350. The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers

Release Date: 1976
Label: Beserkley

This album was recorded in 1973, but not released until 1976. I've no idea why - and I'm too lazy to find out. Anyway, it doesn't really matter because 2018 is the first time I've listen to the album. What can I say? Well, I can say I really enjoyed it. There's a clear Velvet Underground influence going on, so we know Jonathan Richman was one of those people who bought their debut album and formed a band.

Rating: 9/10

349. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Release Date: 1975
Label: Shelter

Is it uncool to like Tom Petty? He has a brilliant first name to begin with. This album is only thirty-minutes in length, but it was an excellent half-an-hour.

Rating: 8/10

348. Curtis Mayfield - There's No Place Like America Today

Release Date: 1975
Label: Curtom

Unfortunately this album wasn't available on Spotify either. Onto the next one we go.

347. Earth Wind and Fire - That's The Way Of The World

Release Date: 1975
Label: Columbia

That's The Way Of The World arrived too soon for disco, and was somewhat ignored in the UK. Its opening track, 'Shining Star' was a Billboard number one in the USA, but didn't even chart over here. As far as the album is concerned, I thought it had potential without being perfect. It's soulful, but nowhere near as good as, say, Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye.

Rating: 6/10

346. Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger

Release Date: 1975
Label: Columbia

Sometimes life forces you to go against the grain and make your own judgement calls. This is one of those times. I may be mocked to the end of time, compared to the man at Decca who turned down the Beatles or worse. Some people will tell you this album is fantastic. It's not. I was glad when it finished.

Rating: 3/10

345. Queen - A Night At The Opera

Release Date: 1975
Label: EMI

This is the first Queen album I've enjoyed throughout. It is not perfect - there are too many 'novelty' songs to make it so - but when it's good, it's very good. The four queens are all talented songwriters, and this is perhaps most evident on this album. "You're My Best Friend", for example, is one of the best songs on the album, and was the first one written by John Deacon. Compare this to the first song ever written by George Harrison.

Rating: 9/10

345. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Release Date: 1975
Label: Harvest

'Wish You Were' was an ITV travel/holiday programme presented by Judith Chalmers throughout its twenty-nine year run. Following the success of 'Dark Side of the Moon', Pink Floyd were invited to record the soundtrack to the popular programme. The results were rejected by the ITV producers, but the band decided to release the album anyway as an unofficial tribute. The album is bookended by the sprawling, magnificent 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond' - Roger Waters' ode to Judith Chalmers, whilst Dave Gilmour was inspired to write the title track after watching a feature on the south coast of Spain.

Rating: 10/10

343. Patti Smith - Horses

 

Release Date: 1975
Label: Arista

This is an album which I do not listen to that often, but everytime I do I think it's great and wonder why I'm not more familiar with it. It would deserve a high rating for the front cover alone.

Rating: 9/10

342. Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks

Release Date: 1975
Label: Columbia

You could realistically argue that three or four albums Dylan released in the 60s would qualify as his best album from that decade. In the 1970s, however, he released one album which easily surpasses the quality of all the others he released in those ten years. 'Blood on the Tracks' is by far the best thing he's done since 'John Wesley Harding' and probably came as a surprise to critics and fans alike, especially after the relative disappointment of his recent records. There isn't a bad song on the album. Buy it, non-existent reader.

Rating: 10/10

341. Neil Young - Tonight's The Night

Release Date: 1975
Label: Reprise

After the relative disappointment of 'On The Beach', it was good to hear a Neil Young album I enjoyed again. 'Tonight's the Night' is an improvement on the previous album, and although critics can't seperate them in terms of quality I found this album to be more accesible. I still don't rate it as highly as his earlier works, but perhaps that has something to do with time spent with the songs.

