Wow. this is just insane, Ryan. The amount of information and knowledge you're sporting is just insane. it's like trying to keep up with The Trouser Press back in the day. lol.
When I get time I'll respond to your options about specific albums, maybe even quoting my own blog so perhaps we can get a discussion going about a particular album such as the MESSY masterpiece that is Self-Portrait. right now, I'm insanely busy so I'll get back to this later.
But, really. A sick, sick reference. This is scholarship, brother. Peace!
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Okay, and here is the next batch, even better and more adored is this batch of 7. Again, written with haste, just trying to get my thoughts out on these
#14
Loose Salute by Michael Nesmith & The First National Band (1970)
Is this as great as former-Monkey Michael Nesmith's previous 1970 album "Magnetic South"? No. (more on Magnetic South later.) But is it its own unique great piece of work? Yes.
I know what you're thinking - "Oh no! Not another vapid call and response, asking question of yourself review!". I am sorry. No more of that.
Okay, but this album, "Loose Salute" is great. It swings harder, and it is far more eclectic than "Magnetic South". And the pedal steel work by Red Rhodes (a total G) which killed on Magnetic South is on even more display here. I mean Red just kills here!
The songs aren't quite as great, and the melodies aren't as memorable and catchy. But that is a high bar. And this album is still pretty freaking great in that respect.
Something about Nesmith and his whole persona as like this space cowboy with these great little insightful songs and these weird yodalling moments, all this awesome eccentricity just slays me. It hits the sweet spot. I never in a million years thought Michael Nesmith would become a new favorite from liostening to these albums. But He has. He's brilliant, this is brilliant.
Syd Barrett may be the most heralded cult hero in rock history. I mercurial, unique artiste who has legions of devotees. And its almost all based off this album, and his next album and his work with early Floyd.
Now I put off getting into this album for some reason. For years I just avoided listening to Barrett's solo stuff. I finally did recently. And I'm glad I did. This album is so intentionally inconsistent, so strangely topsy turvy, so illuminating and unique in atmosphere that It is a struggle explaining what makes this album great. I mean the songwriting is strange and stream of consciousness at times. And the seemingly offhand musical and melodic ideas on here are so consistently great, the band is solid throughout. And it just feels like 40 minutes of a good time, picking the brain of one of the most complex and fascinating rock musicians of all time.
Anyway, that is my short idea of this album. Its really great!
This is just a beautiful, down to earth, stunning, home recoreded (as the name indicates) folk album. Lambert and Nuttycombe are just 2 people with pretty vocals and great song sense, harmonizing and playing a couple acoustics just bouncing ideas off each other. Its just a really great find for me. I wanted a folk album which was earthy, and not too syrupy sweet, not dated and just beautiful - and I found it here. It's a great, sure-fire new favorite for fans of early Simon and Garfunkel. Its fab.
9.1/10
----------
#11
Corky's Debt To His Father by Mayo Thompson (1970)
This is such a cool album. Its weird, but accesible. It feels like a folk rock singer/songwriter album tirned on its head. Nothing is quite where you expect it to be. The rhythms are strange and angular, the instruments are recorded warmly and they at times are just so interestingly put together.
This is a weird album, and Mayo's vocals aren't for everyone, they sound sort brittle and strange and almost psychotic at times. They aren't very tuneful, but they are always fascinating.
The lyrics are horny throughout and silly and at times just cryptic and wild.
But this is a lot more accessible than Mayo's work with the Red Crayola. But I think only the wild mind behind much of The Red Crayola could write the music which makes up this strange folk album like no other folk or rock or songer/songwriter album.
Oh boy, its Kristofferson. At last. I mean 1970 had several of THE Defining singer/songwriter albums. I mean maybe the first album you think of when you think of golden era singer/songwriter albums is After the Gold Rush. You also had Tea for the Tillerman, and you had a myriad of albums which at the time may have sounded new and fresh. Then 1971 and 1972 and 1973 happened and we came back to look at a lot of these albums from '70 and we think "man, this is just so similar in aesthetic and style to so many other albums!".
That big intro leads back to Kristofferson. I can't think of any successful Songwriter who embodied the aesthetic and lone-wold aesthetic of this era of folk rock and singer/songwriters. He was this tall, somewhat handsome and somewhat ugly. He had adeep and sometimes sandpaper voice , and he had these songs. These songs never stuck to a specific sound, some were funny rock songs, some were talkin' country blues, some were direct country rock ballads, some were folk fingerpicked beauties, etc. And all through it he clearly was already a master craftsman. He just grabbed the persona and he embodied it perfectly. There is never a point on this album when I am not engaged and interested in what Kris is saying.
