by Peter and Gordon (1965)There’s something so day dreamy about sad British invasion ballads. In some way, they meld together in a golden oldie station haze but when you stop to listen to one, like the Peter and Gordon hit I Go To Pieces, it’s easy to feel like teen nursing a broken heart (in a good way).
by Cream (1967)Man, Disraeli Gears is a fantastic album. It may be less bluesy and more psychedelic (that cover art isn’t lying) than my favorite, Fresh Cream, but the number of singularly amazing songs on this thing is astounding.
While songs like Take It Back, Tale of Brave Ulysses, Dance the Night Away, World of Pain, Sunshine of Your Love, and Strange Brew (I told you there are some doozies) represent the best of the experimentation with traditional music of the 60’s they are still timeless.
I vividly remember hearing my dad play Strange Brew as a child and having my little world rocked. It still makes me feel transported to someplace wild.
Many bands claim to be “super groups” but Cream was truly super.
Also, somehow this album goes perfectly with the weird weather.
by Saul Bass and Leonore Klein (1962)Ever wonder what Saul Bass would do with a children’s book? Well, wonder no more because he illustrated one called Henri’s Walk to Paris.
It’s predictably delightful with unique designs and charming colors.
It’s also quite fun to read to Van saying “Hon-reee’s walk to Par-eeee!”
Thanks to Brain Pickings for calling our attention to this tiny masterpiece.
by Marianne Faithfull (1965)Marianne Faithfull is well known for her later period of husky voiced experimentation.
This compilation of her earlier folk songs recorded live for the BBC, Marianne Faithfull Live at The BBC, sheds light on her younger days as a singer and public figure beyond her kinky exploits with Mick Jagger and lovely hit As Time Goes By (though it’s included).
These are several covers and her floating voice usually lends a soft melancholy. I prefer her version of the Herman’s hermits hit Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat.
Many tracks begin with oh so polite interviews and quaint commentary about her life – having a child, getting married, her parents etc. It makes the crassness of modern pop icons more glaring.
This is mini skirt and flowers in your hair music. I particularly love the original The Sha La La La Song and This Little Bird. Even if some of her folkier numbers leave you unmoved, these will win you over.
Various Artists (but Kubrick’s vision) (1968)An epic soundtrack to an awe inspiring film.
Listening to the 2001: A Space Odyssey Soundtrack will make your day seem significant and very weird.
And while we’re at it, how awesome is this monolith action figure?
by The Searchers (1964)Been very into The Searchers’ catchy tune “Needles and Pins” lately.
Was surprised by all the covers I never knew existed: The Ramones, Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks?!
Also had no idea it was originally sung by Jackie Deshannon at a slower pace. All are worth checking out.
Not as much? The weird 1989instrumental “club remix”.
by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band (1966)Part One by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band began and it was like putting on a long time favorite album that I had never heard before.
While the Zappa cover Help I’m a Rock grates me in the same way Syd Barrett’s ode to bikes and Donovan’s to his shirt do, incredibly lovely songs like the first two tracks Shifting Sands and I Won’t Hurt You took hold of me completely. I am in love with this album.
I’ll bet money that within a year you will be hearing this in those hip bars. It’s just so lovable, cool, odd, and best of all (in many peoples opinions) a bit of a secret.
But wait! That’s not all. Not only are you getting the scoop on a highly listenable album that rivals (my favorite band of the era) The Animals but you get one hell of a back story.
See, The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band was a pet project of one Bob Markley, a trust fund jerk (according to band mates) who wanted to be a rock star and had the money to kind of make that happen.
After minimal success he then went on to play the part of a beach dwelling bohemian, landing in hot water with young girls, then even hotter water with some lady in Detroit and ended Howard Hughes style nuts sitting on tons of inheritance in an insane asylum. Read all about it here.
directed by Joseph Losey (1963)The quietly strange film The Servant grabbed my attention with subtle and indefinable tension. For an hour or so, I couldn’t quite tell why I was so intrigued.
This complex take on class struggle based on the novel by Robin Maugham, written by Harold Pinter, concerns an oblivious upper class young man named tony who has vague plans to make lots of money clearing Brazilian rain forests but can’t pour his own brandy.
Enter Hugo Barrett, a seemingly devoted manservant who slowly becomes integral to Tony’s existence. Bogarde’s performance is key to the movies success. he plays a soft spoken servant hiding the cruelty of a master manipulator. He’s both creepy in his surprising viciousness and alluring in his brazenness. Even naked in silhouette he’s fascinating to watch.
Inventive Cinematography, great use of music (“All Gone”, sung by Cleo Laine), and constant visual and palpable tension make this movie more than a mere social class allegory. It’s also quite beautiful, quietly homoerotic (though this might only be my interpretation) and one of those films that really gets under your skin.
On Netflix instant.
on NBC, but not for LongThe success of Mad Men, which let’s face it, is the only reason this thing exists, yielded many lessons.
To name a few: people appreciate a fine attention to period detail, audiences can deal with deliberate paced and unconventional plot lines, that characters don’t have to be stereotypes to be interesting.
The only thing The Playboy Club seemed to gleam from it though was to get someone who sounds exactly like Don Draper. Close your eyes and listen – that guy must have listened to nothing but those Mercedes Benz ads for weeks to prepare for the role.
Otherwise, this is drivel. Young girl with big dreams, mobsters, a narration by Hugh Hefner from beyond the grave. No doubt the creators saw Scorsese in their ideas. More accurately, they brought Burlesque to the small screen without the camp and wagon wheel watusi. Which is a truly boring thing to see.
Van turned it off several times. Even babies aren’t impressed and they light up when a Pillow Pets commercial comes on.
by Peter Paul and Mary (1965)Peter Paul and Mary are mostly known for their hits Leaving on a Jet Plane (yay) and Puff the Magic Dragon (ehh) but See What Tomorrow Brings displays the trio’s diversity and their signature beautiful harmonizing.
From the bluesy lament of forbidden love in Tryin’ to Win to the medieval awesomeness of one of my favorites (obviously), Hangman (which of course makes me think of this gallows folk song) SWTB shows range.
I am also happy to find that it’s all refreshingly new to me. Even songs I am familiar with and associate with other singers (like The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face which belongs to Roberta Flack) are fun to hear in a new way.
In a prolific 50 year career, this album seems to have almost been forgotten but it is a fine folk experience that deserves to be remebered.