Revisiting My Favorite Albums of The 1970s (Again)

So one year ago tomorrow, if you recall, I published this. In case you don't recall and don't feel like reading that (which would be perfectly understandable; it's very longwinded) I'll give you the highlights. Basically it said that my tastes in music change and I also hear new stuff all the time blah blah blah I'm republishing my Best Albums of Decades albums list! Yeah!

This time around, though, I'll spare you the color-coordinating and whatnot--and by spare you, I mean spare myself; that took me a long time. I also don't think I'll be writing too many (or any) explanations. The albums can speak for themselves, and, to be honest, I don't think the lists have changed too much. The major difference is that I'm including 102 albums instead of 90. So there.

The 1970s: what a decade! Seriously though, as cringe-inducing as most mainstream '70s culture was, its counterculture was unparalleled. What the brilliant music of the '60s had touched on (psych, free jazz, proto-punk) was fleshed out and explored fully in the '70s by artists of all races all over the world. There was a backlash to the Age of Aquarius, and it manifested itself in some pretty crazy music--seemingly beginning as soon as the calendar switched over to 1970. Step back and think about how violent, aggressive, and, most of all, unprecedented The Stooges' debut was. That was released in 1969. By 1970, they released Fun House, which was doubly as violent, aggressive, and unprecedented. Sly & The Family Stone, who broke ground in terms of integration--both racial and musical--in the late '60s, gave us the dark, free There's A Riot Goin' On by 1971. Just two years removed from the happy hippy days of the '60s. Fast forward to the second half of the decade: This Heat, Wire, The Pop Group, Suicide, Throbbing Gristle... You get my drift? "Tomorrow Never Knows" has nothing on the manic-ness and disturbed angst of the music of the late '70s. This is serious stuff. And seriously good. Punk, post-punk, new wave--not to mention krautrock, deep funk, electronic, and, er, Nick Drake. The 1970s are modern music. Enjoy the albums.

Revisiting My Favorite Albums of The 1970s

Hey, it's that time of year again. Every year (starting--and probably ending--in 2010) I've kicked off Spring by revisiting my favorite albums of the decade lists. As I did before, I'll count down my favorites from the '90s then the '80s then the '70s then the '60s then, finally and counterintuitively, the '00s. Why? you ask. Because not only are my tastes constantly changing a little--I'm getting more or less mature (not sure which), more or less knowledgeable, etc.--but also I'm always hearing new (old) music.

The lists will be presented in one serving (a.k.a. post) and counted down from #90 to #1. When compared to the original lists, albums that are completely new to the lists will be listed in blue. Albums that have moved up ten or more spots will be in green, and albums that have moved down ten or more will be in red. I will choose to write blurbs about random albums that are listed in these colored fonts. The write-ups will be in grey. It will be awesome. Hopefully. It might be confusing.

I don't really know much about the '70s; they were before my time. There was, you know, Watergate and Camp David and stuff. That's about where my historical knowledge of the era ends. But what I do know is that more great music came out of that decade than maybe any other. Out of the '70s came punk, post-punk, krautrock, advancements in electronic music, hip-hop, disco, funk, and all sorts of other groundbreaking movements and genres. No other decade, on the whole, proved to be as innovative in the pop music world. (The late '60s were on par in terms of innovation, but the early '60s seem to be a little more boring.) Anyhow, the bottom line is: the '70s were awesome for music--maybe for world affairs, too, but definitely for music. (Oh, and the original posts are here, here, and here.)

Without further ado:

90. Marvin Gaye--What's Going On

89. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band--Clear Spot

87. Kraftwerk--Autobahn

86. Parliament--Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome

85. Pere Ubu--The Modern Dance

85. This Heat--This Is 1

84. Cluster--Zuckerzeit

83. Miles Davis--A Tribute To Jack Johnson

82. Robert Wyatt--Rock Bottom

As has happened on all the "revisiting" lists thus far, albums on the rear end of the list tend to get bumped the worst because of all the new additions above them. In this case, a few albums were able to hold their spots, but others were not. Too bad.

81. Pink Floyd--The Wall

80. The Beatles--Let It Be

Once I had Let It Be, I officially had every Beatles studio album. And though I'm a little embarrassed it took me so long to get this one, I at least have them all now. Let It Be might very well be The Beatles' worst album, but it's still a great album--which is a testament to the greatness of the band.

79. Throbbing Gristle--20 Jazz Funk Greats

78. Richard Hell & The Voidoids--Blank Generation

77. Gil Scott-Heron--Small Talk at 125th and Lenox

76. David Bowie--Aladdin Sane

75. Faust--Faust IV

74. Joni Mitchell--Blue

I'll admit: I finally get the appeal of Joni Mitchell. She's a pretty darn great songwriter. And although I'm not a huge fan, I do really like Blue now. So there.

73. Brian Eno--Before And After Science

72. Herbie Hancock--Thrust

71. The Cure--Three Imaginary Boys

70. The Clash--London Calling

I've lost a little steam on The Cure. They were up there with my favorite bands at one point, and they've fallen a touch. The Clash meanwhile, well, I've never really loved them. It's unfortunate, but it's true. London Calling is yet to move me. So these two punk classics had to get pushed down a little.

69. Leonard Cohen--Songs Of Love And Hate

68. Herbie Hancock--Sextant

67. T. Rex--Tanx

66. David Bowie--The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

65. Curtis Mayfield--Superfly

64. Faust--So Far

63. Sly & The Family Stone--Fresh

62. Wire--154

61. Jimi Hendrix--Band Of Gypsys

60. Brian Eno--Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy

59. The Rolling Stones--Exile On Main Street

If I don't seem like a huge Stones fan, it's because I'm not. And as much respect as I have for them and their music and all that crap, I just don't love listening to them. The reason Exile is this high even is mostly out of respect. The music's good enough, though.

