The Band - Islands (1977)

"Islands" is the seventh studio album by the Canadian-American rock group The Band. It was recorded in the group's Shangri-La studios and released in 1977.

Theoretically, even though the Band had given up touring as of Thanksgiving 1976, they were going to keep making records, and "Islands" was the first album released in the new era. Only it wasn't; it was the album they scraped together to complete their ten-LP contract with Capitol Records and the last new full-length album the original five members ever made. The playing, as ever, was impeccable, and the record had its moments, notably a Richard Manuel vocal on the chestnut "Georgia on My Mind" that had been released as a single in 1976 to boost Georgia governor Jimmy Carter's successful run for the presidency. But the songwriting quality was mediocre, and the Band had set such a standard for itself in that department that Islands couldn't help suffering enormously in comparison.  The late Rick Danko's vocals on 'Street Walker' and the alluring gem 'The Saga Of Pepote Rouge' are highlights. Garth Hudson's keyboards are well-served, even if his saxophone--though perfected is somehow out of place on the album, but Levon Helm's drumming and vocals are unmistakable. Robbie Robertson's biazarre guitar work that he had perfected in the past seems to be absent. His lyrics however are recognizably brilliant most of the time, echoing a feeling of sadness, weariness, and melancholy, evident on another gem, 'Livin' In a Dream' and 'Knockin' Lost John.'

But those emotional lyrics are for some reason matched with disappointingly upbeat and bland music, and weak moments like 'Let the Night Fall' and a cover of the standard 'Ain't That A Lot of Love' drag the album down a bit. The title track, an instrumental, doesn't sound like a Band song at all, but rather an empty 70s-style take.

Tracklist

01.  Right as Rain   (Robbie Robertson)  - 3:52

02.  Street Walker   (Rick Danko, Robertson) -  3:16

03.  Let the Night Fall   (Robertson)  - 3:11

04.  Ain't That a Lot of Love   (Banks, Parker)  - 3:09

05.  Christmas Must Be Tonight   (Robertson)  - 3:38

06.  Islands   (Danko, Garth Hudson, Robertson)  - 3:54

07.  The Saga of Pepote Rouge   (Robertson)  - 4:14

08.  Georgia on My Mind   (Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell)  - 3:09

09.  Knockin' Lost John   (Robertson)  - 3:50

10.  Livin' in a Dream   (Robertson)  - 2:52

Personnel

Rick Danko – bass guitar, vocals

Levon Helm – drums, vocals

Garth Hudson – organ, synthesizer, accordion, piccolo, tenor, alto, and baritone saxophones

Richard Manuel – acoustic and electric pianos, vocals

Robbie Robertson – guitars, vocals

James Gordon – flute

Tom Malone – trombone

John Simon – alto saxophone

Larry Packer – violin

Notes
Released:  March 15, 1977

Recorded at:  Shangri-la Studios; Village Recorders, Los Angeles, CA

Genre:  Country Rock

Length:  35:15

Label:  Capitol

Producer:  The Band

(49) Santana - Amigos (1976)

"Amigos" is the seventh studio album from Santana. The album contained a minor US hit single in "Let It Shine".

By the release of Amigos, the Santana band's seventh album, only Carlos Santana and David Brown remained from the band that conquered Woodstock, and only Carlos had been in the band continuously since. Meanwhile, the group had made some effort to arrest its commercial slide, hiring an outside producer, David Rubinson, and taking a tighter, more up-tempo, and more vocal approach to its music. The overt jazz influences were replaced by strains of R&B/funk and Mexican folk music.

"Amigos" features two solid instrumentals, the most noteworthy being "Europa," one of Carlos' trademark guitar works. Starting with pretty high-pitched twangs, it evolves into a potent solo in the Santana tradition. The group also displays its musical talents well in "Take Me With You." For the rest (except for an interesting flamenco intro on "Gitano"), "Amigos" represents the beginning of the slippage from Santana's top-notch studio album work that began after "Borboletta" and has continued to this day (with the exception of the studio cuts on "Moonflower", released shortly after "Amigos"). Tom Coster's keyboards are radiant enough, and Armando Peraza still does it with his bongos and conga, but the song quality and overall instrumentation do not measure up to the old standards. They reflect a shift to more-plain-sounding or less-refined Latin verselines and music or so-so funk, to later become mediocre at best.

Track listing

1.  Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana)  (Leon Chancler, Thomas Joseph Coster, David J. Rubinson)  - 8:15

2.  Take Me With You  (T. Coster, L.N. Chancler)  - 5:27

3.  Let Me  (T. Coster, C. Santana)  - 4:51

4.  Gitano  (A. Peraza)  - 6:13

5.  Tell Me Are You Tired  (T. Coster, L.N. Chancler)  - 5:42

6.  Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)  (C. Santana, T. Coster)  - 5:06

7.  Let It Shine  (D. Brown, R. Gardner)  - 5:43

Released:  March 26, 1976

Recorded at:  Wally Heider Recording Studios, San Francisco

Genre:  Latin Rock, Jazz Fusion

Length:  41:14

Label:  Columbia

Producer:  David Rubinson

Personnel

Carlos Santana – vocals, guitar, percussion

David Brown – bass

Tom Coster – keyboards, vocals

Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums, percussion

Armando Peraza – percussion, vocals

Greg Walker – vocals

Ivory Stone – vocals

Julia Tillman Waters – vocals

Maxine Willard Waters – vocals

(48) Led Zeppelin - Presence (1976)

"Presence" is the seventh studio album by English rock band Led Zeppelin, released by Swan Song Records on 31 March 1976.
It was written and recorded during a tumultuous time in the band's history, as singer Robert Plant was recuperating from serious injuries he had sustained in a recent car accident.

"Presence" scales back the size of "Physical Graffiti" to a single album, but it retains the grandiose scope of that double record. If anything, "Presence" has more majestic epics than its predecessor, opening with the surging, ten-minute "Achilles Last Stand" and closing with the meandering, nearly ten-minute "Tea for One." In between, Led Zeppelin add the lumbering blues workout "Nobody's Fault But Mine" and the terse, menacing "For Your Life," which is the best song on the album. These four tracks take up the bulk of the album, leaving three lighthearted throwaways to alleviate the foreboding atmosphere  and pretensions of the epics.

