I've been listening to British 60s artists since 2019 starting with the Beatles. However, with the exception of John Mayall and the Zombies, whom I caught up with in 2020 and 2022, I listened to most of these artists in late 2023 and early 2024. Unlike the American page which only housed a few compilations, this page consists of many. Note that you can also find the review of Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton on Eric Clapton's page.
Bert Jansch: Bert Jansch (1965): B
The Creation: Our Music Is Red - With Flashes of Purple (1998): C+
Cliff Richard: Cliff in the 50's (2002): C
Cliff Richard: Cliff in the 60's (2004): B-
The Dave Clark Five: The Hits (2008): C+
Gerry & the Pacemakers: The Best of Gerry & the Pacemakers (1984): B
Herman's Hermits: Their Greatest Hits (1973): B
The Hollies: In the Hollies Style (1964): B-
The Hollies: The Hollies' Greatest Hits (1973): B-
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers: Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966): B
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers: A Hard Road (1967): B
Manfred Mann: Mann Made Hits (1966): B+
Manfred Mann: Chapter Two: The Best of the Fontana Years (1994): C
The Merseybeats: I Stand Accused (2021): B-
The Searchers: It's the Searchers (1964): B+
The Shadows: Shadows Are Go! (1996): B+
The Spencer Davis Group: The Best of the Spencer Davis Group (1967): B-
Tommy Steele: The World of Tommy Steele (2009): C+
Traffic: Mr. Fantasy (1967): C
Traffic: Traffic (1968): B-
The Troggs: The Best of the Troggs (1994): A+
The Zombies: Begin Here (1965): B
The Zombies: Odessey Oracle (1968): A-
Bert Jansch: Bert Jansch (1965):
Bert Jansch released this modest debut of mostly original acoustic guitar work in 1965. While coming from Scotland, Jansch is clearly well-versed in American folk music as well as the blues. Selling an impressive number of copies, Bert Jansch proved to be a hit and his guitar work notably influenced Jimmy Page, Neil Young, and Nick Drake. As a delicate and introspective singer, Jansch is comfortable occupying a depressive and meditative state which is less objectional than it is boring. While Jansch certainly has impressive chops as an acoustic guitarist, his instrumental songs occupy a stylistic realm adjacent to John Fahey, whose imaginative and original take on American folk music is much more invigorating and fun. But these strong instrumental pieces do offer frequent interruptions from Jansch’s downtrodden and somber state of mind. All things considered, the nice interweaving of instrumental work and sorry-for-himself singing makes his work more or less consumable. B
The Creation: Our Music Is Red - With Flashes of Purple (1998):
With their first single "Making Time" in 1966, the Creation set themselves apart as an abrasive rock band with a distinct experimental and artsy approach. Although their first and second singles charted well, they were not able to achieve a solid commercial standing and broke up in 1968 with only seven singles to their name. This compilation chronologically collects twenty-four songs, adding a few obscure cuts and covers that were released retrospectively. While the band occasionally distilled their vision to interesting works (and in the case of "Making Time," a song to remember), too often their experimental approach was dragged down by unconvincing vocals from Kenny Pickett and under-developed melodies. And this comp is simply much too long and doesn't capture much of a story. C+
Cliff Richard: Cliff in the 50's (2002):
Cliff Richard was something like the Elvis of Britain, turning out a number of hits in the UK starting in 1958. This covers Richard's earliest hits as he was ascending to stardom. Although there are moments of excellency, the album opens with two live tracks that are distracted by screaming girls (who sound more interested in making the tape than the talent on the stage), houses a number of weak covers, and completes the track-list with many hits that just aren't that impressive. You'll be fine with just "Schoolboy Crush," "Apron Strings," "Mean Streak," and "Move It," the last of which the compilation inexplicably misses. C
Cliff Richard: Cliff in the 60's (2004):
Richard improved upon his popularity in the early 60s but it waned in 1965 when his streak of top ten hits ended. By the end of the decade, Richard was shifting his talents to the big screen. Nevertheless, this first part of the decade represents the best period of his music, highlighted here by a tuneful track-list where a few of his vocals go down like honey. (It is worth noting there are two compilations called Cliff in the 60's. The one on streaming platforms is the one I reviewed here. Another was released in 1984 and also consists of 16 tracks.) B-
The Dave Clark Five: The Hits (2008):
Although they were worthy competitors to the Stones and the Beatles in terms of charting singles between 1964 and 1967, the Dave Clark Five quickly fizzled out. As soon as the two other groups honed their songwriting, the Tottenham group was left in the dust and they eventually disbanded in 1970. Not only were they not able to keep up with the changing times but they also weren't quite on the same level even in the early days. As inoffensive as the Monkees but as untalented as the Spencer Davis Group, the DC5's best originals don't leave much of an impression and their covers quickly prove to be nothing revelatory. This compilation (which was also released as All the Hits in 2019) summarizes the group's efforts during their short career in 28 songs. If it summarized their career in seven songs, it probably still would be time-wasting. C+
