291. Waylon Jennings | Honky Tonk Heroes (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Track

1. Honky Tonk Heroes
2. Old Five and Dimers (Like Me)
3. Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me
4. Low Down Freedom
5. Omaha
6. You Asked Me To
7. Ride Me Down Easy
8. Ain't No God in Mexico
9. Black Rose
10. We Had It All

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Honky Tonk Heroes is a crisp album. The music is country, in general, and outlaw country, specifically. Outlaw country seems to mean that it sounds like country music from twenty years ago. Certainly, the songs on this album sound more like songs done by Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly in the mid- to late-1950s than contemporary country songs. This music certainly isn't rock and roll but it's a clear reminder of where that style came from.

The songs are straightforward and the instruments sound clear. Waylon Jennings has a very powerful voice that's perfect for country. It always seems to be that the music play second fiddle to the lyrics in country music, and it's true on this album, too, but the music is still quite enjoyable in its own right.

The lyrics, of course, are central to the songs on this album. The songs are told in story form, mostly in the first person and about the seamier side of life. Like all country songs, there is a God-honest, down-to-earth wisdom conveyed through catchy similes.

I think this is a superb album. It sounds great, it's exciting, it's entertaining and Waylon Jennings has a pleasing voice. (Actually Waylon sounds a lot like Elvis and is more convincing.) And once again, I'm convinced that country music doesn't get the respect it's due. This album is certainly worth listening to and I think it is worthy of any serious collector's collection. I also think this album deserves to be on 1001 Albums list because it appears to be an influential album.

All the songs are excellent. The stand outs are Honky Tonk Heroes, Old Five and Dimers (Like Me), Low Down Freedom, Omaha, Ain't No God in Mexico, Black Rose and We Had It All.

★★★★★★★★★★

290. Steely Dan | Countdown to Ecstasy (1973)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Track

1. Bodhisattva
2. Razor Boy
3. The Boston Rag
4. Your Gold Teeth
5. Show Biz Kids
6. My Old School
7. Pearl of the Quarter
8. King of the World

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Countdown to Ecstasy is a maddening album. The music is rock with hints of jazz. Both keyboards and guitar share the lead role. The jazzier songs feature more keyboards and the heavier songs naturally have the guitar in the lead role.

The songs are quite catchy. Some songs feature some pretty good hooks. The problem is the lyrics. Steely Dan is too smart for its own good.

Listening to Steely Dan frustrates me. First, Steely Dan are the most uncool hipsters who are in on all the cool things. It sure sucks to know that the geeks are cooler than me. Second, Steely Dan are so fucking smug. Listening to the lyrics makes me feel like they only think I'm good enough to be let in on half the story or joke.

Finally, Steely Dan's lyrics are too urbane and cerebral. Of course, they're talking about seedy and raunchy stuff, but they've got to move from highbrow to lowbrow language. And mixing the highbrow with the lowbrow seems to explain clearly why the 1970s are corny and forgettable.

I do like the music, but the lyrics annoy me. However, it takes time to appreciate the music; the good qualities are certainly subtle and downplayed. I think the album is worth listening to, but I'm not sure if this needs to be on the 1001 Albums list since I don't think this album is much of a departure from their first.

All the songs are good, if you bear the lyrics. The stand outs are Bodhisattva, Razor Boy, The Boston Rag, Your Gold Teeth, Show Biz Kids and King of the World.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

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.

★★★★★★★★★☆