Track listing

1.   Achilles Last Stand   (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant)  - 10:25

2.   For Your Life   (Page, Plant)  - 6:24

3.   Royal Orleans   (John Bonham, John Paul Jones, Page, Plant)  - 2:58

4.   Nobody's Fault but Mine   (Page, Plant)  - 6:16

5.   Candy Store Rock   (Page, Plant)  - 4:11

6.   Hots On for Nowhere   (Page, Plant)  - 4:43

7.   Tea for One   (Page, Plant)  - 9:27

Released:  31 March 1976

Recorded at:  Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany

Genre:  Hard Rock

Length:  44:25

Label:  Swan Song

Producer:  Jimmy Page

Personnel

John Bonham - drums, percussion

John Paul Jones - four and eight-string bass guitars

Jimmy Page - electric and acoustic guitars, production

Robert Plant - lead vocals, harmonica

(47) Joe Walsh - You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind (1976)

"You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind" is a live album by Joe Walsh, released in 1976. Recorded live just before Joe joined up with Eagles, who also play on "Help Me Through the Night".

"You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind" contains six of Walsh's better-known songs.  Things start off with his last hit with the James Gang, "Walk Away," and then the album makes its way through "Meadows" and 18 minutes of " Rocky Mountain Way". The crowd loved it. Follow all that with "Time Out," then do "Help Me Thru the Night" acoustically with future bandmates Henley, Frey, and Felder helping out, and close things up with a profound and majestic "Turn to Stone," and you've got one heck of a Joe Walsh concert souvenir. In 1975, Walsh went on tour with a band containing, among many, two drummers (Joe Vitale and Andy Newmark), a second guitarist, and Jay Ferguson on keyboards. They must have given some fantastic concerts, and I just wonder what happened to all the rest of the material. As other reviewers ave remarked, these live recordings stripped the studio versions of much of their subtlety and clarity. 'Walk Away' is a rip-roaring start, and perhaps a new tune for those unfamiliar with Joe's pre-Barnstorm days. The highlights are the new arrangements on 'Meadows' and 'Turn to Stone'. 'Meadows' shares the same riff as Deep Purple's 'My Woman From Tokyo', but for this concert version, Joe ends with a powerful instrumental that is anthemic in a similar vein to 'Freebird' and 'Stairway to Heaven'. It shows Joe at his best, and should have been sited at the end of the album. 'Turn to Stone' has a pleasant synth intro, somewhat reminiscent of the Gary Wright 'Dream Weaver' album. Rocky Mountain Way was hugely disappointing, but it features an enhanced solo on the voicebox gizmo that Walsh introduced Pete Frampton to for 'Show Me the Way' on 'Frampton Comes Alive!'.

Track listing

01. Walk Away  (Joe Walsh)  - 3:21

02. Meadows  (Patrick Cullie, Walsh)  - 7:08

03. Rocky Mountain Way  (Rocke Grace, Kenny Passarelli, Joe Vitale, Walsh)  - 7:40

04. Time Out  (Terry Trebandt, Walsh)  - 4:22

05. Help Me Through the Night  (Walsh)  - 3:43

06. Turn to Stone  (Trebandt, Walsh)  - 8:46

Released:  March 1976

Genre:  Southern Rock

Length:  35:09

Label:  ABC

Producer:  Joe Walsh

Personnel

Joe Walsh - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Talkbox Guitar, vocals

Don Felder - Guitar, vocals

Willie Weeks - Bass guitar.

Jay Ferguson - Piano, vocals

Dave Mason - Organ, Electric Piano

Joe Vitale - Drums, Percussion, Organ, Flute, vocals

Andy Newmark  Drums, Percussion

Rocky Dzidzornu  Percussion

Glenn Frey - Vocals

Don Henley - Vocals

(46) Outlaws - Lady In Waiting (1976)

"Lady In Waiting" is the 2nd album by American southern rock band Outlaws, released in 1976.

It's not easy following up a creatively and commercially successful debut album, but Florida-based Southern rockers the Outlaws did just fine with their sophomore effort, 1976's "Lady in Waiting", the follow-up to their 1975 self-titled, gold-selling release. Although "Lady in Waiting" doesn't have all-time knockouts like "There Goes Another Love Song" or "Green Grass & High Tides," it does include a handful of Outlaws classics, including the minor hit "Breaker-Breaker" and "Stick Around for Rock & Roll." Vocalists/guitarists Hughie Thomasson, Henry Paul, and Billy Jones; bass guitarist Frank O'Keefe and drummer Monte Yoho collaborated once more with producer Paul A. Rothchild to create a textured album that managed to fuse intricate guitar arrangements and frame them within Thomasson's rock & roll, Paul's pure country, and Jones' intensely personal songwriting styles. And don't forget the splendid three-part vocal harmonies either. "Breaker-Breaker" is bright, easygoing country-rock; lyrically, it piggybacked on the mid-'70s CB radio craze. The tempo changes and distinctly different guitar tones on "South Carolina" add extra dimensions to what would otherwise be straightforward, up-tempo country. Jones' "Ain't So Bad" is mid-tempo pop/rock with ironic lyrics about life and death, especially since he committed suicide two decades later in 1995 around the time of O'Keefe's death. The tough country-rock, rockabilly-flavored number "Freeborn Man" was, unbelievably, co-written by Paul Revere and the Raiders vocalist Mark Lindsey and guitarist Keith Allison; the guitar solos provide the punch, but O'Keefe's walking bassline adds a nice, loping rhythm. Paul's country-inflected "Girl From Ohio" is rife with gorgeous harmonies. "Prisoner" is a sensitive Jones song with occasional jazz-pop tendencies. The hard-rocking "Stick Around for Rock & Roll" is a rowdy guitar jam.

