Seven sunshine pop albums that deserve more love

For quite a while, sunshine pop, which had its heights in the late sixties was denigrated by many due to part of its roots in all things easy listening (think Burt Bacharach, Bossa Nova, advertising jingles), and "true" California bands like The Beach Boys and The Mamas & The Papas.

Now, as music by many of the original sunshine pop artists is being re-assessed (as are many strands of what is considered easy listening), and as new ones working within this sub-genre is cropping up, sunshine pop is being given due credit it really deserved.

Often rich in intricate vocal harmonies, catchy melodies, and lush orchestrations, at its prime sunshine pop was quite beneficial to artists like the Turtles, 5th Dimension, and the Association. Plus, after the huge success of the Nuggets compilation(s), bands like The Millennium and Sagittarius gained quite a fan following.

Sunshine pop albums you should be listening to

Even though the original success of sunshine pop went through singles and radio play, all of the above artists had some serious high-quality, even classic albums under their belt, some of which have landed on quite a number of best-of-all-time lists. Yet there are quite a number of other artists who came up with great sunshine pop albums that never got quite the attention they deserved. Now may be the time for some re-assessment.

The Holy Mackerel - The Holy Mackerel

This album went unnoticed at the time of its release. The record, however, became a collector's item for fans of all-around songwriter (and of course, singer) Paul Williams who gained fame not only as a solo artist but as a songwriter for almost everybody from The Carpenters to Daft Punk.

Yet the album (1968) is not only the indicator of Williams’ talents, but also of what good Sunshine pop was (and is) all about. Meaning, excellent melody structures, great vocal harmonies, and intricate arrangements.