Rating: 8/10

340. Rahul Dev Burman - Shalimar

Release Date: 1975
Label:

Shalimar was a Bollywood film released during the 1970s, and is the official soundtrack. It is unlikely to be to everyone's taste, but I actually found many of the songs quite charming. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Rating: 6/10

339. Tom Waits - Nighthawks at the Diner

Release Date: 1975
Label: Asylum

The first thing you'll noticed about this record are the laid-back jazz vibes. The second thing to get your attention with be the voice. A voice memorably desribed like "it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car." or "barking like a bullmastiff in a barn fire."

Yes, the album is a little too long, and of course his voice is rough, ragged and aquired taste. But, the songs are good and so is the atmosphere.

Rating: 7/10

338. Joni Mitchell - The Hissing of Summer Lawns

Release Date: 1975
Label: Asylum

Joni Mitchell surprised me last time out with the beautiful 'Court and Spark'. This time round she disappoints me. By the time we get to this album, Joni has ditched her sweet, accesible music and melodies for something more experimental and jazz-influenced. It isn't terrible, in fact, some of it is quite nice, but compared to Joni's ealier works it pales. Perhaps it is one of those albums that need to grow on you. 

Rating: 7/10

337. Dion - Born To Be With You

Release Date: 1975
Label: Phil Spector Records

From the outset you can tell this is a Phil Spector record. You can hear the Wall of Sound production throughout the record's forty minutes. In turn, you can hear how this album has influenced the likes of Primal Scream and Glasvegas. Overall I thought the album was nothing special. It's likeable, of course, but it doesn't blow my socks off.

Rating: 7/10

336. Emmylou Harris - Pieces of the Sky

Release Date: 1975
Label: Reprise

After appearing as a guest on Gram Parsons posthumous hit "Grievous Angel", Emmylou Harris made her (solo) major label debut with this release. Like the Gram Parsons record, I thought this one was vocally and musically beautiful.

Rating: 9/10

335. Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run

Release Date: 1975
Label: Columbia

This is the first Bruce Springsteen album I've ever listened to, and after two listens I'm still not sure what to make of it. Musically, it was brilliant - especially the saxophone breaks. Lyrically, it was very good, if a little forced. Vocally however, I just couldn't work out if Bruce Springsteen was adopting a style for the album, or if that was really his singing voice. So, maybe a 9 for the music, 6 for the lyrics and 4 for the vocals?

Rating: 6/10

334. Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey

 

Release Date: 1975
Label: Island

Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican National Hero, and Rastafari movement prophet. This is who the album is named after, and loosely about. Driving home from work last night, I enjoyed many of the songs from this album. It wasn't as good as Bob Marley, but nothing is likely to be - it's perhaps more political and more focused on Jamican history.

Rating: 7/10

333. David Bowie - Young Americans

Release Date: 1975
Label: RCA

Like the other David Bowie albums in this book, this is one I've already got. It's not as good as 'Hunky Dory' or 'Ziggy Stardust' but it's still worth buying.

Rating: 8/10

332. Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic

Release Date: 1975
Label: Columbia

With  this album it's clear we're moving away from the 1960s and towards the 1980s. Cock Rock has arrived. I am going to admit I like "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" - it's a great song. I will also admit I liked a couple of songs on this album - "You See Me Crying" and "Sweet Emotion". The rest? Not so much. It was interesting to hear the original version of "Walk This Way" for the first time, but it's also obvious the only good bit about the song is the guitar riff.

Rating: 4/10

331. Keith Jarrett - The Koln Concert

Release Date: 1975
Label: ECM

Sometimes life presents you with an album which you feel as though you should love, but don't. I didn't hate this, but it was over an hour of solo piano! Nothing else. Just piano. Also, looking on Wikipedia, it seems Keith Jarrett is a bit of a twit.

Rating: 6/10

330. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

Release Date: 1975
Label: Swan Song

Yet again, this is another Led Zeppelin album I already own - and probably the one I am least familiar with. It does contain some of their biggest hits (e.g. Kashmir) but as a double-album it's not one I'm keen to listen to too often.

