Wednesday, May 4, 2016

The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man (1965)

7/10

Best Track: "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better"

Coming out a few months before The Beatles' Rubber Soul, The Byrd's Mr. Tambourine Man represents a huge step forward for pop music in 1965. "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" prophetically foreshadows the classic rock of the 1970's to come a decade later.

The Beach Boys - Today! (1965)

7/10

Best Track: "Please Let Me Wonder"

According to Wikipedia, this is the first album Brian Wilson wrote while smoking marijuana, which is cool.

The Sonics - Here Are The Sonics!!! (1965)

6/10

Best Track: "Strychnine"

Wild.


The Who - My Generation (1965)

7/10

Best Track: "My Generation"

Tasty early album by The Who. There are a few great lesser-known tracks on this record (Much Too Much, It's Not True).

Otis Redding - Otis Blue (1965)

6.5/10

Best Track: "Respect"

An extremely enjoyable listen with great performances.

The Beatles - Help (1965)

6.5/10

Best Track: "Help!"

The high points of "Help!" are incredibly high, but overall the album falters in some areas.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (1965)

7/10

Best Track: "Subterranean Homesick Blues"

Similar to Freewheelin', Bringing It All Back Home features some of Dylan's best material, but as a whole the album lacks cohesion. While no songs on this album are bad, there is a noticeable gap between the good songs and the great songs.