Another Passenger - CARLY SIMON***

Half A Chance/It Keeps You Runnin'/Fairweather Father/Cow Town/He Likes To Roll/In Times When My Head/ One Love Stand/Riverboat Gambler/Darkness 'Til Dawn/Dishonest Modesty/Libby/Be With Me

Although it did not include any major hits, singer songwriter Carly Simon’s Another Passenger kept her music in the public consciousness. Critics claimed that it was both funkier and more rock orientated than previously. (US:29)

“Another Passenger somehow fails to be a thrilling experience. It is more musically diverse than her previous efforts, and her songwriting is still as strong as ever, but still it lacks that certain edge to make it stand out.”

“There's a funkier, blacker sound than on the earlier records and some unexpectedly hard rock, but stylistically this is a little all over the place.”

“Another Passenger is a beautiful work that somehow never found the large audience of Carly's earlier work. The album was a bit of departure in that it was more rock oriented and funkier than previous releases.”

“I could identify with many of the songs as they relate to love and relationships. This album is a sleeper. I love all of them especially It Keeps You Runnin’ with Michael McDonald in the background.”

“I love this album, and I think it's under-recognized. The songs are more mature, good for anyone that grew up with this wonderful artist. They have a lyrical quality, with still a little of the bite that is characteristic of her earlier work. Overall I think they reflect life changes and growth, friendship, disappointing marriages, the power of dreams and endurance.”

“While she was not writing songs as great as those that brought her to the top of the charts, Simon still could write some decent material. The problem was that she was no longer writing those confessional songs that made her popular.”

“This is better than most of her other albums. It is like a collection of short stories, some that are probably autobiographical, others that seem fanciful, all set to wonderful memorable melodies. The vocals are stunning, and range from the soft and sweet Be With Me, to the howling mock-country of Cowtown, and the emotional rollercoaster that is In Times When My Head. Her cover version of the Doobie Brothers' It Keeps You Runnin' is also something to behold.

Agents Of Fortune – BLUE OYSTER CULT***

This Ain't The Summer Of Love/True Confessions/(Don't Fear) The Reaper/ETI/The Revenge Of Vera Gemini/ Sinful Love/Tattoo Vampire/Morning Final/Tenderloin/Debbie Denise

The US rock group Blue Oyster Cult enjoyed moderate commercial success during the mid seventies, held back by a generic sound and a lack of distinctiveness. Agents Of Fortune contains their biggest hit (Don’t Fear) The Reaper which reached the top twenty in both the US and UK. (US:29 UK:26)

“With Agents Of Fortune BÖC moved into a more commercial and pop oriented style. This is a hard rock record but it differs a bit from their previous albums because this is clearly a more radio friendly totality. The quality of the material varies too much. The best parts here are pretty good but the album also includes lots of mediocre moments and also a couple of weak tracks.”

“(Don't Fear) The Reaper casts an undeniable spell, but the rest of Agents Of Fortune is terribly unmemorable. Even the other alleged highlight, This Ain't The Summer Of Love, sounds like any generic 70s hard rock band.”

“Perhaps with more listens I'll find this more interesting, but so far I've found it pretty dull. It all feels rather conventional; of course there's nothing wrong with sticking to conventions, but it doesn't do so in a way that's particularly catchy, enjoyable, or memorable.”

“After three stellar albums that cemented BÖC as an enigmatic force in the American hard rock scene, it was only natural that they would move into more commercial territory. Agents Of Fortune seemed to fit the bill quite well as a break out album, but in all honesty it is a pretty dull listen.”

“It may not have many songs as good as Don't Fear The Reaper, but they all sound different which makes this a varied and memorable album.” “For the band this was a crossover album and it shows, preserving elements of their earlier blues orientated sound and fusing it with a melodic, almost AOR, flavour which would serve them well in the future.”

“A classic album from one of the best rock bands, with complex arrangements, poetic lyrics and pure hard rock. Every metal head should have this in their library.”

Turnstiles – BILLY JOEL***

Say Goodbye To Hollywood/Summer Highland Falls/All You Wanna Do Is Dance/New York State Of Mind/ James/ Prelude-Angry Young Man/I've Loved These Days/Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Down On Broadway)

At the time of the release of Turnstiles pianist Billy Joel was relatively little known to the record buying public. Some of his best songs are here and within a year he would become a major star. (US:122)

“This was recorded at a beautiful moment in his career: producing himself for the first and only time, so this album's finally free of the overproduced sound that could be heard previously. Apart from that it was also recorded before he became a superstar with his follow up. As a bonus, he had a collection of excellent songs as well.”