Track listing

01.  Breaker-Breaker  (Thomasson)  - 2:59

02.  South Carolina  (Paul)  - 3:05

03.  Ain't So Bad  (Jones)  - 3:48

04.  Freeborn Man  (Allison, Lindsay)  - 4:51

05.  Girl from Ohio  (Paul)  - 5:02

06.  Lover Boy  (Thomasson)  - 3:58

07.  Just for You  (Thomasson)  - 3:17

08.  Prisoner  (Jones)  - 3:58

09.  Stick Around for Rock and Roll  (Thomasson)  - 6:35

Released:  1976

Recorded at:  Criteria Recording Studios,Miami, Florida

Genre:  Southern Rock, Country Rock

Length:  40:51

Label:  Arista

Producer:  Paul Rothchild

Personnel

Billy Jones - guitar, vocals

Joe Lala - percussion

Frank O'Keefe - bass

Henry Paul - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals

Hughie Thomasson - guitar, vocals

Monte Yoho - drums

(45) Barry White - Just Another Way To Say I Love You (1975)

"Just Another Way To Say I Love You" is the self-produced fourth album by American Soul singer Barry White, released in 1975 on the 20th Century label.

With his 1973 debut, "I've Got So Much Love to Give" White redefined the Soul and pop with his grand arrangements and pursuit of studio excellence. The frothy "Love's Theme" from his Love Unlimited Orchestra is considered influential early disco. By the time this was released, the sound was slightly on the wane. With his demanding schedule of cranking out an album or more a year, as well as work from Love Unlimited and Love Unlimited Orchestra This effort shows the strain. The album kicks off with "Heavenly, That's What You Are To Me," and despite its great intro, it ultimately pales in comparison to earlier tracks. On "I'll Do for You Anything You Want Me To" finds White in ragged voice throughout and the onslaught on his grunts and groans didn't help him not be a parody of himself. Just Another Way to Say I Love You seems to cautiously plod along, but White had something innovative planned here. "Love Serenade" has him throwing all caution to the wind with lines like "I don't wanna feel no clothes," followed by the even better, "And take off that brassiere, my dear." As for regular ballads, "Let Me Live My Life Lovin' You Babe" clocks in at a sleep-inducing 10:29. This album closes out with "Love Serenade (Part II)," a bass heavy, libidinous instrumental.

Track listing

01.  Heavenly, That's What You Areto Me  (White)  - 4:59

02.  I'll Do for You Anything You Want Me To  (White)  - 6:07

03.  All Because of You  (Nunes, White, Wilson)  - 6:34

04.  Love Serenade  (White)  - 4:43

05.  What Am I Gonna Do With You  (White)  - 3:36

06.  Let Me Live My Life Lovin' You Babe  (White)  - 10:17

07.  Love Serenade, Pt. 2  (White)  - 3:05

Released:  March 1975

Recorded at:  Whitney Recording Studio, Glendale, CA.

Genre:  Soul

Length:  39:21

Label:  20th Century

Producer:  Barry White

Conductor:  Gene Page

Engineer, Mastered By:  Frank Kejmar

Mastered By:  Steve Hall

(44) Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel (1974)

"Heart Like A Wheel" is Linda Ronstadt's fifth solo album release and the last of her studio projects for Capitol Records, released in late 1974. It is universally considered to be Ronstadt's all-time high watermark masterpiece recording and a pioneering blueprint of Country Rock.

Following the same formula as her early records, "Heart Like A Wheel" doesn't appear to be a great breakthrough on the surface. However, Ronstadt comes into her own on this mix of oldies and contemporary classics. Backed by a fleet of Los Angeles musicians, Ronstadt sings with vigor and passion, helping bring the music alive. But what really makes Heart Like a Wheel a breakthrough is the inventive arrangements that producer Peter Asher, Ronstadt, and the studio musicians have developed. Finding the right note for each song  whether it's the soulful reworking of "When Will I Be Loved," the hit "You're No Good," or the laid-back folk-rock of "Willing"  the musicians help turn Heart Like a Wheel into a veritable catalog of Californian soft rock, and it stands as a landmark of '70s mainstream pop/rock.

Not only do you get the hit "You're No Good" and the Everly Brothers' classic "When Will I Be Loved," but the sorrowful title track and Hank Williams' "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)" give testament to Ronstadt's legendary feel for driving the emotion home. What's more, if the powerful "Willing" doesn't have you longing for the days of bell bottoms and bandanas, you just aren't feeling it. With production by Peter Asher and guests like Emmylou Harris, Maria Muldaur, J.D. Souther and most of the aforementioned Eagles, Ronstadt crafted a magnificent blend of country, rock and folk that is among the greatest records made in a generation.

Track listing

01.  You're No Good  (Clint Ballard, Jr.) -  3:44

02.  It Doesn't Matter Anymore  (Paul Anka)  - 3:26

03.  Faithless Love  (J. D. Souther) (also singing harmony)  - 3:15

04.  The Dark End of the Street  (Chips Moman, Dan Penn)  - 3:55

05.  Heart Like a Wheel  (Anna McGarrigle)  - 3:10

06.  When Will I Be Loved  (Phil Everly)  - 2:04

07.  Willin'  (Lowell George)  - 3:02

08.  I Can't Help It  (If I'm Still in Love with You) (Hank Williams)  - 2:45

09.  Keep Me from Blowing Away  (Paul Craft)  - 3:10

10.  You Can Close Your Eyes  (James Taylor)  - 3:09

Released:  November 1974

Recorded:  at The Sound Factory, Los Angeles, California

Genre:  Country Rock

Length:  32:19

Label:  Capitol

Producer:  Peter Asher

Personnel

Linda Ronstadt – vocals, background vocals

Andrew Gold – guitar, percussion, piano, drums, keyboards, electric piano, tambourine, ukulele, background vocals

