Life & Times - JIM CROCE***

One Less Set Of Footsteps/Roller Derby Queen/Dreamin' Again/Careful Man/Alabama Man/A Good Time Man Like Me Has No Business(Singin' The Blues)/Next Time This Time/Bad Bad Leroy Brown/These Dreams/Speedball Tucker/It Doesn't Have To Be That Way

Life & Times was the last album released by folk-rock singer songwriter Jim Croce during his lifetime. It features many character songs including the US No.1 hit Bad Bad Leroy Brown, also recorded by Frank Sinatra. (US:7)

“The album title and the weary/rugged man on the cover make it hard to believe that Jim Croce was only thirty and one of the hottest songwriters in the country at the time of its release. Jim also applies the rule that you have to have to lived a bit in order to write good songs and Jim did lots of travelling and worked many dead-end jobs before he could live off his music. And he did hit big time with the #1 hit Bad Bad Leroy Brown, a catchy uptempo bar room rocker.”

“Cheesy singer songwriter tunes clog this album, the rest of the album has various Big Bad Leroy Brown clones, none of which are as good as that number. It really hasn't aged too well.”

“Lots of terrific songs here. I would've preferred a couple fewer character songs and a couple more ballad-type songs, but still a very solid album.”

“Life & Times is a truly amazing record for fans of Jim Croce, or for people who just want to hear some great chill out music. It's got it all, ballads, upbeat songs, and the down and dirty blues songs that Jim does so well. I can't get enough of Jim Croce and this record has given me joy on so many occasions.”

“Jim Croce's Life & Times LP, was his second recorded for ABC, and it is brilliant. It contains several of Jim's popular character songs, such as Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Roller Derby Queen and Speedball Tucker, as well as a couple of quirky tunes, Careful Man and A Good Time Man Like Me, all of which are up-tempo, toe-tapping, good-time fun. There are also a number of ballads here.”

“This was his second mainstream album and the one that featured Bad Bad Leroy Brown, the song that most people know. It doesn't disappoint, along with being an incredibly sentimental and fun listen, all the songs feature Croce's vocals, which held a warm, inviting, compassionate and loving tone to them.”

Birds Of Fire - MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA***

Birds Of Fire/Miles Beyond/Celestial Terrestrial Commuters/Sapphire Bullets Of Pure Love/Thousand Island Park/Hope/One Word/Sanctuary/Open Country Joy/Resolution

Birds Of Fire was the second and final studio album from the first incarnation of the jazz-rock fusion band Mahavishnu Orchestra. The leader, guitarist John McLaughlin, would soon forge new collaborations. (US:15 UK:20)

“Stylistically they pretty much continue the jazz rock/fusion style of their debut. The more prominent use of synths here is the most major difference. Compositionally the two albums also have a lot in common even though the compositional structures are generally a bit more developed on Birds Of Fire. There is still a lot of focus on long solo sections and not so much on reoccurring themes and recognisable melodies.”

“Possibly a shade less to my liking than Inner Mounting Flame, but no matter. It's another great recording that stands the test of time. The title track and Celestial Terrestrial Commuters rank as my favourite here, while the fan base at large probably would cite One Word. The record doesn't flow quite as well for me as the debut, but it's still a must own for the genre.”

“For their second album the Mahavishnu Orchestra wisely decided not to try and top the explosive fury of their debut, instead seeking to diversify their sound. The closing Resolution recalls the dark tones of their first album, but other songs show a breathtaking versatility on the part of the band. For instance, Open Country Joy somehow manages to incorporate both gentle folk segments and pulsing funk sections.”

“The biggest difference between this and the debut is that the band seems to be a little more cohesive having learned how to play together. This fact makes all the better when they start tearing into their instruments.”

“Following the pattern laid down on the first album, this one soars and pulsates, shakes and stirs, like nothing before. Perfect performances and some great tunes make it another masterpiece. This music sounds today as fresh and revolutionary as it did when first released.”

“The major shining point of the album, and the band, is the ridiculous technical precision displayed by all five members. McLaughlin's songwriting has definitely expanded this time, but there are parts that can appear over-the-top.”

Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite - ELVIS PRESLEY****

Also Sprach Zarathustra/See See Rider/Burning Love/Something/You Gave Me A Mountain/Steamroller Blues/ My Way/Love Me/Johnny B Goode/Its Over/Blue Suede Shoes/I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry/I Can't Stop Loving You/Hound Dog/What Now My Love/Fever/Welcome To My World/Suspicious Minds/I'll Remember You/Long Tall Sally-Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On/American Trilogy/A Big Hunk O' Love/Can't Help Falling In Love

Aloha From Hawaii was notable for being the first live concert broadcast worldwide by satellite. It captures Elvis in his prime performing songs from throughout his career and before the rot started to set in. (US:1 UK:11)

“There are many live albums by Elvis, but this is probably my favourite. The king is in fine voice and looked in perfect health as this concert was aired to a reported audience of over one billion people world-wide.”

“Even though his voice is starting to lose power, his confidence still feels high and his crack band guide him home with aplomb.”

“He sings well, though not at his best. This is big, gaudy, bombastic stuff. So the songs that lean most heavily on the surging orchestra behind him tend to work to the greatest effect. This is another fine live offering from a time when Elvis still had it. It's long, covers a lot of different types of songs, and walks right up to the line in terms of its kitsch factor. It's a good album to listen to just about any time.”

“In many ways this concert and the subsequent soundtrack album release would be Elvis’ last grand hurrah. There would still be excellent songs and good live performances but a deterioration would begin to set in which would continue for the next four years. He looked good, performed well and sang superbly. He surrounded himself with his usual crack band, a full orchestra and two backup groups of singers. The resulting album remains one of the greatest live documents in music history.”

“Putting rock ‘n' roll numbers beside easy listening schmaltz, reflects an era where Elvis began to lose touch with the magic that made him who he was, it’s that same magic that saves this from descending into something awful, his majestic American Trilogy one of music's most serene proudest moments.”

“This is important as a remembrance of a worldwide event - the first show to be broadcast live via satellite. This was phenomenal at that time, to know people were watching the same concert all over the world. My Way and American Trilogy stand out the most for performance quality, but I can see now that Elvis was starting to wear out.”

Blueprint - RORY GALLAGHER****

Walk On Hot Coals/Daughter Of The Everglades/Banker's Blues/Hands Off/Race The Breeze/The Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son/Unmilitary Two Step/If I Had A Reason

Following personnel changes to his backing band Rory Gallagher released Blueprint his most commercially successful album. It contains rather less blues but more rock than previously plus a soft ballad. (US:147 UK:12)

“Rory does a really good job once again. He changes drummer and brings in a keyboard player and his band sound better and brighter than ever as a result. The interplay between him and the keyboard player is particularly impressive, at times Rory steps back completely and lets him take the spotlight.”

“Rory shows his range on this album. It is mostly blues but he throws in some hard rock and a soft ballad and alongside there is that great guitar. This is a good album but better stuff is coming.”

“A very diverse blues rock set here, from hard rock to soft ballads. Pretty slickly produced, yielding a fairly commercial sound overall. Reasonably consistent too, though probably not his strongest release of this period.”

