Day 0212 - Tapestry

Carole King "Tapestry" (1971)

 
Carole King had been songwriting partnership with her husband, after they broke up he encouraged her to carry on with music on her own.  It is a testament to the quality of her songwriting ability that so many of these tracks have been recorded by other artists from Aretha Franklin and James Taylor to Celine Dion, Shania Twain and even... McFly (ugh).

This is a great album, one of those ones that, listening to it on this list I will definitely keep an eye out for a copy next time I'm in a music store.
King's voice is strong and sure.  Her arrangements switch from intimate and basic, to rich and full as best suited to the song.  

The album cover shows Carole hand-stitching a tapestry and chilling with her cat (like a badass).

Day 0211 - Who's Next

The Who "Who's Next" (1971)

 
Plenty of people know the story: after 'Tommy' Pete Townsend wanted to try for another rock opera called "Lifehouse".  Lifehouse did not happen.  Nobody could understand the story that Townsend was trying to tell, so the project was scrapped and Pete was forced to pick the best of the songs to make a new Who album.  Just to complicate things, the album also features other Townsend songs that have nothing to do with the 'Lifehouse' story.

The album is considered by many (including Townsend) to be one of their best, and with "Baba O'Riley" "Behind blue eyes" and "Won't get fooled again" there's definitely a strong argument for that.
As with all Who records, the rhythm section are tightly controlled chaos.  Daltry's vocals are strong, and Townsend stretches out with some geeky synthesiser noodling alongside his guitar work.

Day 0210 - Trafalgar

Bee Gees "Trafalgar" (1971)

I found the previous Bee Gees album on this list was a bit of a bland mess.  Here they seem to have come back swinging, with an album of tight pop tracks, including the brilliant "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" (Al Green did it better).  There are some just luscious harmonies (not surprising) and great arrangements. Robin had apparently recently released a solo album "Robin's Reign" so was content to take a back-seat for much of this album.

Day 0209 - The Yes Album

Yes "The Yes Album" (1971)

 
I'd said in an earlier post that I had less of an idea about the musical identity of the 70s than I did of, say the 60s, 80s or 90s.  I guess though that this style is something I would associate with the 70s - the prog thing.  Extended musical passages, increased presence of keyboards, big vocal harmonies, mix of musical styles and time signatures.

According to the book, the band got rid of their guitarist, enlisted another and knuckled down to work on their new sound; moving from psychedelic rock to prog.  Apparently they worked for so long that they missed the deadline for the album release and were nearly broke by the time they unveiled their new sound. 

...dedication

Day 0208 - What's Goin' On

Marvin Gaye "What's Goin' On" (1970) - got it

Another Motown artist trying to break away from not only the Motown sound, but from his own image as a purveyor of light-n-easy pop hits.

Following the death of his sometime singing partner Tammi Terrell, and in reaction to the changing times Marvin wanted to branch out.  "What's Goin' On" is the result of that.  It both moves him forward, while still taking a lot of cues from Marvin's past in doo-wop vocal groups in building his brilliantly interplaying vocals.

Motown didn't want to release the album, as they couldn't see the potential for hits in a song suite dripping with political and social conscience.  Marvin threatened to never record another thing for the label if it wasn't released so they relented.  Three hit singles and 30-40 years of strong sales seem to have vindicated MG.

The sound of this album would go on to inspire and influence other artists from Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder through to Jamiroquai and Justin Timberlake.

Day 0207 - There's a Riot Goin' On

Sly and the Family Stone "There's a Riot Goin' On" (1971)

With the previous S&tFS album on this list 'Stand!' it was such a brilliant and immediate record that I ended up going out and buying a copy after listening; this album is a bit more difficult. 

This abum seems like another case of the glow of the 60s giving way to disillusionment.  The hopeful attitude that had been building around the civil rights movement  was starting to sour due to a lack of progress and Sly's own mental and emotional state had been going downhill.  The result of this malaise seems to be a less cohesive album, that still has some funky grooves, but with all the players fighting for space.  There are live drums on top of drum machines, guitars, keyboards and horns all seeming to muddy each other instead of complementing.  Miles Davis was rumoured to have played on the album, though whether you can spot him is another matter.

The album finishes strongly though, "Thank you for talkin' to me Africa" is a funky groove that just won't quit (almost literally). 

Day 0206 - If Only I Could Remember My Name

David Crosby "If Only I Could Remember My Name" (1971)

 
Another "oh that's nice... but I probably won't seek it out to listen again" kind of album. Also yet another of Crosby, Stills, Nash and/or Young's members coming out with a solo album.

