The all-important second album by The Doors arrived a mere eight months after the first. After the success of the debut the band could have followed a similar formular with album number 2, but although there are some similarities, for the most part this is an album standing on its own feet. Starting gently with the winding keyboard notes of Ray Manzarek, the title track opens the album with a gentle nudge, but once the intense punch of the wordless chorus hits - the song really finds its own. In fact, the whole song minimises it use of lyrics, with Jim Morrison's warbling, processed voice almost becoming another instrument of its own. The carnival bass line drives the track forward, and at just over 3 minutes it is stunning opener. 'You're Lost Little Girl' follows next in the track order, but not in style, as the song is wholly its own. The moody guitar line is the focus of the track, and again Morrison's vocals take a back seat as he croons through the uplifting chorus. The musicians play off each other perfectly, and 'Love Me, Two Times' (arguably the most well-known track on the album) is another guitar showcase, but the keyboard wrap around the guitar line so perfectly is almost unfathomable. This is another side of the band, a bar-room blues themed shuffle, and the jarring chords at the end of each chorus shake the listener out of their comfy shell. Things get odd with 'Horse Latitudes', a track that feel like Morrison has finally been unleashed to be himself for the first time. As the poet steps up to the microphone and barks redemption like a deranged preacher begging his flock to find salvation, the soundscape behind swirls in and out of view. It is a minute and half of madness which some will enjoy and others no doubt will despise. 'Moonlight Drive' returns to the simplicity of the earlier tracks, and has some great slide guitar work to carry it. It is reportedly the first song written by the band back in 1965, and isn't particularly strong on its own, but its charm works perfectly in its placement here. Side 2 opens with the classic 'People Are Strange', although it is likely most people first heard it via Echo & The Bunnymen's version that featured in the film The Lost Boys. It returns to the rollicking bar-room vibes, a theme the band would continue to mine into the future. 'When The Music's Over' is an epic closer, which is very reminiscent of the final track from the band's debut album, 'The End'. At a quick glance is seems like a clone, but repeat listens reveals the track is far much genuine than that. Unlike its spiritual successor it has many turns and a number of sharp dynamic twists. It is structured beautifully, and the 11 minute play-time passes by without any low points or drag. There are live recordings of the song reaching back into the year prior, so this wasn't a track thrown together to suit the album. It always had a life of its own. With Morrison cycling through multiple 'movements' the track is exhausting, and a perfect ending to the suite. As with the debut, the album is perfectly produced by Paul Rothchild, weaving the instruments together into a single fabric, but not even his production can save the album from a few spots of tempo-fatigue, as each track pours out at similar speed. Morrison's vocals are restrained, and at this point he could still sing in the syrupy croon pre his meddling addictions. His lyrics are not as impenetrable as other albums, and his poetry is in more of a conventical lyrical style. The Doors as a band was bigger than the sum of its parts. It was four great musicians coming together to transcend their individual abilities, and in many ways Stange Days is like that also. Ten mostly simplistic songs that alone are somewhat unspectacular, but sequenced together they form a perfect storm and create a unique and compelling album.

The Doors
The Doors

Classic Rock | Album | 4 January 1967

Bob Dylan
John Wesley Harding

Classic Rock | Album | 27 December 1967

The Beatles
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Classic Rock | Album | 1 June 1967

'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' is the eight album by The Beatles. It is regarded by musicologists as an early concept album that advanced the roles of sound composition, extended form, psychedelic imagery, record sleeves, and the producer in popular music. The album had an immediate cross-generational impact and was associated with numerous touchstones of the era's youth culture, such as fashion, drugs, mysticism, and a sense of optimism and empowerment. Critics lauded the album for its innovations in songwriting, production and graphic design, for bridging a cultural divide between popular music and high art, and for reflecting the interests of contemporary youth and the counterculture. The first Beatles album to be released with the same track listing in both the U.K. and the U.S., it spent 27 weeks at number one on the Record Retailer chart in the United Kingdom and 15 weeks at number one on the Billboard Top LPs chart in the United States. In 1968, it won four Grammy Awards, including Album Of The Year, the first rock LP to receive this honour; in 2003, it was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. It has topped several critics' and listeners' polls for the best album of all time, including those published by Rolling Stone magazine and in the book All Time Top 1000 Albums. More than 32 million copies had been sold worldwid and it remains one of the best-selling albums of all time.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Axis: Bold As Love [U.K. Edition]

Classic Rock | Album | 1 December 1967

The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Are You Experienced [U.K. Edition / Mono]