“Fans of Rory Gallagher will still get enough of the good stuff on this his third studio release. That unmistakable guitar tone and warm voice are still present and accounted for. And enough of the songs retain a little bit of what made the first two post-Taste records keepers. Meaning, Gallagher knows enough to let his axe do most of the talking. But in trying for a fuller overall sound (more piano) a lot of the raw blues feeling, found especially on the self-titled solo debut, has leached away.”

“As great as Rory is as a blues player, he's not even half of that as a rock player. Because this is more of the latter, Blueprint is for the most part bland and uninteresting, both musically and lyrically. On the other hand, when the album is good, it is really good. Banker's Blues being a model example of that, it's a slow acoustic blues tune with piano and harmonica thrown in the mix. The acoustic slide guitar solo on this is one of the high points of the whole album.”

“Rory Gallagher is in top form here. Mind you, it is rare that he isn't. This is the album that started my interest in this artist. From the blistering opener of Walk On Hot Coals, through to If I Had A Reason the whole album displays the breadth and heart Rory was known for.”

Bursting At The Seams - STRAWBS*****

Flying/Lady Fuschia/Stormy Down/The River/Down By The Sea/Part Of The Union/Tears & Pavan/The Winter & The Summer/Lay Down/Thank You

With Bursting At The Seams the folk-rock group Strawbs reached their pinnacle of success both creatively and commercially. Features the big UK hits Lay Down and the subversive Part Of The Union. (US:121 UK:2)

“This record is a real treasure box, bursting at the seams with musical gems. In spite of a few personal changes, Dave Cousins remains the leader, sparkling in the band with lead vocals, acoustic guitars and banjo. He offers us some of his greatest tunes and the album, thanks to him, has a great variety of styles.”

“Another strong album from the Strawbs, showing the full range of their sound from prog workouts to folky, medieval-tinged pieces and all conceivable mixtures in between.”

“Capitalizing on the newfound popularity of their previous release, the band adopted a strongly commercial orientation on this one. It would still be somewhat accurate to say this is folk/prog driven, but the material is decidedly more pop in nature.”

“Strawbs abandoned the long and symphonic flavoured pieces of Grave New World for a more rural, poppier sound with emphasis on acoustic guitars and piano/keyboards, strong British folk flavours and melodic tunes without much of an adventurous spirit. Of course the songwriting is pretty efficient as always and the arrangements are sophisticated with some soft electric guitars, light organ and even orchestral colours surrounding the acoustic moves.”

“One undeniable part of the Strawbs' magic was the diversity of their sonic palette. A rich array of electric and acoustic guitars can be heard throughout, along with mandolin, sitar and keyboards well woven into the bands' tapestry.”

“A combination of folk and progressive rock like all Strawbs records, but somehow the inspiration never flags from start to finish. The combination of David Cousins' poetry with his own voice is always mesmerizing. I can only describe this record as inspired and uniquely beautiful.”

“A fine album that gets even better with the years. Very atmospheric blending of various musical styles, from folk through orchestrated to rocking guitars.”

Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory - TRAFFIC***

Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory/Roll Right Stones/Evening Blues/Tragic Magic/(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired

Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory was yet another disappointing album. Traffic started off as an excellent progressive rock band but after the departure of Dave Mason they descended into tedious jazz-rock noodling. (US:6)

“Comparatively weak songwriting, coupled with a seeming lack of effort in performance, yields an album that might have been better using the final cut as its title track. Basically, this is jazz flavoured semi-commercial rock with extended instrumental breaks in abundance, which feature wah-wah guitar, violin and sax, but the near constant use of bongos is an unwelcome addition and detracts from the material overall. This sounds like the end is near for Traffic.”

“Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory is a classic piece of British early seventies prog rock. Particularly the epic Roll Right Stones and the opening title track. The other three tracks are not far behind but the overall feeling is of a band treading water. It's good, but you just know that they were capable of better and that tarnishes it just a little.”

“Not a radio friendly release, but still a fine listen. This was a more jazz sounding Traffic, with lots of fine instrumental passages. Give a listen to Roll Right Stones, an underappreciated jam classic.”

“Sometimes I feel so uninspired when having to review a dull and boring album, especially when these guys have done such good work. Bringing in extra cannon fodder doesn't help either.”

“I think this is one of Traffic's weaker releases. It seems that Steve Winwood (who composed most of the tunes) and Jim Capaldi (who wrote the often preachy and sentimental lyrics) are just running out of ideas.”

“Steve Winwood's immense talents are again wasted on jazz-fusion noodling. Evening Blue is a nice folk-rock number, and the album as a whole has a rock edge to it, but Traffic are still clearly running out of steam. To make matters worse, the album closes with Uninspired, a clichéd anthem with lyrics that read like a hippie's calling card, with a musical accompaniment that takes a back seat to the words. Come to think of it, this song could have provided the title for the entire album.”

Who Do We Think We Are - DEEP PURPLE****

Woman From Tokyo/Mary Long/Super Trouper/Smooth Dancer/Rat Bat Blue/Place In Line/Our Lady

Who Do We Think We Are was the final Deep Purple album featuring the classic Mark 2 line-up. The rather defensive title might be regarded as incongruous for a hard rocking band. (US:15 UK:4)

“Unfairly dismissed on release for not living up to the previous four albums, this LP shows a band on the verge of mutiny with one another. Regardless of the strife contained within, there are still some pretty hard rockers here that any band without the legendary status of Deep Purple would have been glad to record.”

“The only reason I can think of, that led this album to appear a relative failure, both, in sales and artistically is the title. How can you expect success with the self-doubting 'who do we think we are?. In the world of heavy-metal, there's no room for this type of confessions, and self-mockery isn't received too well by fans either.”

“It lacks a truly great song and isn't as musically ambitious as the albums that came before. Still some nice playing here though, even second tier Deep Purple is still pretty good.”

“Who Do We Think We Are is clearly a step down from the previous albums. The vocals are not as dynamic as they used to be and the inspiration is missing in several tracks, which is a real disappointment.”

The follow up to Machine Head has the same five musicians yet it is a huge let down. Smooth Dancer is sweet Purple; Woman From Tokyo is fine but just reworks the Smoke On The Water riff. The sound on this record is great, but the song-writing is not.”

“This album is often lightly regarded when compared to previous releases, and perhaps deservedly so. Yet it is still the classic line-up of Deep Purple and that means you can be sure it will be a good album. Woman From Tokyo, the opener and highlight, is one of the best songs they ever did. The other songs will reward repeated listening by committed Deep Purple fans.”

“Somehow, all the songs here sound like straight-ahead rock. A band like Deep Purple simply couldn't coast off mundane rock songs; they needed real fireworks and emotion to stand out from the crowd.”

The Six Wives Of Henry VIII - RICK WAKEMAN***

Catherine Of Aragon/Anne Of Cleves/Catherine Howard/Jane Seymour/Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr

Debut solo album from Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Whilst the concept is certainly original, only one of the individual tracks representing each of Henry’s wives stands out as particularly distinctive. (US:30 UK:7)

“The album does show some serious cracks in its polished image. Although it does include some nice melodic themes, the keyboard arrangements and especially the extravagant effort to include as many different keyboard effects and sound layers sounds pretty naïve today, if not ridiculous at the most excessive moments. Rhythmically the whole album is very straightforward and holds no surprises or innovation. The whole affair could be describes as baroque or simply pompous, to be honest.”