58. Al Green--Call Me

57. Talking Heads--Talking Heads: 77

56. Nick Drake--Bryter Layter

55. Herbie Hancock--Head Hunters

54. David Bowie--Hunky Dory

More proof that David Bowie is probably Artist of the Decade for the '70s. I've known the songs on Hunky Dory for years, but it wasn't until recently that I had them all, in order, in my possession. It certainly showcases a tamer Bowie, but it's about as good as anything else you'll hear by him or anyone.

53. The Slits--Cut

52. The Congos--Heart Of The Congos

51. Black Sabbath--Master Of Reality

50. Giorgio Moroder--From Here To Eternity

49. Randy Newman--Sail Away

I loved Randy Newman when I was four. What kid who was four around the time Toy Story came out didn't love Randy Newman? Well, I kind of put him out of my life once I hit five or six, but in the past few months, I've given him another chance. Turns out: not only can he write great, inspirational, family-friendly tunes, but he can also write really clever, satirical, weird, and great pop/soul songs. Which is what he does on Sail Away.

48. Led Zeppelin--IV

47. Suicide--Suicide

46. James Brown--The Payback

45. Fela Kuti--Expensive Shit

44. David Bowie--Station To Station

43. The Specials--The Specials

42. Creedence Clearwater Revival--Cosmo's Factory

41. Miles Davis--Get Up With It

40. David Bowie--Lodger

39. T. Rex--The Slider

The three above albums are three great reasons why it's a good idea to look at great artists' whole catalogues. Just because The Slider, Lodger, and Get Up With It aren't necessarily the most lauded albums by the respective artists, they hold their own against each artist's opuses.

38. Bob Dylan--Blood On The Tracks

37. Tim Buckley--Starsailor

36. Iggy Pop--Lust For Life

35. The Beach Boys--Surf's Up

34. Miles Davis--On The Corner

33. The Ramones--Rocket To Russia

32. Kraftwerk--The Man Machine

31. Neu!--Neu!

30. Talking Heads--More Songs About Buildings And Food

29. David Bowie--"Heroes"

28. The Pop Group--Y

27. Can--Future Days

26. Iggy Pop--The Idiot

25. Devo--Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

24. Miles Davis--Bitches Brew

23. Steve Reich--Music For 18 Musicians

22. The Velvet Underground--Loaded

21. Iggy & The Stooges--Raw Power

20. The Modern Lovers--The Modern Lovers

19. Brian Eno--Here Come The Warm Jets

18. Wire--Chairs Missing

17. Can--Tago Mago

16. The Ramones--Ramones

15. T. Rex--Electric Warrior

14. Talking Heads--Fear Of Music

13. Serge Gainsbourg--Histoire De Melody Nelson

12. Brian Eno--Another Green World

11. Gang Of Four--Entertainment!

10. Television--Marquee Moon

9. David Bowie--Low

8. Funkadelic--Maggot Brain

7. Can--Ege Bamyasi

6. Nick Drake--Pink Moon

5. Joy Division--Unknown Pleasures

4. Wire--Pink Flag

3. The Stooges--Fun House

2. Kraftwerk--Trans-Europe Express

1. Sly & The Family Stone--There's A Riot Goin' On

So the top 30 changed like a Steve Reich piece: minimally. (God, I'm a dork.) Anyways, the point is, I guess I just haven't heard anything earth shattering from the '70s in the past few months. That's okay, though. These albums are plenty earth shattering enough. And I don't ever see Sly being knocked from the top spot.

That's what I think. You'll get the '60s list at some point.

Top Albums of the 1970s (Pt. 3)

It's finally here. My top fifteen favorite albums of the 1970s. In case you missed part one (#120 to 31), it's here, and part two (#30 to 16) is here.

I hate to pick favorites (no I don't, all I do is pick favorites), but I think the 1970s is my favorite decade for music. Punk, post-punk, and krautrock reigned supreme during the decade, and those three genres make up a hefty portion of my favorite music. In addition, electronic music was perfected, and funk/soul transformed from sugary Motown to apocalyptic Funkadelic. The '70s weren't just about Grand Funk Railroad. These fifteen albums cover a ton of stylistic ground (punk, folk, funk, etc.), but they all sound uniquely '70s.

So scroll down, do some reading, do some clicking, and learn about some truly classic albums.

15. The Ramones--Ramones

This album is punk. Released in 1976, a year before Never Mind The Bollocks or The Clash, this album is the foundation of all punk music. It's fast, chaotic, primal, fun, and constant. Its fourteen tracks blow by in under thirty minutes without a breath. The music is painfully simple; all songs use four chords or less. (Usually less.) It takes most of its aesthetic from the garage rock of the late '60s and early '70s (Stooges, MC5, Modern Lovers, etc.), but the melodies and "ooh's" and "aah's" are pure '60s pop. And although the songs are aggressive, there is definitely a light, poppy element to every single track. The lyrics are as simple as the music, describing the mundane but essential aspects of young adult life in the '70s. Several songs have "I Wanna" or "I Don't Wanna" in the title, and that only helps to make Ramones a juvenile yet innocent masterpiece. This is the most important punk album of all time, and it's a ton of fun.

"Blitzkrieg Bop"

14. Talking Heads--Fear Of Music

David Byrne has led quite the life. In fact, if I were to map out my idea of an ideal life, it would be eerily similar to Byrne's. (Except for that he grew up in Canada and Maryland. I like Chicago.) The man was one of the pioneers of new wave, crafting brilliant album after brilliant album with Talking Heads in the late '70s and early '80s. (This one included.) He created a unique sound by fusing punk, post-punk, funk, and African music, but then went on to make one of the best and most influential electronic albums of all time. But if making amazing, groundbreaking music wasn't enough, Byrne had to be successful doing it. Talking Heads were (and still are) much more popular than most, if not all, art-rock/post-punk/new wave groups. Since the '80s, Byrne has recorded some music, set up some art installations, toured a little, and basked in his coolness. So it goes to say, Fear Of Music is awesome. It's the band's most experimental--and second best--album.

