Day 33 - Bert Jansch - Bert Jansch (1965)

Bert Jansch joined my ever expanding list of artists i've never been exposed to before I started this challenge a month ago. I thought his debut album was pretty good, but it didn't thrill me. His voice was pretty good but his music was drab and kinda boring. Three highlights were "Needle Of Death", "Dreams Of Love" and "Angie". I'm not sure if i'll be listening to more of Bert's work, perhaps but only time will tell. 3/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Needle Of Death, Dreams Of Love & Angie.

Day 33 - The Beatles - Rubber Soul (1965)

This was my third helping of The Beatles and so far it's my favourite."Rubber Soul" offered a different, more exciting view of The Beatles. In a break with their traditional pop rock they decided to sing more folksy and this was the first album of theirs where they wrote all the songs. This album offered more hits like "Drive My Car", "You Won't See Me", "Nowhere Man" and "In My Life". Early hints of their future hippie music are present in the song "The Word". The final song "Run For Your Life" was pretty messed up, with the story being about a man who can't accept his ex wants to love other people and threatens to kill her. Very dark for the Fab Four. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Drive My Car, You Won't See Me, Nowhere Man, Think For Yourself, I'm Looking Through You & In My Life.

Day 32 - B.B King - Live At The Regal (1965)

Mr. B.B King was on fire during this concert! He was fun, energetic, soulful, seductive and sang oh so well. I never heard of B.B before I listened to this album but I will hear a lot more of him in the coming months. I loved how natural and confident he was on stage and his little stories between songs he told the crowd. I loved how he went so smoothly from Sweet Little Angel to It's My Own Fault while telling his story. His backup band were excellent too. Overall a great album. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Every Day I Have The Blues, Sweet Little Angel, It's My Own Fault, Help The Poor, You Upset Me Baby & Please Love Me.

Day 31 - Dido - Girl Who Got Away (2013)

This is Dido's fourth album and the third one i've listened to. I really loved "Girl Who Got Away". Dido is experimenting with her sound and introducing new elements to her music like rap verses (I know she previously recorded a song with Eminem but that wasn't on her album). Her voice was lovely as always and several of the songs, "Happy New Year", "Day Before We Went To War" & "No Freedom" are beautiful. This album is relaxing, danceable and gorgeous. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Girl Who Got Away, No Freedom, Let Us Move On, Happy New Year, Day Before We Went To War, Let's Run Away & Everything To Lose (Armin Van Buuren Remix).

Day 31 - John Coltrane - A Love Supreme (1965)

What more can I say about jazz that I haven't already said ten times before? I thought "A Love Supreme" was pretty good, but by no means the greatest jazz album i've ever heard. John and his quartet played well, and the four songs sounded good but they didn't really move me. "Pursuance" was overly long and dragged on. All of the songs blended together to sound the same. Not one i'd recommend. 2/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Acknowledgement & Psalm.

Day 30 - The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys Today! (1965)

I previously thought all 60's "boy bands" were shallow imitations of The Beatles, as The Beatles were the top  pop rock artists of the 60's, but I was wrong. I discussed The Beach Boys with my brother and he was right, they don't sound like The Beatles. The Beach Boys sound like surf music, even though none of them surfed. There weren't a lot of songs I recognized on this album but most of them were good. They harmonised well and sounded lovely when they sang. A few songs were cheesy, "Don't Hurt My Little Sister" & "I'm So Young". The last "song", an interview clip called "Bull Session With The 'Big Daddy'", was pointless but overall a solid effort. 3/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Do You Wanna Dance?, Help Me, Rhonda, Please Let Me Wander & She Knows Me Too Well.

Day 30 - Otis Redding - Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965)

Otis Redding is not a name that's come up often in my life, I never really paid attention to his music, but I enjoyed "Otis Blue..." a lot. Otis' voice was soulful and energetic. His versions of "Respect", "My Girl" and "Wonderful World" are great, although I think Aretha Franklin's version of '"Respect" is slightly better, and his "Satisfaction" is the best i've ever heard, better even than The Rolling Stones' version. Other highlights are "You Don't Miss Your Water" which is heartaching beautiful and "Change Gonna Come", a ballad against racism written by Sam Cooke which is sung with a lot of heart. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: My Girl, Wonderful World, Satisfaction, You Don't Miss Your Water, Respect & Change Gonna Come.

Day 29 - Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home (1965)

Onto my second Bob Dylan album. I thought "Bringing It All Back Home" was great. and I enjoyed it more than "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan". In this album Bob incorporates more rock with his folk and creates some magical moments. His humour is back, he even cracks up in the song "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" and calls for a redo. This album also contains the single "Subterranean Homesick Blues" which was the song used in the famous music video of Bob using placards to show lyrics. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Subterranean Homesick Blues, She Belongs To Me, Mr. Tambourine Man, It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding), Bob Dylan's 115th Dream & Love Minus Zero/No Limit.

