289. Elton John | Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Track

1. Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
2. Candle in the Wind
3. Bennie and the Jets
4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
5. This Song Has No Title
6. Grey Seal
7. Jamaica Jerk-Off
8. I've Seen That Movie Too
9. Sweet Painted Lady
10. The Ballad of Danny Bailey (1909–34)
11. Dirty Little Girl
12. All the Girls Love Alice
13. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
14. Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting
15. Roy Rogers
16. Social Disease
17. Harmony

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Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a deceptive album. The music is rock and at times glam rock. The music is catchy and it rocks. There's also a wide assortment of styles which is appropriate I guess for a double album clocking in at seventy minutes.

The polished quality, catchy tunes and clever lyrics make this album seem innocuous and friendly, appealing to mainstream music listeners. Yet, it's neither. Candle in the Wind is so phony and creepy, criticizing exactly what the song is doing, treating Marilyn Monroe as an object for profit.

Sweet Painted Lady, Dirty Little Girl and All the Girls Love Alice are misogynist to the core. With so many other songs, it was unnecessary to include these. Of course, it's not like these are the only songs in rock and roll that celebrate hating women. Those should be called out and rightly condemned, too. But three is pushing the misogyny boundary to an extreme.

Like Paul Simon, Bernie Taupin bores me—a pseudo-intellectual who impresses low-brow pop rock listeners with clever lyrics. Lyrics that seem so profound yet ring hollow when subjected to analysis no more critical than reading them. Again, it's not like there isn't nonsense in rock and roll, but very few are peddling albums based on the clever factor.

There are decent songs within, but they're few and far between. The rest are just boring which could be because the album is too long, but they could also just be plain boring songs. Jamaica Jerk-Off has no business being on the album. Is it now standard to include a token reggae song on every album now that Bob Marley has made the style respectable? (Hell, even Led Zeppelin gets into the act in 1973 with D'Yer Ma'ker. Ugh.)

I liked this album until I started paying attention to the lyrics. Then it just turned me off. If someone else wrote the lyrics and if the album were shorter it would be a big improvement. There's no need to listen to this album, unless you don't think women are worthy of respect. It's got no business being on the 1001 Albums list. Of course, the reason it's there is because of the hits. If only listeners scrutinized more carefully the shit they were fed.

There are some good songs. The stand outs are Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding (except for the Funeral for a Friend bit), Bennie and the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, I've Seen That Movie Too, Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting and Social Disease. If you like your songs misogynistic then Sweet Painted Lady is OK too.

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

288. Todd Rundgren | A Wizard, a True Star (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Track

1. International Feel
2. Never Never Land
3. Tic Tic Tic It Wears Off
4. You Need Your Head
5. Rock & Roll Pussy
6. Dogfight Giggle
7. You Don't Have to Camp Around
8. Flamingo
9. Zen Archer
10. Just Another Onionhead/Dada Dali
11. When the Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd.
12. Le Feel Internacìonále
13. Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel
14. Does Anybody Love You?
15. Medley: I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk
16. Hungry for Love
17. I Don't Want to Tie You Down
18. Is It My Name?
19. Just One Victory

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A Wizard, a True Star is an trippy album. The music is art rock, which here means, some pop rock, some rhythm and blues and some soundboard noodling. The first half of the album is driven by fast-paced, fast-switching melodies, sort of like a medley. The second half keeps the same pace, but stretches out with longer songs.

This album may be considered prog rock because it appears to be a concept album. However, it's not clear what the unifying concept might be, so perhaps it failed to convey the concept clearly, didn't intend to a concept or maybe it's pure subtle genius.

Aside from the concept album trait, this album doesn't have much else in common with prog rock. Actually, it seems to have more in common with psychedelic rock.

I find this album fascinating. There's a lot of wacky nonsense and the album never seems to jell, but Todd Rundgren is a jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none. He comes up with pleasing melodies, he can rock out when he feels like it and he can do Motown. Plus, he comes up with a few witty quips now and then. What I liked most of all is Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel. There's a depth of compassion and weakness not found in pop music.

I think the album is worth listening to, but I'm not sure why it should be on the 1001 Albums list.

Most of the songs are good. Some are just silly noodling. The stand outs are International Feel, Never, Never Land, Rock & Roll Pussy, Zen Archer, Just Another Onionhead/Dada Dali, When the Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd., Le Feel Internacìonále, Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel, Medley: I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk, Hungry for Love, I Don't Want to Tie You Down and Is It My Name?