"Life During Wartime"

13. T. Rex--Electric Warrior

Electric Warrior, along with Here Come The Sonics depending on my mood, is my go-to rock album. For whatever reason, since I got the album a few years ago, it has been one of the most listened to albums in my collection. It has a balance of grittiness and beauty, maximalism and simplicity, that makes it perfect for any time. The songs are often over-the-top, but it always works. There are endlessly trashy blues tracks along side thoughtful folk ballads, but they are tied together through the overall feel of glammy, sexual rock n' roll and also by the lyrics and vocals. Marc Bolan is ridiculous on every song. He says things that don't make any sense and then says things that make a ton of sense, things that are very interesting and clever about love, life, and death. (What else?) He seems to realize the album is over-the-top, and he revels in that. Electric Warrior is tough to justify on paper because, technically, it's just an overblown glam rock album. But it's amazing.

"Bang A Gong (Get It On)"

12. Brian Eno--Another Green World

Arguably the most important figure in music in the '70s (or ever), Brian Eno also kind of had a little album trilogy. He released Here Come The Warm Jets, Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy, and Another Green World in consecutive years from '73 to '75. Like Wire in their late '70s triptych, Eno changed radically throughout his three albums. Warm Jets was a bizarre, experimental trip, Tiger Mountain was a transition that incorporated some of the ambience, and Another Green World was the masterpiece: an album that perfectly combined Eno's pop sensibilities with his experimental sensibilities. Some of the album's tracks are just pop songs, albeit weird ones. Using primitive electronics, Eno creates a glossy yet chaotic world in each song, whether it is pop, ambient, or avant-garde. The album is cohesive because the songs all contain elements of all three of those genres, even if they are all distinct. Another Green World is the sound of a brilliant man at his solo best.

"St. Elmo's Fire"

11. Gang Of Four--Entertainment!

Effectively putting an end to the few years that brought traditional punk, Gang Of Four created a new, highly influential, and absolutely amazing brand of punk rock with Entertainment!. The lyrics, which are overtly political and overtly clever, are sung sarcastically and British-ly. Angst and frustration are felt openly on every track. The music, meanwhile, is akin to what some young folks might call "dance punk." However, this came out in 1979, not 2002. Dave Allen's bass is round and minimal, driving most of the music along with Hugo Burnham's drums. Over these percussive, sparse, funky rhythms, Andy Gill adds an instantly recognizable guitar tone. It is exceedingly sharp, jagged, awkward, and awesome, and is one of the main reasons this record is so good. And Entertainment! is great and unique because it provides its title, but, at the same time, it makes you think. It makes you think about the state of this cruel world, and it makes you think about how it's possible that a band make something this great.

"5.45"

10. Television--Marquee Moon

Marquee Moon often gets lumped into the punk category, but it hardly resembles that genre. Sure, the music is angsty and was performed at CBGB's in the mid '70s. Sure, the band members that grace the front cover are dressed like punks and are really skinny. But punk is supposed to be simple, primal even. Marquee Moon is an extremely clean and complex guitar rock album that is not punk at all. Using only two guitars, Television creates some of the most intricate, bizarre, complicated, and unreplicable guitar patterns ever. They use propulsive rock riffs and then layer solos upon solos atop them, which makes a sound that sounds something like rock n' roll, but is much more experimental. Lyrically, Television is pretty impressive as well, which differentiates them even more from punk. They are clever and smart with their commentaries, and singer/guitarist/songwriter Tom Verlaine sings with the utmost sarcasm and frustration. The title track, the obvious standout, represents them the best. A ten and a half minute trip, it is all solos and all incredible.

"See No Evil"

9. Nick Drake--Pink Moon

I'm not much of a cryer. As far as I can recall, I haven't really cried since 2004. Maybe even 2003. But, in the summer of 2008, while listening to Nick Drake's final album, I might or might not have shed a tear. Pink Moon is so devastatingly beautiful, it has the power to toy with the emotions of someone as emotionless as myself. The music is starkly minimal and pastoral; Drake's voice and guitar are the only sounds on the album (except for a brief piano interlude on the title track). His guitar playing is soft, haunting, and expertly played. His voice is warm and accessible, but it also sounds depressed and even scared, which suits the lyrics. The lyrics, like many other albums, tell stories of love and death, but they provide literate, passionate, and believable depiction of those aspects. This was the last album Drake recorded before ending his own life in 1974, and, as sad as it is, it's easy to tell that he was at odds with the world. He is rivaled only by Ian Curtis in the field of introversion. Gorgeous yet depressing, Pink Moon is probably the best folk album ever.

"Road," "Place To Be," and "Which Will"

8. David Bowie--Low

I've spoken of David Bowie's legendary Berlin Trilogy already, but I'll have to do it again. Low kicked off the trilogy in fine fashion in 1977, and it is the highlight of those three albums. It is also the highlight of David Bowie's career, which is saying a lot. The music on this album is Bowie's most free and experimental. The first half of the album blows through intricate, krautrock inspired electronic avant-pop songs. These songs are among Bowie's best. They are coked out, experimental glam rock jams that are highly unique while still being relatively accessible. The second half of the album shows Brian Eno's influence more. Several of the songs on Low's back end are ambient, droning experimental electronic songs that find Bowie wailing in different languages and whatnot. These tracks alienate many Bowie fans, but they are what separate Low from the rest. As weird and druggy as it is, this album breaks down into complete and unadulterated beauty and intrigue. And as instantly gratifying as Low is, it's a grower. It takes many listens to fully realize the scope of Bowie's (and Eno's) genius.

