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Stevie Wonder |
101 |
| Songs In The Key Of Life |
1976
Tamla Motown
UK: 2
US: 1
Producer: Stevie Wonder
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| It had been over two years since Wonder’s previous release Fulfillingness’ First Finale had hit number one in 1974; choosing not to precede this album with a single release, the ‘Sir Duke’ and ‘I Wish’ singles would later both reach number one, Wonder received widespread critical acclaim for this sprawling and ambitious work. Released as a double album, Wonder created a thrilling and engaging mix of soul and funk; further experimenting with synthesisers on the likes of ‘Village Ghetto Land’ and ‘Pastime Paradise’, tackling jazz fusion on ‘Contusion’, letting loose on the horn-driven ‘Sir Duke’ - choosing to play all instruments on some tracks and using a number of exceptional session musicians on the remainder. Wonder’s lyrical strengths were once again evident, from the nostalgic story-telling of ‘I Wish’ to the social commentary of the likes of ‘Pastime Paradise’, but it was his seemingly effortless talent for creating enduring and inspirational melodies that really set him apart from his contemporaries. It would be another three years before his next release, but by then Wonder’s golden period of musical creativity would be over.
Track Listing: Love’s In Need Of Love Today / Have A Talk With God / Village Ghetto Land / Contusion / Sir Duke / I Wish / Knocks Me Off My Feet / Pastime Paradise / Summer Sort / Ordinary Pain / Saturn / Ebony Eyes / Isn’t She Lovely / Joy Inside My Tears / Black Man / Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing / If It’s Magic / As / Another Star / All Day Sucker / Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call).
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Joni Mitchell |
102 |
| Hejira |
1976
Asylum
UK: 11
US: 13
Producer: Joni Mitchell |
| Following on from 1975’s The Hissing Of Summer Lawns, Hejira continued Mitchell’s experimentation with a more sophisticated jazz-influenced sound. Relying on a more rhythmical acoustic guitar sound, and with support from jazz fusion musicians Larry Carlton and bassist Jaco Pastorius, whose distinctive fretless bass sound was prominent on a number of the album’s tracks, ‘Coyote’, and ‘Refuge of the Roads‘ and the title track in particular, Mitchell created a fine collection of character based songs, rich with imagery. With the exception of the up-tempo ‘Coyote’ the remainder of the album was slow and introspective, although on the likes of the mesmerising and evocative ‘Amelia’, with Carlton’s innovative guitar and Victor Feldman’s subtle vibes’ accompaniment, Mitchell created some of her most enduring and creative efforts. For the remainder of the 1970s Mitchell’s jazz exploration would became ever more pronounced, eschewing the folk and rock influences that had previously brought her such critical and commercial success, climaxing with 1979’s Mingus; arguably Hejira was the last major peak in Mitchell’s illustrious musical career.
Track Listing: Coyote / Amelia / Furry Sings The Blues / A Strange Boy / Hejira / Song For Sharon / Black Crow / Blue Motel Room / Refuge Of The Roads.
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The Band |
103 |
| The Last Waltz |
1978
Warner Bros.
UK: 39
US: 16
Producer: Robbie Robertson
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| After sixteen years on the road, The Band bowed out with this impressive live collection. Inviting a stellar cast of musical guests, and asking Martin Scorsese to direct the film of the concert, The Band went out in style. Ronnie Hawkins provided a raucous rendition of ‘Who Do You Love’, Neil Young sang a yearning version of ‘Helpless’ and Van Morrison ripped through a barnstorming ‘Caravan’; there were also superb performances from Joni Mitchell, Dylan, The Staple Singers and Muddy Waters. However, it was The Band who were the real stars of the show, displaying on their own compositions that they were a masterful live act with a wealth of quality songs to draw from. Rick Danko’s emotive tenor was particularly beautiful on the ballad ‘It Makes No Difference’ and the vibrant ‘Stage Fright’, Richard Manuel demonstrated his delightful soul-inflected voice on ‘Shape I’m In’ and Dylan’s ‘I Shall Be Released’, and drummer Levon Helm excelled on the dramatic ‘The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down’ and on the country-soul of ‘Up On Cripple Creek.’
Track Listing: Theme From The Last Waltz / Up On Cripple Creek / Who Do You Love / Helpless / Stagefright / Coyote / Dry Your Eyes / It Makes No Difference / Such A Night / The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down / Mystery Train / Mannish Boy / Further On Up The Road / Shape I’m In / Down South In New Orleans / Ophelia / Tura-Lura-Lurai (That’s An Irish Lullaby) / Caravan / Life Is A Carnival / Baby Let Me Follow You Down / I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) / Forever Young / Baby Let Me Follow You Down (Reprise) / I Shall Be Released / The Well / Evangeline / Out Of The Blue / The Weight / The Last Waltz Refrain / Theme From The Last Waltz (With Orchestra).