This is just a great record with some of the best songs of the era. And its goddamn amazing debut album. Check it out.
This album is so unique and otherworldly. Its incredible. I can't even take it most of the time. But man there are moments which just seem unearthly, impossible even. There are moments of creepy scares and there are moments of unique beauty. Its awesome. I don't know what else to say.
9.3/10
----------
#7 that's right #7 i have this typed up now and I am too lazy to save this for later. It moved up 7 spots last minute - as it was initially slated at 14 - so just realize this is now my number 7 not #8. so.... nice! The first of the next batch will be #8, then #6 etc.
As I listen to this album again to do this little rapid fire review, I am stunned. I guess it just didn't register the first few listens, but the opening 2 tracks "Candles In The Rain" and then "Lay Down" are the most passionate, empowering, inspired and inspiring songs and 9 and a half minutes of this monumental year. I mean it! Like the intensity the joy and pathos of the gospel choir perfectly working with Melanie's absolutel;y awe-inspiring vocal perfeormance, with the hand claps, with the funky rhythms, man! This shit is so game changing!
I initially was planning on placing this at 14.... i am thinking nah... This album is such a eureka moment for me. I mean its got some truly stunning, idalistic originals, its got much darker melanie originals, and it also features mesmerizing and utterly unique interpretations of the Stones' Ruby Tuesday and James Taylor's "Carolina In My Mind".
This is apparently her third album, and the first that gave her success. She had a break out moment at woodstock in '69, and indeed her first big hit, the aforementioned "Lay Down" is about her experiences at Woodstock. Yes I'd say this is even better than Joni's 1970 classic "Woodstock" sue me. lol.
other awesome moments, the song "Citiest People" is amazing! Melanie was a great songwriter, like no joke,, she was awesome as a writer, singer and overall awesome human! And that intensely bone deep bass thump on this track is stellar. Also the playful, bouncy, gorgeous song "Look what they done to my song, ma" is great too. Yeah.
Also a word on her voice. I loves it! Its really strange, it seems a bit out of tune, but absolutely sincere. I just adore this album now!
Wow. this is just insane, Ryan. The amount of information and knowledge you're sporting is just insane. it's like trying to keep up with The Trouser Press back in the day. lol.
When I get time I'll respond to your options about specific albums, maybe even quoting my own blog so perhaps we can get a discussion going about a particular album such as the MESSY masterpiece that is Self-Portrait. right now, I'm insanely busy so I'll get back to this later.
But, really. A sick, sick reference. This is scholarship, brother. Peace!
I am very glad you're liking this! And I thank you for the kind words. I have merely been listeni ng to lots and lots of albums from 70. There are so many goodies out there!
and yes I would love to see your thoughts on some of these selections. There are bound to be a few more surprises in the ranks yet to come and based off that last set I just posted. _________________ -Ryan
It's awesome to find Melanie here. She was a great writer and singer. I can't think of a better song than Look What They Done to my Song. I hope you don't overlook the even better album Gather Me for your 1971.[/quote]
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
It's awesome to find Melanie here. She was a great writer and singer. I can't think of a better song than Look What They Done to my Song. I hope you don't overlook the even better album Gather Me for your 1971.
[/quote]
yeah she is a great find for me. I love this stuff. _________________ -Ryan
Okay, and here is the final countdown of my fave singer/songwriter albums of 1970. These last 8 are all like amaze-balls and are all either on my overall fave albums chart or are on the cusp.
This may seem weird on a singer/songwriter list. This is definitely not a traditional album of this ilk. But like I said before, switch out the viola and harmonium lines with guitar lines (and thank god that is not the case) and this is a straight up singer/songwriter album! silly point was that? yep.
Okay and about this record. Its eerie, its an album with such a distinctly immersive atmosphere. If you love Nico's brand of vocals, with its almost mono-tonal, gothic mystery, you'll love this album right away. Its just gorgeous. The lyrics and the songwriting aspect of this album is top notch. And again the harmonium walls of sound and the contributions by John cale is absolutely stunning.
This has been on my overall several times in the past. Its just a singular and beautiful album.
The story and the context of my discovery of this album will live on in my life story forever or at least until I die. (had to stop myself from making a lame reference to Bladerunner there).
