219. The Doors - LA Woman

Release Date: 1971
Label: Elektra

The final album from The Doors, and again a very good one. Jim Morrison has often been ridiculed for writing lyrics that resemble sixth-form poetry, presumably by the same people who like The Beatles but they've never bothered me. Particular favourites on this include 'Love Her Madly', 'LA Woman' - which Ray Manzarek is great on and of course, 'Riders on the Storm'.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: LA Woman

218. Yes - Fragile

Release Date: 1971
Label: Atlantic

With Rick Wakeman now in the band, the brilliant and occasionally pretentious music continues with 'Fragile'. This is a better album than the previous one and the opening track, 'Roundabout' is especially wonderful. None of the songs are too long, and some even clock in at less than forty-seconds. This is one for the shelves, definitely.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: Roundabout

217. The Beach Boys - Surfs Up

Release Date: 1971
Label: Reprise

Having been convinced the only really important Beach Boys album was 'Pet Sounds', and that their career effectively ended with the abandoning of 'Smile', it was a pleasant surprise to see them given one last chance. Reviewers that have listened to this as part of their own project are both highly positive and express much love for the album and it is easy to see why. Although, my admiration isn't that strong, it is something I'd choose to listen to again.

Rating: 7/10
Favourite Track: Surfs Up

216. John Lennon - Imagine

Release Date: 1971
Label: Apple

As mentioned, I already own this album. I think it's good, but not as good as Lennon's debut.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Jealous Guy

215. The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers

Release Date: 1971
Label: Rolling Stones

I already own this album so I don't think it needs to be listened to again. I also own the next one in the list so I'll be skipping immediately to The Beach Boys.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Brown Sugar

214. The Allman Brothers Band - At Filmore East

Release Date: 1971
Label: Capricorn

Apart from the Top Gear theme (Jessica) I know nothing by the Allman Brothers, or at least I don't think I do. This is a live album, full of long-winded jams and blues and at seventy-eight minutes is just too long to maintain serious interest.

Rating: 4/10
Favourite Track: In Memory of Elizabeth Reed

213. Isaac Hayes - Shaft

Release Date: 1971
Label: Enterprise

I haven't got the book with me at the moment, but I'm sure the introduction said something about not including film soundtracks. Yet here with are with a film soundtrack. I'm not going to quarrel though and this record is fine. I was a fan of 'Hot Buttered Soul' - the previous offering from Isaac Hayes - but this was less of a revelation. Of course, the title track is well known, but the rest of the album is perfectly fine to have on as background music, but a little dull if you make a concentrated effort to listen to it.

Rating: 6/10
Favourite Track: Theme From Shaft

212. Carole King - Tapestry

Release Date: 1971
Label: Ode

Having spent the previous decade writing hit songs alongside her husband, Gerry Goffin, Carole King ventured out from behind the tin-pan curtain to record this masterpiece. A few of the songs may be familiar through other artists, but Carole King breathes new life and meaning to them. This is a marvellous, marvellous record from start to finish and I adore it.



Rating: 10/10
Favourite Track: It's Too Late

211. The Who - Who's Next?

Release Date: 1971
Label: Decca

Finally we have a great studio album from The Who. After the relative disappointments of the previous releases, I have always approached The What with trepidation. 'Live at Leeds' is the first of their albums I wanted to buy and this one is even better. A lot of the songs are already familiar - 'Baba O'Riley', 'Won't Get Fooled Again' etc - but the unfamiliar ones are just as good. Only 'Going Mobile' felt as though it could've been scrapped.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: Behind Blue Eyes

210. Bee Gees - Trafalgar

Release Date: 1971
Label: Polydor

After the trauma that was Odessa, I was dreading another Bee Gees album and unfortunately my fears were not unfounded. Once again, this was a horrible album and I can't think of a single redeeming feature. At least I got all the way through it though, so that's progress. The good news is that there are no more records by the Brothers Gibb to listen to.

Rating: 3/10
Favourite Track: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?

209. Yes - The Yes Album

Release Date: 1971
Label: Atlantic

Prior to listening to this album, the only thing I knew about Yes was that Rick Wakeman was in them. I knew no songs and couldn't name a single tune. I have now listened to this and discovered Rick Wakeman wasn't even in the band at the time.