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Neil Young |
104 |
| After The Gold Rush |
1970
Reprise
UK: 7
US: 8
Producer: Neil Young, David Briggs & Kendall Pacios
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| Moving away from the garage rock of his second solo album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, with the exception of the impressive ‘Southern Man’ and ‘When You Dance You Can Really Love’, Young opted for a more plaintive, acoustic approach on After The Gold Rush. Partially inspired by a screenplay for a film of the same name, that subsequently never saw the light of day, this is an introspective collection that succeeded due to the sheer strength of Young’s song-writing. The fragile emotion of the title track in particular, with Young’s yearning voice hitting the limits of his vocal range to a sparse piano and vibes accompaniment, displayed the Canadian’s considerable talent. His backing band Crazy Horse were once again called up for duty, and the record also included performances from Stephen Stills, Nils Lofgren and Jack Nitzsche. Young had enjoyed considerable commercial and critical success earlier in the year as part of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the impressive Déjà Vu album, and After The Gold Rush only served to further his thriving career and burgeoning reputation as a formidable songwriter and performer.
Track Listing: Tell Me Why / After The Gold Rush / Only Love Can Break Your Heart / Southern Man / Till The Morning Comes / Oh, Lonesome Me / Don’t Let It Bring You Down / Birds / When You Dance You Can Really Love / I Believe In You / Cripple Creek Ferry.
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The Doors |
105 |
| The Doors |
1967
Elektra
UK: -
US: 1
Producer: Paul Rothchild |
| A truly groundbreaking debut album; The Doors mixed their own innovative psychedelic rock with covers of Howlin’ Wolf (‘Back Door Man’) and Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill (‘Alabama Song’), closing the album with the sprawling, revelatory experimentation of the Oedipal influenced ‘The End’, while still retaining a keen sense of melody and a depth of song-writing that was only present in the most gifted of their musical peers. The band relied heavily on the enigmatic persona of vocalist Jim Morrison, although significant contributions were made by the prodigious musical talent of keyboardist Ray Manzarek and the song-writing gifts of guitarist Robby Kreiger. While their first single ‘Break On Through’ failed to break the charts, the album soon reached number one in the US, largely due to the huge success of the breathtaking ‘Light My Fire’ single with Manzarek’s unmistakable organ motif and Morrison’s dynamic vocals. Nine months later the equally impressive Strange Days album would be released, with the band courting controversy and achieving considerable success in equal measure until Morrison’s untimely death in 1971.
Track Listing: Break On Through (To The Other Side) / Soul Kitchen / The Crystal Ship / Twentieth Century Fox / Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar) / Light My Fire / Back Door Man / I Looked At You / End Of The Night / Take It As It Comes / The End.
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Led Zeppelin |
106 |
| II |
1969
Atlantic
UK: 1
US: 1
Producer: Jimmy Page |
| Hitting number one in both the US and UK album charts, a feat they would replicate with another five album releases, Led Zeppelin II was even more impressive and revelatory than their groundbreaking debut. The album opened with the genre-defining riff of ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and included the impressive musical dynamics of ‘What Is And What Should Never Be’ and ‘Ramble On’. As with their debut the influence of blues music was obvious, especially on ‘The Lemon Song’, with blues legend Howlin’ Wolf receiving a belated writing credit due to the obvious similarities to his own ‘Killing Floor’, and Plant’s slurred Sonny Boy Williamson pastiche on ‘Bring It On Home’. ‘Thank You’ was another highlight, cementing the flourishing writing partnership of Plant and Jimmy Page, with some delicate organ playing courtesy of John Paul Jones. Drummer John Bonham also took centre stage with the blistering instrumental ‘Moby Dick’ allowing him room to demonstrate his considerable talent. Led Zeppelin would largely eschew the explosive rock of this release on their more folk-influenced Led Zeppelin III, continuing their incredibly successful musical path for the rest of the decade.
Track Listing: Whole Lotta Love / What Is And What Should Never Be / The Lemon Song / Thank You / Heartbreaker / Living Loving Main (She’s Just A Woman) / Ramble On / Moby Dick / Bring It On Home.
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Van Morrison |
107 |
| Saint Dominic’s Preview |
1972
Warner Bros.
UK: -
US: 15
Producer: Ted Templeman & Van Morrison |
| Continuing to develop his experimentation with soul, folk, jazz and blues, Saint Dominic’s Preview is perhaps one of Morrison’s most ambitious offerings. Opening with the joyous ‘Jackie Wilson Said’ and the vibrant ‘Gypsy’, the album would hit number 15 in the US and be met with considerable critical acclaim. However, it was on the title track, and the two lengthy album cuts ‘Listen To The Lion’ and ‘Almost Independence Day’ that Morrison’s song-writing gifts and emotional intensity were most evident. The title track was a fine soul number with wonderful lyrics, an obscured narrative rich with imagery, flitting between various geographical contexts; probably the only song to name-check both Hank Williams and Safeways supermarkets! On the epic and emotional folk of ‘Listen To The Lion’ Morrison documented the unravelling of his relationship with his wife; its meandering improvisation, insistent bass shuffle and delicate acoustic guitar recalling the highlights of his groundbreaking Astral Weeks set. ‘Almost Independence Day’ was just as compelling; a sprawling ambitious piece of acoustic folk that Morrison so excelled at.