“The Six Wives Of Henry VIII is the first solo album by Yes keyboard player Rick Wakeman. It is all instrumental and it's a highly keyboard/synthesiser/organ driven symphonic progressive rock disc. These six songs are all very good and enjoyable. If you are into prog with lots of keyboard this album is a must-have as Wakeman is one of the best keyboardists in the history of popular music and he does a wonderful job on this record.”

“An instrumental concept album of sorts, The Six Wives Of Henry VIII aims to describe each of the monarch’s wives through different keyboard sounds and musical arrangements. It's an interesting idea that hadn't really been attempted before, and although one can easily dismiss it as pretentious, I think Wakeman's attempt to bring this story to music is fascinating. It also doesn't hurt that the compositions here are among the keyboard maestro's finest, and the end result is an album that still sounds fresh today.”

“Made at a time when he considered that his own creative contributions were being sidelined in Yes, this album gave Rick an outlet for his own compositions which he couldn't provide in his band work at the time. It's pleasant enough listening, though to be honest I don't think it's the amazing masterpiece it's often proclaimed to be.”

“The concept is interesting enough: sound portraits of Henry VIII's six wives brought together in a marriage of classical and rock. However, it takes more than a talent on the keyboards to create a cohesive and interesting composition, and far too often Wakeman noodles rather than creates.”

Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player - ELTON JOHN*****

Daniel/Teacher I Need You/Elderberry Wine/Blues For My Baby & Me/Midnight Creeper/Have Mercy On The Criminal/I'm Going To Be A Teenage Idol/Texan Love Song/Crocodile Rock/High Flying Bird

With Don’t Shoot Me Elton John amazingly managed to maintain the high quality of his songwriting despite releasing albums in quick succession. Includes the US and UK top 5 hits Daniel and Crocodile Rock. (US:1 UK:1)

“Don’t Shoot Me builds on the musical foundation laid down on Honky Chateau. It continues his move in a pop/rock direction and away from his early work which primarily presented him as a piano-based balladeer and crooner. The album features some of the best lyrical imagery of Bernie Taupin’s career. Many of the songs create pictures in your mind that stay with you. There is also an innocence about it which adds to its overall charm.”

“Crocodile Rock is perhaps the most famous song here, but in my opinion it is not the best number. The opener Daniel, and the majestic and bluesy Have Mercy On The Criminal, which is truly a beautiful and a massive cut, are the best songs here. The rest are pretty fantastic too and I like every single song.”

“It starts off unusually with the low-key mood piece Daniel, which Elton intuitively and bravely issued as a single, before we're taken in hand by a plethora of songs, mostly upbeat, often injected with humour, played, sung and produced with panache, before we're ushered out with a high-class traditional Elton ballad High Flying Bird.”

“For me this is his best record up to this point, it just feels like Elton got the balance right here and incorporated everything he'd tried thus far into the record, and where it began to feel less forced. His natural sense for melody and strong arrangements combine perfectly with the pretty balladry, country-rock, glam-rock, 50s pop and soulful R & B that he clearly loves.”

“Young Elton at his zenith with the three songs that open the album among the greatest songs he ever recorded: Daniel (a classic, of course), Teacher I Need You (little known but fantastic) and Elderberry Wine, one of Elton's most underrated gems In addition, Crocodile Rock is as good as it was all those years ago. It's still impossible to listen to this album and not have a smile on your face and feel happy. Elton and Bernie produced some of the great songs of the 70s and many of them are on this record.”

Heartbreaker - FREE****

Wishing Well/Come Together In The Morning/Travellin' In Style/Heartbreaker/Muddy Water/Common Mortal Man/ Easy On My Soul/Seven Angels

Heartbreaker was the final album from the respected blues-rock band Free and they go out in style. Their demise was particularly regrettable as the successor group Bad Company was a poor substitute. Includes the UK No.7 hit Wishing Well. (US:47 UK:9)

“The Heartbreaker LP was Free's swan song, as the legendary English group went out in style. It is a solid recording of blues-based tracks, that trip back to the early days of the group. Over a relatively short time this proud English group delivered the goods, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the greats from the British blues-rock movement.”

“Ironically, given the band's fractured and insecure state, they produced their strongest album at their demise. A stunningly good collection of songs and arrangements, many fleshed out with the welcome addition of the Hammond organ, which gave their sound a fuller and richer quality.” “It was their swansong and a fitting end to a great band. There are no filler tracks here and in some places it just lifts you to heights you didn't think music could take you. Wishing Well is probably one of the great rock tracks of all time.”

“The album has its fair share of bluesy rockers but it is the slower, more soulful numbers that really make this special. The vocals of Paul Rogers are at times quite stunning in the emotion they are able to convey, and on Come Together In The Morning he and guitarist Paul Kossoff are captured at an absolute peak. Paul Rodgers also pens all the other tunes on the disc and has never written a better bunch of songs.”

“Heartbreaker finds a young band stepping into maturity to defy the process of disintegration. Whatever was happening to them at the time, Free turned out one of the best and most enduring recordings. Though Bad Company would rock harder and sell many more records, they never came close to the sublime majesty of this.”

“Wishing Well is a perfectly formed rock single, but what follows it is also largely magnificent. There's nothing exceptional about the songwriting in Come Together, but the performance is one of the supreme moments in recording history; where on earth did Paul Kossoff find those guitar solos? They really are not of this world.”

Second Album - ROY BUCHANAN***

Filthy Teddy/After Hours/Five String Blues/Thank You Lord/Treat Her Right/I Won't Tell You No Lies/Tribute To Elmore James/She Once Lived Here

Second Album was the uninspired title for blues-rock guitarist Roy Buchanan’s quick follow up release. It is mostly instrumental and includes some funk, country and Middle Eastern influences.

“Second Album finds Buchanan relying solely on his most profound musical idiom: electric blues guitar, that is both traditional and thoroughly innovative within the genre’s boundaries. Buchanan could incorporate funk, country, and even mid-eastern influences into his play without ever leaving the blues, still sounding like a pub rocker.”

“Amazing blues-rock album with fabulous guitar work. Roy Buchanan's nickname is ‘The World's Best Unknown Guitarist’ and I can truly understand why. He has amazing skill but he is not so well known. This album includes some magical songs. Slow blues jamming and blues-rockers which work so fine. The album is mostly instrumental but there are some vocals too.”

“When it comes to sorting out guitar players, Roy Buchanan was near the front of the line for bluesman. He does not simply run up and down scales, but makes up for his lack of voice by letting the guitar do the singing.”

“Excellent blues guitar played in Roy Buchanan's very own style. It’s got some very deep, moody numbers, just the short playtime is a little bit disappointing, but the whole music is pure wonderful blues.”

“The guitar of Roy Buchanan is very clear and clean and even some subtlety that may be lacking a bit on the first side. Thanks goodness there is very accomplished accompaniment on piano and organ. There are times when this record does seem a little one dimensional as it is so dominated by the guitar of Roy Buchanan.”

“Overall this is a fantastic album, easily equal to, perhaps even stronger than his debut. It emphasizes instrumentals primarily, and one of the most important elements of his guitar playing technique. Roy Buchanan plays with an enormous level of feeling, making a lot of use out of tension and crying sustains. But the quality of his tone means that he is also one of the cleanest players in what I'd refer to as the blues-rock/power blues genre of music.”