Peter Asher – guitar, percussion, background vocals, cowbell

Ed Black – guitar

John Boylan – guitar

Paul Craft – guitar

Kenny Edwards – bass, background vocals

Chris Ethridge – bass

Jimmie Fadden – harmonica

Richard Feves – bass

Glenn Frey – guitar

Emory Gordy – bass

Tom Guidera – bass

Emmylou Harris – harmony vocals

Don Henley – drums, background vocals

Dennis Karmazyn – cello

Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar

Russ Kunkel – drums

Lloyd Myers – drums

David Lindley – fiddle

Cissy Houston – background vocals

Sherlie Matthews – background vocals

Maria Muldaur – background vocals

Clydie King – background vocals

Wendy Waldman – background vocals

Joyce Nesbitt – background vocals

Herb Pedersen – banjo, background vocals

Danny Pendleton – pedal steel guitar

Dennis St. John – drums

Timothy B. Schmit – bass

J. D. Souther – guitar, background vocals

John Starling – guitar

Bob Warford – guitar

David Campbell – viola, string arrangements

(43) The Eagles - On The Border (1974)

The Eagles began recording their third album in England with producer Glyn Johns, as they had their first two albums, but abandoned the sessions after completing two acceptable tracks. Johns, it is said, tended to emphasize the group's country elements and its harmonies, while the band, in particular Glenn Frey and Don Henley, wanted to take more of a hard rock direction. They reconvened with a new producer, Bill Szymczyk, who had produced artists like B.B. King and, more significantly, Joe Walsh. But the resulting album is not an outright rock effort by any means. Certainly, Frey and Henley got what they wanted with "Already Gone," the lead-off track, which introduces new bandmember Don Felder as one part of the twin guitar solo that recalls the Allman Brothers Band; "James Dean," a rock & roll song on the order of "Your Mama Don't Dance," and "Good Day in Hell," which is strongly reminiscent of Joe Walsh songs like "Rocky Mountain Way." But the album also features the usual mixture of styles typical of an Eagles album. For example, "Midnight Flyer," sung by Randy Meisner, is modern bluegrass; "My Man" is Bernie Leadon's country-rock tribute to the recently deceased Gram Parsons; and "Ol' 55" is one of the group's well-done covers of a tune by a singer/songwriter labelmate, in this case Tom Waits. The title track, meanwhile, points the band in a new R&B direction that was later pursued more fully. Like most successful groups, the Eagles combined many different elements, and their third album, which looked back to their earlier work and anticipated their later work, was a transitional effort that combined even more styles than most of their records did.

Bernie Leadon's "My Man" is a tribute to Gram Parsons, who had died of a drug overdose in September 1973. Leadon and Parsons had been members of the pioneering country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers.

"On the Border"This track was inspired by the infamous Watergate scandal and fears at the time of the government overstepping its bounds and infringing on people's privacy. Barely audible at the end of the song, someone (either Henley or Frey) can be heard whispering "Say Goodnight, Dick," a line made famous by Dan Rowan of Rowan and Martin but in this case referring to Richard Nixon's resignation.

Track listing

01.  Already Gone  (Strandlund, Tempchin) -  4:13

02.  You Never Cry Like a Lover  (Henley, Souther)  - 4:02

03.  Midnight Flyer  (Craft)  - 3:58

04.  My Man  (Leadon)  - 3:30

05.  On the Border  (Frey, Henley, Leadon)  - 4:28

06.  James Dean  (Browne, Frey, Henley, Souther)  - 3:36

07.  Ol' 55  (Waits)  - 4:22

08.  Is It True  (Meisner)  - 3:14

09.  Good Day in Hell  (Frey, Henley)  - 4:27

10.  The Best of My Love  (Frey, Henley, Souther)  - 4:35

Personnel

Glenn Frey - lead vocals, lead guitar, slide guitar, piano

Don Henley - lead vocals, drums, guitar

Randy Meisner - lead vocals, bass guitar

Bernie Leadon - lead vocals, lead guitar, banjo, steel guitar

Don Felder - electric guitar, slide guitar

Notes

Released:  March 22, 1974

Recorded at:  Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, CA, Olympic Studios, London, 1973-74

Genre:  Country Rock

Length:  40:29

Label:  Asylum

Producer:  Bill Szymczyk, Glyn Johns

(42) Deep Purple - Machine Head (1972)

"Machine Head" is the sixth studio album released by the English rock band Deep Purple. It was recorded through December 1971 in Montreux, Switzerland, and released in March 1972.
"Machine Head" is often cited as influential in the development of the heavy metal music genre. It is Deep Purple's most successful recording,
Led Zeppelin's fourth album, Black Sabbath's Paranoid, and Deep Purple's Machine Head have stood the test of time as the Holy Trinity of English hard rock and heavy metal, serving as the fundamental blueprints followed by virtually every heavy rock & roll band since the early '70s. And, though it is probably the least celebrated of the three, "Machine Head" contains the "mother of all guitar riffs" and one of the first learned by every beginning guitarist in "Smoke on the Water." Inspired by real-life events in Montreux, Switzerland, where Deep Purple were recording the album when the Montreux Casino was burned to the ground during a Frank Zappa concert, neither the song, nor its timeless riff, should need any further description. However, "Machine Head" was anything but a one-trick pony, introducing the bona fide classic opener "Highway Star," which epitomized all of Deep Purple's intensity and versatility while featuring perhaps the greatest soloing duel ever between guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and organist Jon Lord. Also in top form was singer Ian Gillan, who crooned and exploded with amazing power and range throughout to establish himself once and for all as one of the finest voices of his generation, bar none. Yes, the plodding shuffle of "Maybe I'm a Leo" shows some signs of age, but punchy singles "Pictures of Home" and "Never Before" remain as vital as ever, displaying Purple at their melodic best. And finally, the spectacular "Space Truckin'" drove Machine Head home with yet another tremendous Blackmore riff, providing a fitting conclusion to one of the essential hard rock albums of all time.