Gerry & the Pacemakers: The Best of Gerry & the Pacemakers (1984):
Gerry & the Pacemakers were an early Liverpool band that quickly gained national popularity in 1963 with their first single. Although they had both Brian Epstein as their manager and George Martin as their producer, the band's popularity declined by 1965 and they broke up in 1967. However, they released an impressive catalog of singles in their initial incarnation. The Pacemakers aren't technically gifted, but they know how to play a song at a nice, fast speed. As soon as they get going, Gerry Marsden's easy charm and strong voice effortlessly make the band's singles some of the most essential recordings to come out of the Britain in the 60s, not just the Merseybeat scene. Although it's no surprise Martin's name was on such great recordings, it is shocking he was also oversaw the overdubbing of such powerful and piercing strings for the group's pop songs. Seriously, they put Phil Spector to shame! The Best of Gerry & the Pacemakers's twenty-seven song track-list houses about fifteen great rock sides, but it intersperses that high quality with several unlistenable orchestral numbers and annoyingly shuffles up the recording dates of everything. Like a few other artists on this page, it may simply be easier to forget about finding a good compilation from this band. B
Herman's Hermits: Their Greatest Hits (1973):
Although a frequent punchline for their perceived lightweight music, Herman's Hermits were quite commercially successful in the mid-60s. They never broke up; instead, they fell out of favor by the 1970s as the public moved onto to more exciting acts like Led Zeppelin. As such, this compilation tightly focuses on the band's biggest singles, covering only 1964 to 1967. Negatively comparing them to the Beatles (as is often done) is lazy and unhelpful, but it is true that they rarely cut through emotionally, they don't do much instrumentally, and they never show more utility than a single's band. As a single's band, however, they did have a few fun earworms. B
The Hollies: In the Hollies Style (1964):
Although one of those 60s albums that sounds very much like a product of its time, the band's harmonies and songwriting prove to be enjoyable. Not everything hits--their covers in particular don't gel with the sound they have carved out on their original work--but the musicianship always impresses. B-
The Hollies: The Hollies' Greatest Hits (1973):
While In the Hollies Style is one of the band's most celebrated studio albums, it doesn't capture the diverse sounds of The Hollies' Greatest Hits, which consists only of songs released after 1964. By 1972, the band had gone through many changes, losing Graham Nash, living through the British psychedelic era, and somehow making it out alive without any embarrassing singles. Unfortunately, this compilation doesn't give a nice overview of their evolution through these developments. While it mostly includes great material, it randomly shuffles the band's biggest hits together on an album that finishes side one with their most recent single. Of course, it's hard to expect much from this compilation considering the strictly monetary motivations for releasing it. In 1972, longtime creative leader Allan Clark also left the band, making this album both a cheap attempt to capitalize on current buzz about "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress" and a somewhat successful stab at keeping the band commercially relevant as the band haplessly continued on without much talent left. B-
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers: Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966):
John Mayall sounds like a worse Roger Daltrey. I'm not going to say he for sure needs to switch singing styles but only on the opener "All Your Love" does he comfortably hit a high note and only on the slower song "Parchman Farm" does he not consistently irritate me. Despite this, Clapton's lead vocal on "Ramblin' on My Mind" is barely an relief because his overwhelming timidness when singing makes him only slightly preferred to Mayall at the mike. However, the band's playing is excellent, inspired, and constantly engaging. Clapton is clearly carrying the band every second of every song yet Mayall and McVie find a way to impress on organ (or piano) and bass throughout. The band tries to get Flint to shine as well with a drum solo on "What I'd Say" and it sounds fine--but it's drum solo. B
John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers: A Hard Road (1967):
I've been worried ever since I wrote my review for their record with Clapton that I was too harsh on Mayall's voice. Now, I'm reminded that I simply worded that complaint poorly. His voice is unconventionally high yet it has little range and Mayall struggles to find his place because of it on most of the tracks. It's no surprise that the two tracks Green sings are the best songs, not including the instrumental tracks, "The Stumble" and "The Super-Natural," which soar in no small thanks to Green's incredible playing. But it's not just Green. I'm often wary of the British blues scene but the Bluesbreakers are a talented band. Where their debut relied too heavily on Clapton to carry the album, they have now morphed into complete band with strong playing across the board... if only Mayall's singing didn't cancel it out so often. B
