60s 

 

1. Almendra by Almendra

Almendra was an album that came at a time where the country of Argentina was facing many changes, both socially and politically. The Cold War was occuring, a military dictatorship was installed in Argentina and the counterculture movement was rising in the country. These elements and happenings are shown throughout songs on this 1969 album. Recorded and released when Argentinan legend Luis Alberto Spinetta was only 19-years-old, the album highlights the talents of the young man and the future music he would release. The first song on the album "Muchacha (Ojos de papel)" introduces listeners to the brilliance of his songwriting. Called an "erotic love poem of great delicacy," it describes the intimate feelings and desires of a young man for a woman he is with. Considered a very emotional-moving song and being a song vocal to the sexual revolution in the 1960s, it is considered to be one of the best and most influential in Argentinan rock. The rest of the album includes of a variety of genres including rock, tango and folklore. Lyrical-wise, themes of love, abuse and sadness are presented.

 

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2. The History of the Dave Clark Five by The Dave Clark Five

After The Beatles arrived in the U.S. and performed on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964 for the first time, another band did the same: The Dave Clark Five. Although not widely talk about today, the Dave Clark Five were one of the most successful artists of the 1960s. Particularly in the mid-1960s, there was no escaping the charts without seeing the group's name. Between 1964 and 1965, they rivalved The Beatles. The Dave Clark Five were unable to keep up with the changes of times and styles in music, which resulted in the popularity falling by 1967. They aren't remembered as well as other British Invasion groups despite being one of the most successful, partially because of leader Dave Clark's refusal and pickiness in remastering their albums.

 

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3. Rubber Soul by The Beatles

This is a quintessential Beatles labum solely off its impact on albums. Named after the Beatles aknowledging their lack of authenticity compared to black soul artists they were fond of, Rubber Soul was a revolutionary album through its lyrical and musical content. It saw The Beatles experiment with their sound and style with a variety of influence from genres such as folk rock, soul and pop music. The album also includes early uses of instruments in popular music such as the sitar ("Norwegian Wood (The Bird Has Flown)"), harmonium ("My Life"), and fuzz bass ("Think for Yourself"). Rubber Soul helped to progress the quality of albums and how they were written. Prior to Rubber Soul, albums oftern were not focused on to be of high quality content throughout. Usually, it would consist of several hit singles, filler songs and cover songs from other artists. This album changed helped to change this format. In fact, it inspired Brian Wilson to develop the idea for The Beach Boys' masterpiece Pet Sounds.

 

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