Crosby had recently suffered the loss of his girlfriend in a car accident.  Filtered through the fading of the summer of love, this album is full of lovely harmonies and a mix of delicate melodies and harder rocking songs but all with a darker undertone.

Day 0205 - Aqualung

Jethro Tull "Aqualung" (1971)

 
I was familiar with the song 'Aqualung' for ages because a friend of mine played it A LOT back in high school, and a few years ago my brother got into Tull, but I didn't really.  Listening to it now, I'll admit this is a really good album.

With a few of the albums coming up now in the list I can see this trend for extended, virtuosic, prog-rock tracks/albums which I guess eventually built up to a point, inspiring the explosion of "no nonsense, stripped back, anyone can play" punk music.

You could almost see the 70s as being this experimental 'muddying of the genre waters' in a way, in that bands like Jethro Tull and Queen were counted as containing 'metal' influences (to the extent that Jethro Tull famously pipped Metallica for 'best metal/hard rock performance' at the Grammys one year) and in turn influencing future 'metal' bands.  At the same time, Tull have a strong folk vein running through, and 80-90% of the time could not be labelled purely as 'metal' in the same way that Queen folded in music-hall, opera and various other elements.

Day 0204 - The Madcap Laughs

Syd Barrett "The Madcap Laughs" (1970) - got it

 
It seems as though one of the reasons that this album exists is because Barrett's ex-Floyd bandmates Roger Waters and David Gilmore came in to help him and motivate him to release it.  I seem to remember reading that Eric Clapton might even have been involved somewhere behind the scenes too.

There are occasional moments of brilliance on this album: 'Octopus' 'If it's in you' and the almost 90s grungey sound of 'Long Gone'.  Despite these highlights, it's a patchy album, certainly uneven enough that it doesn't stand up to his work with Floyd.  I don't know either whether this album would really be quite worthy of the 'mad genius' label he constantly gets plastered with.

Day 0203 - Abraxas

Santana "Abraxas" (1970)

 
Again I find myself marvelling at this period of music.  Where this album (Latin rhythms, mostly instrumental) was able to chart at number one alongside releases from former Beatles, and the latest releases from Zeppelin, CCR etc... deservedly so too.

I didn't realise but Carlos Santana wasn't technically a solo artist at this point.  He was the figurehead of the band which bore his surname.  His smooth-as guitar tone dominates the album, but he was part of a very able band who all add to the solid grooves throughout.

Day 0202 - McCartney

Paul McCartney "McCartney" (1970)

McCartney was obviously yearning to scratch his musical itch, but without having to compete for space with Lennon and to a lesser extent, Harrison.

I have to say, Lennon's songs, whether it be his solo work or the Beatles always seemed quite honest and genuine (even when he was taking the piss a bit). I don't know if it's because they were a bit more studio polished and 'sweet', but Paul's music always seems slightly less sincere.  That is probably just my impression though, because in interviews and in his constant immersion in the music industry he does seem like someone who is passionate about music.  Plus, personally I've never been so worried about the level of sincerity in the music I listen to, as long as the music is good.

There are a range of sounds here, in a way there's nothing that he probably couldn't have done with the Beatles but it's a chance to hear unfiltered Paul.  A lot of it is a bit too twee and cute for my tastes but "Singalong Junk" is a thing of beauty and "Maybe I'm Amazed" is Paul at the height of his powers.
 

Day 0201 - Sweet Baby James

James Taylor "Sweet Baby James" (1970)

 
Another one of those ones where I listen to it and think "yeah this is nice, but it doesn't blow my mind". Taylor (and the album) is at his best when he gets intimate with just him on guitar accompanying his light tenor vocal, but some of the other, more fully orchestrated tracks are not without their charms.

The album closer "Suite for 20G" is great.  It goes from light folky ballad to brassy upbeat track.

Day 0200* - Fun House

The Stooges "Fun House" (1970)

Their first album was critically panned so the record company stuck the band with one of their less 'important' producers.  It turned out to be a good match, he had played guitar on the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie" and was all about capturing the live energy of a band.

The Stooges set up their gear as though they were playing a gig, with Iggy prowling all over the 'stage' and recording sessions were interwoven with wild parties.

The first side of the album reflects the wild party, with songs about slutty hedonism and partying.  The second side acts as the hangover/comedown, with broken lyrics and unsettling sax noise skittered about the lengthy tracks.

Day 0199 - John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic "John Barleycorn Must Die" (1970)

 
Another one of those bands who I knew by name but didn't really know what they sounded like. They're much funkier than I thought!