This record was pretty good actually, and I can hear myself listening to it again. There is ambition, pretentiousness and ridiculous lyrics but on the whole, I liked this.

Rating: 7/10
Favourite Track: Yours Is No Disgrace

208. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?

Release Date: 1971
Label: Tamla

It isn't just Eric Cantona who looks cool with his collar turned up. I own this album already, and it's good.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)

207. Sly and The Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On

Release Date: 1971
Label: Epic

Having enjoyed 'Stand!', I was hoping for more of the same from Sly and The Stones but will confess to being a little disappointed by what I heard. Whilst the album started off fine with the punningly good 'Luv n Haight (Ashbury), I felt it dragged a little throughout and was a little deflated towards the end. 'Family Affair' sticks out due to familiarity, and there are some good instrumental passages (e.g. harmonica during 'Space Cowboy') but 'Brave and Strong' for example is tosh. Mind you, this is the 99th best album of all time according to Rolling Stone so what do I know?

Rating: 4/10
Favourite Track: Family Affair

206. David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name

Release Date:1971
Label: Atlantic

We've had Stills, Nash and Young so it seems appropriate that Crosby is included in this book. There is sadness in this album, and not only because the artist can't remember his name. There is also the beautiful harmonies that you'd expect to hear throughout. Written in the aftermath of his girfriend's death, the record oozes melancholy and yearning. Standout tracks are 'Music is Love' 'Song with No Words' and the haunting acappella of 'I'd Swear There Was Sombody Here' which is as sad as the title suggest.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Song With No Words

205. Jethro Tull - Aqualung

Release Date: 1971
Label: Island

Aqualung - named after the post-millenium, 'Strange and Beautiful' hitmaker, is Jethro Tull's first great album. Perhaps it's their last, I haven't got through the book yet. Having discarded his seed drill for a guitar (and a flute), the godfather of agriculture wrote and recorded this. It's another album I've often been tempted to listen to, but never quite got round to it - and this is one of the wonders of this book. The title track, which kicks things off is brilliant and I love the bass and the guitar solo in it, 'Wondrin Aloud' is beauitful, and the rest of the album doesn't disappoint either.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: Aqualung

204. Syd Barret- Madcap Laughs

Release Date: 1970
Label: Harvest

Like Skip Spence - who we listened to earlier in the book - Syd Barrett was an unfortunate casualty of the drug scene in the late 60s, and is arguably more famous for his subsequent personal life than his music. Having already been forced out of Pink Floyd, this album was recorded over a period of twelve months, using a number of studios and producers. Unfortunately, the genius that wrote 'See Emily Play' and 'Bike' is already on a never-ending downward slide here, and no amount of hindsight or reappraisal can make me enjoy this album more than I did.

Rating: 4/10
Favourite Track: Here I Go

203. Santana - Abraxas

Release Date: 1970
Label: CBS

Santana are a Latin-Rock band from the USA via Mexico. They released an album in 1970 caled Abraxas and I have listened to it once. It wasn't very interesting or memorable.

Rating: 4/10
Favourite Track: Oye Como Va

202. Paul McCartey - McCartney

Release Date: 1970
Label: Apple

The third solo Beatle album from the book, and critically the least succesful. Missing both John's raw/confessional anger and George's production, this record feels like a lost opportunity for Paul. Of course you can applaud the fact that, save for some backing vocals by Linda, this is a solo album in the strictest sense and therefore showcases McCartney's musicianship, but it also lacks consistency and direction.

Rating: 6/10
Favourite Track: Maybe I'm Amazed

201. James Taylor - Sweet Baby James

Release Date: 1970
Label: Warner Bros.

Hot on the heels of Cat Stevens, comes another brilliant singer/songwriter album. James Taylor is famous for 'You've Got a Friend' and for inspiring the Beatles classic 'Something'. He is one of these artists I have heard of and expected I would like, but never sought out. I enjoyed this album from start to finish and would listen to it again.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: Sweet Baby James

200. The Stooges - Fun House

Release Date: 1970
Label: Elektra

Another album I already own, mainly because it was so cheap when I bought it.