GP - GRAM PARSONS***

Still Feeling Blue/We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning/A Song For You/Streets Of Baltimore/She/That's All It Took/The New Soft Shoe/Kiss The Children/Cry One More Time/How Much I've Lied/Big Mouth Blues

Gram Parsons is sometimes credited with creating country-rock and during his time with The Byrds he certainly took the group in a country direction. On his solo debut album GP he duets with Emmylou Harris, who would soon pursue her own successful country music career.

“Not every song is a gem but the ensemble playing is tasteful enough to carry the weaker moments and Parsons emotional delivery is irresistible throughout. What's more, the album is beautifully produced and although the vocal is up-front on every song, the instrumental breaks are well thought out and executed to perfection.”

“Rather than crediting Gram Parsons with creating country rock, I'd rather just praise this record as being a most agreeable blend of pop, rock, and country, tied together with heavenly backup vocals from Emmylou Harris. I especially love the song She, and hold it as one of the most beautiful love songs ever penned.”

“Parsons found a musical soul mate in Emmylou Harris and it is her angelic voice that really lifts this album. Her duet with Parsons on the cheating song We’ll Sweep Out The Ashes expresses the vulnerability of such a fragile relationship. I caught myself yearning for her harmonies and wishing there were more examples here.”

“Yes, the songs are simple and sometimes Gram can't hit perfect. But the band is hot, the stories are direct and compelling, and the entire album, with all its twists and turns, is cohesive, danceable and often beautiful.”

“It is most definitely a grower of an album, but once it gets its hooks into you, you'll want to listen to it more and more. The musicianship is unbelievable and the harmonies are some of the best I've heard.”

“One can't be sure exactly what Parsons is writing about, but the lyrics pack an emotional punch far beyond their literal meaning. The duet singing of Gram with a very young Emmylou Harris could bring tears to the eyes of a statue. Gram worked in the country rock genre, but his aim was to weave American myths and dreams into songs. He succeeded. These are songs that get under your skin and stay there.”

“On this album, Parsons veers from country rock to something closer to the mainstream country music of the day. He brought in some musicians with real country experience, and Emmylou Harris as a duet singer.”

Roadmaster - GENE CLARK***

She's The Kind Of Girl/One In A Hundred/Here Tonight/Full Circle Song/In A Misty Morning/Rough & Rocky/ Roadmaster/I Really Don't Want To Know/I Remember The Railroad/She Don't Care About Time/Shooting Star

The solo album Roadmaster from founder member of The Byrds Gene Clark combined various recording sessions and features a number of musical styles. It includes two tracks with the original line-up of The Byrds.

“A wondrous piece of top notch jangly country rock with an authentic early 70s vibe. It goes without saying that Clark was seriously at the top of his game here, playing, writing and singing.”

“My favourite solo album of his, very mellow, beautiful and sad with some pretty harmonies. I see some reviewers criticizes this for being for a compilation of second degree tracks, but it really doesn't sound that way. Probably it's the strength of the songs and the great backing musicians, very country sounding.”

“As a hodgepodge of various recording sessions, this doesn't quite hang together as a cohesive album though it's good nonetheless.” “There's such a melancholy in these songs, a lot of this brings tears to my eyes whenever I hear it. And then of course there's that wonderful voice.”

“Needless to say, the entire album is Gene Clark in his prime, once again ahead of his time with a soulful mix of country, folk and rock sounds. Songs from this LP such as Here Tonight and In A Misty Morning have become underground classics, while the two Byrds tunes are considered by many to be the best reunion work the original group ever did.”

“Listening to this disc, it's hard to believe these are a group of outtakes. The songs, overall, are strong and some of Clark's best. The original members of The Byrds backed him on two songs, while assorted members of the Flying Burrito Brothers backed him on several others.”

“When it comes to Gene Clark's music, you know just what magical, stellar songwriting and performing he was capable of. Listening to Roadmaster, which is a collection of partially finished takes and outtakes rather than a complete, whole album, it's hard not to be disappointed and wonder why the album doesn't quite have the magic of his others. Regardless, it's still Gene Clark, which means it's worthwhile if you're willing to give it your attention and a chance.”

Holland - THE BEACH BOYS****

Sail On Sailor/Steamboat/California Saga-Big Sun/California Saga-The Beaks Of Eagles/California Saga-California/Trader/Leaving This Town/Only With You/Funky Pretty

Holland was the final Beach Boys album from the group’s most creative period. After this they released little of merit, although they continued as a live act performing their many great hits. (US:36 UK:20)

“All members contribute and, for many of them, they are among their best. A tasteful, robust production and the return of their fantastic harmonies blend seamlessly over a progressive sound and quality songs. It is probably their most focused, confident work since the mid-60s. Brian is once again limited in his presence, but his two tracks are very effective as usual.”

“This is their last album that is worth checking out. It starts out very strongly with the hit, Sail On Sailor. Steamboat continues with some modernized rock sounds which leads into the three part California Saga that is half successful, and which could do without the poetry reading in the middle. The second side continues with nothing particularly revolutionary but they are listenable and well arranged. Funky Pretty is grittier than anything else in the Wilson catalogue, and with its funny lyrics about astrology, one of the lost gems of their catalogue. After this album of simple pleasures, The Beach Boys became an oldies act.”

“Generally regarded as the last great Beach Boys album. Recorded in the Netherlands, Brian Wilson isn't there full time, but Carl and Dennis Wilson come up with some of the album's best songs. The single Sail On Sailor opens the album, and is certainly one of the best latter day Beach Boys songs.”

“There was a short period in the early 1970s when I thought the Beach Boys weren't hip enough. Then I listened to them again and the harmony hooked me again like little other music does.”

“Holland was the uncharacteristically funky, gospel-infused, and even politically aware album that emerged from The Beach Boys' collaboration with two fine South African musicians. Not just for traditional Beach Boys fans.”

“Not easy to get into, but a quite pleasurable ride. The production is fantastic, with the sound being smooth enough to complement the lyrics. California Saga is the high point.”

Piledriver - STATUS QUO****

Don't Waste My Time/Oh Baby/A Year/Unspoken Words/Big Fat Mama/Paper Plane/All The Reasons/Roadhouse Blues

With the release of Piledriver Status Quo put aside their years in the doldrums trying to shake off their original bubblegum pop image. After this commercial breakthrough they would enjoy a decade of success with their trademark driving boogie blues-rock. Includes the UK No. 8 hit Paper Plane. (UK:5)

“Aptly named, Piledriver is a guitar onslaught of heavy blues-rock that just plain rocks. If you can listen to this music and not tap your toes you just don't like rock and roll. This is what rock and roll is meant to sound like.”

“The no-frills cover shot of the heads down Status Quo frontline on Piledriver tells the story via the show-of-force image and the big, bold group logo in bright red. With no-holds-barred aggression, the major label debut from the boys in blue is a steamrollin' onslaught of early seventies three chord boogie.”

“This first release after their departure to the Vertigo label marks a move toward a more formulaic style. It is substantially more consistent, but unfortunately, much less interesting to my ears. The tracks appear to be the work of a cookie cutter, with less inspiration on the song writing front.”