Manfred Mann: Mann Made Hits (1966):
This London rock band, whose namesake is their keyboardist, takes noticeable jazz influence in the middle of the British blues scene. Their original lead singer Paul Jones left in 1966, causing the record company to release this retrospective of the three years of recording under him. Although the record execs may have been concerned this departure would be the end of the band's strong commercial success (they had two number ones and one number twos on the U.K. charts), the band soon replaced him and continued to have chart success. At least critically, however, the band's initial iteration under Jones is generally considered their best. With a rough, danceable sound and Jones's convincing lead vocals, the band's early period is rightly remembered. Although "Pretty Flamingo" and "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" were their biggest hits, recordings like "Oh No Not My Baby" and "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" are arguably even better. They even pull off the string-laden but still hard nosed "There's No Living Without Your Loving" and a damn good cover of a jazz instrumental. "With God on Our Side"? A Dylan lyric whose frank discussion of World War II becomes especially objectionable during this forced pop arrangement. The folk standard "John Hardy" doesn't take hold either. While it's too bad they couldn't do these influences justice, they pull off about everything else in their wide ranging repertoire. B+
Manfred Mann: Chapter Two: The Best of the Fontana Years (1994):
After the band's original lead singer left in 1966, the band quickly hired Mike d'Abo to replace him. Manfred Mann continued to have decent success as they moved to a noticeably more pop-influenced sound. Although this era only lasted until 1969, it produced their most well-remembered single and their final number one hit "The Mighty Quinn." Taking sonic queues from the Zombies' Odessey Orcacle and writing Randy Newman-esque lyrics which are so brain dead they don't seem satirical (see "I Wanna Be Rich"), the band range from sounding plain childish to blissfully stupid. Save for two diamonds in the rough--"Each Other's Company" and "The Mighty Quinn"--with strong melodies and solid execution, this second era offers quite the opposite of substance and enjoyment. C
The Merseybeats: I Stand Accused (2021):
The Merseybeats were a Liverpool band that grew up in the early 60s alongside the Beatles. Consisting mainly of vocalist/guitarist Tony Crane and vocalist/bassist Billy Kinsley, the band made a few hits on their home turf but their popularity never caught on in the US. They have some nice harmonies (that sometimes recall the Beatles) and a genially pop sound. Although another compilation also called I Stand Accused was released as a complete overview of the band's 60s recordings, this version chops that down to twenty-eight songs. However, the band's biggest hits were usually covers of better recordings while many of the other cuts simply don't stand up. This compilation wasn't ordered chronologically, but it does highlight the band's best songs within its first fifteen cuts. For the few numbers that epitomize the Merseybeats, check out "Rhythm of Love," "Is It Love?," "Penny in My Pocket," "I Hope You're Happy," and "Do Me a Favour." B-
The Searchers: It's the Searchers (1964):
The Searchers have a number of good compilations that may have been acceptable to listen to but without access them, I ultimately landed upon their third studio album, which was their most commercially and critically successful LP. Although not much for songwriting, the band carved out an excellent sound farther removed from the Beatles than others in the Merseybeat scene. Housing their international hit "Needles and Pins," It's the Searchers showcases the band pushing that lovely 60s pop sound to excellent effect. Not only is their cover of "Needles and Pins" still as jangly and infectious today, but other songs forgotten to time are worth remembering: "It's in Her Kiss," "Glad All Over," "Livin' Lovin' Wreck," "Where Have You Been," "Can't Help Forgiving You," and "Don't Throw Your Love Away." The only knock on the album is that the first side too front-loaded to give the finely recorded second side enough proper company. B+
The Shadows: Shadows Are Go! (1996):
The Shadows were a late 50s/early 60s instrumental band. Although their chart success never crossed the Atlantic, they had a number of hits in England and were a significant influence on the music scene there. When they weren't playing by themselves, they backed up Cliff Richard, another early British hit maker. They may not hold quite the same power as the Ventures--an American twin guitar instrumental group of the same era--but they have many memorable tracks with some beautiful guitar tones. This album compiles twenty-three of their best songs and cuts off the band's career before they ever lost any power. B+
The Spencer Davis Group: The Best of the Spencer Davis Group (1967):
Steve Winwood was only 14 at the time of this four-piece band’s formation in 1963 and he hadn't even turned 20 when he left the group in 1967 to form Traffic. While only lasting a few years under Winwood, the Spencer Davis Group had a few well charting singles on both sides of the Atlantic and this early fourteen-song compilation was mainly released to showcase these. Winwood's young age is not obvious or an issue, but his awkwardly high-pitched annunciation doesn't energize when they push the pace and it certainly doesn't cut it emotionally for the group's often gentle approach. In spite of a unique direction compared to their more rock-oriented countrymen, their soulful R&B doesn't offer the spritely or refreshing vitality it should. B-
