submitted for your approval

If the Beatles' "Sgt Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band" is the benchmark album that other groups aspire to then what would you consider your favorite groups' "Sgt Pepper"? This is a discussion I've had with friends and the only rules, if any, are that it can't be a greatest hits collection and there must be a reason why.

I hear by submit several albums for your consideration...




Peter, Paul and Mary "Late Again" (1968)

I still have the copy I found in my parents' collection. Although I had been familiar with PPM and their music ("500 Miles", "Puff, the Magic Dragon") this was something different: Peter, Paul and Mary gone electric, the third in a trio of electric folk and experimental albums that one wouldn't  expect from this group. Although two albums like this had already been released ("The Peter, Paul and Mary Album" and "Album 1700", the latter with "Leaving on a Jet Plane", "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" and "The House Song"), in my opinion  this is the best of PPM's experimentation and includes some great tunes including "I Shall Be Released", "Too Much of Nothing", "Apologize" and the beautiful "Love City (Postcards From Deluth)".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU8J0eDa2PQ






The Monkees "Headquarters" (1967)

The year of the monkey coincides with 50th anniversary of the Monkees
Although at times I think the Monkees album "Birds Bees and Monkees" may be better album with their final #1 "Daydream Believer" (plus "Zor and Zam", "Valleri" and Nesmith's "Writing Wrongs") and the album "Pisces Aquarius Capricorn and Jones ltd" a close second for it's great early synthesizer work ("Daily Nightly" and "Star Collector") plus again some excellent writing ("Words", "Pleasant Valley Sunday") and experimentation, their "Headquarters" album stands on its own merits as the first album the boys were allowed free reign, total control and the only album (until 1996's "Justus") in which they played almost everything. The energy and freedom stands out and the album contains several excellent cuts including "For Pete's Sake", "Forget that Girl", the beautiful "Shades of Gray", two excellent rockers (the great "Randy Scouse Git" and "No Time") and possibly one of the first rap songs ("Zilch"). The album is also featured in the book 1001 Albums You must Listen to Before you Die.
The original tv boy band is still together and this year the Monkees will be celebrating by releasing a new album ("Goodtimes"). Will anyone remember NKOTB or Boys2Men (or even The Spice Girls?)  in 50 years?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SubpzqswJRE




Simon and Garfunkel "Bookends" (1968)

This was the first "adult" album I ever owned. Given to me by a neighbor along with a Three Dog Night and two Grass Roots singles (and Lincoln Black's 1969 "Famous Last Words") I can't even begin to explain how I felt listening to these for the first time. What can I say about this album that hasn't been said before? Great from first cut to last, almost every song could have been released as a single. With most of the cuts written by Paul Simon, the tracks include "Hazy Shade Of Winter", "America", "Fakin' It", "Save the Life of my Child" and of course the great "Mrs Robinson"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C1BCAgu2I8




Bee Gees "Main Course" (1975)

I remember when I saw this album at the old King's store in Brockton Mass. This is the one that reignited the Bee Gees career  and is possibly one of the finest dance albums ever. The songs are so well crafted and so popular (and now so well known) the album plays like a greatest hits collection. "Jive Talkin'", "Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)", "Nights on Broadway", "Wind of Change", "Baby As You Turn Away" and the beautiful "Songbird".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wRM-t7wvF0




The Dave Brubeck Quartet "Time Out" (1959)

I have a very eclectic taste in music (no, really?). My family's tastes range from ABBA to Zappa, old radio shows to show tunes, Elvis Costello to Abbott and Costello. I also like Burt Bacharach, Herb Alpert, Al Hirt and Floyd Cramer. I'm a fan of them all but give me my Dave Brubeck "Time Out" album with the great "Take Five"any day. The man is the Einstein of time signatures. "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and "Three to Get Ready" are great tracks but it's "Take Five", one of the most famous jazz pieces ever, that brings this baby home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzpnWuk3RjU

There are others but this will do for now. What would be your choices? "Operation Mindcrime" by Queensryche? "Ingenue" by K D Lang? "In Through the Out Door" by Led Zeppelin? Another Beatles album?

(and before anyone asks, no I don't know why I have two pictures of "Time Out")