Apparently Traffic had been active in the 60s then had stopped while Steve Winwood went and played in the band Blind Faith.  Once that ended, he was going to make a solo album, working with some members of Traffic... which turned into a revival of Traffic itself.  The revival lasted nicely through the 70s.

Day 0198 - Tea for the Tillerma

Cat Stevens "Tea for the Tillerman" (got it)

Stevens went from cute pop songs about his dog, to being one of the foremost folky singer-songwriters, and laid the groundwork for plenty of other artists.

There are some great sparse acoustic tracks, contrasted with some more fully orchestrated pieces.  I love how he works in bits of 'World Music' but in relatively subtle ways; a rhythm here, a vocal harmony there.

The lyrics are yearning for something more in the turbulent times he lived in.  His eventual conversion to Islam suggests that this was a true search, not just something to fill the lyrics of a song.  In some ways, this search for peace in times of unrest is best summed up by 'Father and Son' and the way he switches between a deep, world-weary croon and a high, passionate wail for the two characters.  It's a simple idea but it works nicely.

Day 0197 - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon and Garfunkel "Bridge Over Troubled Water" (1970)

The final Simon & Garfunkel album, and the duo went out with a bang.  The book mentions the Beatles breakup having been rather messy by comparison, which seems an appropriate comparison as this album sounds incredibly Beatles-esque.  The title track has the Let it Be/Phil Spector sound to it, 'Baby Driver' having a mid era Beatles sound to it, and a number of the other tracks being more upbeat and 'bouncy' than previous Simon and Garfunkel albums. 'Cecilia' almost seems to hint at future directions that solo Simon would take.

A couple of the songs are thought to be aimed squarely at Garfunkel in the lead-up to the break up, with "the Only Living Boy in New York" in particular being in reference to Garfunkel heading off to Mexico to act in the film adaption of 'Catch-22', leaving Simon in NY to work on the album by himself.

Day 0196 - All Things Must Pass

George Harrison "All Things Must Pass" (1970) - got it

 
George Harrison must have had the worst case of musical blue balls working under Lennon/McCartney, because he shot forth a triple album!

I was always a fan of George's Beatles songs, and similarly his solo work doesn't disappoint.  Even across 3 LPs there is pleasingly little (to my ears) that seems like filler, with a range of sounds being explored, all with the help of Clapton and his 'Derek and the Dominoes' band.  The album also features Billy Preston, the Organ maestro from the Let it Be/Get Back sessions.

Day 0195 - Gasoline Alley

Rod Stewart "Gasoline Alley" (1970)

You get so used to RS being a bit of a punchline.  Famous for being an embarrassing 80s rocker with a greasy mullet and a penchant for younger blondes that you forget what an interesting and unique voice he has.

Here he belts out originals penned with Ronnie Wood, mixed with covers of Elton John, Bobby Womack, and Stewart's 'day-job' the Faces.  There are some folky moments, some rock and.... Wow, "You're my girl (I don't want to discuss it)" is as funky as month old gravy!

Day 0194 - Third

The Soft Machine "Third" (1970)

Whoops, I was getting Soft Machine mixed up with Softcell so wasn't expecting crazy 18 minute-long jazz fusion epics... but that's what I got.

It was interesting and not bad, but I have no strong desire to seek out 'volume two' 'fourth' 'fifth' or any of their other albums.

Another band at a crossroads as they were sick of their singer's voice and he was tired of their jazzy jam tendencies.

Day 0193 - Live at Leeds

The Who "Live at Leeds" (1970)

The book muses on the fact that the studio always somewhat deadened the energy of the band, and that the best way to experience them was live.  That sure as hell seems to be the case here, the band is explosive.  Moon's drumming seems totally out of control yet fits perfectly into the songs.  Entwistle's bass-playing pins the song down while still being dexterous and exciting!  Townsend and Daltry paint over the top of all of this.

There's a hilarious contrast between the wild rocking performance and the quiet, polite well-spoken moments in between (with the occasional cheeky interjection by Keith up the back in the cheap seats).

Day 0192 - Ananda Shankar

Ananda Shankar "Ananda Shankar" (1970)

 
Sitar rock! A fun album.  Some of the cover songs feel a bit gimmicky, but the drawn out electric ragas and the tracks that rely more on India's music culture rather than western music are great. 

Again I have to say that the music industry was much more interesting back then.  Seeing that along with the usual rock, pop and soul albums, you get high-selling instrumental jazz albums, 'world music' and a bunch of other less 'song based' releases selling big.
 

