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CD	ARTIST - - - Album (Year)	MP3
	THE ACTION - - - Rolled Gold (1965-67) British blue-eyed soul group produced by George Martin (the Beatles' producer). Their whole-hearted commitment in every song creates an irresistible energy. Great tunes and vocal harmonies.
not available	THE BEATLES - - - Yesterday and Today (1966) My favorite of the early Beatles sound. (This title was originally an American release -- some of the early Beatles albums had different sets of songs on the British releases. But the CDs are all the British albums, so the songs on this album are not available on one single CD.)
	THE BEATLES - - - Rubber Soul (1965) The warmest, sunniest Beatles album with the most consistent sound before they soared into the post-Sgt. Pepper world.
	THE BEACH BOYS - - - Pet Sounds (1966) Their masterpiece goes beyond surf music to an utterly classic sound that some people say was on par with the Beatles.
	THE BEATLES - - - Revolver (1966) Revolver has wonderful, sunny songs that carry over from the Rubber Soul sound, and some psychedelic and artsy songs that hint of the Sgt. Pepper album that was to come.
	LAURA NYRO - - - The First Songs (1966) (A.K.A. More Than a New Discovery) Laura was one of the greatest female songwriters in rock/pop but isn't well known or widely appreciated for her own albums. This, her first album, is bursting with lovely, passionate songs -- all composed by her. She was 19 years old when this album came out.
	THE LEFT BANKE - - - There's Gonna Be A Storm (1966-69) (This is their complete recordings on CD.) Sophisticated pop infused with classical strings and harpsichord.
	THE TROGGS - - - Archeology (1966-76) The Troggs don't deserve to be just One Hit Wonders. Most of their songs are more melodic and prettier, if less orgasmic, than "Wild Thing." The songs are seductively simple - primitive mantras that hypnotize.
	THE BEATLES - - - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) A landmark album of the 20th century that raised rock to high art. Jaws dropped and minds opened around the world when this was released.
	THE BEATLES - - - Magical Mystery Tour (1967) My personal favorite Beatles album, maybe because it most poignantly evokes the period of my life when it became a part of my life. The closest cousin to Sgt. Pepper.
	COUNTRY JOE & THE FISH - - - Electric Music for the Mind and Body (1967) Their performance at Woodstock was Drop-out; this is Turn-on and Tune-in. Am I in San Francisco? Only in your mind, my child.
	JIMI HENDRIX - - - Are You Experienced? (1967) This album blew everyone away. Today other artists can re-create the sound, but Jimi, a rock god if there was one, CREATED the sound. Guitar from outer space and kick-ass rock.
	THE MONKEES - - - More of The Monkees (1967) There was a time when I was trying to decide which was the better group - The Monkees or The Beatles. I know, I know. The Monkees were pre-fab, and sub-Fab, I KNOW. This album captures teen love euphoria and angst in songs by some great 60s songwriters. So get over any scorn for the schmaltz and be young at heart.
	PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY - - - The Peanut Butter Conspiracy is Spreading (1967) If you like The Mamas & The Papas and Spanky & Our Gang, you'll appreciate the flawless vocals and brilliant pop songwriting by this group.
	PETER, PAUL AND MARY - - - Album 1700 (1967) A wonderful album, heartbreaking and uplifting, full of their ache and burn. (I won't take the further liberty of calling their 1963 folk album (Moving) "classic rock," but I highly recommended it, also.)
	PROCOL HARUM - - - A Whiter Shade of Pale (1967) Fine album by a consistently excellent group. They deserve accolades for much more than the few hits that got radio play. The hit title song didn't reveal their guitarist's power; the rest of the album does.	MP3 album "Greatest Hits."
	VANILLA FUDGE - - - Vanilla Fudge (1967) My guilty pleasure? Usually, I would hold my nose at an album of all covers (Beatles, Sonny & Cher, Argent, Curtis Mayfield), but they do all of the songs as if they wrote them and meld them all into a unified sound that flows through the entire album: tinkling nursery tunes and slashing organ, innocence and regret.
	THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - - - The Velvet Underground and Nico (1967) Their early classic veers from airy, floating songs, like "Sunday Morning," "Femme Fatale," and "I'll Be Your Mirror" - to snarling, sloppy, punky songs like "I'm Waiting for the Man" and "European Son." This is a special Velvet album because it features lovely Nico vocals on three songs. Nico's off-key singing creates a grand and grave effect.
	THE WHO - - - The Who Sell Out (1967) Highly sophisticated arrangements of rock blended with smart touches of clever pop and a panoply of melodies with fine vocal harmonies. A concept album that's more intricate and varied than Tommy.
	THE BEATLES - - - The Beatles (1968) The title is ironic because it is the least Beatles-as-a-group album, with this solo-John song and that solo-Paul song, etc., strewn among the group songs. Known as the "White Album," a smorgasbord ranging from wonderful acoustic ditties thrown off by solo Beatles, to the whole group rocking out hard, to full-blown orchestral pieces and even an avant garde sound collage.
	BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS - - - Child is Father to the Man (1968) A psychedelic pop masterpiece imprinted with Al Kooper's irresistible appeal.
	BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS - - - Blood, Sweat and Tears (1968) A whole different sound after Al Kooper left the band - bluesier, starker. The horns may harken to Chicago, but BS&T is trippier than Chicago, and this album is moodier. Besides having BS&T's biggest hits, there's "Sometimes in Winter," a beautiful, sentimental song. On the other end, how can I not lip-sync and jump around when I hear "More and More"?
	BONZO DOG BAND - - - Urban Space Man (aka The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse) (1968) The 3-disc Cornology has the complete works of this bizarre, omni-talented British band. Bonzo's first album, Gorilla, lurched crazily from sweet pop to hot dixieland to an Elvis takeoff to cartoon music to a lampoon of "The Sound of Music." I especially like this album, their second, for its harder rock. If it didn't still contain a few novelties, it wouldn't be Bonzo. The last song (before the bonus tracks), "11 Mustachioed Daughters," about the black arts, blows my mind.
	CANNED HEAT - - - Boogie with Canned Heat (1968) Canned Heat was an outstanding blues rock band that is grossly underappreciated. The Bear (husky-voiced singer) and the Blind Owl (high-pitched singer) were bluesologists, and the latter was a superb blues harpist and guitarist. The Sunflower (lead guitar) was a great blues guitarist who could wax beautifully psychedelic. The Mole was top-notch on bass. (Not to be confused with the later, post-Classic incarnation of the band, the only remaining original member being the drummer.)	First album, "Canned Heat," and second album "Boogie with Canned Heat."
	CAPTAIN BEEFHEART - - - Strictly Personal (1968) Beefheart called the psychedelic overproduction an abomination of his more low-key bluesy intention, but I love the bluesy side and the psychedelic side.	"Safe as Milk" album and bonus tracks
	DONOVAN - - - Hurdy Gurdy Man (1968) Gentle, serene, poised, mystical.
	GEORGE HARRISON - - - Wonderwall Music (1968) Wonderful. George created this heavily-Indian influenced soundtrack while the Beatles were still together. Some absolutely gorgeous music and well worth the effort it may take to let the Indian pieces grow on you.
	IRON BUTTERFLY - - - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968) Pre-Led Zeppelin hard rock (with another heavy-light name), featuring electric guitar and organ. The 17-minute title track is legendary, and the regular-length songs on Side 1 are all good, solid psychedelic rock.
	JANIS JOPLIN - - - Cheap Thrills (1968) If all you know of Janis is "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Mercedes Benz," then are you in for a surprise! This is Janis and Big Brother at their scorching peak. Not playing it LOUD is like pouring your espresso into a tall tumbler of dishwater. THERE'S STUFF - I mean - there's stuff in there you just can't hear unless it's loud. (Independent tests prove there are also unexplainable sonic phenomena on the vinyl that are not on the CD.)
	JOHN MAYALL - - - Blues from Laurel Canyon (1968) Blues rock from preeminent English bluesman, talented piano, harmonica, and guitar player and songwriter. Mayall composed all tracks - one-quarter of the them are mellow, three-quarters are rocking.
	JOHNNY RIVERS - - - Realization (1968) A beautiful soft rock album. While a couple covers songs are expendable, it all flows together sweetly.
	THE KINKS - - - ... Are The Village green Preservation Society (1968) The Kinks' homage to times lost is loaded with memorable melodies.
	LAURA NYRO - - - Eli and the Thirteenth Confession (1968) "My lover's mouth been so good to me, it promised joy for a jailhouse and a broken key." Start with her more accessible album, The First Songs. (Then if you like Eli, you're ready for New York Tendaberry.) This album takes more patience, because it is more creatively adventurous. But it's enormously powerful, leading to a spine-tingling climax. She wrote "Eli's Comin'," and her version here is much more exciting than Three Dog Night's cover. A religious experience.
	LOVE - - - Forever Changes (1968) This masterpiece deserves a place among the icons of classic rock. If you already LOVE this album as much as I do, you might want to check out The Forever Changes Concert CD - a superb performance of the album by Arthur Lee from a concert in -- get this -- 2003 !!
	NICO - - - The Marble Index (1968) A mystical experience, like the sound of wind in a dream. Nico sings, John Cale production.
	PEARLS BEFORE SWINE - - - Balaklava (1968) This is an undiscovered gem, delicate poetic images set to ethereal, folky-psychedelic music.
	PRETTY THINGS - - - S.F. Sorrow (1968) A rock opera that is ambitious in exploring new musical territory. While not as much ear candy as their later Parachutes album, still very tasty. Fascinating progressive rock.
	THE ROLLING STONES - - - Beggar's Banquet (1968) The Beatles were Number 1 while they were together. The Stones were breathing down their necks with the release of this album, which marks the beginning of the Stones' peak period. No one's sound was tougher or classier. One of their darkest albums, and probably their best.
	THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS - - - Farewell to the First Golden Era (1968) A collection of their hits. World class melody and vocal harmony perfection.
	THE RASCALS - - - Time Piece (Rascals' Greatest Hits) (1968) Blue-eyed soul kings.
	SPIRIT - - - Time Circle (1968-72) This impressive 2-disc collection doesn't have a dud among the 41 tracks, which run from atmospheric meditations, like "Ice," to full-out rock, like "I Got A Line On You."

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