“Heavy rock was just hitting its stride in the mid 1970s, and Quo abandoned their lightweight, twangy pop, bought distortion pedals and let rip. And what songs - Paper Plane, Big Fat Mama and Don't Waste My Time are pedigree up-tempo rockers that really satisfy . Even the ballads are bluesy and highly listenable. Power-boogie has never been as good as this.”

“Every song is a gem; this is an album that you play over and over again with the volume cranked to max. Don't Waste My Time simply pounds into every bone of your body and sends indescribable waves down your spine, and Oh Baby continues that pleasant torture. These two rockers are followed by the blues - slower but simply ear catching only to take you off guard when Big Fat Mama slams into your ear drums. Then the finale: the tribute to Jim Morrison, Roadhouse Blues has me hopping and singing along in no time.”

“The album cover features the band in front of the drum kit onstage just hammering away on the guitars and head-banging away; and that's what this album is all about.”

Greetings From Asbury Park - BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN***

Blinded By The Light/Growin' Up/Mary Queen Of Arkansas/Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street/Lost In The Flood/The Angel/For You/Spirit In The Night/Its Hard To Be A Saint In The City

Greetings From Asbury Park was the debut album from Bruce Springsteen who would become the leading exponent of blue collar rock in the USA during the 1970s. (US:60)

“At this early point in his career, Springsteen had the mantle of a sort of working class Bob Dylan, rich strings of verbal imagery painting only slightly surreal portraits of youthful ennui and growth, ranging from the grim and world-weary to the starry-eyed and naive. The songs are frequently rambling and blissfully incoherent.”

“The Boss hits the ground running with Greetings From Asbury Park, and while he would certainly improve on it with time, this is nevertheless an accomplished and exciting album. Springsteen's appeal is best represented in the unabashedly romantic and nostalgic songs that should be ridiculous, but are rendered sublime by his cool conviction and go-for-broke delivery.”

“There's a feeling of looseness and fun running through this album that just doesn't show up as consistently on other Springsteen albums. I think that's because he hadn't yet become The Boss, but rather was just a working class style musician trying to put out the best album he could. It's a fine first crack, and there's a unique quality about this that set Springsteen apart from the beginning.”

“At the time Springsteen wasn't yet the troubadour of the working class he would become a few years down the line. Asbury's dense lyrics dealt with growing up, dreams of making it in music and city life. The colourful characters Springsteen portrays he met on the Jersey Shore and were often highly romanticized.”

“Some outstanding material but also some serious flaws; a number of these tracks are much too wordy and the arrangements sometimes don't seem to click with the songs. Otherwise Bruce's voice has never been better.”

“Kernels of Bruce's signature style haven't quite gelled yet on his debut; he's more in love with how he says things than what he's saying.”

Made In Japan - DEEP PURPLE****

Highway Star/Child In Time/Smoke On The Water/The Mule/Strange Kind Of Woman/Lazy/Space Truckin'

Made In Japan was a double live album from the celebrated hard rock group Deep Purple, recorded in August 1972 at Tokyo and Osaka. These stretched out versions of some of their best songs are noted for the improvisational skills of each group member. (US:6 UK:16)

“Deep Purple were once the loudest rock band on the planet, and If ever a band's essence was encapsulated on a single album, that recording would certainly be Made In Japan. Nearly every cut on this live album is better than the studio versions; in fact, this is so good that if you own this you don't really need another Deep Purple album.”

“Deep Purple at their metallic finest burning through a set of utter classics. That's why Made In Japan is simply one of the greatest live albums of all time. There's not one wasted note or musical misstep. Purple grab you, pull you in and take your ears on the ride of their lives.”

“Made In Japan is still considered as one of the best live albums of all time, that shows what Deep Purple were all about. The improvisations the band did on stage are second to none.”

“This is the only live document of Mark 2 Deep Purple you'll ever need. The superb improvisational skills of each member are constantly on display; these long sprawling jams travel at breakneck speed. I can't begin to describe how enjoyable this record is. Sure, these songs are incredibly long but excess was what hard rock in the 1970s was all about. Each band member shines here.”

“British rock legends Deep Purple, in their second incarnation called Mk II, were one of the definitive bands of all time and this live recording captures them at their absolute peak form, resulting in an iconic album which is an integral part of the pantheon of live rock albums. Between them they shared a rare ability to write incredible catchy riffs that stuck with the listener forever and some of the most beautiful rock melodies ever composed.”

Really - J J CALE***

Lies/Everything Will Be Alright/I'll Kiss The World Goodbye/Changes/Right Down Here/If You're Ever In Oklahoma/Ridin' Home/Going Down/Soulin'/Playing In The Street/Mo Jo/Louisiana Women

Really was the follow up album from guitarist J J Cale. He was noted for his laid back style and as an exponent of the Tulsa sound, an amalgam of blues, rock, country and jazz. (US:92)

“Not quite the same quality of songs as the debut but another stunningly relaxed set of warm sounds. Lies is just great and the run from the instrumental I'll Kiss The World Goodbye to the country hoedown If You're Ever In Oklahoma is just wonderful. There's a real addictive quality to his music.”

“Like a lot of J J Cale albums this one passed without a lot of fanfare. His albums usually have at least a few great songs, but every one on this album is mediocre, with a few being notably poor.”

“His music is very warm, like a summer night with the sounds of crickets and fireflies filling the air. His groove is infectious to say the least, very casual and easy to dig. You will find nothing pretentious or overbearing, just some of the smoothest, cleanest, thoughtful, toe tapping music you will ever hear.”

“Several effervescent prime cuts from J.J.Cale, such as Ridin' Home and I'll Kiss The World Goodbye, mixed in with a couple of mediocre ones. The record is short, but it is always full value for the spin.”

“This is a good, solid J.J. Cale album. In other words, it sticks pretty close to his formula of laid back blues guitar, and even more laid back vocals that simmer nicely, but never boil. Cale was never a big believer in long guitar solos. He had the good sense to get in, do his thing, and get out, so a Cale song rarely lasts more than three minutes.”

“Cale is as laid-back as always, but also funky and jazzy with a unique sound only to be heard on this album. I like the piano and of course the guitar is just right. It is one of the best of Cale albums you can get.”

“Very down to earth music that was vastly underappreciated or virtually unknown by the mainstream masses. Pick this one up; these early releases displayed a developed musician who was totally into his own thing.”

Lion's Share - SAVOY BROWN***

Shot In The Head/Second Try/The Saddest Feeling/I Can't Find You/Howling For My Darling/So Tired/Denim Demon/Love Me Please/Hate To See You Go

The British blues-rock band Savoy Brown were known for their regular personnel changes and for being more appreciated in the USA than back home. Lion’s Share is a mixture of covers and original compositions. (US:151)

“This one is probably the most solid of the three LP's released with this new line-up. But though it marks a modest return to their brand of boogie blues, here their material sounds comparatively tired and uninspired. Somehow, they still manage to include at least one solid track, which is just enough to continue my interest until their next release.”

“Lion's Share was in many ways the pinnacle of their style of bluesy-boogie music. From energetic rockers to blues ballads, the album has it all. Savoy Brown were never the same again, as the constant personnel changes crippled all forward movement.”