Tommy Steele: The World of Tommy Steele (2009):
Although he was not the powerhouse that Cliff Richard would later prove to be on the charts, Tommy Steele ultimately became what many consider to be Britain's first rock and roller, releasing hits starting in 1956. Even then, however, his charting singles hardly had a hold on the British charts as much as the American stars. Steele's music is often well-regarded today and he produces some fine recordings that imitate the American style, but they don't hold up to what was available at the time. Although The World of Tommy Steele is probably the best compilation available for Steele's recordings--covering up to 1963 in twenty-one songs--it mostly houses duds. His voice is satisfactory--sometimes using a hicuppy-singing style reminiscent of Buddy Holly--but the songwriting is second-rate and his band never cracks with intensity. C+
Traffic: Mr. Fantasy (1967):
Although this psychedelic group is on board with keeping their songs short and continuing to play actual melodies, they're not above breathily prophesying common LSDisms like "heaven is your mind" or ripping off Dylan ("dear Mr. Fantasy, play us a tune") or overusing flutes and sitars or... Holy moly, I just won psychedelic bingo! C
Traffic: Traffic (1968):
Although they don't follow the move to roots rock in the way that The Band and The Rolling Stones champion, Traffic do completely lose the psychedelic flavorings in favor of a nice and simple rock’n’roll. In fact, the band's skuffle is groovy enough that when Dave Mason takes lead vocals, it's some of the more pleasantly sturdy roots rock of the time. When Winwood takes up the songwriting and mic the other half of the time, the melodies are noticeably off-beat and jarring in comparison. Ultimately, the band decided to part ways with Mason after the album was released to resolve the discontinuity in sound, a predictable but depressing move. B-
The Troggs: The Best of the Troggs (1994):
Although the British rock scene caught onto blues faster than the American rock scene, the blues idiom the British ultimately adapted kept them from developing the excellent garage rock scene that thrived in the US in the mid-60s. That's why the best proto-punk bands of the 60s--the Sonics, the Velvet Underground, the MC5, the Stooges, and everyone on Lenny Kaye's Nuggets--came from the US. That is, except for the Troggs (and early Who and early Kinks). Beginning with their second single "Wild Thing" in April 1966, the Troggs quickly went on a hot streak of fantastic releases that featured crunching guitar, a primitive rhythm section, and ruffian vocals from Reg Presley, easily one of Britian's most underrated front-men. While no one would have complained if they kept making such gripping garage rock, the Troggs quickly broadened their repertoire by releasing several gentle love songs, starting with "Anyway That You Want Me" in September 1966. These string-laden pop pieces show more than unexpected versatility, they are genuinely some of the most emotionally arresting and tastefully done works of the era. How is it even possibly that a single band is able to master two genres that are at opposite ends of the spectrum of songwriting? The predatory and propulsive "I Want You" is the complete anthesis of emotionally mature and tender "Love Is All Around Me"! This retrospective compilation is laid out in chronological order, giving an excellent overview of the band's history through their startling transformation as well as the band's best singles. For one of the most unique and talented groups of the era, this twelve song track-list might seem slim but it includes nearly all of their A-sides and most of their B-sides before 1968 when they stopped consistently hitting the charts. A+
The Zombies: Begin Here (1965)
Because Colin Blunstone's boyish vocal evades the nostalgic wimpiness of Ray Davies’s, the band under Blunstone may just have a future brighter than the Kinks. Under Rod Argent's whine, however, they’re just another British invasion group with too much hype. In the end, because of the wide array of quality given by the two lead vocalists, this album harbors only a few underrated 60s pop gems and quite a few lame R&B standards. B
The Zombies: Odessey Oracle (1968):
I prefer lyrics with a bit more grit, especially if the band undertakes such serious topics seen on "A Rose for Emily," "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)," and even "Care of Cell 44." Nevertheless, the bubblegum lyrics fit in with the band's hippie idealism and the sentimentality delivered on the vocals. But how much can you expect from an obscure 60s cult classic that accidentally misspelled "Odyssey" on the cover? A lot. Despite its continued obscurity, this is undoubtedly the crowning musical achievement of British baroque pop (don't fool yourself--it ain't psychedelic beyond the cover). The arrangements and the production squeeze every last drop out of the gorgeous melodies while the intricate harmonies sound fresh throughout the album. Undoubtedly a great keyboard performance too. A-
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