A psychedelic game of two halves… (Immediate) Released: 24th May 1968 Producer: Ronnie Lane, Steve Marriott Topped the chart: 23rd June 1968 (for 6 weeks) 6 weeks total Considering how influential psychedelia has been on music, fashion and culture, it’s remarkable just how quickly the movement fizzled out. Save for revivals, the timeline of the sound basically starts with The Beatles’ Revolver in 1966, gets dark around the end of 67, before the Altamont tragedy and the Mans

A hasty goodbye to a soul legend before his time… (Stax) Released: February 23rd 1968 Producer: Steve Cropper Topped the chart: 16th June 1968 (for 1 week) 1 week total One of the ways to achieve immortality in art is to be first. Harry Belafonte is forever in the record books for being the first to sell over a million copies of an album. Mary Johnson might not be a household name, but, she’s the first person to release a single on Tamla Motown. You need to look it up, but

Another week, another album out of time… (CBS) Released: October 16 th 1967 Producer: Nick DeCaro Topped the chart: 9 th June 1968 (for 1 week) 1 week total Partying like it’s 1958 again, Andy Williams comes hot on the heels of Scott Walker with another easy listening throwback. But where Walker was cocking a snook at the past with drinks and theatrical winks, Williams plays it straight for his 21 st LP. And yes, it’s every bit as tired as that number would suggest. Most

For a brief moment, it was Scott’s world and we were just living in it… (Philips) Released: April 5 th 1968 Producer: John Franz Topped the chart: 12 th May 1968 (for 1 week) 1 week total Scoot 2 is an odd record from 1968. With psychedelia taking darker turns, all fuzz and atonal guitars, here comes one of the Walker Brothers making arch chamber pop that sounds like Mike Flowers Pop covering The Divine Comedy. Also included: songs about “Spanish bums” and gonorrhoea.