“Joel's return to NYC sees him reclaim control of his career and then go on to become a huge star. The joyous Say Goodbye To Hollywood sets the tone perfectly, as does the wistful New York State Of Mind. The rest of the record is pretty decent too.”

“The album features some of Billy Joel’s most consistent songwriting. The vocals and particularly the musicianship are first rate, having used the members of his stage band rather than studio musicians for the recording process. It would also effectively conclude the first phase of his solo career that was piano based for the most part without the polish of his most popular work. It would, however, yield a number of enduring songs that would be concert staples throughout his career.”

“There are few artists who make sophisticated music sound so simple. The poetry flows from his singing voice like waterfalls and the piano blends harmonies that are bluesy, jazzy and rock 'n’ roll. Joel never sounds rehearsed and especially here, where the multi-layered harmonies blend beautifully with the diverse rhythms.”

“We all know Joel is a talented artist, and his rich piano work that infiltrates this are by turns snappy and lush, classic Billy Joel. Additionally, his lyrics on this record are insightful and knowing, if at times a little self-possessed.”

“Turnstiles is the reoccurring lyrical theme of leaving a place like LA and returning home to New. Overall the record seems to be one of reflection and moving on, combined with some the best melodies of his career, which makes Turnstiles the hidden gem of Billy Joel's albums.”

Wired - JEFF BECK***

Led Boots/Come Dancing/Goodbye Pork Pie Hat/Head For Backstage Pass/Blue Wind/Sophie/Play With Me/Love Is Green

With Wired Jeff Beck moves further away from rock territory into the world of jazz-rock fusion, probably alienating his fan base in the process. His collaborator is Czech keyboardist Jan Hammer. (US:16 UK:38)

“Beck's foray into fusion is evergreen for me. No matter how much waffle the genre may appear from the outside, Beck inhabited it and gave it wallop and a wonderful wistfulness. Starting with brilliantly heavy staccato pummelling of Led Boots and finishing off with the beautiful Love Is Green, the whole thing is a gloriously consistent jazz-rock fantasy.”

“Jeff Beck doesn't just continue his previous flirtations with jazz fusion, he improves upon it. Maybe it's the extensive contributions from keyboardist Jan Hammer, but I get a real Mahavishnu groove when I play this one. Beck really shows his stuff here both as a guitarist and band leader.”

“More instrumental jazz-rock fusion from Jeff, definitely much more jazz this time round and as a result Wired doesn't possess Blow By Blow’s crossover appeal, nor is it as attractive or coherent as the previous record.”

“When you listen to this, you have to ask yourself what has happened to the art of guitar playing. The skill and excitement just blow away anything created today. Are today's young artists just spoiled by all the technological toys around so that no great new guitarists will ever emerge again? Or are they out making music as great as this but we never get to hear of them?”

“Wired is the second, and best, of a pair of revolutionary albums that were a true turning point in Jeff Beck's career and a real landmark in the world of jazz fusion. Former Yardbird's guitar pioneer Jeff Beck had grown tired of, and disenchanted with the rock format, and branched fully out into jazz fusion with spectacular results, while absolutely proving his supremacy as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.”

“This is an excellent album that sums up what great guitar playing in a jazz/rock setting can do. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat and Love Is Green are very melodic and lush. For anyone wanting to check out the genre of jazz/rock and great guitar playing, I recommend this album.”

High & Mighty - URIAH HEEP***

One Way Or Another/Weep In Silence/Misty Eyes/Midnight/Can't Keep A Good Band Down/Woman Of The World/Footprints In The Snow/Can't Stop Singing/Make A Little Love/Confession

High & Mighty was the end of an era for the progressive band Uriah Heep following the departure of vocalist David Byron. They would now experience a substantial dip in popularity. (US:161 UK:55)

“A new low for Uriah Heep, and an unfortunate finale for the David Byron led incarnation of the band. High & Mighty takes a cue from its predecessor and opts to supplement the band's trademark hard prog mix with a number of straightforward pop/rock tunes. The problem here is that the non-traditional selections are even poppier and more annoying than before, making this a somewhat difficult album for devoted Uriah Heep fans to listen through.”

“Weep In Silence is the stand-out track with Mick Box pulling out a truly amazing solo. The rest are pretty hit and miss with Can't Bring A Good Band Down being a low point. A patchy effort and sadly their last with David Byron.”

“It was self-produced and that it is why it is so different, so show some patience as nothing is immediately catchy. There are so many subtle pieces of music, each song is completely different to any other here, or for that matter on any other Uriah Heep album.”

“Uriah Heep's last good album, High & Mighty is softer and less fantastic than the work earlier in the decade. John Wetton offered some alternatives that the band, alas, did not explore. It's true that by this time Heep sounded a little behind the times, but the end was near.”