Basically I am a huge Raiders fan and Derek Carr is a top 10 human for me. The first half of a game 8 days ago between the Chiefs and Raiders was in the books. The raiders were losing. I had had some good cheap wine and I felt pretty good all things considered. And I went out to my patio and I smoked a cigarette and sipped some brew and I put on this album. I loved it, yes, but even more significant was the fact that I was getting progressively better and better feels as I heard this albums first half or so, with its gorgeous steel guitar lines, its clear and confident grooves, its country vibes, its excellent Nesmith vocals and songs, etc. At halfway through I paused it and went back to my living room where laid on the couch my roommate and I started watching the rest of the game. I just felt good and I just new that somehow the psychic state of Michael Nesmith's brilliance, my happiness and Derek Carr's and Khalil Mack's winning-time attitude were all connected.
Well the rest of the game was a just absolutely fabulous thing. and i felt better and better as time wnet on. During the commercials i would put my headphones in and listen to another song from Magnetic South. and as the momentum of the album and my love for it increased so did Derek Carr's status as my hero. The Raiders win the game in heroic intense fashion. And I decide right there that it is a new tradition that every time I am watching a Raiders game I shall listen to this album.
Okay, and so if you asked me at that moment what the grade for this album was I would have said 10/10 easy. Now I listened to it about 5 times since and I will say its not a 10. But its a brilliant brilliant album nonetheless. Its just full of some of the most lively and lovely hooks and some of the greatest country rock I have ever heard. I would never have thought Michael Nesmith, a former member of The Monkeys, would end up being on of my fave 1970s artists or that his debut (this is his solo debut i believe) would be one of my fave albums ever. But it really is that good. Again the gorgeous Pedal steel work of Red Rhodes throughout and especially on "Nantucket mama" is to die for. I just love this record! Go Raiders!!!!
Also I love that Hank Williams spirit on "Keys to The Car"! Oh and the instrumental jam at the end of "Hollywood" is so insanely out of this world, gosh! Okay, bye.
Ask me where this would end up on this list a month ago and I would have said number 1 or 2. There was no question. So what's with this weird demotion? I can tell you its nothing to do with my love for this 2nd best Nick Drake album. Its just I have discovered some other great ones since. Please don't get it confused, this is one of the best albums ever made. The whole thing sounds so stately and beautiful and cool, but with a distinct sadness that only Drake can deliver as a backdrop of the proceedings.
How can I express how good the band is here? Or how perfect the arrangements are? or how amazing the horns and keys and grooves are here? Its a challenge I have turned down. Its too hard. But man, this album is just chock full of pristine moments of sheerest beauty which I sometimes just can't believe. I think this sound is just way way more engaging and excellent than the big symphonic sound of Five Leaves Left. The horns and guitars and piano lines here are all so cool. IDK, now i'm just repeating myself.
Also, lets give it up for John Cale! He makes gorgeous contributions to some of the best songs here such as Hazey Jane I and especially Fly. That makes 3 albums (including his solo debut) he contributed to on this list. He is a beast!
And man the songs here are stunning, and make perfect use of Nick Drake's somber vocals and contemplative and moody lyrics. "Fly", "One of these things First" both Hazey Jane's, the instrumental title track, the exuberant "Poor Boy", the stunning "Northern Sky". Gosh!
This was the first album which blew me away when I started listening to dozens of 1970 singer/songwriter albums. I was familiar with this strange artifact before falling head over heels in l;ove with it. But it never quite connected. But now I am just in awe of this record. The songs are great, the vocals are so goooood (both the female Swedish singers...sorry I don't know their various names...and of course the deep boom of Lee's) the compositions are so good. And of course the maverick move of mixing country western with Baroque pop. Baroque country? yep, i suppose so. Its just a great album. Its also a short and sweet classic.
Songs like "Hey Cowboy", "Pray Them Bars Away", "Cold Hard Times", "The Night Before", "For A Day Like Today" and "No Train To Stockholm" are all absolutely must-listens. And the sound of a song like "Cold Hard Times" to me sounds so modern! Like the way this recorded and the way it flows sounds like a cool song from a a hipster country type pop band of today.
10 songs, 25 minutes, 2 absolute geniuses at the peaks of their genius, 1 album which is so full of melodic and pop ideas so abundant and great that it boggles me mind it does! This album is so concise, so revealing, so amazingly touching and almost impossibly pretty, that I almost have a hard time not putting this number 1. I also can't believe how good it is and so i listen over and over and over and over etc.
