Listening to some of the forgotten, rarely discovered, or never heard of albums from the 1960s, we just might wonder why some of this music never got the true attention it deserved. From today’s perspective, and particularly for new listeners, this might be puzzling, but then, it is good to remember that this was more than fifty years ago when these were released.
Then, there was no internet, no streaming, and if you were on an independent label, or the executives of the big labels didn’t care much about plugging your release through the available media, or released your album in pitiful numbers.
All you had to count on was your luck with radio DJs, a rock critic with taste, another artist raving about you, or simple word of mouth from somebody who stumbled onto your album by chance.
1960s albums that were underloved but still need to be heard
To that effect, these days the availability of reissues, and practically of the 20 albums listed below, had their reissue chances, but now there is another problem - too many releases available and your reissue has to compete with brand spanking new releases.
Any and all of those listed here might have been forgotten, never heard of, or shared by a hardcore fan base that deserves to be much wider than it is now.
Monks - Black Monk Time (1966)
Many critics and fans consider Richard Berry's classic “Louie Louie” as the true beginning of punk and garage rock, but what about the album that could have that honourable title? Only a few points to this album, recorded by a group of U.S. GIs stationed in Germany, who actually self-financed this album.
And yes, it does deserve all the cult fandom it received, but even a series of reissues didn’t make it to wider audiences, which it deserves.
The Remains - The Remains (1966)
This album could be a sort of twin with the Monks' one, as it was released the same year and was also a case with no fillers, mostly originals, and still, ehm, remains as one of the true originals of the original punk rock. Barry Tashian, one of the leaders of the band, later became quite a respected songwriter.
Harpers Bizarre - Feelin’ Groovy (1967)
Singles were still the main source of music by the time this album was out, particularly when you have in mind a sub-genre that was sunshine pop. But it was also a time when you could create a mainly studio band that could come up with the goods.
This album is considered as an epitome of soft rock for all the right reasons, with some intricate arrangements by the likes of Leon Russell and Van Dyke Parks.
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