VOX POP ALBUM GUIDE 1960-1979

Welcome to the Vox Pop Album Guide 1960-1979. With over 3400 album reviews this is the most comprehensive guide to 1960s and 1970s popular music ever, highlighting the musical achievements of this amazing period. The ambition of this music guide is to convey the genuine opinions of real people on the merits of notable UK and US music albums. Thus it contrasts with the outlook of many music industry pundits, who have too often pursued an agenda focussed more on promoting dubious cultural fashions or advancing short term commercial interests, rather than encouraging and nurturing musical excellence.

The guide aims to sort the wheat from the chaff. Each album is given a star rating influenced by the assessments and reviews. Qualities looked for to achieve the highest ratings are musicianship, musical structure and development, strong melody and harmony, distinctiveness, originality, creative arrangements and vocal ability. The more of these buttons that are pressed the higher the star rating achieved. Thus five star albums are regarded as outstanding, four star can be confidently recommended, three star are likely to appeal mostly to fans of the genre or artist, two star are considered to demonstrate limited musical quality, and the very few with just one star are deemed to have little or no musical value.

All US and UK top twenty albums from the period 1960-1973 are included, plus very many others selected for their individual contribution to the music scene of the era. Unfortunately, the level of creativity began to diminish from the mid 1970s onwards, and so the choice of albums to review from later years is necessarily more selective. It is clearly pointless and meaningless to review albums which are intrinsically worthless.

Each review contains an image of the LP cover, as it originally appeared when released. Also included is a list of individual tracks. A brief overview outlines the main features of interest of the album and details its chart placing and any hit singles included. The bulk of each entry is devoted to the comments of ordinary people on the qualities of the album. These views are given with style, sincerity, insight and conviction, and provide a uniquely valuable assessment and analysis of each album.

The albums are listed in rough chronological order of release, so the earliest posts are for 1960 and the latest for 1979.

Platinum – MIKE OLDFIELD***

Platinum/Woodhenge/Sally/Punkadiddle/I Got Rhythm

Multi instrumentalist Mike Oldfield confined himself to a single album with Platinum. Although critics appreciated the lengthy title track on side one, they were less enthusiastic about the shorter tracks on the second side. (UK:24)

“The four part Platinum instrumental piece is imaginative, fun, clever and a little different to his other work. Part one has a nice jaunty synth opening section which builds impressively. I also like the change in style and tempo with part three Charleston that is very clever. Part 4 brings it all to a dynamic conclusion.”

“The first side suite is tremendous, brilliant, amazing. The second side, not so much. It's pretty average, and brings the album experience down.”

“Platinum has a much more pop sound than Oldfield's previous albums and that is what holds it back. Also he left behind the one song style. Side A has four tracks that make one long song, but Side B is just four different tracks that aren’t that great.”

“Platinum is one of Oldfield's strongest works and is more rock-oriented than his earlier records. It has a lot of synth stuff as well, instead of the strong Celtic influences. This record, unlike most of his LP's is not entirely written by him. The first side, a typical Oldfield whole-side-length suite, is one of his best, with four distinctive parts that form a very consistent entirety. It has a healthy amount of prog, driven by his instantly recognizable guitar sound. At some parts, the album sounds playful and downright funny, and side two has some nice lead vocals too.”

“The first of albums where Mike explores music beyond the earthier instruments, and employs music both from older jazz and newer music in the years in the disco era blending them into his own wonderful brand of instrumental music. Ever present is Mike's signature guitar playing.”

“The first side, the Platinum suite, is a jaunt in four parts and comes very highly recommended. It has some great playing, melodies, arrangements and textures and bounces along very nicely - very easy to appreciate and perhaps even a good route into Oldfield's music for the uninitiated. In fact it is really the only reason to buy this album. Now onto the second side - a different story, Woodhenge, a new age like instrumental is quite minimalist but high on atmosphere. After that track, the remaining three cuts are probably the worst things that Oldfield ever did.”

Phoenix – DAN FOGELBERG***

Tullamore Dew/Phoenix/Gypsy Wind/The Last To Know/Face The Fire/Wishing On The Moon/Heart Hotels/Longer/Beggar's Game/Along The Road

US soft-rock singer songwriter reached the peak of his popularity with the well received Phoenix. However, he made only the slightest impression on the UK charts. Features the US No. 2 single Longer. (US:3 UK: 42)

“For one shining moment he released the brilliant and bright album Phoenix. The title song alone is one of inspiration and hope. Dan's voice is the best it has ever been, with his angelic presence over all these great songs.”

“This album fits perfectly between his seminal rock roots and his later ballad-heavy twilight, highlighting some of the best singles he ever made. The title anthem and its instrumental opener Tullamore Dew are guitar masterpieces. Great for country/soft rock listeners and guitar lovers alike.”