“Although this is a relatively unknown effort it is one of the band's best from the 1970s. Hard rocking songs like the opening Shot In The Head and a strong cover of Howlin' Wolf's Howlin’ For My Darlin' set a hard rock tone. Quieter and more reflective bluesy numbers like Love Me Please round out another very solid if ignored effort from the band. Kim Simmonds is in fine form and remains one of the great blues guitarists of all times.”

“This is a great, overlooked Savoy Brown album with some top notch tunes. It’s got a nice combination of blues and rock with Kim Simmonds cranking out some excellent slide guitar.”

“The songs played on Lion's Share are a nice melting pot of covers and original compositions as usual, with even an admirable attempt at writing a fun Chuck Berry style rocker Denim Demon. The three Simmonds tunes here are a safe bet as usual, with Second Try in particular being a steadfast highlight, with some fine fretwork thrown over a dreary blues shuffle. The keyboard heavy So Tired busts the second side wide open with a disjointed ramble on the rigors of touring. Later on, the femme fatale ballad Love Me Please slithers along at a midnight creeper's pace, but agreeably so.”

Earthspan - THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND***

My Father Was A Lighthouse Keeper/Antoine/Restless Night/Sunday Song/Black Jack David/Banks Of Sweet Italy/The Actor/Moon Hang Low/Sailor & The Dancer/Seagull

Earthspan was the first Incredible String Band album, apart from their debut, not to chart. Their waning popularity might account for this attempt at a more mainstream sound that attracted mixed reviews.

“The songs and vocals just aren't that good. I hear something neat buried in the esoteric, progressive folk quirkiness of these tracks, so the jury is still out on this.”

“There are so many flaws with this album, but as a whole it’s an idiosyncratic one that sees the band trying to do something normal and mainstream, and though they largely succeed there's still something ever so slightly odd about it.”

“This album is just killer. It is not the mystical eccentric pastoral folk The ISB is best known for. There are some complex, gripping and very moving songs on this album. Side one is one of the best, Sunday Song is especially remarkable; sometimes I can't believe its only seven minutes long as it can feel like you've spent a whole lifetime in the song.”

“Earthspan is the musical equivalent of a caged animal. It exists estranged from its true purpose, resigned to being a shadow of what it might be. Though still beautiful in its own way, its spirit is utterly broken.”

“Earthspan was the group's attempt at going mainstream, and the album's lead track My Father Was A Lighthouse Keeper is enjoyable, uneventful folk-rock that almost succeeded in redefining their sound towards that which would foster top 40 success. In attempting to become more radio-friendly, the group was rendered flat and lifeless.”

“This album found the Incredibles in one of their many transitional phases - not yet the full-blooded rock band of Hard Rope, no longer the whimsical hippy minstrels of Hangman's, this was a band with an identity crisis. They gamely tried out different musical styles, Robin's jazzy excursions here are only partly successful, Mike's Antoine is powerful but essentially melodramatic whilst Sunday Song is strangely affecting but does takes some getting into. Sailor & The Dancer is one of the more enjoyable tracks in an eclectic collection. Still great because it is the Incredibles, but not essential.”

More Hot Rocks - THE ROLLING STONES*****

Tell Me/Not Fade Away/The Last Time/It's All Over Now/Good Times Bad Times/I'm Free/Out Of Time/Lady Jane/Sittin' On A Fence/Have You Seen Your Mother Baby/Dandelion/We Love You/She's A Rainbow/2000 Light Years From Home/Child Of The Moon/No Expectations/Let It Bleed/What To Do/Money/Come On/Fortune Teller/Poison Ivy/Bye Bye Johnnie/I Can't Be Satisfied/Long Long While

More Hot Rocks is a sequel to the Hot Rocks album released a year previously. As both are double albums, taken together they provide most fans with a broad collection of songs from The Rolling Stone’s most creative period. (US:9)

“When you're anthologizing the Rolling Stones, one of the first things you must accept is that you're doomed to failure. No one album can possibly tell the story of the band that's explored so many different musical avenues and recorded so many memorable songs. Still, the double-disc best of Hot Rocks, together with this sequel, come very close. This set wisely doesn't attempt to be comprehensive. Instead, it just picks out various gems from different points in the band's development.”

“More Hot Rocks had a few of the more popular songs. However the majority were older R & B covers before they became popular and wrote their own songs. If you want to complete your Rolling Stones library, you might enjoy this collection. I would have given it a pass if I had realized how few hit songs were on it.”

“This sequel to Hot Rocks is necessarily short of greatest hits, as these had been liberally spattered all over the earlier double album. Nonetheless it does sport half a dozen A-sides. Surprisingly, these include The Last Time and It's All Over Now which were both number one hits in the UK. However the collection was put together by the former US label, London, as it includes several selections that were singles in America but that were album tracks in the UK, such as I'm Free and Lady Jane.”

“More Hot Rocks is billed as more of the band's greatest hits, but it does not really live up to this as most of it is made up of minor hits, b-sides and album tracks. But it is still worth a listen.”

“It is very rare to find a greatest hits #2 compilation that works, but this one really does. The sequence is pure genius, including pop, blues, rock, psychedelic rock, soul, and the whole thing makes sense and its pure Rolling Stones music.”

“The Rolling Stones had so many classic tunes from the early 60s that another Hot Rocks addition was necessary. There are also numerous lesser known gems.”

The Divine Miss M - BETTE MIDLER***

Do You Want To Dance/Chapel Of Love/Superstar/Hello In There/Am I Blue/Friends/Daytime Hustler/Leader Of The Pack/Delta Dawn/Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy/Friends

The Divine Miss M was the debut album from the adult contemporary vocalist Bette Midler. It was an immediate success featuring mainly old standards, show tunes and torch songs. Includes the US top ten hit Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. (US:9)

“There is such manic energy on this album, everything is over-the-top, that perhaps this was tough act to follow. I have listened this again today and thought it really sounds like when guests leave your house and you fell on the sofa exhausted.”

“Bette Midler's first release aptly titled The Divine Miss M is one of the strongest debuts of the 70s. At a time when the whole world listened to female superstars like Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross, who were singing dull ballads in cheesy, Las Vegas style. Bette Midler appeared unexpectedly and won the hearts of audiences and critics with this classic album, showing that singing good old standards doesn't have to be boring and uninspired. In other words, Midler showed a more edgy, happier and brighter side to some well known songs.”

“She has a timeless style with wide appeal. Not strictly easy listening, but she is easy to listen to. This is one of her better albums.”

“Although most of these songs were made famous by other artists, once Midler gets hold of them she makes them her own. Delta Dawn becomes a mixture of pathos and unexpected sassiness, completely unlike any other version you've ever heard. “The often-recorded Am I Blue, a staple of every torch singer, suddenly belongs to Midler and her alone, and the Carpenter's version of Superstar seems almost dispassionate in comparison. She easily bests the Dixie Cups and the Shangri-Las, and even The Andrews Sisters are tossed about in the tide, with Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy both homage and reinterpretation.”

“Bette Midler's first studio recording is one of those rare, perfect treasures that ages like fine wine. A winning combo of classic pop, oldies re-imagined, and some wonderful kitsch and newer, ballads, this album just works. Friends appears twice, and is one of those wonderful feel-good bubbling pop songs that many of Bette's earliest fans will always associate with her, and her alone. It is hard to resist this terrific album; it puts a zesty smile on your face.”