★★★★★★★★★☆

287. Mike Oldfield | Tubular Bells (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Track

• Tubular Bells

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Note: It is generally noted that album has two tracks, Part One and Part Two, but nowhere on the original 1973 album versions is that indicated. Most albums list Tubular Bells on both sides, along with Side One and Side Two to make it clear which side is which. But Side One and Side Two shouldn't be considered part of the song title or an indication that this song has two parts. It's clear that there is one work on this album and it is called Tubular Bells. It's also clear that it's split in two because one side of an LP can not play for more than 40-odd minutes and this work is over 50 minutes long. Thus, it had to be split into two parts. But that hardly implies it is a work in two parts. The problem was exacerbated when the CD was became the medium of choice. Since a CD can play nearly 70 minutes of music continuously, the track listing should have only indicated one track: Tubular Bells. But most CDs I've seen, have it listed as two tracks.

Tubular Bells is an ambitious album. The music is progressive rock, although it shares very little in common with the other progressive rock bands of the 1970s. The sole piece on this album should be thought of as having several to a dozen or perhaps more distinct sections. In some ways it would have been better to have broken them into tracks, but since their transitions are seamless, it's clear they are part of one whole.

While there are melodies, hooks, riffs and grooves, the piece lacks structure and direction. It almost seems like Mike Oldfield is making it up as he goes.

I do like this album. It certainly has its moments, but it can get tedious at times and pointless at other times. There's certainly no regret when I'm interrupted and have to stop listening to it. So, I think it certainly be listened to because there isn't much else like a 50-minute plus piece of work in popular music. Maybe it's just novelty. I don't think it needs to be on the 1001 Albums list.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

286. Mott the Hoople | Mott (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. All the Way from Memphis
2. Whizz Kid
3. Hymn for the Dudes
4. Honaloochie Boogie
5. Violence
6. Drivin’ Sister
7. Ballad of Mott the Hoople
8. I’m a Cadillac / El Camino Dolo Roso
9. I Wish I Was Your Mother

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Note: The album cover on the left is from the original UK release and the album on the right is from the original US release.

Mott is an enhanced album. The music is hard rock, but it really seems to evoke glam rock in many ways, rather than hard rock. Whizz Kid could have easily been a Bowie song, and so couldn't Hymn for the Dudes. That's the reason for saying it's enhanced, if one is to believe that hard rock is more accepted than glam rock. This album also follows a rock and roll line. In face, in places it's reminiscent of Rod Stewart's recent works.

I like this album, but it's a bit boring. There's no doubt that the songs are have good melodies and riffs, but it's they are missing the carefreeness and ignorance of the glam bands, as if they are respectable adults. I do think this album is worth listening to. It might deserve being on the 1001 Albums list simply because this album almost seems like the template for hard rock bands to come in about a decade, but I won't go that far.

All the songs are decent enough. The stand outs are All the Way from Memphis, Whizz Kid, Violence, I’m a Cadillac / El Camino Dolo Roso and I Wish I Was Your Mother.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

285. Herbie Hancock | Head Hunters (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Chameleon
2. Watermelon Man
3. Sly
4. Vein Melter

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Head Hunters is a jaunty album. The music is jazz funk, which means it's jazz with a groove common to funk. It's also electric which is becoming more common in jazz.

The groove that is laid down on the four pieces seems to add a new dimension to jazz; it adds a lot more repetition than seems normal. Of course, there's whole lot of improvisation going on on top so it's not too extreme.

Strangely enough, this album is quite measured and tame compared to how crazy jazz can get and how energetic funk can be. It sounds sophisticated and mellow. It wonder if that's because the keyboards take more precedence than the horns. The drums and bass are certainly active enough.

I do like this album a lot, although it took some time to acquire a taste for it. Perhaps I just haven't heard much jazz recently. I also really don't have a problem with the use of electric instruments in jazz where purists seem to take issue with their use and perhaps rightly so for the following reason: electric keyboards and electric bass just haven't been perfected enough to be tolerated and horns have been part of jazz since the beginning. Fortunately, Herbie Hancock is a talented musician so the keyboards are tolerable.

I think this album is worth listening to. I don't think there's anything wrong with it being on the 1001 Albums list. Jazz is significantly less popular than it was in previous decades, so unfortunately Herbie Hancock and this album aren't powerful enough to inspire musicians to try jazz instead of rock. But it's seems like a good effort and a new style to boot.

All the songs are quite good. The stand outs are Chameleon, Watermelon Man and Sly. Vein Melter is good, too, but one that I haven't completely warmed up to.