Rating: 6/10
Favourite Track:

199. Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die

Release Date: 1970
Label: Island

I have been looking forward to listening to this album since starting this book. Of course, I could've listened to it whenever I wanted but I chose not to. It's one of these 'recommended classics' that I've never knowingly heard but finally we reached it. Having enjoyed the previous album by Google's least-favourite band, I am glad to tell you (me) that this was even better.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: John Barleycorn Must Die

198. Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman

Release Date: 1970
Label: Island

Years ago I bought a Cat Stevens compilation on a whim, having been familiar with a handful of songs (Father & Son being the obvious) and although I enjoyed it at the time I never felt the need to explore his studio albums. TFTF is the only album this book deems worthy of consideration, but on the strength of this I could easily be pesuaded to listen to some of his other records.

Rating: 10/10
Favourite Track: Sad Lisa

197. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Release Date: 1970
Label: Columbia

As I have mentioned before, I bought a boxset of their studio albums a few years back so this is an album I already own and I feel no need to listen to it again.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright

196. George Harrison - All Things Must Pass

Release Date: 1970
Label: Apple

During the latter months of the Beatles' recording career, George Harrison squirreled away a number of songs he had written rather than present them to his bandmates as potential inclusions for 'Let it Be' or 'Abbey Road'. Free from the the pressure of competing with John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Harrison was able to record and release a triple-album of songs seven months after the official split. Of course, the last 'side' is full of instrumental jams, and therefore pretty much pointless but the rest of the album is excellent.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: My Sweet Lord

195. Rod Stewart - Gasoline Alley

Release Date: 1970
Label: Vertigo

No matter how good an album may be, if it features Rod Stewart singing, it's not going to be as good as it could've been. His voice, beloved by so many housewives, is husky and horrible. This record isn't terrible, but it's ultimately a bit of a damp squib.

Rating: 6/10
Favourite Track: Lady Day

194. Soft Machine - Third

Release Date: 1970
Label: CBS

Four songs, three of which are instrumental, make up this 75 minute album. Each of these songs is over eighteen minutes long. Soft Machine are not a fan of the two-and-a-half minute pop song. On the strength of this album alone, I am not a fan of Soft Machine. There was probably about twenty-minutes of  this album I enjoyed at most - the saxophone on 'Slightly all the Time' being one of them. The other fifty minutes were tolerable, but I wont be rushing to hear this again.

Rating: 5/10
Favourite Track: Slightly All The Time

193. The Who - Live at Leeds

Release Date: 1970
Label: Decca

Usually I'm not really a fan of live albums, prefering the polished studio version of a song over the slightly out-of-tune, chaotic live version. They often fail to replicate the 'magic' of being at said performance too. Live at Leeds is arguably one of the best (if not the most famous) live album of all time though and is included here as a representation of The Who's style/ability.

In previous times I've been slightly underwhelmed by The Who suggestions in this book. 'Sells Out' was fine but ran out of steam, and 'Tommy' was disappointing. This is probably the best of the three, although I could've done without the humour and the long version of My Generation.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Summertime Blues

192. Ananda Shankar - Andanda Shankar

Release Date: 1970
Label: Reprise

I will confess that I sometimes have a habit of skipping the 'world albums' in this book - often with the intent on going back to them, but sometimes because I can't find the album on Spotify. I was intrigued to learn this record contain a couple of covers in the form of 'Jumpin Jack Flash' and 'Light My Fire' so I thought I'd give this a spin and I can honestly say I was fairly impressed by it. It was short enough to keep my attention, none of the songs outstayed their welcome and the album was actualyl very good.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: Light My Fire

191. Nick Drake - Bryter Layter

Release Date: 1970
Label: Island

Unlike the debut Nick Drake album - which I thought was brilliant - I've owned this one for around ten years or more, and so I won't bother listening to it again. Having said that, I think this one is stunning too.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: Northern Sky

190. The Grateful Dead- American Beauty

Release Date: 1970
Label: Warner Bros

Another unexpected suprise! One which wouldn't have been so shocking if I'd been more aware of the (she's) Dead of course (apparently their previous album - this is their fifth release - was in the same vein). Anyway, I digress. I have descrived the band's previous album as something I 'wouldn't choose to listen to again.' and I was expecting more of the same. I was wrong. I really enjoyed this album, and the only song I couldn't get into was the final track. A vast improvement on their previous recommendation.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Ripple

189. Van Morrison - Moondance

Release Date: 1970
Label: Warner Bros.