Rating: 7/10

329. Neu! - Neu! 75

Release Date: 1975
Label: United Artists

This is an interesting album, which seems to be unsure about itself. For the first twenty minutes we are treated to ambient music, similar to that of Tangerine Dream. After that, it's as though the band have forgotten what kind of album they're recording or changed their mind as they dive into the proto-punk 'Hero' - a song which treads the tightrope between genius and awful.

Rating: 7/10

328. The Dictators - Go Girl! Crazy!

Release Date: 1975
Label: Epic

I have never heard of The Dictators, and after this album, I'm not sure my life has improved. The album appears to be in the list due to its perceived influence on punk rock and frat-boy culture. You can certainly hear elements of both styles in the music and lyrics, but it's clearly not reached its peak. There is nothing much to shout about on this album to be honest.

Rating: 5/10

327. Brian Eno - Another Green World

Release Date: 1975
Label: Island

Another Brian Eno album to add to the collection. At first listen, this is a lot more experimental than the first album in the book - with more instrumental pieces, and less vocals. This shouldn't distract from the quality however, and in parts it is much improved. I found myself recognising the title track, but have no idea where from.

Rating: 9/10

326 Gram Parsons - Griveous Angel

Release Date: 1974
Label: Reprise

Country music gets a bad reputation sometimes, thanks in no small part to the likes of Billy Ray Cyrus, but if you look beyond that, you will find great albums like this. Grammar Parsons has already appeared - as a band member - a couple of times in this blog - with the Byrds and with the Flying Burrito Brothers - but this is the first (and only) time we see him on his own (albeit with a lot of help from Emmylou Harris. Anyway, long story short, I thought the album was great. The only song I didn't care for was the first 'live' track.

Rating: 9/10

325. Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom

Release Date: 1974
Label: Virgin

This was a very interesting album. For one, Robert Wyatt (ex. Soft Machine) has a distinctive vocal style, which complements these songs well. The music is rather good at first, but I felt the latter songs were too chaotic and atonal. I wanted to like this album, but I just can't see why I'd want to hear it again.

Rating: 5/10

324. Bob Marley - Natty Dread

 

Release: 1974
Label: Island

By the time Bob Marley came to record this album, Pete Tosh and Bunny Wailer had left the Wailers to pursue solo careers of their own. As such, Marley was now the undisputed leader of the group. It is widely known that, despite the multiple credits on the album, Bob Marley wrote all the songs that appear. This is another of his albums I already own, and it's as good as his first.

Rating: 10/10

323. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys

Release Date: 1974
Label: Reprise

We'll mention the elephant in the room straight away. The opening track is not a song you'll want to play in the company of others. It's use of the 'n-word' isn't designed to offend, it's supposed to make you sit up and take notice. Perhaps, because of that, this is another album by Pixar's go to composer that is worth buying.

Rating: 8/10

322. Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic

Release Date: 1974
Label: ABC

Steely Daniel have probably been one of my favourite 'discoveries' in this book so far. This is a peculiar statement to make, seeing as I've owned 'Aja' for the last ten years. I've clearly never given it the chance it deserves though, as every time I listen to something new by the band I'm impressed. This has arguably been my favourite so far.

Rating: 10/10

321. Gene Clark - No Other

Release Date: 1974
Label: Asylum

Back in January, I confessed I wasn't too impressed with Gene Clark's first solo offering in this book; suggesting it had nothing new to offer amongst the other singer/songwriter albums of the time. As such I was apprehensive about this album - especially as I considered Gene Clark would be past his best by now. I was wrong, very wrong. This was such a discovery, and another one I knew from the first twenty seconds I'd like. I don't think there was a bad track on the album, and it's suprising that it was such as commerical/critical flop at the time of its release.

