It's a Mighty World, Odetta

Thus wraps the weeks of women!

It's a Mighty World, Odetta, 1964, :32

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

A short album of short folk standards.  Odetta's guitar playing is sparse, sharp, and effective, while her voice croons or soars depending on the song.  It's a little odd to hear "Bull Jine Run" this way instead of from the croaky bellow of a sailor, but her powerful vocals can suit any of the folk traditions.  I think I've used this phrase before, but her performance really elevates the material.  Favorite tracks: "Come a Lady's Dream," "It's a Mighty World," "I've Been Told," "One Man's Hands."

Where Did Our Love Go, the Supremes

It's Black music month!

Where Did Our Love Go, the Supremes, 1964, :30 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Though it's a little dated in parts, content-wise ("his every wish is my command" type mooning over boys), the music is ultra-catchy girl-group perfection. Every song is a toe-tapping bit of vocal virtuosity. Favorite tracks: "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes," "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," 'Come See About Me," "Your Kiss Of Fire"… It's all so good.

Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, the Ronettes

It's Black Music month!

Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, the Ronettes, 1964, :36

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The girl group's only album, comprised of previously released singles.  Wonderful toe-tapping wall of sound, with timeless songs of love and lost love.  Despite the feature credit in the title, the world has largely forgotten Veronica.  I'd say this is a four-and-a-half star album.  Favorites: "Be My Baby," "Do I Love You?," "Baby, I Love You," "Walking in the Rain."

England's Newest Hitmakers, Rolling Stones

Continuing the alphabet of albums, E is for English blues appropriation.

England's Newest Hitmakers, Rolling Stones, 1964, :31

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

The American edition of the originally eponymous debut of the Rolling Stones.  The World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band is here, inchoate, a rather inessential blues cover band. "Route 66" and "I Just Want To Make Love To You" are fine, but not exactly remade in new blazing glory. The remake of Berry's "Carol" is pretty good, though the handclaps are bit distracting. People fall all over themselves praising this album in retrospect, but to me it's a pub band covering and imitating great songs, and adding very little of value.  Favorite tracks: "Not Fade Away," "Can I Get a Witness."

12 x 5, Rolling Stones

Currently doing one album for each year, 1960-2020. Today: 1964.

12 x 5, Rolling Stones, 1964, :32

★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Yeah, yeah, this is the Rolling Stones, the Greatest Rock ’n’ Roll Band in the World, yet I’m just not sure that this album adds anything to their accomplishments. White British lads covering Berry’s “Around and Around” without adding their own spin on it is pretty much the extent of this album’s raison d’être. Showing that the Stones were still working toward their bad-boy sound, the version of “Time Is On My Side” (also a cover; I never knew) here is more languid than the later, justly more well-known version, and features an organ solo rather than guitar.  Their one-and-a-half minute version of "Susie Q" doesn't need to exist.  The three originals here are decent enough, but are early shuffle blues, nothing special. Favorite tracks: “Under the Boardwalk” is utterly inessential and slavishly faithful to the original, but it’s a good song.  And I guess the same goes for "It's All Over Now."