Track listing

1.  Highway Star  (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord)  - 6:05
2.  Maybe I'm a Leo  (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord)  -  4:51
3.  Pictures of Home  (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord)  - 5:03
4.  Never Before  (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord)  - 3:56
5.  Smoke on the Water  (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord)  - 5:40
6.  Lazy  (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord)  - 7:19
7.  Space Truckin'  (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord)  - 4:31

Released:  March 1972
Recorded:  Montreux, Switzerland
Genre:  Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Length:  37:25
Label:  Purple Records/EMI
Producer:  Deep Purple

Personnel
Ritchie Blackmore – guitar
Ian Gillan – vocals, harmonica
Roger Glover – bass
Ian Paice – drums, percussion
Jon Lord – keyboards

(41) David Crosby & Graham Nash - Graham Nash/David Crosby (1972)

"Graham Nash/David Crosby" is the first album by the partnership of David Crosby and Graham Nash, released on Atlantic Records in 1972.
After the split of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the summer of 1970, all four members would release solo albums over the course of the ensuing twelve months.
This self-titled release is one of if the most impressive side project to arise from CSN. Taken beyond face value, Graham Nash/David Crosby is a direct reflection, if not an extension, of the musical and personal relationship between its co-creators. Likewise, the results remain true, enhancing rather than detracting from the very individualistic styles of Crosby and Nash. The best elements of each are readily available here, punctuated at every turn by their complicated vocal arrangements and air-lock harmonies. In the wake of the enormous successes garnered by the albums "Crosby Stills & Nash", "Déjà Vu", and "Four Way Street", the principal members were essentially given carte blanche studio access to pursue solo projects as well. This release is the first in what would turn out to be a series of collaborative efforts between Crosby and Nash. Musically it continues in much the same vein as their respective debut solo releases, "If I Could Only Remember My Name" and "Songs for Beginners". Nash's contributions include "Girl to Be on My Mind," "Stranger's Room," and "Southbound Train" a twangy piece of Americana featuring a high and lonesome steel guitar solo from Jerry Garcia that likewise hearkens to the Grateful Dead's American Beauty, Elton John's "Tumbleweed Connection", or the Band's "Music From Big Pink". These tracks co-exist in stark contrast to Crosby's more cerebral and incisive contributions, such as "Whole Cloth," "Games," and "The Wall Song." The latter features some outstanding instrumental support from the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia (guitar), Phil Lesh (bass), and Billy Kreutzman (drums). The core band revolves around another set of all-stars: Russell Kunkel (drums), Leland Skylar (bass), Craig Doerge (keyboards), and Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar (guitar). This same band would more or less continue to back up Crosby and Nash's duo efforts throughout the remainder of the '70s. "Graham Nash/David Crosby" offers much of the same unique songwriting and personal style which informed their better contributions not only to the CSN-related efforts, but as far back as their offerings with the Hollies and the Byrds.

Track listing

01.  Southbound Train  (Nash)  - 3:54
02.  Whole Cloth  (Crosby)  - 4:35
03.  Blacknotes  (Nash)  - 0:58
04.  Stranger's Room  (Nash)  - 2:28
05.  Where Will I Be?  (Crosby)  - 3:23
06.  Page 43  (Crosby)  - 2:56
07.  Frozen Smiles  (Nash)  - 2:17
08.  Games  (Crosby)  - 2:59
09.  Girl to Be on My Mind  (Nash)  - 3:27
10.  The Wall Song  (Crosby)  - 4:37
11.  Immigration Man  (Nash)  - 3:02

Released:  April 5, 1972
Recorded at:  Wally Heider Studio III, Los Angeles, CA
Genre:  Soft Rock
Length:  35:26
Label:  Atlantic
Producer:  David Crosby, Graham Nash, Bill Halverson

Personnel
Graham Nash - guitar, harmonica, vocals
David Crosby - guitar, vocals
Jerry Garcia - pedal steel guitar
Chris Ethridge - bass
Johnny Barbata - drums
Danny Kortchmar - electric guitar
Craig Doerge - electric piano
Leland Sklar - bass
Russ Kunkel - drums
Dana Africa - flute
Phil Lesh - bass
Bill Kreutzmann - drums
Dave Mason - electric guitar
Greg Reeves - bass;
David Duke - french horns
Arthur Maebe - french horns
George Price - french horns

(40) Greenfield & Cook - Greenfield & Cook (1972)

Greenfield & Cook bestond uit Rink Groeneveld en Peter Kok uit Den Haag, beiden ex-Hurricanes en sinds 1967 als duo onder de naam Popshop. In 1969, gingen ze verder onder de naam Greenfield & Cook. In 1970 scoren zij met The End hun eerste tipparade-notering. Het komt van hun debuut album "Greenfield & Cook". De plaat wordt geproduceerd door Jaap Eggermont. De anderen singels van dit album zijn: ´Only Lies´ en ´Don´t Turn Me Loose´. Na in totaal zeven Top-40 noteringen gaan Greenfield & Cook in 1974 uit elkaar. Daarna beginnen beiden een solocarrière die nauwelijks succesvol te noemen is. Rink Groeneveld brengt in 1975 de single "He Loved You" uit. Verder produceert hij de single "Magic Mary" van de groep Holland.
Peter Kok wordt manager van Euson en verruilt in 1977 Apeldoorn voor Amerika. Als succes uitblijft vertrekt hij een jaar later naar Chili om eigenaar van een Chileense platenmaatschappij te worden.

Track listing

01.  Don't Turn Me Loose  - 2:12
02.  To Rob (What I Supposed to Do)  - 3:13
03.  Where - 3:37
04.  Darling, Darling  - 2:19
05.  Going Home  - 3:16
06.  Baby Don't Cry  - 2:42
07.  Only Lies  - 3:27
08.  All over the World  - 2:15
09.  It's Up to You (part One)  - 1:16
10.  It's Up to You (Part Two)  - 3:04
11.  Gone  - 2:25
12.  The End  - 3:45

Released:  1972
Label:  Polydor
Genre:  Pop
Lengte:  33:31
Producer:  Jaap Eggermont

Personnel
Rick Greenfield - Vocals, Guitar [Acoustic]
Peter Cook - Vocals, Guitar [Acoustic]
Piet Zonneveld - Accordion
Piet Hein Veening - Bass
Louis Debij - Drums
Guitar – Hans Hollestelle - Guitar
John Lagrand - Harmonica [Mouth Organ]
Frans Mijts - Horn [Flugel]
Freek Berrier - Piano
Frans Doolaard - Steel Guitar [Pedal]
Cees Schrama - Synthesizer

(39) The New Seekers - We'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (1972)

The New Seekers are a British-based pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The New Seekers featuring Laurie Heath, Chris Barrington, Marty Kristian, Eve Graham and Sally Graham. Potger himself also performed and recorded with the group. After one single release, the line-up was reworked in 1970 to Eve Graham, Lyn Paul, Marty Kristian, Peter Doyle and Paul Layton
The idea was that The New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music had rock as well as folk influences. They achieved worldwide success in the early 1970s. With a line-up of newly recorded tracks, the group released an album under the same name in the UK and Europe in March 1972. As well as featuring the single "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", which had reached #1 in the UK, it also featured their then current single, "Beg, Steal or Borrow". This latter single was their entry into the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest, where it gained second place as well as reaching #2 in the UK singles chart. As well as this, two other songs, which they had performed in the heats were included: "One by One" and "Songs of Praise".

