ALBUMS

• THE TURTLES: TURTLE SOUP: 1969: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: The final studio album by the 60’s American band The Turtles. They fit in I think with groups like The Rascals and Lovin’ Spoonful that are known and remembered as singles bands instead of album bands. This was a surprisingly good album. Again its hard to give a grade to an album you just heard for the first time- same with the Rascals album and Mary Hopkin- all first time albums as I make my way though as many 1969 albums as I can this year.

• THE RASCALS: SEE: 1969: 3 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: The Rascals second album of 1969-there were three singles from this album- “See”, “Carry Me Back” and “I Believe” the first two were modest hits. Again as with the previous album Freedom Suite the group was making the effort towards a transition to an albums band but the end was near.

• LITTLE RICHARD: THE GEORGIA PEACH: 1991: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: This is one of those greatest hits albums like Chuck Berry’s “The Great Twenty-Eight” which would serve as a great album to use if teaching a course on the History of Rock and Roll. Collects everything you’d probably want to hear from Richard. I still think he was an alien. He was out of this world.

• MARY HOPKIN: POSTCARD: 1969: 3 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: Produced by Beatle Paul- and released on their Apple label.Debut album of the Welsh folk singer. Those Were The Days was a big world wide hit. The songs on the album for the most part seem from another era-not 1969. It would turn out to be her big hit and her moment in the sun. In reading on he I didn’t know she was once married to Bowie producer Tony Visconti or that Visconti later married John Lennon’s LA girlfriend May Pang.  Back to the album- average.

• TRAVELING WILBURYS: VOLUME 1: 1988: 5 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: A fun album to listen to and I imagine the Wilburys had a lot of fun making it . My favorite track is Tweeter And The Monkey Man- but there isn’t any of the ten tracks that I don’t find enjoyable.

• FRANK SINATRA: RING-A -DING DING! 1961: 4 STARS OUT OF 5 STARS: The first album from his own label Reprise. There would be a couple more Capital releases after this before he’d be totally on his own. An album of mainly swing tunes.Johnny Mandel as arranger. Not a concept album in the way he did at Capitol. The Reprise years would be hit and miss-still some great stuff but inconsistent.