BEA Reviews the History of Popular Music - Music

sp4cetiger

Let’s face it, none of us are music historians and most of us only have a passing interest in the detailed history of the music we listen to. In my previous thread, Listening to the History of Popular Music, I asked contributors to restrict their recs to albums that were “historical” and I tried to limit the discussion similarly. Screw that, I want to hear from everybody.

So what’s going to happen is that I’m going to write about my favorites from my listening lists (all in retrospect this time) and you just comment however you see fit. You can,

- Share your favorite albums from the time period and genres that I’m covering
- Give your opinions on the albums I mention
- Give your perspective on the historical movements I’m discussing
- Share other relevant historical tidbits
- Discuss genre classification (completely fair game here, but be respectful)

Really, anything you want as long as it connects to one of my “history” posts, which I'll distinguish with dark blue text.

My hope is that this will serve as a community resource for anybody interested in exploring music history from the perspective of a music lover (as opposed to a scholar). To help with thread navigation, I’ll provide a table of contents in this post.

1973: Soul and Funk | Glam Rock | Germany | Country and Southern Rock | Reggae and Dub | Progressive Rock and Rock Operas | Jazz and Jazz Fusion

I’ll start where I left off in the previous thread (1973).

Last edited by sp4cetiger on 05/21/2014 06:15; edited 8 times in total

sp4cetiger

1973: Soul and Funk
----------------------------
In many ways, 1973 was a banner year for soul music. Artists like the O’Jays and Gladys Knight & the Pips were topping the US Pop chart, while Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder each released masterpieces. Unfortunately, it was also to be one of the last hurrahs for the genre.

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Call Me by Al Green

Sometimes referred to as the “The Last of the Great Soul Singers”, Al Green had a knack for vocal delivery that seemed to capture the very spirit of soul music. Although I slightly prefer the previous year’s I’m Still in Love with You, many consider Call Me to be his greatest masterpiece. If nothing else, give this a spin for Green’s renditions of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (Hank Williams) and “Funny How Time Slips Away” (Willie Nelson).

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Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye

Following on the heels of his previous studio success, What’s Going On?, Gaye released yet another masterpiece with Let’s Get It On. Although ostensibly a sexually charged commercial venture, Gaye actually intended the album to be a metaphor for religious epiphany. In addition, this album would be the first example of Gaye incorporating funk into his music. He wasn’t alone.

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The Payback by James Brown

It was a sign of changing times that James Brown, long a figurehead for soul music, was turning his attentions to funk. In fact, this double LP is about as pure a funk album as you’ll find, showcasing Brown’s signature vocal style atop 73 minutes of hypnotic grooves. It’s easily my favorite of Brown’s albums and among my favorite funk albums of all time.

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Fresh by Sly And The Family Stone

Following on the heels of his brilliant but very dark funk masterpiece, There’s a Riot Going On, Sly submits another excellent entry to an already stellar catalog. Despite its more upbeat tone, this album was to be the beginning of the end for the Family Stone, as the loss of Larry Graham and Sly’s escalating cocaine use eventually led to the band’s dissolution.

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Innervisions by Stevie Wonder

I have never found Stevie Wonder’s music particularly easy to classify, but I would be remiss if I were let his greatest masterpiece go without mention. In the midst of his “classic period” (roughly 1972 - 1976) and following the landmark Talking Book (1972), Innervisions is a true Stevie Wonder product, as he acts as writer, performer, and producer of the album. He makes heavy user of the ARP synthesizer throughout and addresses a wide range of topics ranging from the political to the personal. Every music lover needs to hear it.

Other soul and funk albums I heard in 1973:

3+3 (The Isley Brothers) - Addition by addition, as the Isley Brothers reinvent themselves and produce what is arguably their best album.
Head Hunters (Herbie Hancock) - I’ll discuss this in more detail in a coming jazz fusion section, but note that it includes major funk influences.

drakonium
coucou

Location: More than one

Everyone post their recs please! I could post about Baby Huey but his LP is from 1971, so I'm just going to wait...

mickilennial
The Most Trusted Name in News

Gender: Female
Age: 35
Location: Detroit

drakonium wrote:

Everyone post their recs please! I could post about Baby Huey but his LP is from 1971, so I'm just going to wait...

Actually running through 1973's soul releases that I've rated and compiling a more detailed post so it's uh... constructive and stuff.

Romanelli
Bone Swah

Gender: Male
Location: Broomfield, Colorado

Moderator

3 + 3 by The Isley Brothers

The Isley's get overlooked a lot. 3+3 is a great piece of 1973. Not only does it include the exceptional "That Lady" and four other originals, it has a strange and powerful selection of covers. They give new perspective on James Taylor ("Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight"), The Doobie Brothers ("Listen To The Music"), Jonathan Edwards ("Sunshine") and Seals And Crofts ("Summer Breeze"). 3+3 is a brilliant album.