Track listing

01.  Dance Dance Dance  (young)  - 2:04
02.  Georgie Girl/ Ticket to Ride  (Springfield, Dale, Lennon-McCartney)  - 2:58
03.  I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing  (Backer, Davis, Greenaway, Cook)  - 2:20
04.  Changes IV  (Stevens)  - 2:45
05.  One by One  (Leander, Sego)  - 3:06
06.  I Can Say You're Beautiful  (Doyle)  - 3:42
07.  Beg, Steal or Borrow  (Cole, Hall, Wolfe)  - 2:45
08.  The World I Wish for You  (Greenaway, Cook)  - 2:27
09.  Wanderer's Song  (Poulson)  - 2:42
10.  Just an Old Fashioned Love Song  (Williams)  - 2:41
11.  Songs of Praise  (Wood)  - 2:38
12.  Mystic Queen  (Kristian)  - 4:02

Released:  March 1972
Recorded at:  Morgan Studios & I.B.C. Studios, London
Genre:  Pop
Label:  Polydor
Length:  34:18
Producer:  David MacKay

Personnel
Lyn Paul - vocals
Peter Doyle - vocals
Paul Layton - vocals
Marty Kristian - vocals
Eve Graham - vocals

(38) Slade - Coz I Luv You (1972)

Slade are a rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s.
This album was a compilation of early Slade singles & album tracks released several times in Europe.
Slade may have never truly caught on with American audiences (often narrow-mindedly deemed "too British-sounding"), but the group became a sensation in their homeland with their anthemic brand of glam rock in the early '70s.
After several albums featuring few original compositions from the quartet came and went (1969's Beginnings, 1970's Play It Loud), the group began to write their own tunes, grew their hair long, and assumed the look of the then-burgeoning glam movement, joining the same cause championed by such fellow Brits as David Bowie and T. Rex. This new direction paid off in 1971 with the number 16 U.K. single "Get Down and Get With It," which soon touched off a string of classic singles and led to Slade becoming one of the most beloved party bands back home. Slade also utilized another gimmick, humorously misspelled song titles, as evidenced by such singles as "Coz I Luv You," "Look Wot You Dun," "Take Me Bak 'Ome," "Mama Weer All Crazee Now," "Gudbuy t'Jane," "Cum on Feel the Noize," "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me," and "Merry Xmas Everybody".

Track listing

01.  Coz I Luv You  (Neville Holder & Jim Lea)  - 3:23
02.  Dapple Rose  (Jim Lea & Don Powell)  - 3:25
03.  My Life Is Natural  (Neville Holder)  - 3:12
04.  Angelina  (Innes)  - 2:45
05.  Candidate  (Jim Lea & Don Powell)  - 2:50
06.  Sweet Box  (Jim Lea & Don Powell)  - 3:20
07.  Look Wot You Dun  (Neville Holder, Jim Lea & Don Powell)  - 2:56
08.  Could I  (Griffin & Royer)  - 2:45
09.  Raven  (Neville Holder, Jim Lea & Don Powell)  - 2:30
10.  Gospel According To Rasputin  (Dave Hill & Neville Holder)  - 4:20
11.  The Shape Of Things To Come  (Mann & Weil)  - 2:15
12.  Get Down And Get With It  (Bobby Marchan)  - 3:45

Release:  1972
Label:  Polydor
Genre:  Hard Rock, Glam Rock
Length:  37:26
Producer:  Chas Chandler

Personnel
Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Dave Hill - lead guitar
Jim Lea - bass guitar, piano
Don Powell - drums

(37) Creedence Clearwater Revival - Mardi Gras (1972)

"Mardi Gras" is the seventh and final studio album by American band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released in 1972. The group broke up after this album was released.
Pared down to a trio, Creedence Clearwater Revival had to find a new way of doing business, since already their sound had changed, so they split creative duties evenly. It wasn't just that each member wrote songs they produced them, too. Doug Clifford and Stu Cook claim John Fogerty needed time to creatively recharge, while Fogerty says he simply bowed to the duo's relentless pressure for equal time. Both arguments make sense, but either way, the end result was the same: "Mardi Gras" was a mess. Not a disaster, which it was dismissed as upon its release, since there are a couple of bright moments. Typically, Fogerty is reliable, with the solid rocker "Sweet Hitch-Hiker," the country ramble "Lookin' for a Reason," a good cover of Ricky Nelson's "Hello Mary Lou," and the pretty good ballad "Someday Never Comes." These don't match the brilliance of previous CCR records, but they sparkle next to Clifford and Cook's efforts. That implies that their contributions are terrible, which they're usually not they're just pedestrian. Only "Sail Away" is difficult to listen to, due to Cook's flat, overemphasized vocals, but he makes up for it with the solid rocker "Door to Door" and the Fogerty soundalike "Take It Like a Friend." Clifford fares a little better since his voice is warmer and he wisely channels it into amiable country-rock, yet these are pretty average songs by two guys beginning to find their own songwriting voice. If Clifford and Cook had started their own band (which they did after this album) it would be easier to be charitable, but when held up against Creedence's other work, "Mardi Gras" withers. It's an unpretty end to a great band.

