Otis Redding - Otis Blue (1965)

1965

Produced By: Jim Stewart, Isaac Hayes, David Porter

32:54

     The King of Soul, Otis Redding, recorded his third record, Otis Blue, in one incredible less than 24 hour session. The album consists of three Redding originals, including his astonishing "Respect" (which would later be covered by Aretha Franklin in one of the greatest vocal performances of the century), "I've Been Loving You Too Long" (My personal favorite), and "Old Man Trouble", whose lyrical content and mature writing style foreshadows his crossover hit, "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay". The remaining eight tracks are mostly popular R&B/Soul hits of the day. From the talk about it, Otis Blue doesn't sound much different than any other record he had previously released, or from any other soul artist of the day for that matter. 

     Otis Blue however, is much, much more than that. Each song Redding covered equals and in most cases surpasses the original recording. These songs are pulled from artists such as Sam Cooke (who had been shot dead in a motel the previous year, and was a big influence on Redding), Solomon Burke, B.B. King, and even a cover of the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", which drew parallels to Redding's songwriting (A journalist even accused the Stones of stealing the song from Redding, and recording it before him).
    Backing Redding on these tracks is a young Isaac Hayes (who would later record the blaxplotation record Shaft), Booker T & The Mgs (who were Stax Record's house band, earlier had instrumental hit "Green Onions"). The horn section really builds up excitement and accents the rhythm section perfectly, standing out in performance on "Respect".
    Redding's voice on these recordings is unsurpassable. He holds so much emotion and feeling, culminating in his "I've Been Loving You Too Long". Otis Blue was Redding's crowning achievement of the time, until "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay". If you are one that doesn't like box sets of anthologies, Otis Blue is the best Redding record out there. Otis Blue has been called the greatest soul record of all time, and is indisputably one of the greatest of the 1960s.

Key Tracks - "Respect", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", "Wonderful World", "My Girl"

John Renbourn - John Renbourn (1965)

1965

Produced by : Nathan Joseph

Aprox: 43:00

     The British Folk Revival from 1945 to 1969 produced many, many outstanding, complex records, based around folk styles of English descent. The American Blues also had a lasting impact on many of these folk musicians, including a man named John Renbourn. Renbourn started relaasing records in the early to mid 1960s, much of the time accompanied by fellow British folkie, Bert Jansch.  John Renbourn was Renbourn's first solo record, and first release period. The album was heavily influenced by his love of American Blues artist such as Big Bill Broonzy, Muddy Waters, among others. Davy Graham, another British folk revivalist had a big impact on Renbourn. "I started out trying to play like Big Bill Broonzy, and I am still trying"  is what Renbourn said of his own style, which is a unique blend of American blues and British Folk music. This being Renbourn's first record many are quick to point out his "copying" of earlier playing styles. However John Renbourn is a timeless gem, showing from the very beginning that Renbourn incorporated styles that he liked into his own distinctive style of playing.

     John Renbourn is filled with complex acoustic instrumentals penned by Renbourn and traditonal/ or cover songs that have been interpreted by Renbourn. Bert Jansch accompanies Renbourn on "Blue Bones" and " Noah and Rabbit", foreshadowing the later work they would record together in Pentangle and on the Bert and John LP that would be released in 1966. Renbourn may not be the most advanced singer in the world at this point, but this album makes no mistake in showing how incredible of a guitarist he was at the time, only leaving room for him to build upon his style and technique. The use of a slide on several songs, including the traditional folk song "John Henry" adds a very bluesy feel to some of the best tracks on this record.

    Renbourn would have major successes with his later records and endeavors (Pentangle and Sir John A Lot (1968)), but John Renbourn was a striking debut of a virtuoso guitarist, imaginative and entertaining musician. 

Key tracks - "Judy", "John Henry", "Plainsong", "Motherless Children", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity"

The Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead (1970)

                                                                            1970

                                 Produced by - Bob Matthews & Betty Cantor with The Grateful Dead

                                                                            35:33

      Released on Warner Bros. Records in 1970, Workingman's Dead was the Grateful Dead's fifth album, and their first studio release of 1970. Workingman's Dead however, was not Aoxomoxoa. Aoxomoxoa, the band's third record, was marred by lengthy recording sessions and studio fees over $180,000, and was also their most experimental record. Workingman's Dead marked a new direction for the Dead. Jerry Garcia, the creative force behind most of this record had been spending a lot of time with Stephen Stills and David Crosby, of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. CSN's music was distinguishable by its intricate vocal harmonies, and acoustic warmth, and because of this, Garcia began to incorporate the voice as more of an instrument. The Dead up to this point had been mostly a jam/improvisational band, but turned more towards a fuller acoustic sound for this record, and the follow up ( Also in 1970), American Beauty. Workingman's Dead was recorded in San Francisco, and took only nine days to record, compared to the nearly eight months it took to make Aoxomoxoa. The band also made use of more folk and country inspired instruments such as banjo and pedal steel guitar. Garcia was responsible for coloring this album, the next, and many other major releases in 1970 with his pedal steel guitar playing. The Grateful Dead proved their versatility with Workingman's Dead, moving from a free-form psychedelic style to an acoustic roots sound, which mirrored the kind of music the band was into before they made it big.