Track Listing: Jackie Wilson Said (I’m In Heaven When You Smile) / Gypsy / I Will Be There / Listen To The Lion / Saint Dominic’s Preview / Redwood Tree / Almost Independence Day.
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Otis Redding |
108 |
| Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul |
1966
Atlantic / Volt
UK: 6
US: 75
Producer: Yves Beauvais |
| A stunning mix of originals and covers from one of soul music’s greatest talents; with three tracks written by Redding’s hero Sam Cooke, including the mournful ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ and the vibrant ‘Shake’, and a blistering version of the Stones’ ‘Satisfaction’. Backed by some sterling contributions from some of the finest session musicians, including all four members of Booker T. & The MGs, the house band for many of Volt’s soul artists, Redding produced one of the finest albums of his career. It was on his own compositions that the singer from Macon, Georgia really shone: the longing ballad ‘I’ve Been Loving You Too Long‘, written with former Temptations singer Jerry Butler; the frenetic R&B of ‘Respect’; and the emotive opening song ‘Ole Man Trouble’. A huge crossover hit in the UK and a modest commercial success in his homeland, it wouldn’t be until after his death in December 1967 that Redding’s songs would sell in large quantities in the US, with the posthumous ’Sitting on the Dock Of The Bay’ hitting number one in early 1968.
Track Listing: Ole Man Trouble / Respect / A Change Is Gonna Come / Down In The Valley / I’ve Been Loving You Too Long / Shake / My Girl / Wonderful World / Rock Me Baby / Satisfaction / You Don’t Miss Your Water.
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James Taylor |
109 |
| Sweet Baby James |
1970
Warner Bros.
UK: 7
US: 3
Producer: Peter Asher
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| Following his promising eponymous debut release in 1968, Sweet Baby James brought Taylor huge commercial success, placing him at the forefront of the US singer-songwriter movement. This collection was dominated by the stark honesty of the ‘Fire And Rain’ single; a plaintive, beautifully arranged song with lyrics exploring Taylor’s committal to a psychiatric hospital and the suicide of a close friend. Taylor would mix a variety of influences on this collection; with the driving blues of ‘Steamroller’, the country-tinged ‘Anywhere Like Heaven’ and the gentle folk of the title track. An impressive cast of musicians would be assembled for this release, including guitarist Danny Kortchmar (who Taylor would enjoy a long musical association with), Carole King and Red Rhodes, who contributed some elegant steel guitar playing to the title track and ‘Anywhere Like Heaven’. Taylor would follow Sweet Baby James with the strong Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon album the following year, enjoying considerable success well into the next decade, but with subsequent efforts lacking the emotional edge of his early 1970s’ output.
Track Listing: Sweet Baby James / Lo And Behold / Sunny Skies / Steamroller / Country Road / Oh, Susannah / Fire And Rain / Blossom / Anywhere Like Heaven / Oh Baby, Don’t You Loose Your Lip On Me / Suite For 20 G.
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The Beatles |
110 |
| Revolver |
1966
Parlophone / Capitol
UK: 1
US: 1
Producer: George Martin |
| Revolver marked an astounding period of experimentation and song-writing ambition for the Beatles as well as the emergence of George Harrison as a fine songwriter. Opening with Harrison’s vibrant ‘Taxman’, with a blistering guitar solo from Paul McCartney, their seventh studio release was a truly inventive and inspiring collection. Both John Lennon and McCartney were on remarkable form: the latter contributing the elegant melancholia of ‘Eleanor Rigby’, with George Martin’s impressive string arrangement, and the emotive ballads ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ and ‘For No One’; the former with the hypnotic ‘She Said, She Said’ and the wistful ‘I’m Only Sleeping’. Harrison also contributed the mesmerising ‘Love You To’, displaying his increasing fascination with the sitar and Indian music in general. The most revelatory and astounding song was the closing ‘Tomorrow Never Know’, a psychedelic drone, written primarily by Lennon, but enhanced by McCartney’s groundbreaking experimentation with tape loops and Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick’s remarkable studio innovation and ingenuity.
Track Listing: Taxman / Eleanor Rigby / I’m Only Sleeping / Love You To / Here, There And Everywhere / Yellow Submarine / She Said She Said / Good Day Sunshine / And Your Bird Can Sing / For No One / Doctor Robert / I Want To Tell You / Got To Get You Into My Life / Tomorrow Never Knows.
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| THE GREATEST ALBUMS
EVER 101-110 |
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