Tag: Albums

We’ve gone back to 1984, 1994, and 2004 in previous posts this year. Let’s do one more of these decade anniversaries. 1974. High school junior year for me. An impressive and broad-ranging year of music. Hard rock, soft rock, country rock, prog rock, glam rock, and combinations of these styles. Reggae, too. Nostalgia weighs heavily decades later, especially for the high school and college years. Let’s remember some of the musical happenings from 1974:

• Rush and Kiss released their first albums, both self-titled
• Queen, Van Halen, and The Ramones launched their first U.S tours
• Stevie Wonder won the Grammy for Album of the Year, Innervisions, and Roberta Flack took home Record and Song of the Year for her version of “Killing Me Softly.”
• About 200,000 fans attended the California Jam at the Ontario Motor Speedway, with a lineup of Rare Earth, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Black Oak Arkansas, Seals and Crofts, The Eagles, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. (I was there!)
• “Waterloo” was the Eurovision Song Contest winner catapulting ABBA to fame
• “Mama” Cass Elliot died in her sleep at 32 after performing two shows at the London Palladium.
• Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac

Here’s my top 10 of 1974:

10. When the Eagle Flies by Traffic: The 7th album from Traffic was their last for 20 years. It’s uneven, but its wistful atmosphere enveloped me in 1974 and still does. First track “Something New” takes you back to early Traffic, “Graveyard People” is a trippy dream, “Dream Gerrard” an 11-minute jazz improv, and “Walking in the Wind” a treasure of bass, keys, and Steve Winwood’s vocals.

9. Crime of the Century by Supertramp: The third and breakthrough album for Supertramp is a joy right off the bat. The harmonica intro of “School” and the piano lead, rumbling bass, and sparkling vocals shout out that these guys sound good. Piano and guitar pedals accentuate the bluesy, bouncy “Bloody Well Right.” “Dreamer” and the title closing track proclaim the superb pop rock of Supertramp.

8. Natty Dread by Bob Marley: Bob Marley’s 7th album was the first without Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. “Lively Up Yourself” starts with a celebration of reggae. The album’s best-known song, “No Woman, No Cry,” includes a little gospel and rap as it to contemplates life inside the Jamaican ghetto. Politics (“Revolution”) and religion (“So Jah S’eh”) permeate throughout. But a laid- back vibe pervades even with the heavier themes.

7. Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan: Steely Dan’s 3rd album got them back on track after Countdown to Ecstasy failed to score a hit single. First song “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” was the most successful song of their career. The keys, harmonies, and guitar by Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (who would shortly leave the band to join the Doobie Brothers) deliver an exquisite tune. The acoustic “Any Major Dude Will Tell You” is simply lovely. There’s an element of jazz throughout, and man, do they know how to record an album.

6. Sheer Heart Attack by Queen: The 3rd album by Queen brought us that first classic Queen song, aptly named “Killer Queen.” They rock out and glam it up. The opener “Brighton Rock” takes Jimmy and Jenny on holiday and explodes with Mercury’s flamboyant vocals and May’s echoing guitar solo. And then there’s “Stone Cold Crazy.” The blistering two-minute metal assault is the poster child for an album named Sheer Heart Attack.

5. Court and Spark by Joni Mitchell: The elegant Canadian’s 6th and most successful album imbues her trademark folk rock with traces of jazz. She rocks on “Raised on Robbery,” melts our hearts on “Help Me,” and takes us on a romantic getaway on “Free Man in Paris.” Honest, melancholy, and uncertain with a blissful sheen.

4. It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll by the Rolling Stones: The Stones’ 12th album was their last with guitarist Mick Taylor and first produced by Jagger and Richards (“The Glimmer Twins”). “Dance Little Sister” and the title song embody the name of the album. The ballads shine – “If You Really Want to Be My Friend,” “Time Waits for No One,” and “Till the Next Goodbye.” Toss in a touch of reggae (“Luxury”), funk (the ominous “Fingerprint File”), and a rousing cover of the Temptations’ “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and you’ve got an auspicious transitional album.