★★★★★★★★★★

284. Faust | Faust IV (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Krautrock
2. The Sad Skinhead
3. Jennifer
4. Just a Second / Picnic on a Frozen River, Deuxieme Tableux
5. Giggy Smile
6. Läuft...Heißt das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft
7. It's a Bit of a Pain

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Faust IV is an obdurate album. The music is Krautrock, which is simply either prog rock or experimental music performed by German artists and bands. The music varies from more traditional and structured rock songs with good melodies and long, droning, persistent instrumentals.

Can and Faust both have a very strange styles although they are distinct enough. They do share similarities, but they are quite distinct from each other. Neither bands do much singing. I wonder if it's because they wanted to sell to UK and US markets and that consumers would be less likely to buy songs sung in German. And thus they didn't sing in English either because their skills were either limited or they were too self-conscious.

More importantly is that they don't seem to have been influenced much by the blues or by radio-friendly music structures. It's these that make their prog rock and experimental music a lot different from their UK and US cousins. It seems that they are more concerned about mood and developing it rather than establishing a groove and jamming.

I like this album, but it's a bit uneven. I prefer the longer songs because the way they create and develop a mood. However, the other songs are interesting because it shows the band's humorous and witty side. I think it's worth listening to, but I'm not sure if it needs to be on the 1001 Albums list.

All the songs are good. The stand outs are Krautrock, The Sad Skinhead, Jennifer, Giggy Smile, and Läuft...Heißt das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft.

★★★★★★★★★☆

283. Roxy Music | For Your Pleasure (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Do the Strand
2. Beauty Queen
3. Strictly Confidential
4. Editions of You
5. In Every Dream Home a Heartache
6. The Bogus Man
7. Grey Lagoons
8. For Your Pleasure

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For Your Pleasure is an unruly album. The music is combination of glam rock and art rock. This album immediately charges out of the gate with the opening song. It's a manic ride for the first half of the album. There's pulsating drums, loud and frenzied guitar playing and moody synthesizers. Above it all is Bryan Ferry singing in the most dignified manner. The album takes a disturbed turn with In Every Dream Home a Heartache, which is about a blow-up sex doll. The remainder of the album is more mellow and ethereal.

Musically, Roxy Music reinforces my belief that glam rock bands and artists are the ones who remain the truest to original rock and roll. Lyrically, however, they demonstrate a greater maturity, much like David Bowie, which is not in keeping with the spirit of rock and roll.

Furthermore there seem to elements within the glam rock scene, like Brian Eno and even David Bowie, who are moving toward a more experimental kind of music. Both seem interested in expanding the boundaries of rock music, although Brian Eno doesn't seem so concerned about keeping himself within those boundaries, no matter how expansive they may become.

Thus, the real sleeper here For Your Pleasure. There's nothing awry at first. It's like any other slow rock song, but then it begins to morph a third of the way in to a repetitive, moody piece of piano and drums with mantric vocals. While this is not anything out of the ordinary—the Beatles were doing Tomorrow Never Knows nearly a decade ago, for instance—it's a herald to what's just beyond the horizon. In hindsight, it's easy to see how influential Brian Eno will become. The question then is: was it easy to see it then? I think so. He was no different from Peter Gabriel, in that his talent is undeniable and that by leaving Roxy Music he would be better able to actualize his potential.

This album is so good. There are quite a few things to like a lot about it: it's outrageous, it's moody and it's melodic. This is worth listening to and it belongs in every serious album collection. It deserves to be on 1001 Albums list because this album is a herald of big changes to come.

All the songs are amazing. The stand outs are Do the Strand, Beauty Queen, Strictly Confidential, Editions of You, In Every Dream Home a Heartache, Grey Lagoons and For Your Pleasure.

★★★★★★★★★★

282. John Martyn | Solid Air (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Solid Air
2. Over the Hill
3. Don't Want to Know
4. I'd Rather Be the Devil
5. Go Down Easy
6. Dreams by the Sea
7. May You Never
8. The Man in the Station
9. The Easy Blues

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Solid Air is a tempestuous album. The music is blues, folk rock and folk jazz. The foundation is blues and elements of jazz and rock are developed up from there. The songs are truly wild. They often start out very calm and somewhat downcast. Then they all of a sudden loud and uncontrollable. John Martyn generally sings with a dispassionate mumble despite these songs being deeply emotional.

Once again, this is the reason why there is value in listening to the albums on the 1001 Albums list. This is an album I would never have listened to otherwise. And since it's one of the most amazing albums I've ever heard, I would have been the poorer for not ever listening to it. This is worth listening to and it belongs in every serious album collection. For its uniqueness, it deserves to be on 1001 Albums list. I'll be pleasantly surprised to hear another artist or band who is as different.