Day 29 - The Sonics - Here At The Sonics (1965)

This was an interesting album to be released in the 60's. In 1965 the world was still hooked on rock & roll, pop and folk and then all of a sudden comes garage rock out of nowhere. The Sonics rocked and they rocked hard. In nearly all of their songs the lead singer screams an impressive scream. They did some impressive covers on their debut album, a particular favourite of mine being "Do You Love Me". I hated the last song "The Village Idiot", it was stupid and I found it offensive. 4/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Do You Love Me, The Witch, Strychnine, Money & Good Golly Miss Molly.

Day 29 - Jerry Lee Lewis - Live At The Star Club, Hamburg (1965)

This was an amazing album. Never before have I heard a live album with this much raw power and energy. Jerry Lee Lewis was a madman. He played super fast on piano and most of his songs were fast and made you dance like crazy. I loved every second of "Live At The Star Club, Hamburg". Another thing I enjoyed about this concert was that he personalised the songs and added his name into the lyrics, that was a nice touch. I'll definitely be hearing this one again and singing along to the great songs. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Great Balls Of Fire, What'd I Say (Parts 1 & 2). Money (That's What I Want), Good Golly Miss Molly, Lewis' Boogie & Long Tall Sally.

Day 28 - Buck Owens and his Buckaroos - I've Got A Tiger By The Tail (1965)

This was a charming country album from Mr. Buck Owens and his Buckaroos. I really love old country music. It was sweet, melancholy, fun and, at times, violent. Buck sings songs of one night stands, heartache and lost love. His voice is very nice and mellow and his Buckaroos are great backup singers. These are songs you can listen to on a cold, rainy day and transport yourself to another place where things aren't as bad as they once seemed. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: I've Got A Tiger By The Tail, Let The Sad Times Roll On, If You Fall Out Of Love With Me, The Band Keeps Playin' On & We're Gonna Let The Good Times Roll.

Day 27 - The Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones (1964)

I've loved The Rolling Stones for a couple of years now but have never heard a full album of theirs, this is my first. "The Rolling Stones" was their debut album from 1964. You won't find many hits here or, as in my case, recognizable songs but this is a fine collection of 60's blues rock from a young Mick Jagger and co. The Stones sing well and they have some power in their voices in a few songs. It's not my fave Stones album so far but it's pretty good. 4/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Route 66, I Just Want To Make Love To You, Can I Get A Witness, Now I've Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Gene), Carol & Mona (I Need You Baby).

Day 27 - Dusty Springfield - A Girl Called Dusty (1964)

Dusty Springfield is an amazing singer. She had a great voice, her songs were amazing and she was England's top selling lesbian singer of the 60's. Plus look at that beehive hairdo! She was camp all over. "A Girl Called Dusty" was her debut album and I thought it was a knockout. From cheesy love songs to sweeping ballads this album had everything. Dusty had incredible range on the last track "Don't You Know", a Ray Charles song. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: You Don't Own Me, Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa, My Colouring Book, Will You Love Me Tomorrow, Wishin' And Hopin' & Don't You Know.

Day 26 - Solomon Burke - Rock 'n' Soul (1964)

Solomon Burke is another name on the list of artists i've never heard of before I started this challenge. Thankfully he's also on the list of newly discovered artists i've come to like. This album was very pleasant to listen to. It consists of classic rock and soul songs with that lovely 60's sound. There are joyful songs, and there are songs of heartbreak. Solomon's voice is deep and emotive and the backup singers sound like angels. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye), Won't You Give Him (One More Chance), If You Need Me, Hard, Ain't It Hard & You Can't Love 'Em All.

Day 25 - Jacques Brel - Olympia 64 (1964)

Jacques Brel was a wonderful singer-songwriter. He composed one of the most widely recorded songs in the world, "Ne Me Quitte Pas (If You Go Away)", sung by everyone from Barbra Streisand to Celine Dion. This album is a live recording from his 1964 concert at the Olympia in Paris. Throughout Jacques sings 15 of his recent and famous songs to rapturous applause. I don't speak French so I don't understand what the lyrics mean but Jacques sings with such passion and theatrics that I can't help but be swept along in the emotion. This album has made me a life long fan of Monsieur Brel. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Amsterdam, Le Dernier Repas, Les Toros, Les Bourgeois, Jef, Les Jardins Du Casino & Les Timides.