     At only eight tracks, Workingman's Dead, a first many seem incomplete and abridged. But each song is a concise, tight arrangement, drawing from blues, country, folk, and bluegrass roots. Vocal harmonies are explored on most of the tracks, with an intricacy that is absent from the Dead's previous records. "Uncle John's Band" was the Grateful Dead's first single from Workingman's Dead and the first song non "Deadheads" would be able to recognize easily. Before releasing Workingman's Dead, the Dead had been more of an underground group, but in 1970 began to put out songs that could be enjoyed by anyone. The pedal steel guitar, played by Garcia, can be found prominently on "High Time" and "Dire Wolf", hinting at country music influences. "Cumberland Blues" takes on a bluegrass vibe with Garcia's banjo picking, while "Black Peter" is a acoustic guitar driven folky song, with organ and harmonica from none other than Pigpen, contributing his howling blues also on "Easy Wind". Beginning with the sound of bumping coke, "Casey Jones" is based off an old folk song called "The Ballad of Casey Jones", with the Dead twist on it. 

    Workingman's Dead  was a remarkable achievement for the Grateful Dead, expanding their playing styles, breaking into the mainstream, and not being in debt as a result of recording the album. The songs are tight arrangements, warm, and laid-back, and stripped. As a result, this psychedelic jam band showed they could be country/folk crooners too, and among the best of the time. (Workingman's Dead was voted best album of 1970 by the readers of Rolling Stone). 

Key Tracks - "Uncle John's Band", "Dire Wolf", "Black Peter", "Casey Jones"

Various - An Anthology Of British Blues (1968)

British music geeks revive an original American style of music? Check. In the early to late 1960s, British musicians such as Alexis Korner, Eric Clapton, and John Mayall revived the Blues, but put their own twist on it. Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Robert Johnson, to name a few, were are all basically unknown by mainstream America, who worshiped groups and singers such as The Beach Boys, The Shadows, and Frank Sinatra. The young generation of the early 1960s knew next to nothing of the excitement that their older siblings had felt in the late 50s from rock & roll music, which was based off blues music. But this was different in the U.K.. As messiahs to the world, a small group of musicians in Britain began slowly but surely bringing the blues to the world again. 

People maybe be surprised by it, but the Rolling Stones were influential in this Blues revival as Mayall or Korner. They started out as a R&B cover group, and gradually began to write their own material. Thus is it interesting to note on this hodgepodge album of songs which do not completely catalog the British blues movement, a few of the Stones play backup on "Snake Drive", "Tribute To Elmore", and West Coast Idea"(Jagger - harmonica, Wyman - bass, Stewart - piano). It contains Mayall's "I'm Your Witchdoctor"and "Telephone Blues", both with the Bluesbreakers which contained the blues guitar virtuoso, Eric Clapton."Snake Drive", "Tribute To Elmore", and West Coast Idea", which are instrumentals showcasing Clapton's skill, along with Jimmy Page on second guitar (and the Stones on back up). There are two Savoy Brown tracks, a heavy blues band influential in the development of blues rock and hard rock, and also were regular openers for John Mayall. The remaining tracks are by pioneers Tony McPhee, a guitarists, and a blues singer Jo-Ann Kelly."

"I'm Your Witchdoctor", an original by John Mayall, was produced by Jimmy Page and contains a distorted one note sustained solo by Clapton. Next is "Snake Drive", an instrumental by Clapton, with the Stones and Page on rhythm. Like many of the tracks on this release, it is kind of sloppy and not as exciting as a track on a real Anthology Of British Blues should be. T.S. McPhee plays an adaptation of Son House's "Depot Blues" with "Ain't Gonna Cry No More", which turns for a successful interpretation. "I Tried" and "Cold Blooded Woman" are both originals by Savoy Brown, which is led by a blues guitarist with considerable skill, Kim Simmonds. Clapton's remaining instrumentals "Tribute To Elmore" and "West Coast Idea" are interesting at best, but something of more substance would have better suited An Anthology Of British Blues. The Jo-Ann kelly tracks are bellowed out in a familiar Delta Blues fashion, but not as convincing as it could have been. Stone Masonry's track "Flapjacks", an original, was influenced by B.B. and Freddie King. 

An Anthology Of British Blues could have been much much better and comprehensive, but instead is a random assortment of singles and jams from an all-star line up, but lacks the special power the blues had when it took British youth by the ears and changed an era. A better option would be to discover these artists by themselves in say, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton, early Yardbirds material, R&B From The Marquee by Alexis Korner and the Blues Incorporated, among many more great records that symbolize what the 1960s british blues movement was about.