Rating: 10/10

320. George Jones - The Grand Tour

Release Date: 1974
Label: Epic

George Jones recorded this album - the soundtrack to the Clarkson, Hammond and May programme of the same name - whilst in the midst of a divorce with fellow country legend Tammy Wynette. At under thirty minutes long, it is short and sweet, and full of country music cliches. OK, but not great.

Rating: 4//10

319. Neil Young - On The Beach

Release Date: 1974
Label: Reprise

'On The Beach' was recorded after but released before the next Neil Young album on the list, Tonight's The Night'.It is considered to be a 'difficullt' album, even by Young's standards. I didn't really get that vibe from it, it was not particularly challenging to listen to. It started of well enough, with the first three songs being particularly impressive. I wasn't to keen on 'For The Turnstiles' though. After that, there was another upturn in quality, but a disappointing conclusion with the nine minute 'Ambulance Blues'. Overall, impressive, but not great.

Rating: 7/10

318. 10cc - Sheet Music

Release Date: 1974
Label: UK

10cc sit somewhere on the borderline of inventive and kitsch. You're never quite sure if they're being serious, or taking the piss. This is their second album - and the only one the book think is worth listening to. It begins well, with 'The Wall Street Shuffle' - one of the band's best songs, and from then on the group introduce us to a smorgasbord of musical ideas and narratives.

Rating: 6/10

317. Queen - Sheer Heart Attack

Release Date: 1974
Label: EMI

Sheer Heart Attack was the third album from Queen, and they are clearly still a long way off their peak. There is nothing particularly special about this album apart from the standout track, which is comfortably 'Killer Queen'.

Rating: 6/10

316. Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson - Winter in America

Release Date: 1974
Label: Strata-East

Unfortunately this album was unavailable to listen to on Spotify. I'm sure it's very good though.

315. Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

Release Date: 1974
Label: Island

As I go through this book, I'm surprised at how many albums are on Island. This is yet another one, and I'm sure there are plenty more to come. Richard Thompson is well known from his Fairport Convention days, and you can hear their influence on this record. His wife, Linda, sounds a little like Sandy Denny - though not as good. On the whole, I enjoyed this album a lot - especially the title track.

Rating: 9/10

314. Supertramp - Crime of the Century

Release Date: 1974
Label: A&M

I don't know why, but I'm surprised this was the only Supertramp in the book - and apparently it's not even their best album. 'Best' is subjective though of course. So, as far as this one is concerned, I quite enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy being stuck in traffic while I listened to it however, and maybe feel as though I should give it another go.

Update: I gave it another go, and I didn't enjoy it as much second time around, so I'm deducting one point.

Rating: 6/10

313. Sparks - Kimono My House

Release Date: 1974
Label: Island

Sparks are two brothers - Ron and Russell Mael (pictured on the cover of this album). They are known, primarily, for Ron's deadpan scowling as he plays the keyboards - complete with Hitler moustache. Being only vaguely familiar with the band, this was an album I was looking forward to hearing and I'm happy to say it didn't disappoint. The hit single is of course 'This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us' - soon to be repeated in every Western.

Rating: 9/10

312. Stevie Wonder - Fulfillingness First Finale

Release Date: 1974
Label: Motown

This album should actually be sandwiched between Shuggie Otis and Eric Clapton, but I forgot to blog about it. It is considered to be the third of his four masterpieces. I don't think it is as essential as the previous two in the book. In fact, given the choice, I could leave it.

Rating: 6/10

311. Tangerine Dream - Phaeora

Release Date: 1974
Label: Virgin

It is said that Brian Eno was the man who popularised ambient music, but it was Tangerine Dream who were the pioneers. Named after a line in 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds', they were yet another German group branching out of the standard rock and pop parameters. The trouble with this album, however, is that while its historical importance is unquestionable, musically it just doesn't really interest me.

Rating: 5/10

310 - Roxy Music - Country Life

Release Date: 1974
Label: Island

The third and final Roxy Music album in the book - and the first one without Brian Eno (I think). Again, this is one I already own.