Day 25 - The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (1964)

This is the second Beatles album i've heard so far and I thought this was by far better than "With The Beatles", mostly because of the original compositions. From the classic opening guitar strum on the title track the album is off to a good start with lots of great songs along the way. "A Hard Day's Night" contains such classics as "A Hard Day's Night", "If I Fell", "And I Love Her"and "Can't Buy Me Love". I didn't like the movie that this soundtrack was attached to but the music is great. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: A Hard Day's Night, If I Fell, And I Love Her, Can't Buy Me Love and I Should Have Known Better.

Day 24 - Stan Getz and João Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto (1964)

This is the most relaxing jazz & bossa nova album i've ever heard. João Gilberto has a lovely voice and this album was also the debut of Astrud Gilberto whose voice is tender and wonderful on "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Corcovado". Getz and Gilberto play wonderfully together and Antonio Carlos Jobim plays piano tenderly and sweetly. Even though most of the songs are sung in Portuguese, which I don't speak, they still ring with such emotion for me. While listening to this I want to dance close with my beloved. Great stuff. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: The Girl From Ipanema, Doralice, Desafinado, Corcovado, Só Danço Samba and P'ra Machucar Meu Coração.

Day 24 - James Brown & The Famous Flames - Live At The Apollo (1963)

I heard of James Brown through his song "I Feel Good" years ago, and "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World" more recently when it was covered by Katherine McPhee on SMASH! I enjoyed this live album. It started off a bit slow but progressively got better. By the time he started singing "Lost Someone" I was totally into it and loved going along for the ride. James' voice is soulful and deep and he reallly makes the crowd go wild. The energy is awesome and the medley he does of 8 of his songs is to die for. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Lost Someone, Medley, Night Train, Think & I Don't Mind.

Day 24 - Rogue Traders - Here Come The Drums (2005)

Years ago I heard several of the singles from this album played on radio and Video Hits and enjoyed the songs but never bothered to look into the Rogue Traders. After hearing "Voodoo Child" on an episode of Doctor Who my interest in them was rekindled and I gave their album a listen. This is a great album, I loved it so much. Natalie Bassingthwaite is a great singer, she has great vocal range and her songs are fun and ever so danceable. This is the best pop rock album i've heard in a while. A big 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Voodoo Child, Way To Go!, Fashion, In Love Again and World Go 'Round.

Day 23 - Charles Mingus - The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (1963)

This may very well be the best jazz album i've ever heard. It's smooth, operatic, fast, slow and has hints of Spanish guitar. Charles Mingus is great. "The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady" is designed to be one long composition with different movements, a modern ballet. This was an album of sweeping emotion for me and I loved it. I'll definitely listen to this one again. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: All of them.

Day 23 - Sam Cooke - Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963 (1985)

This live album by Sam Cooke was awesome. I was not familiar with Sam's work, besides his song "Cupid" that Amy Winehouse covered. All the songs he sings are great and he has a total hold on the crowd who love him. Sam had a great soulful voice, it's tragic that he died a year after this album was recorded at the age of 33. I will seek out the rest of his albums after hearing this great live recording. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Feel It, Chain Gang, Cupid, Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons & Twistin' The Night Away.

Day 23 - Phil Spector - A Christmas Gift For You From Philles Records (1963)

It's Christmas! Just kidding, it's only March but this album from Phil Spector is next on the list so I gave it a listen. "A Christmas Gift For You..." features a bunch of black singers from the 60's singing secular Xmas songs and I thought it was great :). I've always enjoyed girl groups and The Ronettes and The Crystals proved to be very good. I've never heard of Darlene Love before this but I think she's great. Bob B Soxx and The Blue Jeans were good too. This album was fun, entertaining and had me bopping along to it and wishing it was time for Santa Claus to pay me a visit. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: White Christmas, Frosty The Snowman, (Christmas) Baby Please Come Home, Winter Wonderland, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus & Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Day 22 - Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)

I've never been much of a Bob Dylan fan. I've always thought his voice sounded weird and his songs, aside from "Hurricane" and "Blowin' In The Wind", were pretty bad. Then I heard this album and it changed my entire perception of him. "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" is an album that demanded social upheaval in the 1960's, an end to war, to racism, to poverty. Bob's iconic protest song, "Blowin' In The Wind", is here as well as a bunch of other anti-war songs, and sad love songs like "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right". Bob's lyrics on this album are thoughtful, hard hitting and contain important messages. He also displays a nice sense of humour in a few songs, especially in "I Shall Be Free. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Blowin' In The Wind, Don't Think Twice, It's All Right, Bob Dylan's Blues, A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall & Masters Of War.

