77. Nico- Chelsea Girl

Release Date: 1967
Label: Verve

You're likely to recognise Nico from the Velvet Underground's debut album (more on them later) and if you don't know the name, you'll know the voice. This is the second album in a row in which the lyrics have been sung in the singer's second language (Nico is of German orgin) and this is the poorer of the two albums because it doesn't go anywhere lyrically or musically (the title track is the best example of this). It sounds like Nico has a vocal range of three semitones, her performance is that flat and monotonous.

Rating: 4/10
Favourite Track:

76. Astrud Gilberto - Beach Samba

Release Date: 1967
Label: Verve

Astrud Gilberto first appeared on this blog lending her vocals to 'The Girl From Ipanema' which is on her husband's collaboration with Stan Getz (Getz/Gilberto).

Rating: 7/10

75. Nina Simone- Wild Is The Wind

Release Date: 1966
Label: Philips

A bizarre choice for this book simply because this album isn't a proper album as such, but a collection of discarded tracks from previous sessions.Having said that, apart from the live tracks in the middle, you could be forgiven for not realising this, Some songs will be recognisable to the listener from later cover versions (Lilac Wine and the be gorgeous Wild is the Wind) but the great song on the album is 'Four Women', whose downcast melody and passionate vocal comes straight after the upbeat opener.

Rating: 7/10

Favourite Track: Four Women

74. The Yardbirds- The Yarbirds (AKA Roger The Engineer)

Release Date: 1966
Label: Columbia

Due to sound limitations I could only listen to one channel of this album, and most of the vocals are on the 'deaf' channel so I've given up after three songs. The 'instrumentals' were pretty good though, so I'll go back to this.

73. John Mayall's Blues Breakers- Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton

Release Date: 1966
Label: Decca

72. The 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds of The 13th Floor Elevators

Release Date: 1966
Label: International Artists

After a brief break in proceedings cause by a technical error to my headphones, I have come back to cast opion over the music of the mid 60s. This is the point where the summer of love was just around the corner, LSD was the hippest drug around and kids where grooving to 24 hour light-shows in the heart of London. The 13th Floor Elevators are very much of their time, and it's difficult to imagine them being able to get a record deal in any other era. Yes, the album is ok, but it's not something I'd choose to listen too to many times

Rating: 6/10
Favourite Track: You're Gonna Miss Me

71. Simon and Garfunkel- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Release Date: 1966
Label: Columbia

70. Rolling Stones- Aftermath

Release Date: 1966
Label: Decca