Now this is a strange thing indeed. Before listening to this, my only real knowledge of Vanguard Morrison was the 'Brown Eyed Girl' song - which I tolerate - and 'Astral Weeks' - which I own and think is crap - , but I actual rather enjoyed this. It was more upbeat and aurally pleasing than the aforementioned Astral, and I could easily see myself enjoying this again. Vanilla Morrison has definitely improved since his last album but I will have to deduct a point because it's Vangelis Morrison and he's a bore.

Rating: 7/10
Favourite Track: Caravan

188. Deep Purple - In Rock

Release Date: 1970

Label: Harvest

We've had a number of rock albums recently - Led Zeppelin, Sabbath - and this is another. Technically the musicianship on this album is streets ahead of anything Ozzy Osbourne and his mates have achieved thus far, but unfortunately this doesn't make the listening more enjoyable. 

Rating: 4/10

Favourite Track: Child In Time

187. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin III

Release Date: 1970
Label: Atlantic

The third (obviously) album from Les Zeppelin is perhaps the worst of the band's quartet of classic albums. It is still very good, however. Having owned this for a few years I feel there is no need for me to listen to this again.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Immigrant Song

186. Neil Young - After The Goldrush

Release Date: 1970
Label: Reprise

My admiration for CSN&Y around the time I was eighteen lead me into purchasing a Neil Young best of soon afterwards, and subsequently a couple of his studio albums. This was the second I bought (after Harvest) and is probably the one I know the least. Having said that, it is still an enjoyable record.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

185. Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Release Date: 1970
Label: Vertigo

The second album from the founders of Heavy Metal follows closely on the heels of the first. I suggested there was room for improvement after the first album and this satantic offering fulfilled my theory, especially the first side which features a number of the band's signature songs - War Pigs, Iron Man - and a rather lovely, unexpected song called 'Planet Caravan'.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Iron Man

184. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - Deja Vu

Release Date: 1970
Label: Atlantic

The first impression you'll get when listening to this album is a strange feeling that you've heard it somewhere before. Of course, it is the first album featuring Neil Young - the quartet would go on to release a couple more in the next twenty years - and another one that I already own. The first impression you'll get when listening to this album is a strange feeling that you've heard it somewhere before. The album has arguably my favourite CSN&Y song in the form of 'Our House' which I remember first hearing in the (what should've really been the) final episode of 'Only Fools and Horses'.I also enjoy 'Teach Your Children' immensely which would clearly suggested I'm more of a Graham Nash fan than anything else.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: Our House

183. John Lennon - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

Release Date: 1970
Label: Apple

The first Beatle solo album of the book and arguably the best. It is certainly the rawest and most personal, and it could on;y ever come from John Lennon. I've had this album since it was re-released in 2000 (around the twentieth anniversary of his death) and it is hauntingly beautiful. As far as I'm concerned, there isn't a weak track on the album.

Rating: 10/10
Favourite Track: God

182. Stephen Stills - Stephen Stills

Release Date: 1970
Label: Atlantic

Stephen Stills is the second quarter of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, or the second third of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Either way he's the second something. Perhaps he's the second coming? Before the release of this (his debut solo) album, he'd already achieved success with the aforementioned and also Bungalow Springfield. As far as this album is concerned, there is a feeling of lost chances about it. I'm not sure if he ever released anything as good, but when you consider (for example) Neil Young's solo success, it's easy to wonder what might have been...

Rating: 7/10
Favourite Track: Love The One You're With

181. The Carpenters - Close To You

Release Date: 1970
Label: A&M

Karen Carpenter had one of the sweetest vocals in pop. She also possesed one of the least-cool names in pop. She sounds like she should be the Head of HR for a pharmecuetical company. Anyway, I will confess to enjoying what I have heard of The Carpenters - Close To You, Rainy Days and Mondays, We've Only Just Begun etc are all great songs, even if they are saccharine. Unfortunately, I found this album a little too vanilla, which is a shame because I had high hopes for it.

Rating: 5/10
Favourite Track: Close To You