“It seems this is an album Fogelberg fans either love or hate. Phoenix has Dan venturing outside of his more acoustic based songs into more fully orchestrated and polished pop/country songs. For me, this musical direction is really appealing. This is one album that I can listen to from front to back without ever skipping a song.”

“On this album, he walked the fine line between being a commercial success and maintaining his originality. It just has a little bit of everything, one that is probably Fogelberg at his personal best.”

“This album is really the beginning of his commercial appeal. Yes, he had some hits before this but it was really Longer which launched Fogelberg onto the charts, and of course Heart Hotels came after that. I like these but it's really the other songs that shine. Phoenix really shows his rock side and does Wishing On The Moon.”

“Beautiful poetry, strong melodies, gorgeous arrangements of varying styles are what you will find here in abundance. Gypsy Wind is quite possibly one of the most beautiful and romantic country-folk ballads he has ever composed, and The Last To Know is a nice follow-up track that can be easily played back to back with it.”

“Phoenix drew from many of the era's singer-songwriter themes: acoustic ballads, socially-conscious rockers, sensitive lyrics and high harmonies.”

Freedom At Point Zero – JEFFERSON STARSHIP****

Jane/Lightning Rose/Things To Come/Awakening/Girl With The Hungry Eyes/Just The Same/Rock Music/Fading Lady Light/Freedom At Point Zero

Prior to the release of Freedom At Point Zero Jefferson Starship lost two of their regular vocalists, Grace Slick and Marty Balin. Despite this setback the new album included a fine selection of songs, including the US top 20 hit Jane. (US:10 UK:22)

“It’s more than ten years on from the chemically soaked days of White Rabbit and more than the name has been modernised. The reincarnation of Jefferson Airplane as Jefferson Starship (minus Grace Slick) resulted in one of the better, if not the most original, AOR albums of the period.”

“After recruiting Mickey Thomas the band began to write and record music with a harder, heavy-metal sound. This was probably the album that sounded the most like they're just having fun making music. The big hit was the Jane that starts off with a short keyboard intro and then hammers you with guitars.”

“Freedom At Point Zero included the mega-hit Jane, along with the pounding and straightforward Rock Music, the beautiful ballad Fading Lady Light and the AOR gems Just The Same and the almost-proggish Awakening, which all showcase Mickey's exceptional, breathtaking vocals.”

“It's a hard rock masterpiece, but without the female vocals it's missing one ingredient to keep it from perfection. The band never wrote better songs than they did here, especially on the astounding Awakening and the stomp-thud hard rock colossus Jane.”

“It is one the few albums from its time where every song drives itself. This is just sonically rich in rock and roll spirit.”

“This is the Jefferson Starship album for me. All the tracks are great, with very good vocal harmonies, strong melodies, a lot of nice guitar solos, and the band is driven forward by the drums.”

“The songs mixed pop sensibility with Kantner's stoner sci-fi sensibilities and the result is an album that, no matter how much trashing Thomas got by the time Grace returned and bailed yet again, is as good as any of the best Jefferson Starship albums.”

The Wall – PINK FLOYD*****

In The Flesh/The Thin Ice/Another Brick In The Wall (Part 1)/The Happiest Days Of Our Lives/Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)/Mother/Goodbye Blue Sky/Empty Spaces/Young Lust/One Of My Turns/Don't Leave Me Now/Another Brick In The Wall (Part 3)/Goodbye Cruel World/Hey You/s There Anybody Out There/Nobody Home/Vera/Bring The Boys Back Home/Comfortably Numb/The Show Must Go On/In The Flesh/Run Like Hell/Waiting For The Worms/Stop/The Trial/Outside The Wall

After several uneven albums Pink Floyd return to peak form with the double LP The Wall. The underlying concept is based around the isolation experienced by a psychologically damaged rock star. Features the US and UK No. 1 hit Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2). (US:1 UK:3)

“The Wall is full of astounding songs that are among the most loved, most played, and most influential of all time. It should also be said this is easily one of the greatest concept albums in progressive rock history.”

“Although it's ridiculously overblown, it's still a really solid album on the whole. The Trial is a great song that fits the character's craziness perfectly.”

“This is one of those rare concept albums where the concept itself really works and flows all over from beginning to end. The best way to enjoy it and get it is to turn off the lights, reach for a really comfortable spot to lay down on, take off your shoes and listen to it all without a break.”

“The Wall is a sporadic mess of ideas that has given fans tons of material to speculate over. In all my years of being an obsessive music fan, I can't think of any other album that sounds like this. Even if you hate Roger Waters for his massive ego hampering Pink Floyd from moving forward, you have to admit that he has a good musical vision, even if it further split the band apart.”