Day 21 - The Beatles - With The Beatles (1963)

This is The Beatles' second album and the second Beatles album i've listened to all the way through. I liked "With The Beatles", but not as much as "Yellow Submarine", because of the lack of hit songs. I liked most of the songs on this album but I thought a few lacked kick. Still, it was nice to hear the humble origins of the Fab Four knowing what amazing hit machines they would become a few years later. 4/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Money (That's What I Want), I Wanna Be Your Man, All My Loving, Roll Over Beethoven & It Won't Be Long.

Day 20 - Ray Price - Night Life (1962)

I really enjoyed this album. Ray opens with an introduction saying how much he appreciates fans liking his last record and his hope they'll like this one too and then that leads into the title track. I haven't heard his previous albums but I certainly liked this one. Ray sings in the traditional honky-tonk style of country, a style of singing that went out of fashion soon after this album was released. His voice is smooth and his lyrics are meaningful, touching on subjects like drugs and one night stands. In a world becoming increasingly obsessed with rock it's nice to know an album like this could become number 1 on the charts at the same time The Beatles were becoming famous. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: The Wild Side Of Life, Night Life, Pride, Let Me Talk To You & Bright Lights And Blonde Haired Women.

Day 19 - Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd - Jazz Samba (1962)

This album was fun to listen to. "Jazz Samba" is music for a lazy summer day. Listening to it you feel relaxed and happy at first, then you want to dance, then you go back to feeling relaxed again. I love listening to those kind of albums. Stan and Charlie play beautifully and the songs themselves are brilliant. Brazilian and exotic, and also American and jazzy. Perfect combination. Stan would go onto making his number 1 hit a few years later with João and Astrud Gilberto, "The Girl From Ipanema". 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Desafinado, Samba Dees Days, O Pato & É Luxo Só.

Day 19 - Booker T. And The M.G.s - Green Onions (1962)

This album was interesting to me because I hadn't heard organs used outside of church music or classical. I enjoyed "Green Onions", the organ based r&b songs on this album were cool and funky. The title track is very famous and, of course, i've heard it played lots of times but never knew where it originated from. I don't understand the name choices for some songs, especially "Green Onions", but I like the music and will hear it again. 4/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Green Onions, I Got A Woman, Twist And Shout, One Who Really Loves You & You Can't Sit Down.

Day 19 - Ray Charles - Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music (1962)

This is my second Ray Charles album and I loved this one just as much, if not more, than the first one. Every album of Ray's I hear I love him more and more. On this album Ray interprets a bunch of classic pop and country tunes and puts his own r&b twist on it. The first track "Bye Bye Love" is a showstopper and one of my favourite tracks on the album. My other favourite is "I Love You So Much It Hurts" which I thought was a beautiful love song. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Bye Bye Love, I Love You So Much It Hurts, Hey, Good Lookin', You Win Again & You Don't Know Me.

Day 18 - Bill Evans Trio - Sunday At The Village Vanguard (1961)

This is the first album i've heard that I didn't really care for. Bill Evans is a pianist and all the songs on this album are piano and little else, with clapping after each song. I thought Bill and his trio played well and the songs were nice but they were too long and all sounded similar. I wasn't hooked on this album, I found it boring but it was nice travelling music. This isn't one i'll be listening to all the way through again. 3/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: My Man's Gone Now, Solar & Jade Visions.

Day 17 - Anne Murray - Anne Murray's Greatest Hits (1980)

This is the second album i've listened to that's not on the list. I first heard of Anne on last week's episode of 'Family Guy' where Stewie and Brian become obsessed with her. Hearing the songs on the show I instantly formed an interest in her lovely voice and wonderful lyrics. This album was wonderful. Consisting of 10 of her biggest hits every song is great. Anne's voice is soft and mellow and very soothing. The song "You Needed Me" is my favourite, the lyrics are beautiful and it doesn't fail to bring a tear to my eye. 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: You Needed Me, Snow Bird, You Won't See Me & Daydream Believer.

Day 16 - Muddy Waters - At Newport 1960 (1960)

I thought this was a great blues rock album. Muddy's voice is strong and sensual and his music is greatly entertaining. He wows the crowd at his Newport concert, they especially loved "Got My Mojo Working" and had him perform an encore to applause and cheering. I only heard about him in passing before I started this challenge but now I think i'll become a great fan of his work :). 5/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man, Tiger In Your Tank, I Feel So Good & Got My Mojo Working.

Day 15 - Jimmy Smith - Back At The Chicken Shack (1960)

This is my first jazz album of the 60's and I enjoyed it a lot. Jimmy's jazz was smooth and nice. I felt very relaxed listening to this. A few of the songs sounded similar but there were some real standouts such as "Minor Chant" and "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", one of my favourite songs. Overall one of my fave smooth jazz albums. 4/5.

Tracks I enjoyed the most: Minor Chant, On The Sunny Side Of The Street, When I Grow Too Old To Dream & Messy Bessie.