"Sound And Vision"

7. Can--Ege Bamyasi

Can is generally considered the best krautrock group (not including Kraftwerk as krautrock) for a reason. That reason: they are the best krautrock group. No other band from Germany (and few other bands from anywhere else) has ever been as innovative, influential, unique, and just plain good as Can. Ege Bamyasi is indeed their most accessible album with Damo Suzuki as lead singer, but it's far from a pop album. The focal point of Can's music, the perscussion, is at its funkiest and grooviest on this album, and their melodies are tightest and most obvious. The songs are, for the most part, shorter than on Tago Mago or Future Days, which also adds to the more accessible nature. But Can are still never afraid to break down into acidic experimentalism or drone for a few minutes. On Ege Bamyasi though, they indulge themselves with more precision than on any other release while still sounding raw and psychedelic. The band earned themselves a hit in Germany with "Spoon," further proving the album's accessibility. Whether or not it's their pop album, Ege Bamyasi is their masterpiece.

"Vitamin C"

6. Funkadelic--Maggot Brain

Maggot Brain, like #10 on this list, is anchored by a ten-plus minute title track that involves unbelievable guitar soloing. But unlike "Marquee Moon," which is filled with glossy and mechanical solos, "Maggot Brain" has a solo (just one) that is so raw and so soulful, that it nearly brought tears to my eyes. (Almost like Nick Drake.) It starts with the almighty opening lines, "Mother Earth is pregnant for a third time, for y'all have knocked her up" before descending into a trippy, bizarre ride through Eddie Hazel's mind and guitar. The title track is certainly the best track on the album (and one of the best songs ever), but the rest of the album is amazing as well. Funkadelic played black rock, and, in doing so, rocked harder than nearly all traditional white rock groups. The rock music, influenced heavily by soul and drugs, was heavy and complex; Eddie Hazel's guitar becomes more powerful than emotional throughout the rest of the album. Without "Maggot Brain," Maggot Brain is still an amazing funk/soul/rock album that is smarter, weirder, and funkier than any other. (But the title song doesn't hurt it.)

"Maggot Brain"

5. Joy Division--Unknown Pleasures

At the beginning of Control, the 2007 movie about Ian Curtis's life, a young Ian Curtis is listening to Aladdin Sane. It is made clear that Curtis is a Bowie fan (who isn't?). However, Unknown Pleasures would not suggest this fact. Its thick, underground minimalist punk is about as far removed from Aladdin Sane's over-the-top glam rock as an album can get. Bernard Sumner's jangling, dark guitar provides an apocalyptic atmosphere as Peter Hook's high-pitched bass drives the music ahead in very un-Bowie fashion. The vocals are delivered by Curtis in a scared, weary, epileptic manner. His baritone dishes out musings on death and feeling trapped in a way that is almost too introverted. Curtis knows that the world is an evil place that has been unfair to him, and he conveys that message plainly. Just a year after its release, Curtis ended his own life after listening to another Bowie venture: Iggy Pop's The Idiot. The Idiot has much more in common with Unknown Pleasures. They are both extremely dark and pessimistic. But the music on Unknown Pleasures is still unmatched in terms of feeling.

"Disorder"

4. Wire--Pink Flag

The most punk of Wire's albums (they grew more and more experimental with each release), Pink Flag is the true masterpiece of the punk era--not The Ramones (though it is amazing), not Never Mind The Bollocks, not London Calling. It is chock full of brilliant punk songs with an artistic, experimental edge. It has all the attitude and snarkiness of punk rock, but with added literacy. Songs that barely (or don't) crack the one-minute mark are full of angst and genius punk riffs. Those tracks are broken up by three- to four-minute post-punk odysseys to create an atmosphere that is dense and schizophrenic. The lyrics are political, rebellious, and often very funny--even if the growling, British delivery of them (courtesy of Colin Newman) makes them difficult to understand sometimes. Pink Flag works as an album better than any other punk release; it's songs flow into one another perfectly and without much pause. But, at the same time, each song is also amazing when taken out of context. The album runs through twenty-one songs in just over thirty-five minutes, but it contains one of the most fully realized artistic visions ever recorded.

"Ex Lion Tamer"

3. The Stooges--Fun House

Fun House is definitely a candidate for heaviest album ever made. The Stooges, just one year removed from making the definitive garage rock statement and practically inventing punk with The Stooges, decided to make another definitive rock n' roll statement that is also one of the first and best avant-garde rock albums. Whereas their debut was mostly about having a great time, Fun House is about not having a fun time. By 1970, The Stooges had apparently changed their worldview. They saw the world as depressing and dark, and that was reflected impactfully on Fun House. It's a truly wild and bizarre rock n' roll album. The riffs are very, very heavy and sludgy, and Iggy Pop's howling is at its most deranged. The addition of a chaotic, free jazz inspired saxophone to several of the songs adds to its apocalyptic feel, and makes the mix that much denser. Upon release, Fun House did not sell well at all, which disappointed the band. But an album this experimental and this ahead of its time shouldn't sell well. And despite not selling, Fun House has proved to be one of the absolute most influential and innovative rock records of all time. Many cool musicians list it as their favorite ever album, and that's because Fun House is, indeed, one of the best albums ever made.

"Down On The Street"

2. Kraftwerk--Trans-Europe Express

It makes me sad not to see this album at #1. (But it would make me even sadder to not see There's A Riot Goin' On at #1.) I talk about albums being innovative and influential and all that crap, but Trans-Europe Express isn't exactly innovative and influential. By the time of its release (1977, the best year ever for music), Kraftwerk had already established themselves as the most innovative and influential electronic group ever. Had they never released Trans-Europe Express, they still would have gone down in history. But Trans-Europe Express is an entirely different beast from Autobahn or The Man Machine. It is a collection of seven of the most pristinely executed pop songs ever written. From "Europe Endless" to "Endless Endless," the album flows through beautiful electronic suites unparalleled by any other artist to ever make electronic music. The lyrics are smarter and more relatable than on any other Kraftwerk release, which is part of what makes this so good, but the music is the key to this album's success. The percussion sounds perfectly motorik; it plods along with the utmost groove and funk, albeit understated groove and funk. Above the percussion are layers and layers of shimmering electronics. The influence this album has is not on electronic programming, but on songwriting and atmosphere creating. This is an album that can be listened to whenever, and it makes you feel empowered because it's so brilliant. Even if Kraftwerk had already proven their electronics prowess, Trans-Europe Express elevated them from best electronic band ever to potentially best band ever.

