Born Under a Bad Sign, Albert King

Born Under a Bad Sign, Albert King, 1967, :35

 
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

The legend adds his guitar chops to some blues standards, adding in some soul and funk to the mix.  One surprising track is "The Very Thought Of You," which finds King crooning smoothly rather than moaning the blues while shredding.  "The Hunter" is a rather awkward metaphor in which Kind sets his sights on women with his "love gun."  This album probably doesn't hit as hard now in 2021 as it did when it came out, but it remains, I think, the epitome of blues guitar, with King's unusual, sharp guitar work front and center.  Truly the King is well-named.  Favorite tracks: "Crosscut Saw," "Kansas City," "Born Under a Bad Sign," "I Almost Lost My Mind."

Surrealistic Pillow, Jefferson Airplane

Currently doing one album for each year, 1960-2020. Today: 1967.

Surrealistic Pillow, Jefferson Airplane, 1967, :34

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This is a big deal in the history of early psychedelic rock, but it's hit or miss to me. Grace Slick is a phenomenal vocal talent, but she's sort of hidden away here amongst the diluted Byrds aesthetic. "Comin' Back to Me" is five minutes of undiluted snooze. "Embryonic Journey" is some acoustic guitar strumming. “In the Morning” is six minutes of that slow, drawling, shuffling harmonica-based blues I am no fan of. Favorite tracks: "Somebody to Love," "White Rabbit." Favorite track they don’t play on the radio constantly: "She Has Funny Cars" for its drumming and male-female trade-off vocals.

Chelsea Girl, Nico

Chelsea Girl, Nico, 1967, :45

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

The Warhol protégé's first album, after her famous collaboration with the Velvet Underground.  This is chamber-pop-folk set against Nico's icy Teutonic lower register deadpan.  No drums or bass, just guitar and keyboard, plus strings or flute.  I learned that the string and flute arrangements were added by the producer against the wishes of Nico.  She especially hated the flute.  I agree, the strings don’t add anything, and the flute is frankly ridiculous; they tie Nico down to a twee chamber folk sound which she doesn’t fit into. This could have been a great album, but it will have to be filed away with popular music's hypothetical, never-were albums.  What we have in this reality is a sort of curiosity.  The eight-minute "It Was a Pleasure Then" is certainly not one.  Favorite tracks: "Somewhere There's a Feather," Dylan's "I'll Keep It With Mine," and Jackson Browne's "These Days," the world-weary message of which is perfect for Nico's Euro-ennui voice.

Forever Changes, Love

It's Finally-Got-Around-to-It-Friday!  Wherein I discover a classic that everyone else already knows about.

Forever Changes, Love, 1967, :42

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

This is a widely acclaimed album, listed on many best of all time lists, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and even in National Recording Registry. I'm hesitant in the face of so much hype, but I'm going with my gut anyway. This album grabs me, but it doesn't exactly wow me. I find some of it to be indulgent and pedestrian ("A House is Not a Motel" is nearly unbearable to me), and some admirable and moving.  Definitely a product of the Summer of Love, for the good and bad that may entail. It's Byrds-like, but less jangly and more symphonic, folk with strings and horns. It also strongly evokes the Zombies. Arthur Lee has a beautiful voice, a bit like Ray Davies, and like him is capable of soaring melodies or a sort of rhythmic chanting. Maybe this needs to be revisited sometime (on Follow-Up Friday? Second Tryday? Something like that). Favorite tracks: "Maybe the People Would Be the Times," "Live and Let Live."

St. Louis to Liverpool, Chuck Berry

 St. Louis to Liverpool, Chuck Berry, 1967, :34

 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Of course I am huge fan of the man who invented rock 'n' roll.  But I only know him through the singles, the anthologies and greatest hits.  So I wanted to see what a whole album by the great one was like.  Well, it's brilliant, of course.  Every song at least in some way intriguing, almost all electrifying.  I cannot imagine how this must have blown people's minds in 1967.  Favorite tracks: "You Never Can Tell," "Promised Land," "No Particular Place to Go."