Track listing

01.  Lookin' for a Reason  (John Fogerty)  - 3:28
02.  Take It Like a Friend  (Stu Cook)  - 3:00
03.  Need Someone to Hold  (Cook, Doug Clifford)  - 3:00
04.  Tearin' Up the Country  (Clifford)  - 2:14
05.  Someday Never Comes  (Fogerty)  - 4:01
06.  What Are You Gonna Do?  (Clifford)  - 2:53
07.  Sail Away  (Cook)  - 2:29
08.  Hello Mary Lou  (Gene Pitney, Cayet Mangiaracina)  - 2:14
09.  Door to Door  (Cook)  - 2:09
10.  Sweet Hitch-Hiker  (Fogerty)  - 2:59

Released:  April 11, 1972
Genre:  Roots Rock, Country Rock, Swamp Rock, Southern Rock
Length:  28:04
Label:  Fantasy
Producer:  Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, John Fogerty

Personnel
Doug Clifford - drums, vocals
Stu Cook - bass, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, piano, vocals
John Fogerty - lead guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboards, vocals

(36) Manassas - Manassas (1972)

Manassas was an American rock band, formed by Stephen Stills in 1971.
"Manassas" is their 1972 debut double album.
Rock, folk, blues, country, Latin, and bluegrass have all been styles touched on in Stephen Stills' career, and the skilled, energetic musicians he had gathered in Manassas played them all on this album. What could have been a disorganized mess in other hands, though, here all gelled together and formed a cohesive musical statement. The songs are thematically grouped: part one (side one on the original vinyl release) is titled "The Raven," and is a composite of rock and Latin sounds that the group would often perform in full live. "The Wilderness" mainly centers on country and bluegrass (Chris Hillman's and Al Perkins' talents coming to the forefront), with the track "So Begins the Task" later covered by Stills' old flame Judy Collins. Part three, "Consider" is largely folk and folk-rock. "Johnny's Garden," reportedly for the caretaker at Stills' English manor house and not for John Lennon as is often thought, is a particular highlight. Two other notables from the "Consider" section are "It Doesn't Matter" (later redone with different lyrics by the song's uncredited co-writer Rick Roberts on the first Firefall album) and "Move Around," which features some of the first synthesizer used in a rock context. The closing section, titled "Rock & Roll Is Here to Stay," is a rock and blues set with one of the landmarks of Manassas' short life, the epic "The Treasure." A sort of Zen-like meditation on love and "oneness," enlivened by the band's most inspired recorded playing it evolves into a bluesy groove washed in Stills' fierce electric slide playing. The delineation lines of the four themed song groupings aren't cut in stone, though, and one of the strengths of the album is that there is a lot of overlap in styles throughout.

Track listing

The Raven
1.  Song of Love  (Stephen Stills)  - 3:28
2.  Medley  - 3:34
     (a) Rock & Roll Crazies  (Stephen Stills, Dallas Taylor)
     (b) Cuban Bluegrass  (Stephen Stills, Joe Lala)
3.  Jet Set (Sigh)  (Stephen Stills)  - 4:25
4.  Anyway  (Stephen Stills)  - 3:21
5.  Both of Us (Bound to Lose)  (Stephen Stills, Chris Hillman)  - 3:00

The Wilderness
1.  Fallen Eagle  (Stephen Stills)  - 2:03
2.  Jesus Gave Love Away for Free  (Stephen Stills)  - 2:59
3.  Colorado  (Stephen Stills)  - 2:50
4.  So Begins the Task  (Stephen Stills)  - 3:57
5.  Hide It So Deep  (Stephen Stills)  - 2:44
6.  Don't Look at My Shadow  (Stephen Stills)  - 2:30

Consider
1.  It Doesn't Matter  (Chris Hillman, Rick Roberts, Stephen Stills)  - 2:30
2.  Johnny's Garden  (Stephen Stills)  - 2:45
3.  Bound to Fall  (Mike Brewer, Tom Mastin)  - 1:53
4.  How Far  (Stephen Stills)  - 2:49
5.  Move Around  (Stephen Stills)  - 4:15
6.  The Love Gangster  (Stephen Stills, Bill Wyman)  - 2:51

Rock & Roll is Here to Stay
1.  What to Do  (Stephen Stills)  - 4:44
2.  Right Now  (Stephen Stills)  - 2:58
3.  The Treasure (Take One)  (Stephen Stills)  - 8:03
4.  Blues Man  (Stephen Stills) (In tribute: Jimi Hendrix, Al Wilson, Duane Allman)  - 4:04

Released:  April 12, 1972
Recorded:  Criteria Sound Studios, Miami, Florida
Genre:  Country Rock
Length:  70:07
Label:  Atlantic Records
Producer:  Stephen Stills, Chris Hillman, Dallas Taylor

Personnel
Stephen Stills - vocals, guitar, bottleneck guitar, piano, organ, electric piano, clavinette
Chris Hillman - vocals, guitar, mandolin
Al Perkins - pedal steel guitar, guitar, vocals
Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuel - bass
Paul Harris - organ, tack piano, piano, organ, electric piano, clavinette
Dallas Taylor - drums
Joe Lala - percussion, vocals
Sydney George - harmonica
Jerry Aiello - piano, organ, electric piano, clavinette
Bill Wyman - bass
Roger Bush - acoustic bass
Byron Berline - fiddle
Jerry Garcia - pedal steel guitar

(35) Ike & Tina Turner - Workin´ Together (1971)

Released early in 1971, a few months after "Come Together", their first album for Liberty Records, "Workin' Together" was the first genuine hit album Ike & Tina had in years. After all, their classic '60s sides were just that sides of a single, not an album. Even though it doesn't boast the sustained vision of such contemporaries as, say, Marvin Gaye and Al Green, "Workin' Together" feels like a proper album, where many of the buried album tracks are as strong as the singles. Like its predecessor, it relies a bit too much on contemporary covers, which isn't bad when it's the perennial "Proud Mary," since it deftly reinterprets the original, but readings of the Beatles' "Get Back" and "Let It Be," while not bad, are a little bit too pedestrian. Fortunately, they're entirely listenable and they're the only slow moments, outweighed by songs that crackle with style and passion. Nowhere is this truer than on the opening title track, a mid-tempo groover (written by Eki Renrut, Ike's brilliant inverted alias) powered by a soulful chorus and a guitar line that plays like a mutated version of Dylan's "I Want You" riff. Then, there's the terrific Stax/Volt stomper "(Long As I Can) Get You When I Want You," possibly the highlight on the record. Though they cut a couple of classics over the next few years, most notably "Nutbush City Limits," the duo never topped this, possibly the best proper album they ever cut.