"Trans-Europe Express"

1. Sly & The Family Stone--There's A Riot Goin' On

There's A Riot Goin' On must have been pretty shocking when it first came out in 1971. Sly & The Family Stone had become famous over the previous five years for putting out fun, uplifting hippie-funk jams with exceedingly positive messages. Just one year earlier, the band put out their wildly successful Greatest Hits that included songs with titles like "Everybody Is A Star," "You Can Make It If You Try," "Dance To The Music," and "Fun." This interracial group of fun-loving San Franciscans had become famous for singing lines like "so on and so on and Scooby Dooby Doo" with a straight face. So when Riot dropped on November 20, 1971, Sly fans must have been pretty surprised. There's A Riot Goin' On is one of the darkest, densest, most schizophrenic albums of all time. (And it just might be the best, too.)

The backstory is intrinsically linked with the album, partially to explain this sudden and dramatic shift in ethos. Simply put, by 1970, Sly Stone was doing a lot of drugs. His world was crashing down on him, and he decided that no one was to be trusted. The fun, exciting '60s had given way to the dark reality that was the '70s, and Sly was unprepared physically and emotionally. Nearly all parts of There's A Riot Goin' On were recorded by Sly himself. The other members of the Family would lay down tracks, and then Sly would just tape right over them with his own playing. (This is why the mix is so muddy and dense.) By the time the album was released, Sly was barely functional, but he had released his masterpiece.

So why is the album so good? It sounds like it would be a mess, right? Well, it is a mess. And that's one of the reasons it is so good. The lyrics are dark and sarcastic. Sly sings them with a mixture of confidence and fear that is truly haunting. It's instantly apparent from the words and delivery that this was a time of extreme turbulence for Sly and for the world. The music on Riot is certainly funk, but it's wildly different from "I Want To Take You Higher." It's sharp, obtuse, dark, busy, and sloppy on most tracks, which fits with the mood of the lyrics. Songs like "Luv 'n' Haight" are deep, funky, and swampy. However, what makes the album so weird and mindbending is that several songs are light and delicate. Songs like "Runnin' Away" are simple and catchy, providing stark contrast to their lyrics. Then there are songs like the title track, which is zero minutes and zero seconds long, and "Spaced Cowboy," which finds the drug-addled Sly yodeling over tape-hiss covered avant-funk. Over the course of the album, Sly makes it clear that the '60s are over, hippies are over, and happiness in general is over. This is no more apparent than on the closer, "Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa." The song shares lyrics with the massively popular Family Stone hit "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," but presents the lyrics in a slowed down, dark, creepy seven minute suite. This is an album to be played during the apocalypse (or any time you want to be amazed).

That's what I think. You don't have to agree with order, but you have to agree that those are some pretty amazing albums.

Top Albums of the 1970s (Pt. 2)

The second installment of our (my) favorite albums of the 1970s list is finally here! I know you've all been anxiously awaiting it. In case you missed part one, click here (or scroll down a bit.)

This part will showcase my favorite albums from the decade that brought us everything from pet rocks to Saturday Night Fever from #30 down to #16. (The top 15 will come in sometime this week.)

Besides pet rocks, though, the '70s had a lot to offer. As I said in the previous installment, the decade was incredibly diverse musically. Whereas most of the pop and rock of the '60s had taken on a relatively similar sound, music began to take widely different paths in the '70s. Soul music became darker and funkier than, say, Motown, and rock music turned into prog rock, punk, and then post-punk. Meanwhile, all sorts of electronic and experimental music were being invented and perfected. And don't forget hip-hop; that came around in the decade's closing years. So, while many look back on the '70s and remember Foghat and The Trammps, people like Brian Eno, Iggy Pop, David Bowie, David Byrne, Holger Czukay, George Clinton, etc. etc. etc. were the ones putting an indelible stamp on all interesting music to come. Enjoy.

30. Neu!--Neu!

Spacey synths? Check. Motorik beat? Check. From Germany? Check. Looks like we have a work of krautrock on our hands. These characteristics came to define nearly every experimental rock/electronic group to come out of Germany in the 1970s. From Can to Popol Vuh and everyone in between, krautrock became a truly unique sound. But what makes Neu! so much better than most? It was one of the first to sound like this. By 1972 (when it came out), Kraftwerk had not yet reached their peak and Can was not working much with electronics yet. Neu! synthesized the approaches of both groups to create a tight instrumental electronic album that provided heavy influence for Bowie (see #29 for example) and post-rock in the '90s. Neu! was one of the first and is still one of the best.

"Hallogallo"

29. David Bowie--"Heroes"

David Bowie's famed Berlin Trilogy of Low, "Heroes", and Lodger showed Bowie at his most experimental and coked out. Coincidentally, they are three of his best albums. (I, sadly, haven't heard Lodger, but I'll assume it's quite good.) Anyways, as David Bowie was living in Berlin; hanging with Iggy, Eno, and Fripp; and doing massive amounts of drugs, he stumbled upon a sound that fused his signature glam rock with prog rock, krautrock (see above), electronic, and funk. It certainly shares an aesthetic with Low, which came out only nine months (!) before, but it establishes enough of its own identity to be a classic. "Heroes" is most famous for its undeniably brilliant title track, the only hit Bowie produced during his tenure in Berlin, but the rest of the album is a wildly bizarre and varied pop masterpiece.

""Heroes""

28. The Pop Group--Y

Similar to Public Image Ltd.'s Second Edition, The Pop Group's Y is a difficult, experimental, dubby post-punk album that is a classic because of its ambition. Throughout the whole album, The Pop Group prove that their name is about as ironic as a name could possibly get through their formless forays into krautrock and dub and dark explorations of punk and funk. At times, it sounds minimal: Mark Stewart's authoritative voice droning over a simple beat and bassline. At other times, it is pure chaos; there is often a cacophonous blend of squealing saxophones, sharp guitars, and heavy percussion. It must have sounded unique upon release (the only notable contemporaries that I know of are Public Image and This Heat), and no one has really been able--or even tried--to copy it, proving its uniqueness.