“One of the greatest albums by one of the most important rock bands, this is genius and a conceptually driven masterpiece. Floyd’s specialty is concept albums and this one doesn't fail. Perhaps darker in themes than other albums, but there's beauty in that. An album everybody should listen to.”

“Intended as a rock opera, this album is their most conceptual yet. With its intricate story and the symbolism of the wall that barricade the protagonist from society and eventually reality itself, this offered a new standard in the making of a concept album. It delivers a lot of odd imagery with the use of many metaphorical lyrics to describe the progression of the protagonist’s mind over the course of the story from his isolation to his mental decay.”

Deguello – ZZ TOP***

I Thank You/She Loves My Automobile/I'm Bad I'm Nationwide/A Fool For Your Stockings/Manic Mechanic/Dust My Broom/Lowdown In The Street/Hi Fi Mama/Cheap Sunglasses/Esther Be The One

Deguello was the lowest charting ZZ Top album since they achieved major commercial success. However, this boogie-rock band would recover their appeal to enjoy considerable popularity during the next decade. (US:24)

“Deguello is a fine album which boasts some of their best songs for years. Although not their best, it's a stoner’s treat of phased vocals and thumping bass which really rewards listening.”

“ZZ Top didn't need to reinvent themselves to release classics, and basically all their albums have the same formula, the only thing that is different is the songwriting consistency, because there is at least one total hit and sure concert song on every album. Here that total hit is Cheap Sunglasses, but the heavy blues of A Fool For Your Stockings is also great.”

“The trio line-up can be the source of incredible power if the musicians play tight, but on Degüello, they just don't. It's an album devoid of tension, punch and memorable songs. If that wasn't enough, this was the time in which disco crept into almost every album, including this one, and blues rock with synths, even if used sparingly, just doesn't make a lot of sense.”

“This was the first mediocre ZZ Top album, and the beginning of the end for this band. They moved away from the classic blues sound for a hybrid with modern overtones and a lot of self-parody. It is OK though, some riffs are there and some good songs but overall it lacks the old ZZ Top charisma.”

“Classic ZZ Top before all the electronic noise in the background; the gritty, raw rock sound that made them into the successful band. These guys are outstanding musicians and that is showcased in this album.”

“I'm not normally into Texas blues but this LP is the epitome of just that. Almost live 70s vibe for sure, very raw production, nice guitars and really superb rhythm section. You'll even get used to the voice which is really only suited to this kind of music”

“On this album they sound energized, ready to make music, try some new ideas, and have a bit of fun in the process.”

Setting Sons – THE JAM****

Girl On The Phone/Thick As Thieves/Private Hell/Little Boy Soldiers/Wasteland/Burning Sky/Smithers-Jones/Saturdays Kids/The Eton Rifles/Heatwave

Setting Sons demonstrated the increasing maturity and popularity of the beat group The Jam fronted by Paul Weller. They would maintain a high profile on the British music scene during the next few years. Features the UK No. 3 hit single The Eton Rifles. (US:137 UK:4)

“Musically the band are chain-saw sharp, and the production is raw and punchy. The gruff, vernacular vocals, together with the topical locality of the lyrics probably ensured that their success wouldn't travel far beyond Blighty. For those of us in the UK at the time, who saw this album establish the band, these were exciting times; the sense of anticipation with each new release palpable and usually worthwhile.”

“Originally conceived as a concept album about old friends reunited after many years to find they had nothing in common anymore Setting Sons doesn’t quite follow through on the premise of a song cycle, but it still makes for a fascinating listen.”

“For their first three albums, there were plenty of chestnuts, together with a lot of angst and promise. It all came together in this more mature, polished effort. The musicianship was far better and expanded beyond three chords, the arrangements were more complicated, the songs were longer, with more instrumental solos.”

“The production is brilliant, the choruses catchy and the riffs are tight. Weller is calmly passionate, deconstructing British society without hysterical finger pointing. The cello-led Smithers-Jones is a work of genius. The lyrics in general are just so understated and great.”

“On the verge of becoming Britain’s biggest band, the Jam’s Setting Sons melded sixties influences with the group’s ever maturing sound to create a highly entertaining album. While their earlier work clearly betrayed their love of The Who, this album was distinctly Kinks flavoured. Another sixties reminder was the fact that it was sequenced like a live set list with a light opener, the hit single at the end followed by an energetic rock ‘n’ roll encore.”

“Originally conceived as a concept album about friendship, politics and war, Weller thankfully ditched this approach and instead went about putting together an album of character vignettes, which were able to convey his message much more powerfully and succinctly.”