What were my 10 favorite great rock albums that were either forgotten or hardly known by the rock community at large during 1965-‘75?
Last Updated: 25.06.2025 03:17
The Byrds : “Younger Than Yesterday” (1967)…Rightly overshadowed by my beloved Beatles “SFF” bw “PL” & later “Sgt. Pepper’s” this gem while not the Byrds most consistent album deserved better than it got. Including highlights “Everybody’s Been Burned” “Why” “Thoughts and Words” & Dylan’s “My Back Pages” & “Renaissance Fair” If only Gene could’ve been involved.
“Let’s Take a Sea Cruise with Frankie Ford” (1960)…They took a white pretty boy dropping him in the middle of a New Orleans studio with Huey “Piano” Smith & Clown’s discovering the kid could sing out the top of his head. Frankie’s big hit was the 1959 ebullient joy of “Sea Cruise” but there was not a bum track to be found on this shamefully overlooked rock and roll debut masterpiece. Highlights were “Sea Cruise” “Roberta” & “What’s Going On” this LP was that rare pre-Beatles & Dylan moment when a album wasn’t just a few hit singles padded with subpar filler. A+
Kaliedescope : “Side Trips” (1967) & “A Beacon From Mars” (1968)…Epic records label mates of 70s era Spirit crafted two mind blowing psychedelic masterpieces that demand inclusion in any comprehensive rock or music library, these cats blended traditional Middle Eastern sounds with rock and roll, blues, jug-band, Cajun & psychedelia, hell these cats even brought fine looking belly dancers on stage to heighten their live performances albeit along with all the essential sounds there was a dark fatalism that hung over the bands music, sort of like Appalachian snake handlers and/or Indian snake charmers.
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The Lovin’ Spoonful : “Do You Believe in Magic” (1965)…A bit of a stretch because of its mid-sixties popularity. One of sixties rock best debut albums, the self titled lead off single remains one of rock’s most transcendent moments but there was no bad cut on this marvelous lost classic. The former NYC jug-heads could do it all including blues, pop, hard rock, garage, ballads even prehistoric country rock (a full two years before Byrds “Time Between” & “The Girl With No Name”) & the Lovin’ Spoonful did it with great style & finesse, besides after 11/22/‘63 we didn’t need any more darkness & the Beatles initiated healing from England while the Byrds, Young Rascals & Lovin’ Spoonful delivered stateside. A perfect album.
Hackamore Brick : “One Kiss Leads to Another” (1970)…With a definite nod to 1969-‘70 Velvet Underground this NYC quartet created a one off masterpiece of superb hard edged pop brilliance.
Black Sabbath : “Vol.4” (1972)…Except for those of us “in the know” and/or “ in the biz” Black Sabbath was mostly a well kept underground radio secret through much of the seventies, regardless I was hip to Tony Iommi & his boys from day one & made damn sure to slide some oh so heavy Black Sabbath rock in during my 1969-‘77 radio slot & this album has always been a favorite, it reminded me of a heavier rock “Exile on Main Street” with its coke fueled dark, murky & claustrophobic yet Ali gut punch sound.
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“Blondie” (1976)…Little Egypt lives! This excellent retro sixties debut has always been my favorite Blondie album before that 70’s new wave radio friendly sound took full precedence. A good one indeed.
The Belmonts : “Cigars, Accapella, Candy” (1972)…Dion’s former back-up singers put together a rare moment in rock and roll history after the roots of 50’s street corner harmony was gone, this was the sound of teens forced to become men & enjoying every second of it. Highlights were “My Sweet Lord” (yes, that one) “Rock and Roll Lullabye” “Na-Na-Na Hey-Hey” (Kiss Him Goodbye) & the still unbelievable 9 part “Street Corner Symphony” all of it was no band, no hits just heavenly harmonies recalling a time in rock and roll that was sadly gone. More than essential to any comprehensive rock library.
Actually I went over 10 stopping at my Lucky 13 choices & went back to 1960 because Frankie Ford’s album was a must of good old New Orleans rock and roll.
Amon Duul ll : “Yeti” (1970)…A watershed moment in West German rock, Frank Zappa literally turned me on to this band during a 1970 interview I conducted with him, Zappa championed the band with this praise quote unquote “Amon Duul ll with a little more organization could well become the world’s greatest band” now I didn’t go that far but I will say “ Yeti” was a great album to ignite my ongoing passion for West German bands. Thanks FZ! 5/5 stars
“The Notorious Byrd Brothers” (1968)…As hard as it might be to believe this masterpiece was the Byrds acknowledging “Sgt. Pepper’s” a few months prior & except for the most dedicated Byrds freaks (like myself) was mostly snubbed by the sixties rock community, oddly enough those snubbers missed out on the Byrds most consistent & most accomplished record album.
Beach Boys : “Wild Honey” (1967)…Brian Wilson & his band went back into the studio after creating perhaps rock’s most overrated album “Pet Sounds” waxing a blue eyed soul masterpiece and if anyone thought those wonderful harmonies were gone listen to “Country Air” & the hit “Darlin’
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In somewhat chronological order…
Randy Newman : “Good Old Boys” (1974)…I fucking cherish Randy Newman! Nobody talked more real shit during the 1970’s than Randy Newman & on his third masterpiece in 4 years Randy crafted arguably his best record, it was this concept album that savaged the narrow minded Southern racist redneck community like nothing before or since. Indispensable.
Persausions : “Chirpin” (1977)…Another rareity in the history of rock and roll’s past, a masterpiece of accapella brilliance & a record that you could find the entire history of the music within its grooves. A+
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