"Thief Of Fire"

27. Can--Future Days

Future Days is the final album in Can's trilogy of unbelievable albums featuring Damo Suzuki on vocals. Released in 1973, shortly after Ege Bamyasi, Future Days is the most ambient and spacious of those three albums. (The third is 1971's Tago Mago). The album is even less rock oriented and more jazz oriented than any other Can release, but it still keeps the rhythmic experimental rock sound that was established previously. There are four tracks, and three of them are eight and a half minutes long or more. This makes Future Days easier to get completely lost in than its more song-based predecessor. The triton on the cover symbolizes the album's oceanic quality. At times, the mix is so muddled and washed out that it feels like it was recorded underwater. This only adds to Future Days's awesomeness.

"Bel Air"

26. Iggy Pop--The Idiot

Had there not been the chain of Iggy Pop to David Bowie to Brian Eno to David Byrne in the 1970s, music would be radically different right now. (And it would not be as good.) The Idiot is Pop and Bowie's most collaborative effort, and, though it is indeed an Iggy Pop album, David Bowie's influence is all over. This is a very good thing. The Idiot combines Iggy's punk spirit and sarcasm with Bowie's experimental funk-rock sensibilities. The result is Pop's snarky commentary weaving in and out of minimalist funk landscapes that are dark, dense, haunting, and truly bizarre. Nothing else in Iggy's (or even Bowie's) catalogue is so dark and apocalyptic. Not even Raw Power (or Low). The album gives the listener an idea of what it felt like to be a drug-addled artist in the '70s better than anything else. The Idiot is crazy and crazy good.

"Nightclubbing"

25. Devo--Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!

A lot of normal folks think of Devo as insufferably weird '80s one-hit wonders. What those normal folks don't know is that Devo were also insufferably weird and amazing '70s post-punk/new wave pioneers. Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo's range of influence over the next decade or two is startlingly apparent. Their obsession with devolution, science, and getting laid paved the way for the geek rock bands of the '80s like Violent Femmes, They Might Be Giants, The Feelies, and more. Their heavy synth use and ear for a great hook greatly influenced the synth-pop and new wave that was so popular. And their experimental punk edge has influenced anyone who has ever claimed to be post-punk or dance-punk. The album is fun, weird, uplifting, and challenging. Most of all, it's exceedingly smart and relatable and original.

"Jocko Homo"

24. Miles Davis--Bitches Brew

In A Silent Way showed that Miles in the late '60s/early '70s was pretty different from Miles in the '50s. Bitches Brew showed that Miles was doing way too much cocaine and being way too brilliant. A double album, Bitches Brew is a wildly expansive, dense, and chaotic work of jazz-funk-rock fusion. The electric pianos of Corea and Zawinul provide the avant-garde backbone for McLaughlin's psychedelic guitar playing and, of course, Miles's strong and sporadic trumpet. It is said that people like McLaughlin, Herbie Hancock, and Dave Holland pushed Miles to be more experimental, but none of those people ever did anything as wild or as good as Bitches Brew, proving that maybe Miles was the driving force after all. Bitches Brew is long (nearly two hours), but it enthralls throughout, and it's for sure one of the best jazz albums of all time.

"Pharaoh's Dance, Pts. 1, 2, and 3"

23. The Velvet Underground--Loaded

It pains me to list a VU album anywhere outside a top ten (or even top five), but, to be fair, Loaded is not their best album. It's probably fourth. That said, no other band in history has put out four albums as good as VU's first four, which means Loaded is pretty darn amazing. It streamlines the already straightforward rock sound found on The Velvet Underground, but loses essentially none of The Velvets' genius. Loaded is indeed loaded (I couldn't resist) with big rock hooks and riffs, and they are some of the most memorable hooks and riffs in the history of rock. Lou Reed's lyrics are more lucid and relatable than on any other VU release, which goes well with the more straightforward music. Lots of bands played this style of music at that time (1970), but The Velvet Underground were the only ones who made it interesting because they played it with the utmost intelligence.

"New Age"

22. Iggy & The Stooges--Raw Power

Iggy Pop is pretty awesome. "[He's] a street walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm/ [He's] a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb/ [He is] the world's forgotten boy/ The one who searches and destroys." Nowhere is this more apparent than on Raw Power. The album, produced by who else but David Bowie, is The Stooges' triumphant return and finale. They had tackled garage rock and proto-punk on their debut and free jazz and avant-garde rock on the follow up, but then they fell into a deep hole of drugs and other bad stuff. Iggy was a forgotten boy. But then they came back with Raw Power, an album as dark as Fun House with as much energy as The Stooges. This album is often credited with inventing punk, which makes sense because of its primal nature, but Raw Power is far more complex musically and lyrically than any punk album I've ever heard.

"Search And Destroy"

21. Steve Reich--Music For 18 Musicians

Steve Reich had already established himself as one of the most unique, innovative, and best modern composers by 1978 through pieces like "It's Gonna Rain," Drumming, etc., but with Music For 18 Musicians, he cemented his place as the best composer post-1960. This is a defining work for minimalism and classical music in general. It phases and pulses its way into an ethereal, blissful atmosphere that has been cheaply imitated by countless composers since. The marimbas, clarinets, voices, and everything fit together perfectly. As I said, it has influenced nearly every modern classical composer, but what is even more impressive is its influence on modern rock and electronic music. Post-rock and Minimal electronic would be nothing without him. His music, specifically this piece, transcends classical music to become just an amazing work of art.