All the songs are amazing. The stand outs are Solid Air, Over the Hill, Don't Want to Know, I'd Rather Be the Devil, Go Down Easy, Dreams by the Sea, May You Never, The Man in the Station and The Easy Blues.

★★★★★★★★★★

281. Marvin Gaye | Let's Get It On (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Let's Get It On
2. Please Stay (Once You Go Away)
3. If I Should Die Tonight
4. Keep Gettin' It On
5. Come Get to This
6. Distant Lover
7. You Sure Love to Ball
8. Just to Keep You Satisfied

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Let's Get It On is an amorous album. The music is funk and soul. It's really a funky soul album. The funk is ever-present but measured while the soul rides on top. Marvin Gaye switches between his normal mellow, honey-dripping singing voice and an orgasmic, falsetto one.

This is music that can't be meant to actually listen to. For men, this album certainly isn't meant for anything but background music to seduction. And certainly, with this album, Marvin Gaye has given more women weaker knees than any other soul singer.

I think this is a good album. It certainly creates a romantic mood, which isn't really what I'm looking for when listening to music alone. No matter what, the music is really good, especially the bass and there are some good drum fills. I think it's worth listening to once. It's a must for any bachelor and for serious music collectors. It deserves to be on the 1001 Albums list because this is the work that many far-inferior soul singers have ripped off.

All the songs are good. The stand outs are Let's Get It On, Please Stay (Once You Go Away), If I Should Die Tonight, Keep Gettin' It On, You Sure Love to Ball and Just to Keep You Satisfied.

★★★★★★★★★★

280. Genesis | Selling England by the Pound (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Dancing with the Moonlit Knight
2. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
3. Firth of Fifth
4. More Fool Me
5. The Battle of Epping Forest
6. After the Ordeal
7. The Cinema Show
8. Aisle of Plenty

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Selling England by the Pound is a majestic album. The music is progressive rock. That means most songs filled with long instrumental jams. And with Genesis, especially on this album, each song is packed full with lyrics, too. Genesis is heavy on the keyboards and less reliant on the guitar.

The songs are uniquely English, the same way the Kinks' Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the English Empire) is English; it's about modern English society told via Victorian era musical and lyrical references. Peter Gabriel's lyrics feature a wide range of characters acting within the stories he tells. It's something that seems unique to Genesis' style.

While Genesis is a progressive rock band, they don't seem to have shared the close relations that other prog rock bands shared with each other. Thus, Genesis differs greatly, stylistically. However, Genesis seems to be the band which fulfils most completely the qualities that makes one a prog rock band. Arguably, the lyrics are the most colorful and sensible. During long instrumental jams, Genesis does a better job transitioning from one section to another. I think the albums, especially this one, are more conceptionally cohesive. I think Genesis rarely included filler. Even More Fool Me and Aisle of Plenty adhere to the mood and concept of the album.

I've been listening to this album for almost thirty years and it's still magical. This album is certainly worth listening to. It's a must-have for progressive rock listeners.  I think it deserves to be on the 1001 Albums list for being one of the best prog rock albums.

All the songs are good. The stand outs are Selling England by the Pound, I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), Firth of Fifth, The Battle of Epping Forest, After the Ordeal and The Cinema Show.

★★★★★★★★★★

279. Lou Reed | Berlin (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Berlin
2. Lady Day
3. Men of Good Fortune
4. Caroline Says I
5. How Do You Think It Feels
6. Oh Jim
7. Caroline Says II
8. The Kids
9. The Bed
10. Sad Song

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Berlin is an unsettling album. The music is rock, but it's got elements of chanson and cabaret. Many of the songs have orchestral support. It's a concept album and music establishes the mood of each song. The music is quite depressing, but there is a lot of melody.

The story is about two Americans lovers living in Berlin, Germany at the time of the Cold War. They are into sex and drugs. The man seems misogynistic and abusive toward the woman. The woman at some point tries to commit suicide. By the end of the album she ends up losing custody of her children because of her sexual promiscuity. I'm sure I've left out essential story elements. Like most concept albums, the songs work better telling discrete stories than with combining to create a coherent whole.

This album was hard to like at first, but the songs are catchy. The story isn't so disturbing until it's clear the woman has children. It's sad to think about kids growing up surround by parents who are so troubled. And despite all the bad things that come with living in that environment, I'm sure it's damn awful from a child's point of view to be taken away from his parents.