Day 0191 - Bryter Layter

Nick Drake "Bryter Layter" (1970)

According to the book, this ND album often gets overlooked as it's at odds with his image as a broken, depressed troubadour. With members from folk royalty the Fairport Convention as his backing band, ND puts together what is mostly an upbeat, bouncy kind of album.

It's a really enjoyable listen and easily my favourite thing of his that I've listened to on this quest.

Day 190 - American Beauty

The Grateful Dead "American Beauty" (1970)

What d'ya know; I've found a Grateful Dead album that I like after all. 

Nice solid pop/folk/country songs, great melodies and vocal harmonies.  The music is mostly acoustic but there are occasional bursts of electric sound, like in the closing blues groove of "Truckin'"

Day 0189 - Moondance

Van Morrison "Moondance" (1970)

 Not to be confused with the Moonwalk, Moonlighters or Moon River

For me, Van continues to be an artist who has his moments, and is better than I'd given him credit for, but just doesn't set my world on fire.  That being said, this is a totally listenable album and the title track is wonderful.  It's one of those songs where I'd always hear it on the radio but never knew who sang it.

Day 0188 - In Rock

Deep Purple "In Rock" (1970)

 
A change of vocalist worked pretty well for these guys, with Ian Gillan wailing and screaming his little heart out. 

Recorded after two core members had been replaced, and while the ambitious 'Concerto for Group and Orchestra' was being planned and executed, it's a relatively short and punchy collection of songs.

They're not my favourite band.  I don't dislike them or anything, they've just never ranked in my esteem alongside other bands of their day such as Sabbath or Queen or whoever.  Still a solid record though

Day 0187 - Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin "Led Zeppelin III" (1970)

Led Zep are 3 for 3 here with all of their albums so far having made this list. 

Here Zep had started exploring new ground.  Side A kicks off with more of their rock and blues tracks; 'Immigrant song' is another of my favourites along with 'Since I've been loving you'.   Side B comes in with more mellow folky and acoustic tracks, with 'Tangerine' in particular sounding like a practice run for 'Stairway'

Day 0186 - After the Gold Rush

Neil Young "After the Gold Rush" (1970)

Neil was someone whose music I'd already started opening myself up to and exploring before even starting on this quest.

I always find his high, plaintive singing voice odd, given his legacy as "godfather of grunge" not to mention his 'hard face' which seems like it should accompany a gravelly, deep voice, something Tom Waits-esque perhaps.

That he was making the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young album (a couple of posts back) at the same time as this just makes this album all the more impressive.  It has a great mix of styles, with melancholy ballads; passionate , angry rockers; and perkier tracks. A lot of acoustic sounds but those 'grunge godfather' credentials come in to play on a couple of tracks.

Day 0185 - Paranoid

 Black Sabbath "Paranoid" (1970) - got it

 


Another case of a band having a quick turnaround between albums with their debut and Paranoid being released around 6 months apart, yet they still manage to explore interesting new directions.

There are the slow grinding riff monsters like 'Iron Man' and 'War Pigs' that are akin to the first album.  The title track has an almost punk vibe, while "Planet Carvan" is a psychedelic hippy acoustic jam. "Rat Salad" provides an instrumental wank-off (for those who revel in musicians flexing their virtuosic muscles)  and then 'Hand of Doom' to me honestly sounds like heavier, doomier take on Zeppelin.

Probably Sabbath's best known/loved album and with good reason.

Day 0184 - Déjà Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young "Déjà Vu" (1970)

Another musical collaboration with clashing personalities barely reigned-in, but resulting in some great music.

I really enjoyed the mix of styles: some subdued singer/songwriter songs, the bouncy Beatles/Kinks-esque "Our house", the snarling anti-establishment 'Almost cut my hair', the grandiose 'Country Girl'.
Great to have the variety of 4 different distinctive songwriters getting all up in each other's business.

Day 0183 - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" (1970)

An album that seems as much an exorcism or a primal scream session as it does an artistic expression. John and Yoko had actualy been undertaking primal scream therapy in NY but their visas expired and they had to leave before it was completed... well, at least until he made this album.

John takes a different approach here.  He still plays around with words, but while the Beatles was mostly a fine drill; this album is lyrically a sledgehammer.  Howling to the moon about the death of his mother, renouncing faith in ANYTHING other himself and Yoko, and slamming the door on his time with the Beatles.

Day 0182 - Stephen Stills

Stephen Stills "Stephen Stills" (1970)

Wow, kind of a top tier roster for debut solo album.  Along with sometimes bandmates Crosby and Nash the album features Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix, Booker T and Eric Clapton!

There's a good mix of tracks, a few acoustic singer/songwriter things, some wailing blues, some funky soul music.  All in all it's a solid musical statement.