"Music For 18 Musicians (Beginning)"

20. The Modern Lovers--The Modern Lovers

I've referenced this album in several other lists when talking about albums that perfectly capture what it means to be a person between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. Among these albums (The Replacements' Let It Be, Weezer's debut, and a few others), The Modern Lovers sums up the feelings that go along with young adulthood best. Jonathan Richman's nasally delivery of charmingly innocent lyrics is instantly relatable. He is funny, smart, sarcastic, and emotional as he talks about getting girls (or not getting girls) and listening to the radio--the fundamental aspects of both life and rock n' roll. The Modern Lovers also has good music going for it in addition to perfect lyrics. It provides a simple mix of simple guitar playing and simple beats that was hugely influential to the entire punk movement. Whether or not you've heard it, The Modern Lovers is the soundtrack to your life.

"Roadrunner"

19. Brian Eno--Here Come The Warm Jets

My path to Here Come The Warm Jets was probably different from most people's. I had already heard My Life In The Bush of Ghosts, Another Green World, and Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy before hearing Jets. I no longer thought that anything Brian Eno could do could shock me or weird me out. I hate admitting I'm wrong, but I was wrong. This album is not very similar at all to any other Eno solo release. It is an electronic, avant-garde, glam rock, prog rock mindtrip. It's simultaneously more accessible and more challenging than any other Eno album because the songs are catchy and glossy, and yet insufferably bizarre. The songs often make no sense musically or lyrically, but they draw the listener in nonetheless because they are so unique. Here Come The Warm Jets sounded nothing like anything else in 1973, and it sounds nothing like anything in 2009.

"Baby's On Fire"

18. Wire--Chairs Missing

Wire's trio of albums from 1977 to 1979 rivals David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy and Can's Damo Suzuki Trilogy for best album triptych ever. Like the other two, all three albums are awesome. Unlike the other two, Wire changed their sound a lot with each successive release. Whereas Can and Bowie kept similar M.O.s throughout their respective trilogies, Wire transformed from a nearly straightforward punk group on Pink Flag to a completely avant-garde post punk group on 154. Chairs Missing is somewhere in the middle of that. It has songs that are dense, chaotic, and arty like the ones on 154 and ones that are more punk oriented like the ones on Pink Flag. It also, however, has the poppiest of Wire's songs. Several of the tracks are more clean sounding and actually have smart, discernible hooks. It was a sort of transition album for Wire, and it allowed them to try everything while still being cohesive and great.

"Outdoor Miner"

17. Can--Tago Mago

If Future Days is Can's jazz album and Ege Bamyasi is their pop album, then I guess Tago Mago is their rock album. Jaki Liebezeit's drumming is, as usual, fierce and funky. Karoli, Schmidt, and Czukay provide spacey rock atmospherics to accompany the beat, and Damo Suzuki makes his debut with his signature slurred, chaotic vocals. Julian Cope said that the album sounds "like no one before or after," which is mostly true. I say mostly because countless people--even talented folks like The Feelies or Tortoise--have imitated aspects of the album. The thing is, though, no one (other than Can themselves) ever has been able to truly recreate the sounds found on Tago Mago. As the album goes on, it switches from krautrock to krautexperimental, but Can is influential and amazing even when they are completely freaking out. Tago Mago is a really stunning piece of art.

"Halleluhwah, Pts. 1 and 2"

16. Serge Gainsbourg--Histoire de Melody Nelson

This is the only album in my top twenty of any decade where I don't actually understand a single lyric. As you might guess, the whole album is in French. But one does not need to know French to get a feel for what Monsieur Gainsbourg is saying. His frustratingly cool and sensual voice (frustrating because I'm jealous of it) penetrates the music, and, at once, the listener can feel what he is saying, even if he or she cannot understand the words. The main aspect of Histoire de Melody Nelson, though, is its music. Funky, psychedelic, minimal rock guitar and drumming is accompanied by dense, beautiful string arrangements to create the most organic (and best) orchestra/rock fusion ever. The album is strangely mesmerizing, and I've found that it's pretty easy to listen to several times in a row. Forget that it's not in English, because this is one of the sexiest, weirdest, and most beautiful albums ever. In any language.

"Ballade de Melody Nelson"

That's what I think. What will be in the top 15? Who knows? (I do.)

Top Albums of the 1970s (Pt. 1)

Culturally, the 1970s were pretty diverse. Musically, same thing. The music of the '70s took all of the previous music--rock, soul, blues, pop, psych, classical, etc.--and made it different and more extreme. Electronics became more widely used, punk happened, post-punk happened. Underground music became exceedingly experimental, and, as a result, many different subgenres were born. A pretty hefty portion of (good) modern indie rock music owes everything to punk, post-punk, prog rock, and David Bowie and Brian Eno.

This first part of the Top 120 Albums of the 1970s, which will cover #s 31-120, proves that there were a lot of different styles going on in the '70s. Whereas my '80s list was nearly all post-punk and indie rock and my '90s was all indie rock, the '70s list is considerably more varied. There's plenty of soul, funk, avant-pop, regular pop, post-punk, punk, folk, and krautrock. Because the music was so experimental and different, the '70s are probably my favorite decade for music. (But I'll probably change my mind when I do my '60s list.) The 1970s had a lot of bad, corny music and trends, but here's some more evidence that they weren't just about the Eagles, afros, and bell bottoms. (Though those were pretty cool. Except the Eagles.) Enjoy.

