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