The album is worth listening to. I'm not sure if Lou Reed intended to make an album that realistically portrays such an awful side of life, but I think it's a rare gem that tries to be mature and honest about the world. For that reason I think it deserves to be on the 1001 Albums list.

All the songs are good. The stand outs are Berlin, Lady Day, Men of Good Fortune, How Do You Think It Feels, Oh Jim, Caroline Says II, The Kids, The Bed and Sad Song.

★★★★★★★★★★

278. Can | Future Days (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Future Days
2. Spray
3. Moonshake
4. Bel Air

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Future Days is an aimless album. The music is ambient. Typified by Damo Suzuki's nonsense vocals, the music on each song just seems to meander from one idea to the next. The music is generally mellow and ethereal. Rather than finding a groove, except from Moonshake, the band finds a mood. The guitar is really what establishes the mood. And it has a Robert Fripp sound.

This album is decent, but it's not gripping. It's easy to zone in and out of the music. It's hard to know if that was intentional or not. In hindsight it's easy to say that was the intention. It's worth listening to, but I'm ambivalent about it being on the 1001 Albums list. Either they were pioneers in a new genre or they made a crappy album. Based on their previous work I think it's the former and this album was intentional.

All the songs are good. The stand outs are Future Days and Bel Air.

★★★★★★★★★☆

277. John Cale | Paris 1919 (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Child's Christmas in Wales
2. Hanky Panky Nohow
3. The Endless Plain of Fortune
4. Andalucia
5. Macbeth
6. Paris 1919
7. Graham Greene
8. Half Past France
9. Antarctica Starts Here

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Paris 1919 is a cheerless album. The music is baroque pop, or pop with strings and horns. Despite the orchestration on many of the songs, this is a very straightforward and simple album musically.

I don't think it's possible for John Cale to sound more devoid of emotion or despondent than on this album. Even the opening song which seems to be upbeat gets the life sucked out of it when he starts singing. And by the time he gets to the final song he's got nothing left to give as is made abundantly clear by his whispering and it's abrupt end. It's true that Macbeth is lively and upbeat, but the life quickly dissipates. The music is great though. It's full of beautiful melodies which are good at concealing their sadness.

This album really grew on me. I certainly dreaded listening to it after hearing it for the first time, but now I find it to be beautifully sad. It's certainly worth listening to, but I'm not sure why it needs to be on the 1001 Albums list.

All the long songs are very good. The stand outs are Child's Christmas in Wales, Hanky Panky Nohow, The Endless Plain of Fortune, Andalucia, Paris 1919, Graham Greene and Half Past France.

★★★★★★★★★☆

276. Hawkwind | The Space Ritual Alive in Liverpool and London (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Earth Calling
2. Born to Go
3. Down Through the Night
4. The Awakening
5. Lord of Light
6. Black Corridor
7. Space Is Deep
8. Electronic No. 1
9. Orgone Accumulator
10. Upside Down
11. 10 Seconds of Forever
12. Brainstorm
13. 7 By 7
14. Sonic Attack
15. Time We Left This World Today
16. Master of the Universe
17. Welcome to the Future

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The Space Ritual Alive in Liverpool and London is a blistering album. The music is hard rock. The songs vary between long, thick, intense guitar-laden sings heavy on jamming and light on singing, and cosmic keyboard-driven, spoken-word interludes. A quite notable feature is the melodic, lyrical bass lines the weave their way effortlessly through a powerful wall of sound.

The music is relentless, pulsating, loud, single-minded and merciless. It does seem like standing at the edge of the ocean while being continuously pummelled by large, fast-moving ocean waves that are being created by a powerful storm out at sea. That is, doing that while resisting with all one's effort from being knocked over and tossed around by the sea.

This album is both overwhelming and comical when listening for the first time. The album is so long that it was hard to get my bearing for where I was in the album. The album also has, for a story or concept, all this pseudo-scientific and futuristic mumbo jumbo, as if 1960s hippie culture had been transplanted in a faraway future near the end of the universe's existence. Despite being silly and outlandish at first, the nonsense story ultimately adds to the experience, that is, if one is able to suspend disbelief and hold in one's guffaws.

This album is worth listening to hands down. It is more than just an album, it's an experience. The audiences who did in fact experience this performance got their money's worth. This album definitely deserves to be on the 1001 Albums list; not only because is it excellent, but also because hardly any bands will ever be so adventurous again. Like King Crimson's Larks' Tongue in Aspic, this album is the high point of progressive rock.

All the long songs are outstanding. The short songs are pretty good, too if you are willing to suspend disbelief.

★★★★★★★★★★