I Am Woman - HELEN REDDY***

Peaceful/I Am Woman/This Masquerade/I Didn't Mean To Love You/Where Is My Friend/And I Love You So/ What Would They Say/Where Is The Love/Hit The Road Jack/The Last Blues Song

Before the release of I Am Woman Australian born vocalist Helen Reddy was relatively little known. The dynamic title track single was well timed as it became the anthem for the burgeoning feminist movement, which helped propel it to No.1 in the US singles chart. (US:14)

“The song choices are great and Helen is in fine voice, but the album is over-produced and it occurs to me that Helen's voice works best for a certain type of song. The combination doesn't quite work here; it's not a bad album but it doesn't stand out either.”

“Reddy's voice is like shower of spring rain: clear, warm and so refreshing. This album was famous for the title song and besides this there are some other fine pop covers and originals, all produced with that recognisable 1970s sound, and sung with grace by Reddy who has rarely sounded better than here.”

“A great collection of sophisticated adult contemporary tunes and sumptuous ballads, highlights by the feminist anthem I Am Woman with songs written by some of the best songwriters of the day.”

“The majority of the non single tracks are absolute gems by top notch songwriters of the time.”

“I Am Woman was the anthem for women in the '70s and a huge song. The album also has Peaceful which was a hit, and the cover And I Love You So. It would probably be a shorter list of singers that hadn't covered it. She also does a great version of Hit The Road Jack.”

“I Am Woman, provided the American breakthrough that Helen was looking for via its title track. Radio stations (run mostly by men) showed no interest in playing the single but Helen performed the song on a lot of TV shows and thereafter women kept requesting the song.”

“Nobody has done And I Love You So quite as beautifully as Helen Reddy. It was the right voice for the right song, with just the right accompaniment. Definitely worth the price of the album.”

Hot August Night - NEIL DIAMOND****

Prologue-Crunchy Granola Suite/Done Too Soon/Solitary Man/Cherry Cherry/Sweet Caroline/Porcupine Pie/ You're So Sweet/Red Red Wine/Soggy Pretzels/And The Grass Won't Pay No Mind/Shilo/Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon/Play Me/Canta Libre/Morningside/Sung Song Blue/Cracklin' Rosie/Holly Holy/I Am I Said/ Soolaimon-Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show

Hot August Night is a live double album recorded at the Greek Theatre, Los Angeles in August 1972. It was well timed as it covers his most creative period before his descent into MOR blandness. (US:5 UK:21)

“Neil was definitely at the top of his game at this time. He had only been making music professionally for more than half a decade but by 1972 he had penned his most important material. This is a live album worthy of standing among the most revered, and captures him at his most passionate in an ideal environment.”

“Hot August Night is the sound of a young Neil Diamond and his live rock ‘n’ roll band performing all the hits from the first part of his career that most of his fans seem to prefer.”

“What struck me is his simplistic but stunningly effective use of, in many cases, a handful of chords. These are great songs that have stood the test of time and even today get people up, dancing and singing. This album is a showcase of such songs.”

“I know it's not terribly cool to like Neil Diamond, but this is a fine album. It's over the top in places, but when he keeps things reasonably contained, there's just no doubting the man's talent, both as a singer and a songwriter.”

“Neil Diamond at his best. If you're a Diamond fan, you already know about this one. If you're not, check it out. I was never crazy about his studio stuff, but there's no denying his intensity and showmanship in a live scenario. The band is alive and rockin' throughout this two disc set.”

“There are too many highlights to list. If you are like a lot of people who think that Neil Diamond is just some middle-aged guy who bellows out sappy ballads and overly grandiose anthems while wearing really sparkly shirts, you've never heard this set, and you're about to have all your illusions shattered. It's that good.”

“The songs on this are a best of the best of early Neil Diamond music. Every one is a potential hit, and those that weren't should have been.”

For The Roses - JONI MITCHELL****

Banquet/Cold Blue Steel & Sweet Fire/Barangrill/Lesson In Survival/Let The Wind Carry Me/For The Roses/Let Me See You Sometime/Electricity/You Turn Me On I'm A Radio/Blonde In The Bleachers/Woman Of Heart & Mind/Judgement Of The Moon & Stars

For The Roses was a transitional album from singer songwriter Joni Mitchell in which she started to move away from her folk roots to introduce a jazz perspective into her sound. (US:11)

“Her most complex album, the melodies are rarely clear-cut, usually winding and diverging down unexpected paths and rarely settling on an easily hummable hook.”

“There are so many memorable touches that divulge themselves gradually, and will have you wondering how you didn't notice them instantly. Mitchell's habit of stretching the syllables of a word, or raising her voice to liltingly accent a point mid-verse; how songs that once seemed relatively tuneless now sound stacked with miniature melodies.”

“The music on this album was composed and recorded many decades ago, but I have to say that it's better and more beautiful than ever. Just like all great art, Joni Mitchell's work seems only to improve with age. If you're a Joni fan and you don't have this album, you don't know what you're missing. If you're not a Joni fan you rapidly will become one once you listen to this album.”

“In almost every way, it straddles the line between her earlier folk roots and her later dive into jazzy-pop, while never reaching the peaks that both eras achieved.”

“A transitional album, For The Roses is the last where she sings in her girlish upper register. After this she would use it as a sensual, languid alto jazz instrument.”

“This album is an example of her ability to subtly change styles and approaches, fusing jazz and blues to her traditional approach, resulting in a captivating and quite arresting collection.”

“This is Joni Mitchell in full bloom, a collection of mature songs that are a solid blend of her best qualities as a songwriter: unapologetic emotion and intellectual irony.”

“We see the first forays into jazzier areas. The songs here aren't entirely joyous, but the vocal swoops and harmonic guitar rhythms of Joni set a more reflective mood.”

No Secrets - CARLY SIMON***

The Right Thing To Do/The Carter Family/You're So Vain/His Friends Are More Than Fond Of Robin/We Have No Secrets/Embrace Me You Child/Waited So Long/It Was So Easy/Night Owl/When You Close Your Eyes

No Secrets was the major commercial breakthrough for singer songwriter Carly Simon. On the more introspective end of the spectrum, it is mostly rather bland. The exception is the US No. 1 and UK No. 3 You’re So Vain. (US:1 UK:3)

“She set a bad example for singer-songwriters. You're So Vain is good, but the rest of the record is introspective, yet superficial and bland.”

“Aside from two big hits, this is fairly saccharine singer-songwriter pap that really wishes it was Joni Mitchell's Blue but comes up far short of that rather lofty perch.”

“Carly Simon's No Secrets is an extraordinarily intimate confessional whose slick production values in no way insulates you from the secrets she offers up. This is the album featuring the brilliant You're So Vain, but it would be wrong to think that this pop-rock stab in the gut is the only reason for the album's success.”

“In No Secrets, she unleashes her classic hit. It's pretty much perfect and it has aged beautifully. With that rumble of a bassline which opens it to the edgy vocals and hot chorus. The rest do not touch that blistering pop tune, but it is still a solid album of literate and accessible soft rock, with glimpses of Carly's way with a melody.”

“Something about listening to this type of music really makes me feel fuzzy inside, even though it was mostly thirty years before my time. These songs remain timeless, ageless and completely enthralling despite their years. This is a classic 70s album and probably Carly Simon’s best known one. All the songs are pleasant, and sometimes poetic, rock/folk numbers.”

