Top 10 albums of 1968

With Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland" celebrating its 40th anniversary on October 16, and three other landmark classic rock albums set to celebrate their 40th anniversary in November: The Beatles "White Album," The Kinks "Village Green Preservation Society," and Van Morrison's "Alstral Weeks," I thought I'd count down my top 10 albums from the year 1968.

10. "Truth" by the Jeff Beck Group
9. "Odessey and Oracle" by The Zombies
8. "Wheels Of Fire" by Cream
7. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" by the Byrds
6. "Beggars Banquet" by the Rolling Stones
5. "Astral Weeks" by Van Morrison
4. "Music From Big Pink" by The Band
3. "The Village Green Preservation Society" by the Kinks
2. "Electric Ladyland" by the Jimi Hendrix Experience
1. "The Beatles" by the Beatles

Album Of The Week (10/13-10/19)

Steely Dan has, for as long as I can remember, been one of my favorite bands. I don't know exactly what it is about them, but they have always struck a chord with me. Nothing gets better than their 1972 debut album, "Can't Buy A Thrill." Walter Becker and Donald Fagan, along with Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, created a rock album that blended both pop and jazz elements. Highlights from the album include "Do It Again," "Dirty Work," and "Midnight Cruiser," along with one of my all-time favorite songs "Reelin' In The Years."

Happy Birthday John!

On October 9, 1940 one of the greatest and most influential musical figures of all time was born. John Lennon would be celebrating his 68th birthday today if he were still alive. No other person or band (Beatles) has had a greater influence on my life. For anyone who has been touched in some way by John or the Beatles, today should be a celebration of his life. Here are some of my favorite songs for you to listen to:

Favorite Beatles songs: I Call Your Name, I'm A Loser, Baby's In Black, No Reply, Ticket To Ride, Help!, Nowhere Man, Girl, In My Life, Rain, She Said She Said, And Your Bird Can Sing, Baby You're A Rich Man, A Day In The Life, Strawberry Fields Forever, Dear Prudence, Hapiness Is A Warm Gun, I'm So Tired, Everybody's Got Something To Hide..., Sexy Sadie, Revolution 1, Cry Baby Cry, The Ballad of John & Yoko, Don't Let Me Down, Dig A Pony, Across the Universe

Favorite Solo songs: Cold Turkey, Happy Xmas (War Is Over), Instant Karma, Mother, Hold On, Working Class Hero, Love, Well Well Well, God, Jealous Guy, Imagine, How?, Mind Games, #9 Dream, Stand By Me, Beautiful Boy, (Just Like) Starting Over, Woman, Watching The Wheels, Nobody Told Me

Album Of The Week (10/6-10/12)

After 1973's breakthrough album, Dark Side of the Moon, could Pink Floyd follow it up with another album just as great? In my opinion, they did just that and more. In 1975 the band released Wish You Were Here, which was a tribute to their former band member Syd Barrett who had left the band in 1968 because of mental problems from the use of psychedelic drugs. The resulting album is nothing short of a masterpiece. The album starts off and ends with the song Shine On You Crazy Diamond which is split into two parts. The song itself is a tribute to Syd Barrett. The other three songs on the album: Welcome to the Machine, Have A Cigar, and Wish You Were Here are all spectacular. There is not one weak moment on this album. Every track is amazing. The title track is easily my favorite Pink Floyd song with Welcome to the Machine being in the top 5.

Essential tracks: All of them. You have to listen to the album in its entirety to fully appreciate it.

Artist Spotlight: The Kinks

Every so often I will spotlight a different Classic Rock band/artist for a various number of reasons. The reason I have chosen the Kinks is because I have really been digging them lately and I think it's a shame that most of their best work goes mostly unnoticed now-a-days. Sure, everyone has heard You Really Got Me and Lola, but I wouldn't even rank those songs in the top 5 of their best songs. Other than the Beatles and maybe a couple of other bands, I believe the Kinks had the best string of albums in the mid and late 1960's. In their early days they released a number of great songs the include "You Really Got Me," "All Day And All Of The Night," "A Well Respected Man," "Tired Of Waiting For You," "Till The End Of The Night," and "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" among others. After their 1965 Summer US tour, they were banned from touring in the States for four years by the American Federation of Musicians. This took a huge toll on the Kinks popularity in the States during the height of the British Invasion. The best and most creative period of the bands career began with the release of the single "Sunny Afternoon" in June of 1966. Their first great album, "Something Else by The Kinks" was released in September 1967. The album produces a handful of strong songs that include "David Watts" and "Death of a Clown," but the best song by far on the album is "Waterloo Sunset." This song is widely regarded as the groups best song. In November of 1968 the band released what I consider to be their greatest achievement: "The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society." At the time of its release it was greatly overshadowed by the Beatles White Album (which was released on the same day). The album was largely ignored by the public and critics at the time of its release but it slowly started to gain a cult status and you can now find it on almost everybody's list of Greatest Albums of All Time. The Kinks would then go on to release to more great albums: 1969's "Arthur" and 1970's "Lola." The former contains the songs "Victoria" and "Shangri-La", with the latter producing the mega-hit "Lola" and "Apeman." 1971's "Muswell Hillbillies" is a favorite among Kinks fans and "Everybody's In Show-Biz" contained the song "Celluloid Heroes" in 1972. The bands popularity dipped in the mid-1970's but had a little resurgence in 1977 with the song "Father Christmas" off the album "Misfits." The Kinks last popular album came in 1983's "State of Confusion" which spawned the hit single "Come Dancing." Personal differences between brothers Ray and Dave Davies disintergrated the band, and they haven't played together since 1996.

Here are some of my favorite Kinks songs that I think are definitily worth listening to:

All Day And All Of The Night, A Well Respected Man, Sunny Afternoon, Deadend Street, David Watts, Waterloo Sunset, Days, Village Green Preservation Society, Lola, Apeman, Celluloid Heroes, Father Christmas