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Ship Ahoy by The O'Jays

One of the best R&B albums of 1973. Ship Ahoy is loaded with extended songs like "Don't Call Me Brother", the still popular "For The Love Of Money", and "Ship Ahoy", all at over seven minutes. Funky, danceable and socially relevant, The O'Jays and Ship Ahoy should be part of any discussion about what was great about 1973.
_________________
May we all get to heaven
'Fore the devil knows we're dead...

mickilennial
The Most Trusted Name in News

Gender: Female
Age: 35
Location: Detroit

ESSENTIAL

Al Green - Call Me
Barry White - Stone Gon'
Bobby Bland - His California Album
Bobby Womack - Facts of Life
Curtis Mayfield - Back to the World
Diana Ross - Last Time I Saw Him
Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye - Diana & Marvin
Donny Hathaway - Extension of a Man
Esther Phillips - Black-Eyed Blues
Gladys Knight & the Pips – Imagination
Gladys Knight & the Pips - Neither One of Us
Gloria Jones - Share My Love
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes - Black & Blue
The Isley Brothers - 3 + 3
James Brown - The Payback
Jimmy Cliff - Struggling Man
Lamont Dozier - Out Here on My Own
Luiz Melodia - Pérola negra
Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
Maxayn - Mindful
The O'Jays - Ship Ahoy
The Spinners - Spinners
Spirit of Atlanta - The Burning of Atlanta
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
Syl Johnson - Back for a Taste of Your Love
Tower of Power - Tower of Power

RUNNER UPs

Billy Preston - Everybody Likes Some Kind of Music
Bloodstone - Natural High
Charles Wright - Doin' What Comes Naturally
Clarence Carter - Sixty Minutes with Clarence Carter
David Ruffin - David Ruffin
Dobie Gray - Drift Away
Four Tops - Main Street People
Freda Payne - Reaching Out
Funkadelic - Cosmic Slop
The Independents - Chuck, Helen, Eric, Maurice
Inez Foxx - At Memphis
Letta Mbulu - Naturally
The New Birth - Birth Day
O.V. Wright - Memphis Unlimited
The Pointer Sisters - The Pointer Sisters
Rufus - Rufus
Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly
The Staple Singers - Be What You Are
The Sweet Inspirations - Estelle, Myrna and Sylvia
The Three Degrees - The Three Degrees

---

Will edit if I can muster descriptions/details.

Last edited by mickilennial on 04/08/2014 20:38; edited 3 times in total

Romanelli
Bone Swah

Gender: Male
Location: Broomfield, Colorado

Moderator

sp4cetiger wrote:

1973: Soul and Funk
----------------------------

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Call Me by Al Green

Sometimes referred to as the “The Last of the Great Soul Singers”, Al Green had a knack for vocal delivery that seemed to capture the very spirit of soul music. Although I slightly prefer the previous year’s I’m Still in Love with You, many consider Call Me to be his greatest masterpiece. If nothing else, give this a spin for Green’s renditions of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (Hank Williams) and “Funny How Time Slips Away” (Willie Nelson).

Call Me wasn't the last album by Green before his conversion to gospel music, but it did give a hint as to where he was going to end up. The last track, "Jesus Is Waiting", is a beacon loud and clear that this was the future of Al Green. Maybe the greatest male R&B voice ever. The excellent country covers were following the lead of Ray Charles...why more soul singers haven't figured out that some of the best R&B songs are country songs is beyond me.
_________________
May we all get to heaven
'Fore the devil knows we're dead...

sp4cetiger

Thanks all for the input so far, looks great!

Romanelli wrote:

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Ship Ahoy by The O'Jays

One of the best R&B albums of 1973. Ship Ahoy is loaded with extended songs like "Don't Call Me Brother", the still popular "For The Love Of Money", and "Ship Ahoy", all at over seven minutes. Funky, danceable and socially relevant, The O'Jays and Ship Ahoy should be part of any discussion about what was great about 1973.

I have to admit, my only experience with Philadelphia soul so far is the O'Jays earlier album, Back Stabbers (1972), and even that one I only heard once. I'll give this a listen.

Quote:

The excellent country covers were following the lead of Ray Charles...why more soul singers haven't figured out that some of the best R&B songs are country songs is beyond me.

I know what you mean. I guess if you ask Charles, country and R&B are really the same thing with different ornamentation. In fact, he agreed with you so much that he basically spent the '60s covering country songs. He may have taken it too far, though...

drakonium
coucou

Location: More than one

Oh, ooooh, I have no idea how I forgot what may be my favorite instrumental album ever :

Bongo Rock by Incredible Bongo Band

It's kind of funk-rock I guess, but it's definitely funky. Incredible album, like, really. Was on my chart for some time. Very influential on hip-hop too, as Apache is one of, if not the, most sampled track ever.

Great list Gowienczyk, added a few of these to my list, thanks Wink

Norman Bates

Gender: Male
Age: 51
Location: Paris, France

You should also listen to

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Betty Davis by Betty Davis

On a sidenote, what I feel is relevant about soul in the 70s is the way musicians from other genres will adopt some of its features in their work (Shepp obviously, check out Attica Blues from 72) and how the genres begin to merge to give way to something altogether rather new. Pharoah Sanders' 73 output comes to mind (e.g. "Love Is Everywhere" off Wisdom Through Music) but also Roy Ayers' Coffy

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Coffy by Roy Ayers

and the splendid proto-rap album that is Hustlers Convention

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Hustlers Convention by Lightnin' Rod