“Her first class vocals were pitched exactly between Carole King and Karen Carpenter. Arrangements are slick, formulaic AOR with slowish tempos, a big mistake also made by some other talented solo artists. With more exciting musicians and more urgency she was capable of cutting classic albums.”

“There is no other singer like Carly on the planet. She is truly unique and her material was so perfect for her voice and for the time period of the 70s. If only the music industry could have held steady with quality singers like her, instead of drifting into the shock value era, our culture would be better off today.”

Will The Circle Be Unbroken - THE NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND***

Grand Ole Opry Song/Keep On The Sunny Side/Nashville Blues/You Are My Flower/The Precious Jewel/Dark As A Dungeon/Tennessee Stud/Black Mountain Rag/The Wreck On The Highway/The End Of The World/I Saw The Light/Sunny Side Of The Mountain/Nine Pound Hammer/Losin' You (Might Be The Best Thing Yet)/Honky Tonkin'/You Don't Know My Mind/My Walkin' Shoes/Lonesome Fiddle Blues/Cannonball Rag/Avalanche/ Flint Hill Special/Togary Mountain/Earl's Breakdown/Orange Blossom Special/Wabash Cannonball/Lost Highway/Way Downtown/Down Yonder/Pins & Needles (In My Heart)Honky Tonk Blues/Sailin' On To Hawaii/I'm Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes/I Am A Pilgrim/Wildwood Flower/Soldier's Joy/Will The Circle Be Unbroken/Both Sides Now

Will The Circle Be Unbroken was a triple album from the country-rock Nitty Gritty Band. It features a collaboration between the band and some veteran country musicians of the past, and includes interludes of dialogue. (US:68)

“This genre was often dismissed as hillbilly music but the musicianship and the skill of these folks proves it is to be deserving of respect. The choice of material is most enjoyable and I am sure this record is responsible for converting a lot of young people to folk and country.”

“There are way too many instrumentals and dialogue interludes of the various old buzzards that comprise the musicians for these sessions, shooting the breeze about their farms or whatever. You’d get a fantastic album if it was whittled down to the songs that mix whimsy and sorrow to make traditional music so special.”

“An important document in interpreting early bluegrass and country music, and far beyond anything else the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has ever been involved in. The scope of this recording is staggering and the dialogue by great country musicians of the past is both hilarious and insightful. The musicianship alone is worth a listen. This is not merely a great album, it is essential from a musicology point of view.”

“When the Dirt Band were brought into the studio to record Circle, they were five long-haired guys playing progressive country-rock. A lot of the veteran country artists they were recording with were conservative classic-country performers, so there was an obvious musical and cultural gap. However, the Dirt Band eventually won their veteran artist counterparts over by showing that they could play classic country and bluegrass with anybody. The result is a timeless album that's full of tradition.”

“A beast of a record, playing at two hours. I came looking for bluegrass and it's here, but so too is country and there is too much singing. But it is raucous in places.”

They Only Come Out At Night - EDGAR WINTER GROUP***

Hangin' Around/When It Comes/Alta Mira/Free Ride/Undercover Man/Round & Round/Rock & Roll Boogie Woogie Blues/Autumn/We All Had A Real Good Time/Frankenstein

They Only Come Out At Night was the most commercially successful album from rock keyboardist Edgar Winter. Comprising a variety of styles it features the discordant instrumental US No. 1 hit Frankenstein. (US:3)

“Free Ride and Frankenstein are terrific cuts. One is good old fashion rock and roll and the other is a total freak-out.”

“While many of the songs seem simple in appearance, the instrumentation, the dynamics, and the full-blown singing of the more uptempo songs give a level of sophistication to every song, all staying unique from one another. Added to this, is the even more surprising fact that the two love songs, Round & Round and Autumn, are two of the most beautiful to come out of a rock album, let alone a hard-rock one.”

“Considered by most to be Edgar Winter's magnum opus, They Only Come Out At Night is certainly a 1970s rock classic by any standard. It has his most well known track Free Ride, and the 70s FM staple Frankenstein. But the wild soaring glory of Edgar Winter's White Trash is muted here, in favour of a more direct rock approach. But in-between the light-hearted kookiness of Alta Mira, and the heavy rock of When It Comes I find myself missing the worn-deep blues, soul, and gospel grooves of White Trash.”

“Edgar Winter throws it all against the wall on They Only Come Out At Night, and it sticks. Like the work of a mad scientist in the laboratory, Edgar slaved in the studio with a variety of styles that resulted in a hot collection of rockers, blues, funk, pop, a ballad and an intense instrumental that turned into a monster.”

“It really is a mixed-up collection. We All Had A Real Good Time is live blues, Alta Mira sounds bouncy, Frankenstein is a driving collection of sounds, Free Ride a more typical rock single, Hangin' Around has a dirty sax low in the mix and Round & Round has a country rock sound that The Eagles made an entire career of.”

“Edgar Winter surrounded himself with an all star band on this album, to create a nice mixture, with some southern, west coast, country, blues and prog-rock elements.”

Can't Buy A Thrill - STEELY DAN*****

Do It Again/Dirty Work/Kings/Midnite Cruiser/Only A Fool Would Say That/Reelin' In The Years/Fire In The Hole/Brooklyn(Owes The Charmer Under Me)Change Of The Guard/Turn That Heartbeat Over Again

Can’t Buy A Thrill was the brilliant debut album from the legendary jazz-rock group Steely Dan. In reality more rock than jazz they melded strong melodies with sometimes biting lyrics. Includes the big US hits Do It Again and Reelin’ In The Years. (US:17 UK:38)

“Steely Dan specialized in creating sharp, stinging little pop tunes, in cramming jazz, soul, and the hippest corners of Tin Pan Alley into songs about human stupidity, greed, self-righteousness, and hypocrisy. It was pure radio gold, because Walt and Don were clever enough to make the hooks bigger and fluffier as the lyrics got crueller and more snide.”

“Do It Again was the first song I heard from Steely Dan and it is still my favourite, with a haunting melody and an interesting electric sitar solo. Very good guitar, refined arrangements, nice harmonies and memorable melodies make this a very enjoyable album, one of the strongest debuts in rock history.”

“Reelin’ In The Years is one of the greatest classic rock songs. The guitar dazzles and bites with one of the most beautiful tones I’ve ever heard from the instrument. Do It Again is another classic, but this time completely different. It’s a smooth and jazzy performance that slinks around to get stuck in your head for days.”

“What a remarkable debut which includes the all-time classics Do It Again, with electrified sitar and psychedelic organ, and the relaxed Reelin' In The Years. The group presented a unique blend of west coast music, by adding some jazz attributes to their fine rock and pop melodies. A great album from start to finish.”

“Steely Dan are a unique jazz-rock combo who instead of blending hard-rock with cutting-edge jazz instead combine the conventions of smooth jazz and soft-rock, with their quirky, sardonic sense of humour and exceptional virtuosity, saving the mixture from becoming overly saccharine or cheesy. Their debut album takes this model and crafts it into beautiful, haunting, sarcastic pop classics.”

“It almost brings tears to my eyes when I hear how good this record is. Every single song is a gem. Amazing musicianship combines with pop hooks and heartfelt vocals to create a recording that you just never get tired of.”