Classic Rock | Album | 12 May 1967

The fifth month of 1967 was a complex and vibrant time musically. All eyes were on The Beatles, and the psychedelia of Sgt. Pepper would see the light of day in just under a month. The times were a-changin', and many albums over the next year would change the rock landscape forever. One of those was the arrival of Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Fronted by American born Jimi Hendrix, a guitar virtuoso like no one had ever seen before - or ever would again, the power trio was the talk of the London underground at the time of their debut album's release. Recorded in dribs and drabs over a 6 month period as the songs appeared and the money accrued, it was at the forefront of the musical change brewing. Although it sounds dated at times today, it still holds its place as an essential album. It is amazing to think that upon its release in the U.K. it was only available in mono, and stereo mix did not appear until 1970! Although the album does suffer somewhat from the one dimensional sound mono produces, the album still manages to build excitement. The album opens with a burst of feedback and 'Foxy Lady' rumbles out the speakers. These days the song is a staple of classic rock, but in 1967 this rough and ready song must have sounded like it was coming from outer space. The bassline weaves in and out of the guitar riff and the whole track drips with a slinking sexiness. 'Manic Depression' really kicks the album into gear, and the song is more proto-heavy metal than anything Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin ever produced. Its rhythm drags you along for the ride, and Hendrix now really starts to showcase his chops with a shredding solo like nothing else in its time. The blues of 'Red House' are an even better case for the skills of the guitarist, but it could be said that blues licks like these were everywhere in London at that time, with Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page both showing this type of skill in many a club on any Saturday night. The charm of the song really lies in the delivery, with Hendrix pining for his lost love, only to then casually mention her sister will probably be interested anyway. It is great window into his cheeky personality. 'Can You See Me' is another great rock song, bristling with energy. 'Love Or Confusion' slows the pace a little, and shows that the band aren't one trick ponies. The song has more depth, both musically and lyrically. It is also one on Jimi's best vocal performances on the album. 'I Don't Live Today' jolts you back into the chaos, and closes side A with a great track that really showcases the psychedelic side of the band. Even the solo is uncontrolled and free, and is probably the least technical of any solo on the album, showing that even though anything was possible Hendrix still believed in restraint. It all ends in a burst of controlled feedback - or a 'freak out' if you had heard it on release. The gentle 'May This Be Love' opens side B, and is an amazingly crafted ballad. The melody bounces as if on streams of air, and the guitar tone never approaches anything too jagged, instead keeping a perfectly balanced sound throughout. The solo is flowing and tasteful in a way that only a master could construct it, and weaves itself into being part of the composition. 'Fire' is another well-known classic, but here it is a welcome return to the band's heavier side after such a beautiful sonnet. It has been placed here deliberately so its effect can hit with full force, and it does. The lengthy '3rd Stone From The Sun' is instrumental (if you ignore the warped and distorted 'alien' voices and spoken passages that were dubbed in later). It all starts a little drab, but lifts once it finds its groove. As one of the earliest compositions attempted at the album's sessions it was obviously near and dear to Hendrix's heart (he was an avid fan of science fiction), and his electric soloing carries it from being average. It is often noted as potentially the only filler on the album, but it does feature certain compositional moments that are worth paying attention to, such as the double-speed middle section. 'Remember' leads the album toward its conclusion and is a somewhat throw-away blues number. The U.S. version of the album (that featured a very different track list) chose to emit this track, and probably for good reason. The album's title track brings it all home, with a its weird tone (created using backward tape loops). This is psychedelic Hendrix at his best, both lyrically and musically. The guitar solo is even played backwards, but still fits compositionally, something only the brain of Jimi Hendrix could possibly devise. Restrained by both the studio limitations of the era and the mono mix these songs feel like there is more potential here than is realised. Add to this the buzz around Hendrix in London at the time (he had already outplayed Clapton while guesting with Cream) and the guitar work must have sounded somewhat muted. Make no mistake though, as it was obviously devised that way. The stage was where The Experience would really make a name for themselves, especially in those early days of destroying guitars and playing with teeth, but Hendrix knew that an album would last forever, and he had no intention of making it a showcase of gimmicks. Although not every track here is gold standard, it shows a man (who less than six months earlier had never written a song) finding his place and his muse. The future would see more ambitious compositions, but like every debut album by any artist, this album alone holds a certainly charm Hendrix never again achieved on tape. Move over Rover, let Jimi take over.

TheBigBlack's Rock Honourable Mentions

The Beatles
Magical Mystery Tour [Mono]

Classic Rock | E.P. | 27 November 1967

'Magical Mystery Tour' is a double E.P. by The Beatles. It is the soundtrack to the 1967 television film of the same name.

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