I mean I think this is a better pop album with more brilliant pop moments than any Beatles album. Okay moving right along.
This may seem like a bit of a cheat on this list. Cuz Harry Nilsson was a songwriter and a damn brilliant one at that. But this whole album is him performing Randy Newman tunes. Randy and him were crouched toegther in the studio exhaustively crafting this gem together and its clear that Newman is there in every handclap and piano line. Buit, still, come on, its cheating. And for that I apologize.
Now more about this album, its great. Right from the Jump with the stunning opener of "Vine Street", to the even more stunning strange romance of "Love Story", to the sardonic shimmering classsic "Yellow man" to the perhaps great vocal performance in music history(?) "Caroline", etc. Every track is stunning and meticulously layered and just beautiful. Oh and a note on "Caroline", apparently the thing I kepyt hearing is that there are nearly 100 Nilsson vocal recordinsg that make up that track...? I can't hear THAT MUCH, but I can hear that the waves and layers of Harry Nilsson perfect vocals are detailed and immense. And Caroline may be the best thing here which is saying something let me tell you!
Other standouts are the truly atmospheric broken feel of "Cowboy" and also the absolutrely great "The Beehive State", the great "Living Without You", the sad truth laden relatability of growing up in the closer "So Long dad", the classic "I'll be home" etc... every ong here is great and ends too soon, thuis necessitating a continuous listening loop.
And if I ever wanted tro show why Harry Nilsson may be the all time greatest pop vocalist I'll just play this entire album. And i want to show that Newman and Nilsson was the most perfectly fitting team up of 2 geniuses I will play this album.
Yeah including this album by my criteria set out earlier may be a cheat. Buit it was worth it just to overhype the shit out of this masterpiece.
One of the best things that this exhaustive deep dive into singer/songwriter albums has caused in my life in general was my true discovery of my love for Joni Mitchell. With every album I have listened to of hers my love has grown and grown. And with each of her first 3 (and soon 4, stay tuned for 1971!) she just got more and more and more (and more) dynamic, touching, brilliant, in tune with the power of music and song craft. With this album, her 3rd, she managed to get even better from the absolutely gorgeous Clouds of 1969 and the absolutely brilliant debut Song To The Seagull.
There is no bad track here. They are all shining examples of songcraft at its best. The guitar is its usual stunning, Joni really was and is one of the best acoustic guitarists of all the singer/songwriters of all time. The vocals are all the more pristine and pitch perfect. The songs got better in many ways, whether on pop crossover songs like "Big Yellow Taxi" to the more thought provoking cuts like the classic "Woodstock", or the more breezy beauty of songs like "Morning Morgantown".
But really I'm just scratching the surface here. The greatest songs here are in my opinion "For Free", "Conversation" and "The Circle Game". On "For Free" she is touching on themes of personal shame for "selling out" and she writes with such beauty on this subject I am always overcome with emotion when I hear it. On "Conversation" I fall in love every time. Its like her ode to to this musician gut who is like the pixie dream guy of the Joni universe and the whole thing is so tangible and beautiful and touching...GOSH! JONI WAS SOOOOO GOOD! and of course "The Circle Game" is such a great closing track, its so gorgeous and contemplative, almost silly in its grasp for concept - time, aging, all that. As I said on Facebook which no one cared about "If all I did in my life was write one song, and it was this song, I would die proudly.". Its amazing!
This may be THE quintessential singer/songwriter album ever made. Like, this period of 69-72ish is the "golden era" of such music. And if you had to take one album and send it into space to represent the best parts and the defining elements of this genre, this is the album I launch into space in a cannister which says "Singer/Songwriter music of the early 70s: Earth" ( I mean its both confessional and political, its both rocking and pretty and countryish and folkish, its got nasally vocals and clear clean production, its got amazing harmonies, melodies and peotic lyrics, etc etc)
I won't go in much detail here about this album. Everyone knows of it. And its really great. Its Neil's greatest album in my opinion. and its just so so good.
9.8/10
Note: how about them canadians, aye? They killed it this year. #1 and #2. And the potential Number 1 of '71 - definitely the favorite if you're a betting man. Also 2 of the top 5 of and 3 of the top 8 of 1969? Yeah the golden tripod of Canadian singer/songwriter geniuses of the late 60s-70s was indeed amaze-balls (yes, that ridic word again...)
-----------------------
-----------------------
and there ya go! My top 50 or so fave 1970 singer/songwriter albums!
