1968
Noah’s Barks pages covering things relating to the year 1968.
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The Beatles – “The Beatles”
Everything The Beatles were is encapsulated in this double album. From R&B rock, to folk, to psychedelia and beyond. This is ‘The Beatles.’ (read more)
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The Great Silence
The Great Silence may end up waiting some time before it’s commonly regarded as one of the greatest westerns, which is unfortunate as the film’s effect is immediate. The unique snowy backdrops impact the dialogue and scenes wonderfully, Klaus Kinski plays a suitably psychotic and manipulative villain, and for its modest length the film has… (read more)
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Once Upon a Time in the West
I never expected any western to approach the quality of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but Once Upon a Time in the West both gave me hope and succeeded. The overstretched beginning is fairly flat, but once Charles Bronson and Jason Robards meet it’s as if the whole movie suddenly goes aflame. Sergio… (read more)
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Rosemary’s Baby
Rosemary’s Baby draws its power from the realistic universal discomfort of watching a very ill woman suffering during her pregnancy. Rosemary’s innocence and naivete are instantly charming, and when things go wrong for her we feel her same paranoia and worry, genuinely concerned for the safety of her and her baby. The film preys on… (read more)
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Night of the Living Dead
Maybe you’ll consider me more braindead than any creature seen in this movie, because I can’t for the life of me see why anyone still finds entertainment value in Night of the Living Dead. On a measly budget of $100,000 George A. Romero cleverly disguises his lack of funding with craft and great ambition. Too… (read more)
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The Zombies – “Odessey and Oracle”
‘Odessey and Oracle’ is one of the greatest psychedelic pop albums—heck, one of the greatest albums ever made. (read more)
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Laura Nyro – “Eli and the Thirteenth Confession”
Though the mysterious, brooding album cover may suggest otherwise, ‘Eli and the Thirteenth Confession’ is actually a swingin’, progressive soul album. (read more)
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Big Brother & The Holding Company – “Cheap Thrills”
I decided a long time ago, pretty confidently, that I hated Janis Joplin‘s voice. Listening to Cheap Thrills now, I’m not sure what the hell was wrong with me. Not only is her righteous roar undeniably showstopping, but it’s the best thing about this album by a wide margin. I rarely even notice the band… (read more)
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The Byrds – “The Notorious Byrd Brothers”
On ‘The Notorious Byrd Brothers,’ The Byrds oversaturate their album with too much hippy-dippy, reverbing, psychedelic production and undermine the immediacy of their signature jangly pop rock. (read more)
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The Soft Machine – “The Soft Machine” (1968)
The Soft Machine are a rightfully-named band. Their compositionally-layered blend of jazzy, psychedelic rock with frantic organ playing sounds like a machine straight out of a cartoon huffing and puffing, tooting and whistling while it bounces around, blowing smoke everywhere. Seriously though—that organ. Mike Ratledge is incredible here, and gives even Ray Manzarek a run… (read more)