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969)

The Velvet Underground was one of the most influential bands of the 1960s, even if their record sales did not show for much. As one music critic put it, everyone who bought their debut album, The Velvet Underground and Nico, started a band. They were the first group to add gritty lyrics to a gritty sound. People liked seeing films and reading about drugs, sex, and things among this vein of life, but hearing them in a song was revolutionary. The Velvet Underground, released in 1969, was the group's third release. The album saw the addition of Doug Yule replacing John Cale. Cale's experimental approach to music colored the groups first two records, neither of which had a hit or even sold many copies. The Velvet Underground saw the group write and record more commercial music, while still retaining the sound that makes their music so exciting and soothing at times. Filled with rock songs and ballads, The Velvet Underground marked a serious departure from the experimental approach that John Cale had brought to their music. When Cale left the group, Lou Reed's influence directed how their third record would sound. 

The album kicks off with "Candy Says", a ballad type song  about a cross dresser who is later referenced in Reed's 1972 single "Walk On The Wild Side". The vocals have a special charm, being sung by new member and multi-instrumentalist Doug Yule. "What Goes On", which shares a name with a song off The Beatles 1965 Rubber Soul, is a good example of the new rock & roll Velvet Underground, and has a similar sound to "Beginning To See The Light". Most of the rest of the songs, "Some Kinda Love", "Jesus", "Pale Blue Eyes", "I'm Set Free", and "That's The Story Of My Life" are laid back, mellow compositions, placing value on lyrical content, rather than an experimental sound. This leads many to say The Velvet Underground was basically Reed with a backing band, which to some extent may be true. But that doesn't make it any less brilliant. 

The one experimental-type song on the album, "The Murder Mystery", consists of a raga rhythm, an eerie organ, and multiple spoken word passages by members of the band, all describing a strange murder mystery tale. The final track, "After Hours", has Maureen Tucker, the drummer, on vocals and bass and guitar accompanying what turns out to be a beautiful child-like voice, and a fantastic closing song to The Velvet Underground's most accessible album for those trying to get in to their fantastic collection of music.

Taj Mahal - Taj Mahal (1968)

In 1967 psychedelia was rampant. Few could escape it, and traditional blues recording artists were no exception. Muddy Waters with Electric Mud and Howlin' Wolf's The Howlin' Wolf Album both tried to jump on the psych bandwagon. Although this new psych-blues was interesting, blues purists were staring to feel as if the "real" blues had been lost to history. But recorded in the summer of 1967, was this gem, Taj Mahal. Reworkings of traditional blues tunes in a modern studio setting, recorded exquisitely, Taj Mahal was an incredible debut record by a talented blues interpreter. Taj Mahal, although only relesaing his first album in the 1968, seems to have the same aurora as Robert Johnson, or Sleepy John Estes, both of whom influencing him enough to have three Estes songs and Johnson song on Taj Mahal. Opening with Mahal's wailing harmonica, "Leaving Trunk" is the first Estes cover, along with "Everybody's Got To Change Sometime", and "Diving Duck Blues." Moving to "Statesboro Blues", which is a rewroking of Blind Willie Mctell's orignial, Taj playing slide guitar. Taj Mahal's recording of "Statesboro Blues" was said to have inspired the Allman Brothers to record it on their legendary live album At Fillmore East. "Everybody's Got To Change Sometime" with its busy bass line and Mahal's growling Howlin' Wolf impression is a very upbeat track. "EZ Rider" is Taj's sole original composition, an exercise in blues lyrics, sounds like a lost Creedence Clearwater Revival song. In 1968, for blues purists and anyone who was just tiring of psych, Taj Mahal must have been a breath of fresh air. Although Taj Mahal recorded many more fantastic records, 1968's Taj Mahal is still his greatest accomplishment, a definite testament of how blues songs can evolve into something entirely new but still be the same.

Earl Sweatshirt - Doris (2013)

One of hip-hop's youngest artists, Earl Sweatshirt made waves with 2010's Earl. Only sixteen when Earl was released, Earl's debut mix-tape showed a promising talent, if only in need of some maturity. If Earl showed much of Tyler, The Creator's influence, eight of the tracks being produced by him, Doris, shows Sweatshirt maturing and finding his own unique style. After being on hiatus for most of 2011 and part of 2010, Earl returned with new singles "Chum", "Whoa", and "Hive", before finally releasing Doris, his major label debut, in late August this year. Starting with "Pre" featuring SK La' Flare, the opening track hints at the dark production and Odd Futuresque beats which embellish the album. "Burgundy", "20 Wave Caps", "Knight", "Sasquatch", and "Whoa" are regular Odd Future workouts with guest appearances from various members of the Odd Future Collective, such as Vince Staples, Domo Genesis, and Tyler, The Creator. Highly sought out producers The Alchemist, RZA, and The Neptunes produce a track each, along with Tyler, The Creator producing a few tracks himself. One of the standout tracks is"Sunday", featuring Frank Ocean as a kind of repayment for Earl's appearance of Ocean's "Super Rich Kids" in his Channel Orange release."Hoarse"with its Western Style guitar intro, play on words, and grimy production is the most astonoshing track, Earl sounding confident and in his element. Interestingly enough the producer randomblackdude, who produces or co-produces seven of the tracks is actually Earl's producer alias. From the strength of his production on these tracks alone, Earl could have a promising future as a producer/rapper. Doris shows Earl emerging as and artist, finding his own sound, which still sounds like an Odd Future album, but has its own unique flares. An essential listen, and probably the best Odd Future release out there.