Rating: 7/10

309. Queen - Queen II

Release Date: 1974
Label: EMI

When this album was released, Queen were still a few years from their peak. The talent - especially that of Freddie Mercury and Brian May is evident throughout. The album has elements of glam and rock , but far less originality than you'd expect.

Rating: 7/10

308. Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark

Release Date: 1974
Label: Asylum

I have owned 'Blue' for about ten years now, but my lack of enthusiasm for it has stopped me from listening to any of Joni Mitchell's other albums. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate it - I actually like it- but I've never loved it enough to want to explore her back catalogue. This album is arguably so much better than its predecessor though. It was a perfect end to a Friday night, and now I can't wait to see what else Joni has to offer.

Rating: 8/10

307. Van Morrison

TBA

306. Kraftwerk - Autobahn

Release Date: 1974
Label: EMI

This is such an important album in the evolution of popular music that it would deserve to be here even if it was awful. Fortunately it was far from bad - from the memorable, game-changing title track to the final few notes of 'Morgenspaziergang' it was just great. It won't be for everyone, but I really liked it.

Rating: 9/10

305. Eric Clapton - 461 Ocean Boulevard

Release Date: 1974
Label: RSO

The more I listen to Eric Clapton, the more I realise he wasn't just a great guitarist, he was a good songwriter too. On the strength of that statement you'd expect me to enjoy this album more than I did. Perhaps there are times when I would, but like a few of these recent ones I didn't do anything for me. I already own a compilation of his hits and feel as though it will suffice.

Rating: 6/10

304. Shuggie Otis - Inspiration Information

Release Date: 1974
Label: Epic

Released and quickly forgotten, this record has since gained something of a cult status as a 'little known gem' for the past forty-five years. It begins with a cracking tune, and at first there are high hopes. These hopes begin to fade as the album continues until you're left with the realisation that they've tried to hook you in by putting the best stuff right at the beginning.

Rating: 6/10

303. Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

Release Date: 1974
Label: Charisma

For some reason this is unavailable on Spotify, despite the fact everything else by Genesis seems to be.

302. Bad Company - Bad Company

Release Date: 1974
Label: Island

Bad Company were a supergroup consisting of former members of Free, Mott the Hoople and King Crimson and as such, this album was entirely as expected. It's not that the songs were bad, some of them were actually worth listening to. It's just that, they didn't do anything interesting.

Rating: 5/10

301. Brian Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets

Release Date: 1974
Label: Island

Fresh outta Roxy Music School, Brian Eno recorded and released 'Here Come The Warm Jets' in 1974. I have knowingly never heard Eno's solo music - and didn't really know what to expect from this. I'll admit I enjoyed it a lot though. Sometimes I can't really think of anything else to write, espescially when I know noone else reads this blog. Perhaps I'll have to start writing hidden messages?

Rating: 8/10

300 - New York Dolls - New York Dolls

Release Date: 1973
Label: Mercury

I am (unofficially) 30% of the way through this book. At the rate I'm going, I should get it done in sixteen years. New York Dolls are a band who are probably more famous for inspiring bands that came after them - The Sex Pistols being the prime example. I'm aware of Johnny Thunders (real name - John Thunderstorm ) through Nick Cave but that's it. As far as the album is concerned it was very good, managing to combine a punk attitude with a love of 60s girl-groups. Also, I'm convinced 'Private World' has been sampled elsewhere, but I can't figure it out. I've definitely heard parts of it somewhere else though.

Rating: 8/10

299. Isley Brothers - 3 + 3

Release Date: 1973
Label: T-Neck

From the first song to the last note, I knew I'd want to buy this album. Having doubled in size since the days of 'Shout' and 'This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You)' the Isley Brother's reinvented themselves with a soul classic. Every song is worth listening to, but the majestic 'Summer Breeze' is such a wonderful track it's worth buying the album for just that song.

Rating: 9/10