“Another excellent, but misunderstood Uriah Heep album. It's a bit experimental and does not fit the style of their previous albums. It's most like a Hensley's solo work with him writing all the tracks and playing the most instruments, limiting the impact of the others. Weep In Silence is the best track, where all the others stand well, with very few minor flaws. Even their most experimental tracks have their value, if you listen to them with an open mind. Original Heepsters might be disappointed though.”

“This album was my introduction to Uriah Heep. I was a little confused when I bought it, mistaking them for a hard rocking outfit. When I got over the shock of the flimsy, floppy, middle of the road sounds, I actually grew quite fond of it.”

Rising - RAINBOW****

Tarot Woman/Run With The Wolf/Starstruck/Do You Close Your Eyes/Stargazer/A Light In The Black

Rising was the well regarded follow up album from the heavy metal band Rainbow, created by ex Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Their popularity would continue well into the next decade. (US:48 UK:11)

“This is a consistently good hard rock release. The vocals by Dio are epic; they are the album highlight as they simply rule every single song doing everything I expect from a hard rock album.”

“This landmark LP proved to be a turning point in the careers of all involved, but most particularly of Ritchie Blackmore and Dio. It not only established Rainbow as a credible band, rather than a vanity project of Blackmore's, but it also saw Dio join the first rank of metal front men. It would not be an exaggeration to say that most of Dio's subsequent career would be based around refining and perfecting the fantasy metal blueprint provided by this album.”

“Spectacular, over-the-top hard rock with progressive moves, graced with tight playing by some of the most talented musicians of the time: Blackmore's intense guitar playing, Ronnie Dio at his best (both in vocals and lyrics) plus Cozy Powell's extraordinary performance.”

“Smooth hard rock mixed with a good dose of early heavy metal and some progressive rock as well. A very well written and solid album, which Dio brings up to a whole new level. It does feel a bit short, but then again the good thing is that there is no filler on it either.”

“Rainbow Rising is the most perfect moment of Ritchie Blackmore in the studio. The album brings the powerful voice of Ronnie James Dio, the strength of Cozy Powell on drums and the magic guitar of Blackmore after the Deep Purple break-up. Mixing classical moments as in Stargazer and the hard rock explosion as in Tarot Woman, this recording is a rare moment in heavy metal history.”

“On a par with any of his stuff with Deep Purple, this is Ritchie Blackmore's masterpiece with Rainbow. This rocks all the way through and Blackmore's guitar work is out of this world. An excellent rock band with a bunch of great musicians.”

Too Old To Rock & Roll - JETHRO TULL***

Quiz Kid/Crazed Institution/Salamander/Taxi Grab/From A Deadbeat To An Old Greaser/Bad-Eyed & Loveless/ Big Dipper/Too Old To Rock & Roll Too Young To Die/Pied Piper/The Chequered Flag (Dead Or Alive)

Only a few years earlier progressive band Jethro Tull were topping the album charts in both the US and UK. The relatively low chart placing of Too Old To Rock & Roll mirrors their decline in creativity. (US:14 UK:25)

“This is nothing like Tull at their best consisting of lame attempts at rockers and inept slower dreary numbers. Confirmation that their decline of JT was continuing."

“This finds Tull as close to pop-rock as they would ever get. Extended song structures were kept to a minimum, lyrics were totally unambiguous and the concept of the album was spelt out for the hard-of-thinking in comic strip form as part of the artwork. Some more hard-line prog fans were aghast at these stylistic changes, but an equal number embraced the more streamlined and no-frills version of Jethro Tull.”

“This record lacks the greatness of the best Jethro Tull studio albums and you can hear the commercialism virus in some parts. There are some classic Jethro Tull trade mark elements like Anderson's flute but overall the sound has very little to do with their early albums.”

“It suffers from a scarcity of ideas and a feeling that the band are just blindly going through the motions. Those who particularly miss the more straight-ahead folk-rock of the group's early days might get some enjoyment out of some of the material here, but it's a major disappointment. The performances sound subdued and unenthusiastic, suggesting that the band were taking the album title to heart.”

“There is a certain weariness in this album, a definite lack of freshness, a reworking of old ideas, and a rather striking absence of memorable songs apart from the title track. Not that the band sounds spent, but judging from this album, their rock 'n' roll days seemed to be over.”

“Too Old To Rock 'N’ Roll is a concept album, telling the thought-provoking story about an old rocker, who had become too old to rock 'n roll, but again becomes hip, when the trends in music and fashion suddenly change. Like on all Tull albums there are some terrific songs and melodies here. The playing and production is as always impeccable.”