Album #65: Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan

1.    

Sound: Folk rock

Mood: Jaunty

Important Songs: Like a Rolling Stone; Ballad of a Thin Man

Song You Must Hear: Highway 61 Revisited

Quotes: "The sun’s not yellow, it’s chicken.”

“Then they bring them to the factory where the heart-attack machine is strapped across their shoulders.”

Notes: This is a highly praised album, and I need not heap more upon it.  It is enough to say that it changed the music world and all the rest of the worlds around it. 

Album #82: Days of Future Passed by The Moody Blues

1.       

Sound: 60’s rock with a symphony

Mood: Varied

Important Songs: Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?); Nights In White Satin

Song You Must Hear: Nights in White Satin

Quote: “...fantasy strides, over colourful skies, Of form disappearing from view.”

Notes: This is the Moody Blues’ most ambitious project.  They created a full rock symphony which passes through all the moods and colors of the day.  It sometimes is as pretentious as it sounds, and sometimes it doesn’t work.  But when it does, it is amazing, especially what is arguably the most haunting song ever written, Nights in White Satin and the powerful Twilight Time.  As a whole, it works brilliantly. 

Album #96: Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys

1.       

Sound: Surfer music with everything plus the kitchen sink

Mood: Personally reflective and occasionally playful

Important Songs:  God Only Knows; Wouldn't It Be Nice

One Song You Must Hear: I Know There's An Answer

Quote: “I keep looking for a place to fit where I can speak my mind; I’ve been trying hard to find the people I won’t leave behind.”

Notes: The Beach Boys most varied and yet focused album.  It has something for everyone but the overall impression is some somber personal reflection that is both difficult and joyous at the same time. Brian Wilson's masterpiece.