Rock has evolved so much over the last century. However, nothing tops the unique stylings of 1960s rock musicians. Plenty have come and gone, and quite a few bands from that era are still well-known and rocking today. Some, though, might have slipped under your radar. Let’s take a look at four (somewhat) forgotten rock albums from the 1960s that you may have never heard before… but definitely should!
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1. ‘Song Cycle’ by Van Dyke Parks
This 1967 album teeters between orchestral pop and art rock, with an overall Americana energy to it that is unmistakable. Unless you’re a big Beach Boys fan, you may have never heard of Van Dyke Parks before. We can thank him for some beautiful lyrical collaborations with Brian Wilson through the years, particularly for the unfinished enigmatic album Smile.
Song Cycle, though, is Parks’ debut album and one of the most expensive records that Warner Brothers produced at the time. It’s a unique, genre-bending piece of work that constantly keeps the listener’s attention.
2. ‘The Remains’ by The Remains
The Remains released their self-titled debut album back in 1966, and it’s aged surprisingly well. It’s also one of the most sorely forgotten 1960s rock albums out there. This excellent garage rock outfit from Boston didn’t release a copious amount of music during their heyday, sadly. Still, this album is a real treat. The Remains opened for The Beatles back in the day, so their quality isn’t exactly surprising.
3. ‘Present Tense’ by Sagittarius
This writer often saw the unique cosmic cover of this LP at record stores, but it was a hot minute before I actually took the time to listen to it. Present Tense by Sagittarius was released in 1968 and was definitely a product of its time. If you notice some familiar elements on it, Sagittarius’ Gary Usher once collaborated with The Bech Boys.
Present Tense is an orchestral, harmonious, psychedelic piece of work. It’s a little on the avant-garde side of rock, but it’s a sonic delight.
4. ‘The Birthday Party’ by The Idle Race
Out of all the forgotten rock albums from the 1960s on this list, you might just be familiar with this one. Jeff Lynne (of Electric Light Orchestra) fronted this little outfit before ELO was a thought, and before he joined The Move.
The Idle Race released The Birthday Party in 1968, and it’s a very obvious Lynne masterpiece. This psych-pop-rock album got great reviews upon its release, but it didn’t really chart. We can’t understand why. It’s a surprisingly catchy record.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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