Track listing

01.  Workin' Together  (Eki Renrut)  - 3:32
02.  (As Long as I Can) Get You When I Want You  (George Jackson, Raymond Moore)  - 2:22
03.  Get Back  (Lennon, McCartney)  - 3:03
04.  The Way You Love Me  (Ike Turner)  - 2:38
05.  You Can Have It  (Eki Renrut)  - 3:28
06.  Game of Love  (Eki Renrut)  - 2:45
07.  Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter  (Aillene Bullock)  - 2:34
08.  Ooh Poo Pah Doo  (Jessie Hill)  - 3:35
09.  Proud Mary  (John Fogerty)  - 4:56
10.  Goodbye, So Long  (Eki Renrut)  - 1:55
11.  Let It Be  (Lennon, McCartney)  - 3:09

Release:  1971
Label:  Liberty
Genre:  Soul, Funk
Length:  33:52
Producer:  Ike Turner
Engineer:  Brent Maher

Personnel
Tina Turner - Lead Vocal
Ike Turner - Lead Vocal
The Ikettes - Background Vocals
Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm - All Instrumentation

(34) Soft Machine - Fourth (1971)

"Fourth" is a 1971 studio album by the Canterbury band Soft Machine. The album is also titled Four or 4 in the USA; the numeral "4" is the title as shown on the cover in all countries, but a written-out title appears on the spine and label. This was the group's first all-instrumental album,
The Soft Machine's collective skill is hyper-complex and refined, as they are extremely literate in all fields of musical study. Fourth is the band's free purging of all of that knowledge, woven into noisy, smoky structures of sound. Their arcane rhythms have a stop-and-go mentality of their own that sounds incredibly fresh even though it is sonically steeped in soft and warm tones. Obviously there is a lot of skillful playing going on, as the mix of free jazz, straight-ahead jazz, and Gong-like psychedelia coalesces into a skronky plateau. Robert Wyatt's drumming is impeccable -- so perfect that it at times becomes an unnoticeable map upon which the band takes their instinctive direction. Mike Ratledge's keys are warm throughout, maintaining an earthy quality that keeps its eye on the space between the ground and the heavens that the Soft Machine attempt to inhabit. Elton Dean's saxophone work screams out the most inventive cadence, and since it's hardly rhythmic, it takes front and center, spitting out a crazy language. Certainly the band is the preface to a good portion of Chicago's post-rock output, as they undoubtedly give a nod to Miles Davis' Bitches Brew experiments, which were going on in the U.S. at the same time.

Track listing

1.  Teeth  (Mike Ratledge)  - 9:15
2.  Kings and Queens  (Hugh Hopper)  - 5:02
3.  Fletcher's Blemish  (Elton Dean)  - 4:35
4.  Virtually Part 1  (Hopper)  - 5:16
5.  Virtually Part 2  (Hopper)  - 7:09
6.  Virtually Part 3  (Hopper)  - 4:33
7.  Virtually Part 4  (Hopper)  - 3:23

Released:  February 28, 1971
Recorded at:  Olympic Studios, London
Genre:  Jazz Fusion
Length:  39:13
Label:  CBS
Producer:  Soft Machine

Personnel
Hugh Hopper – bass guitar
Mike Ratledge – (Lowrey) organ, (Wurlitzer) piano
Robert Wyatt – drums
Elton Dean – alto saxophone, saxello
Roy Babbington – double bass
Mark Charig – cornet
Nick Evans – trombone
Jimmy Hastings – alto flute, bass clarinet
Alan Skidmore – tenor saxophone

(33) Lynn Anderson - Rose Garden (1971)

"Rose Garden" was an album released in 1971 by country singer Lynn Anderson. The album was the same name as the single she released in late 1970. The song went on to top the country charts, where it stayed at the #1 position for five weeks
Lynn Anderson was one of the most popular female country singers of the early '70s, helped by her regular exposure on national television. Anderson was born in Grand Forks, ND, and grew up in Sacramento, CA; her mother, Liz, was a professional songwriter best-known for penning Merle Haggard's early hits "(All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers" and "The Fugitive" (the latter with her husband, Carey). Naturally, Lynn picked up music too, and performed as a singer and guitarist during her teen years.
In 1970, Anderson moved to Nashville with her husband, writer/producer Glenn Sutton, and signed with Columbia. She quickly scored the biggest hit of her career with the Joe South-penned "Rose Garden," which topped the country charts and went all the way to number three on the pop side. It won her a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal, and proved a hit in 15 countries.

Track listing

01.  (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden  (Joe South)  - 2:53
02.  For the Good Times  (Kris Kristofferson)  - 3:25
03.  Another Lonely Night  (Larry Butler)  - 2:05
04.  I Don't Wanna Play House  (Billy Sherrill, Glenn Sutton)  - 2:28
05.  Snowbird  (Gene MacLellan)  - 2:05
06.  Your Sweet Love Lifted Me  (George Richey, Glenn Sutton)  - 2:42
07.  Sunday Morning Coming Down  (Kris Kristofferson)  - 3:49
08.  I Still Belong to You  (Bill Rice, Jerry Foster)  - 2:44
09.  I Wish I Was a Little Boy Again  (Glenn Sutton, Darrell Edwards)  - 2:07
10.  It's Only Make Believe  (Conway Twitty, Jack Nance)  - 2:15
11.  Nothing Between Us  (Lynn Anderson)  - 2:45

Released:  1971
Recorded at:  Columbia Recording Studio, Nashville, TN
Genre:  Country
Label:  Columbia
Length:  29:11
Producer:  Glenn Sutton, Clive Davis

Personnel
Lynn Anderson - Lead Vocals