120. Deuter--D

119. The Residents--Meet The Residents

118. Pink Floyd--Meddle

117. David Axelrod--Seriously Deep

116. Elton John--Madman Across The Water

115. DEATH--...For The World To See

114. Neil Young--On The Beach

113. The Walker Brothers--Nite Flights

112. Klaus Schulze--Cyborg

111. The Rolling Stones--Sticky Fingers

110. The Dells--Sing Dionne Warwick's Greatest Hits

109. Archie Shepp--The Cry Of My People

108. Pink Floyd--Wish You Were Here

107. Dead Boys--Young Loud and Snotty

106. Kraftwerk--Kraftwerk 2

105. Incredible Bongo Band--Bongo Rock

104. Black Nasty--Talking To The People

103. Art Ensemble Of Chicago--Les Stances a Sophie

102. Augustus Pablo--King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown

101. Kraftwerk--Radioactivity

100. James Brown--Hell

99. Herbie Hancock--Mwandishi

98. Stevie Wonder--Innervisions

97. Augustus Pablo--East Of The River Nile

96. Mahavishnu Orchestra--Inner Mounting Flame

95. The B-52's--The B-52's

94. Vashti Bunyan--Just Another Diamond Day

93. Joni Mitchell--Blue

92. Marvin Gaye--What's Going On

91. Michael Jackson--Off The Wall

90. Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters--Roast Fish Collie Weed and Corn Bread

89.Simon & Garfunkel--Bridge Over Troubled Water

88. John Cale--Paris 1919

87. Jimmy Cliff (and others)--The Harder They Come

86. The Residents--Third Reich 'n' Roll

85. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band--Shiny Beast (Bat Chain Puller)

84. Dave Holland--Conference Of The Birds

83. Faust--Faust

82. Iggy Pop & James Williamson--Kill City

81. The Upsetters--Super Ape

80. Steve Reich--Drumming

79. Kraftwerk--Autobahn

78. Parliament--Funkentelechy vs. The Placebo Syndrome

77. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band--Clear Spot

76. Pere Ubu--The Modern Dance

75. David Bowie--The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

74. This Heat--This Heat

73. Cluster--Zuckerzeit

72. Miles Davis--A Tribute To Jack Johnson

71. Leonard Cohen--Songs Of Love And Hate

70. Robert Wyatt--Rock Bottom

69. Herbie Hancock--Crossings

68. Pink Floyd--The Wall

67. David Bowie--Aladdin Sane

66. Throbbing Gristle--20 Jazz Funk Greats

65. Faust--Faust IV

64. Sly & The Family Stone--Fresh

63. Richard Hell & The Voidoids--Blank Generation

62. Curtis Mayfield--Superfly

61. Faust--So Far

60. Wire--154

59. Brian Eno--Before And After Science

58. The Cure--Three Imaginary Boys

57. Led Zeppelin--IV

56. Herbie Hancock--Head Hunters

55. The Clash--London Calling

54. Jimi Hendrix--Band Of Gypsys

53. Brian Eno--Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy

52. Black Sabbath--Master Of Reality

51. Herbie Hancock--Sextant

50. Talking Heads--Talking Heads: 77

49. Nick Drake--Bryter Layter

48. Fela Kuti--Expensive Shit

47. Suicide--Suicide

46. The Rolling Stones--Exile On Main Street

45. The Slits--Cut

44. James Brown--The Payback

43. The Specials--The Specials

42. Giorgio Moroder--From Here To Eternity

41. Creedence Clearwater Revival--Cosmo's Factory

40. Tim Buckley--Starsailor

39. The Beach Boys--Surf's Up

38. David Bowie--Station To Station

37. Iggy Pop--Lust For Life

36. The Congos--Heart Of The Congos

35. Miles Davis--On The Corner

34. Kraftwerk--The Man Machine

33. Bob Dylan--Blood On The Tracks

32. The Ramones--Rocket To Russia

31. Talking Heads--More Songs About Buildings And Food

That's what I think. Stay tuned for #30-16 and then #15-1 later this week. (Or next week.)

My Favorite '70s Pop Songs

If you haven't guessed already, this marks the beginning of 1970s week(s) here at Il Buono. Like '80s week and '90s week before it, '70s week will give you a list of my favorite pop songs of the decade (which is the list below) and my 120 favorite albums of the decade (which will come later).

The '70s were kind of a weird time musically. The beginning of the decade was still full of '60s leftovers: hippie folk, Motown, psychedelic, etc. There was no definable sound. As the decade progressed, tons of different genres began to form. Punk, new wave, funk, electronic, and more all began to take on their now recognizable forms during the '70s, and, as a result, the '70s are probably my favorite decade for music.

However, the pop music of the '70s was mostly terrible. It may have been because there was less of a musical identity. It may have had something to do with Vietnam. (That's what everything is blamed on.) But despite the cheesy AM rock, over the top soul, and excessively romantic pop that plagued the charts, there were still many great popular songs. Most of the songs on this list would fall under the "R&B/Soul" listing (if you're going by iTunes), as funk, disco, and soul are all well represented. But there was some good rock, too. These songs are all great, but I think we can agree the album reigned supreme in the 1970s. (The criteria for getting on this list: the song had to be a top 20 hit in America from 1970 to 1979.)

1. Donna Summer--I Feel Love

2. Sly & The Family Stone--Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)

3. Chic--Good Times

4. Stevie Wonder--Superstition

5. Parliament--Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)

6. Marvin Gaye--Got To Give It Up

7. Stevie Wonder--Higher Ground

8. David Bowie--Golden Years

9. Bee Gees--You Should Be Dancing

10. Parliament--Flash Light

11. Marvin Gaye--What's Going On

12. Michael Jackson--Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

13. Al Green--Let's Stay Together

14. Gloria Gaynor--I Will Survive

15. The Temptations--Papa Was A Rollin' Stone

16. Bee Gees--Stayin' Alive

17. Pink Floyd--Another Brick In The Wall

18. Chic--Le Freak

19. Blondie--Heart Of Glass

20. Blue Oyster Cult--Don't Fear The Reaper

21. Gladys Knight and The Pips--Midnight Train To Georgia

22. Deep Purple--Smoke On The Water

23. The Beatles--Let It Be

24. M--Pop Muzik

25. Isaac Hayes--Theme From "Shaft"

26. Edwin Starr--War

27. Billy Preston--Nothing From Nothing

28. David Bowie--Fame

29. Marvin Gaye--Let's Get It On

30. The Jackson 5--ABC

That's what I think. I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot, but that's okay.