3. Country Life by Roxy Music: Siren will always reign over the other Roxy Music albums, but this 4th record would be next on the list for me. The opener “The Thrill of It All” and “Casanova” are up tempo rockers, while “Bitter Sweet” is a lush ballad, and “Out of the Blue” highlights the violin of Eddie Jobson. But it’s the closing number, “Prairie Rose,” that brings the house down with its steel guitar, rollicking piano, and stomping beat.

2. Diamond Dogs by David Bowie: Bowie’s 8th LP was the last of his glam era and first without The Spiders from Mars. Side One is a classic. The creepy spoken-word intro, “Future Legend” (“This ain’t rock n’ roll, this is genocide”), straight into the title song, then the soaring suite of “Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)”, and finally, the signature “Rebel Rebel” with Bowie riffing away like Keith Richards in the absence of Mick Ronson.

1. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by Genesis: Peter Gabriel’s final album with Genesis is a masterpiece. It’s the story of Rael, a Puerto Rican youth from New York City who is suddenly taken on a voyage of self-discovery and encounters bizarre incidents and characters along the way. The double album has a few lows, but the highs are sensational. The bouncy “Counting Out Time,” the lush “Carpet Crawlers,” the humorous “Cuckoo Cocoon,” and the powerful “Back in NYC” are the band’s high point. One of their finest musical moments is when the drums and guitar explode in unison on “Fly on a Windshield.”

Honorable Mentions: Burn (Deep Purple) thanks to the title song, War Child (Jethro Tull) because I saw the tour at the L.A. Forum, and Relayer (Yes) due to another epic Yes one-side song: “The Gates of Delirium.” Other notable albums of 1974 include, Fulfillingness’ First Finale (Stevie Wonder), Here Come the Warm Jets (Brian Eno), On the Beach (Neil Young), Late for the Sky (Jackson Browne), Bad Co (Bad Company), On the Border (The Eagles), Holiday (America), What Were Once Vices are Now Habits (The Doobie Brothers, I saw that tour, too), Cantamos (Poco), and 461 Ocean Boulevard (Eric Clapton).

Trivia: Joe Walsh played guitar and produced the 1974 album Souvenirs album by what singer-songwriter?

Trivia: “Rock Around the Clock,” the 1954 hit by Bill Haley and the Comets, hit the Billboard charts again 20 years later thanks to exposure in what TV series and movie?

Answers below

Here’s two noteworthy songs from 1974:

Trivia answers: Dan Fogelberg and Happy Days and American Graffiti

Let’s keep the decade anniversaries going by harking back 30 years. Here are some music headlines from 1993:

• Michael Jackson was the Super Bowl halftime performer;
• Depeche Mode was one of the first bands to go online to connect with fans. The chat was marred by technical difficulties, as many, including the band, could not log on;
• Nirvana played its famous unplugged concert on MTV in NYC;
• Cream reunited at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony – The Doors, Credence Clearwater Revival, Van Morrison, and Sly and the Family Stone were also inducted;
• On his 35th birthday, Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol – he would be referred to as The Artist Formally Known as Prince for the rest of the decade.

There were some good albums in 1993, but were there some great ones? I’m not sure. Several of my favorite bands put out excellent songs in ’93, but the albums as a whole fell short of their best works. I didn’t have a standout favorite(s) and if I did this list again tomorrow the order would probably change. Likewise, I might swap in one of the honorable mentions below if given another chance.

10. Paul Westerberg, 14 Songs: In his first official solo album, the former Replacement puts together a nice collection of songs. Some are reminiscent of the old band (“World Class Fad),” others offer an easy-going melody signaling a new direction for his solo career (“First Glimmer).” A few songs have a Stones-y or Faces vibe, with “Silver Naked Ladies” even featuring Ian McLagen on piano. My favorite, “Things,” shows how masterful he is at the melancholy love songs.

9. James, Laid/Hothouse Flowers, Songs from the Rain: Not to equate the British and Irish, but these two bands have a similar upbeat acoustic sound and give me the chance to highlight a couple lesser-known groups. (I can also cheat and add one to list.) “Laid” strums along warm and inspiring and could be James’ best song. Hothouse Flowers’ message of hope and spirituality was on full display with songs like “Isn’t It Amazing” and “Beauty” when they opened for Midnight Oil in ’93 at the Santa Barbara Bowl.

