There’s something striking, and a bit unnerving about the cover of Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66’s 1967 album Equinox. First of all, since their debut album dropped in 1966, and this is their sophomore effort, shouldn’t they have referred to themselves as Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’67? But more importantly, the angle of the cover photo, and the pensive looks across the faces of this great Latin jazz band suggest some hidden, otherworldly connection. When taking the photo for this record, I nonchalantly framed the album on my desk and through my camera saw six, 1967 musicians staring back at me. It was a moment I couldn’t shake, hence the subject of this post. Anyway, the music is great, like I said, Latin jazz, and you should check it out, if you can get past the chilling cover.
The Bee Gees, like you (may have) never heard them before! Almost a decade before their award-winning work on the grimy, mirror-ball-spinning Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, the Bee Gees, then a five-piece, dug their feet firmly into the mushroom-laden ground of late 60s pop psychedelia. Case-in-point, their debut album, Bee Gees’ 1st. Though the three singles are New York Mining Disaster 1941, To Love Somebody, and Holiday, it’s the opener, Turn of the Century that is an absolute must-hear. Bee Gees’ 1st is a pleasant and blissful listen, and comes, strangely, very highly recommended.