I'm curious your thoughts. Did i overrate or underrate a classic here? Should I be ashamed of myself? _________________ -Ryan
This may be THE quintessential singer/songwriter album ever made. Like, this period of 69-72ish is the "golden era" of such music. And if you had to take one album and send it into space to represent the best parts and the defining elements of this genre, this is the album I launch into space in a cannister which says "Singer/Songwriter music of the early 70s: Earth" ( I mean its both confessional and political, its both rocking and pretty and countryish and folkish, its got nasally vocals and clear clean production, its got amazing harmonies, melodies and peotic lyrics, etc etc)
I won't go in much detail here about this album. Everyone knows of it. And its really great. Its Neil's greatest album in my opinion. and its just so so good.
9.8/10
/quote]
totally agree with your number one pick! I think what follows may be my very first BEA review! Sweet, sweet nostalgia. 🤣
RepoMan wrote:
Neil Young - After the goldrush
I can't get over how she set me free
0h, oh, lonesome me...
Is there another album that more embodies the sound of the 70s? Back when bands' lyrics were repeated by the faithful like sacred truths. Back when albums seemed larger than life carrying their own mythology and album covers were gazed upon for hours as if they held some divine truth. Back when bands were fronted by prophets or gods to indulge us common folk with their truths & power. Neil Young was always more the prophet than the god despite his considerable guitar prowess. Fitting that such a prophet should make the perfect album of love flickering out.
Favorite tracks: Lonesome Blues, Don't let It Bring You Down
Aside: Simply one of the best breakup albums ever!
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Ha! I remember reading that review and loving it! Good times, #nostalgia
Yeah it’s inevitable that I put it number 1. I mean it was challenged in my mind half a dozen times, but I always came around to a shrug and said “nah it’s not quite After the freakin Gold Rush.” _________________ -Ryan
So that was fun! I am happy i did the 1970 so thoroughly and i think i'll do the same for '71. '71 is arguably even more stacked than '70 or '69. Its cray cray.
So, 1971, some features I notice looking over the as of yet 90 album list of albums for consideration:
-The 4th straight year with a classic Joni album (she's quickly becoming my favorite musician of this era)
-The triumphant return of the insanely great Mickey Newbury!
-John Prine, David Crosby solo, Bill Withers, Judee Sill, Jimmie Spheeris, Gil-Scott Heron, Graham Nash solo, etc etc all had exciting and intrigueing DEBUTs in 1971!
- 3...THREE!!! albums by the total genius Harry Nilsson in 1971! Phew!
- The return of other great artists who released favorite in 68, 69, 70, such as: Melanie, Ralph McTell, Michael Nesmith, Dory Previn, 2 more albums from Emitt Rhodes, John Stewart, Curtis Mayfield (erroneously left off consideration in '70), James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Bert jansch, Tom T Hall, Van Morrison, etc...
-Really, this is a continuation of the last subject. But really I'm most hyped about the next albums in the following new favorites or old favorites discogs which dropped back in '71... Again, Mickey Newbury is the headliner for me. He is a genius and I use that word too often yes, but serioulsy Newbury from 68-74 was inhuman. Also Joni Mitchell! also the return of Roy Harper with his most iconic album. Paul McCartney with his best album. Tucker Zimmerman and Michael Hurley ride again with their next strange classics! oh and how have i not mentioned a top 5 and 3 finisher for 67 and 69 yet, a legend as well, the return of LEONARD COHEN! The album which only recently broke thorugh in my mind and i finally love, also maybe the most succesful album of '71, by CAROLE KING! The return of the country songwriting empress Dolly Parton, the return of the maverick wild man Lee Hazlewood, the return of the walking embodiment of the serious early 70s songwriter Kris Kristofferson, etc etc!!!
-Along with all these big names I have on my list about 50-69 albums which look really freaking cool and I super looking forward to listening to!
------------
And hey, you, yeah you! hey I am interested if you have any recommendations for 1971 albums which may qualify. I am just looking for albums with a distinct and great songwriting presence with the writer often or always singing or reciting the words they wrote. Hell! if its a band with a distinct leading person who writes and sings and all that I will even consider that maybe. I'll call that the Wilco-exception. Or the latter day VU exception, or something.
So feel free to give me your thoughts on this year of such albums. And your recs. And your votes for what is, for you, THE greatest 1971 singer/songwriter triumph! Is '71 finally Joni's year? Is it the 2nd champiuonship for Mickey Newbury? or Van Morrison? let me know!
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Repo
Mercury
bobbyb5