8. David Bowie, Black Tie White Noise: After his garage rock detour with Tin Machine, David Bowie was searching for his next calling. He couldn’t decide which path to choose. Black Tie White Noise continues his boundless need for experimentation at the expense of cohesion. There are musical styles from his past (disco, funk, soul) and from his future (electronic, hip-hop, jazz). “Jump They Say” is the standout as Bowie recalls his mentally ill brother in a chorus of sax, trumpet, and synths. “Nite Flights” is a seductive, rumbling cover of the Scott Walker song.

7. Smashing Pumpkins, Siamese Dream: “Cherub Rock,” the first song on Siamese Dream, launches an attack on the music industry with Billy Corgan screeching “freak out and give in” along with his unique guitar layers. “Today,” a song of survival, became their first big hit. “Disarm” is an angry storm with its loud and soft dynamic. “Hummer” is signature shoegaze and “Mayonaise” is agonizing and gorgeous. It’s one of the defining albums of the decade.

6. The Breeders, Last Splash: The Deal sisters struck gold with these twisted, savory songs. Fourteen short songs stylistically all over the place – a touch of country, a little surf, grunge, shoegaze, and instrumentals. The bass line and distortion on “Cannonball” and the delicious sex and sax on “Divine Hammer” top off an alt-rock classic.

5. Nirvana, In Utero: Nirvana’s third and final album is abrasive, visceral, and introspective. It’s more like their debut Bleach as opposed to the blockbuster Nevermind. “Serve the Servants” opens the album with humorous flippancy – “Teenage angst has paid off/Now I’m bored and old.” There are noise sessions (“Dumb,” “Tourettes),” and more melodic tunes (“Heart-Shaped Box,” Pennyroyal Tea).” “All Apologies,” with its cello and guitar interplay and Cobain’s see-saw of hoarse and tender singing became the band’s epitaph.

4. Aimee Mann, Whatever: ‘Til Tuesday could never build momentum off its 1985 smash hit, “Voices Carry.” After three albums, Mann left the band and began her solo career with this gem. She is a born storyteller with emotional, personal, and acerbic lyrics in conjunction with catchy melodies and lovely ballads. Ex-Byrd, Roger McGuinn, joins her on the jangly folk of “Fifty Years After the Fair.” If you like one song on Whatever, you’ll like every song. There’s not a bad one on the album. I can’t say that about any others on this list.

3. Midnight Oil, Earth and Sun and Moon: As touched on above, my memories of this tour are strong. At 6’4″ frontman Peter Garrett is unforgettable on stage with his frenetic, commanding performances. Earth and Sun and Moon continues to explore the band’s passion for protecting the environment and Australia’s indigenous peoples, as epitomized by the lead single, “Truganini.” This is a very consistent album full of infectious harmonies, chiming guitars, piano/acoustic spotlights, and resonating bass from Bones Hillman, who died from cancer in 2020.

2. Suede, Suede: Suede was one of the fastest-selling debuts in British history, starting off at the top of the UK Albums Chart and winning the Mercury Music Prize (the British version of Best Album Grammy). (The group had to change its name for the American market to The London Suede based on a lawsuit by an American singer with the same name.) Led by Brett Anderson (vocals) and Bernard Butler (guitar), the band is a glam tour de force embracing a defiant snarl and androgynous presence. The lyrics are forceful and the music sways from raw and crisp to delicate and blissful. All the while being unabashedly decadent.

1. Vs., Pearl Jam: So much for the sophomore slump. After the monstrous success of their debut, Ten, Pearl Jam came out a little more aggressive on Vs. Songs about child abuse, gun culture, and police brutality entail conflict as implied in the album’s title. The punk explosions on “Go,” and “Blood” are countered by the moving “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town” and the driving acoustics of “Daughter.” The rippling tension of “Rearview Mirror” is classic Pearl Jam. That works for me.

Honorable Mention: The Verve (A Storm in Heaven), Radiohead (Pablo Honey), Depeche Mode (Songs of Faith & Devotion), New Order (Republic), and Sting (Ten Summoner’s Tales)

Trivia: What artist had the #1 album and #1 song on the British charts in 1993? (Hint: He performed under a stage name and passed away in 2022.)

Answer: Meat Loaf (born as Marvin Lee Aday) with “I’d Do Anything for Love (But Not That”) off of the Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell album