378. David Bowie - Low (1977)
















Track Listing

1. Speed of Life
2. Breaking Glass
3. What in the World
4. Sound and Vision
5. Always Crashing in the Same Car
6. Be My Wife
7. New Career in a New Town
8. Warszawa
9. Art Decade
10. Weeping Wall
11. Subterraneans

Review

Pitchfork Media recently voted this the best album of the 1970's, and even though I probably wouldn't go as far as that I would go pretty close to it. This is one of my favourite albums of all time and if you have been following this list you have to think that for me a mix of Eno and Bowie would always be a bit orgasmic.

So what are probably my two favourite single artists of all time get together to make some albums, and the first thing they come out with is this little piece called Low. The first half of it is full of some of the most interesting pop tracks ever committed to vinyl, by themselves these tracks would already get a 10 rating, particularly Sound And Vision, but then you turn to the other side and the Eno bit comes in stronger with strong input from Bowie in some amazing ambient tracks with only indiscernible lyrics.

This album is inventing all kinds of stuff, it is no wonder that Joy Division were originally called Warszawa as a tribute to that track there are the birth-pangs here of new-wave, post-punk, synth-pop but done with such avant-garde artistry that it was never surpassed. Eno and Bowie would go on to make two other great albums but none better than Low.

Track Highlights

1. Sound And Vision
2. Weeping Wall
3. Warszawa
4. Be My Wife

Final Grade

10/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

ow earned mixed reviews on its initial release. It was a financial success, peaking at #2 on the UK charts and #11 in the U.S.. "Sound and Vision" and "Be My Wife" were released as singles; the former reached #3 in the UK.

Low has risen to the top of many critics' "best album" lists. It was rated the #1 album of the 1970s by Pitchfork Media. In 2000 Q placed it at number 14 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. In 2003, the album was ranked number 249 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Philip Glass based his 1992 classical album Low Symphony on Low, with Bowie and Eno both assisting in its creation. "Bowi", an EP by Nick Lowe, was named in response to Low.

The influence of Low spans many genres that would come to prominence in following years such as Post-punk, New Wave and Industrial. Not only was it an influence on these styles, but the fact that an artist of Bowie's prominence had experimented with these styles made other proponents of the genres more respectable. Trent Reznor would later claim Low to be one of his influences while creating The Downward Spiral. As late as 2000, Radiohead looked to be attempting a similar concept and sound with their album Kid A.

Sound And Vision:

377. The Clash - The Clash (1977)

















Track Listing

1. Janie Jones
2. Remote Control
3. I'm So Bored With The USA
4. White Riot
5. Hate And War
6. What's My Name
7. Deny
8. London's Burning
9. Career Opportunities
10. Cheat
11. Protex Blue
12. Police And Thieves
13. 48 Hours
14. Garage Land

Review

More substantial than Sex Pistols or Ramones in terms of content, and less frilly than the Stranglers, The Clash are pure punk (if such a thing exists) with a message. The message might be in hindsight slightly immature 'smash the system' gibberish, but it least it is there.

Another good thing about The Clash is their pronounced West Indies influence, there is always an element of Ska, Reggae or Rocksteady to their tracks, even if not obvious at first, therefore it is only natural that the longest track in the album by far is a cover of Lee Perry's Police and Thieves and it really doesn't sound as if it doesn't belong in the album.

Of course the best thing about The Clash, however, is the rage behind the delivery which is mixed with some quite talented melodies quite well executed. The Clash are never as chaotic as the Pistols even tough they might seem at the edge of collapsing there is always something there propping up the tunes. Another thing I found interesting about listening to The Clash, at a personal level, was how much Portuguese Rock bands of the early 80's were influenced by them. All music in the early 80's in Portugal was either Ska or stuff which was heavy Ska and sounded like The Clash, maybe that's why I like them so much.

Track Highlights

1. Janie Jones
2. Police & Thieves
3. Hate & War
4. White Riot

Final Grade

10/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

* The version of "White Riot" featured here was not recorded for the album. Instead they used the original demo version, recorded at Beaconsfield Studios before the band signed to CBS.

* "I'm So Bored with the U.S.A." was developed from a Mick Jones song, entitled "I'm So Bored With You". The intro is borrowed from "Pretty Vacant" by the Sex Pistols.

* "Protex Blue", sung by Mick Jones, is about a 1970s brand of condom. The song ends with the shouted phrase "Johnny Johnny!", "johnny" being a British slang term for a condom.

* "Police And Thieves" was added to the album when the band realised just how short the tracklist was. Another cover the band toyed with at these sessions was Bob Marley's "Dancing Shoes".

* Lee Perry (original composer of "Police and Thieves") heard the album whilst in London in 1976 and played it to Bob Marley, who in turn mentioned The Clash on his own track "Punky Reggae party".

* "Garageland" was written in response to Charles Shaar Murray's damning review of the band's early appearance at the Sex Pistols Screen on the Green concert - "The Clash are the kind of garage band who should be returned to the garage immediately, preferably with the engine running". It was the final track recorded for the album.

* In 2000 Q magazine placed The Clash at number 48 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.

Police & Thieves:

376. The Stranglers - Rattus Norvegicus (1977)
















Track Listing

1. Sometimes
2. Goodbye Toulouse
3. London Lady
4. Princess Of The Streets
5. Hangin' Around
6. Peaches
7. Get A Grip (On Yourself)
8. Ugly
9. Down In The Sewer

Review

This is a great album, we are going through a golden period in music now, we have all the punk and affiliates coming up, The Stranglers are a case of music which is actually not as simple to categorize as you would at first imagine. Yes, they insert themselves into the whole punk scene but they are actually a bit beyond that and often sound more post-punk than punk. This comes about due to the heavy use of keyboards and the fact that they can actually play their instruments pretty well.

The keyboardist has often been compared with Ray Manzarek of the Doors and this is no hyperbole, there are big elements of that type of psychedelia here, mainly on the keyboards married to the whole punk attitude and vocal delivery.

Another big point in favour of The Stranglers is the fact that they don't take themselves too seriously, maybe it is because they are older than the average punk band (the drummer, Jet Black, was around 40 by the time this came out) but they are indeed funny. Peaches is a great example of what could almost be considered a novelty song, except for the fact that it is so well done, with a driving bass chord which is one of the best ever. A great punk album by an underrated band.

Track Highlights

1. Peaches
2. Goodbye Toulouse
3. Sometimes
4. Down In The Sewer

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

The band's name was printed as "The Stranglers IV" on the sleeve. The album was originally to be entitled "Dead on Arrival" but was changed at the last minute. It was one of the highest-selling albums of the punk era in Britain. Some websites incorrectly list the album as IV by a band called Rattus Norvegicus.

Peaches in '77:

375. Muddy Waters - Hard Again (1977)
















Track Listing

1. Mannish Boy
2. Bus Driver
3. I Want to Be Loved
4. Jealous Hearted Man
5. I Can't Be Satisfied
6. Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock & Roll
7. Deep Down in Florida
8. Crosseyed Cat
9. Little Girl

Review

After a pretty disappointing decade Muddy Waters comes back, and he is indeed hard again. Muddy Waters is probably my favourite blues player, but he did have a pretty dismal bunch of years in the late 60's and early 70's, but he really redeems himself with this album.

This album is dirty blues, and even tough Muddy doesn't play his guitar there is still plenty of good musicians around. Muddy's voice is as gritty as ever and fortunately there is quite a bit of studio chatter around him, making it sound like they are all having a lot of fun, and that is what you want from a Blues album, people who are loving the music they are making.

This sounds real, not manufactured or poppy in any way, it is gritty dirty blues with a proper stomp to them. Even if, like most blues the signatures are instantly recognisable and there is nothing particularly new or innovative here this is a pretty perfect Blues album, it is just doing it right, not being fancy or innovative, just doing it right.

Track Highlights

1. Mannish Boy
2. Blues Had a Baby and They Named It Rock & Roll
3. Crosseyed Cat
4. Jealous Hearted Man

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

His influence is almost incalculable, over a variety of music genres: blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, folk, jazz, and country. Waters also helped Chuck Berry get his first record contract.

His 1958 tour of England marked possibly the first time amplified, modern urban blues was heard there, although on his first tour he was the only one amplified. His backing was provided by Englishman Chris Barber's trad jazz group. (One critic retreated to the restroom to write his review because he found the band so loud.)

The Rolling Stones named themselves after Waters' 1950 song, "Rollin' Stone," (also known as "Catfish Blues," which Jimi Hendrix covered as well). Cream covered his song "Rollin' and Tumblin'" on their 1966 debut album Fresh Cream. The song was also adapted by Bob Dylan in the album "Modern Times." One of Led Zeppelin's biggest hits, "Whole Lotta Love", is based upon the Muddy Waters hit, "You Need Love," which was written by Willie Dixon. Dixon wrote some of Muddy Waters' most famous songs, including "I Just Want to Make Love to You" (a big radio hit for the '70s rock band Foghat), "Hoochie Coochie Man," made famous by The Allman Brothers Band and "I'm Ready." Angus Young of the rock group AC/DC has cited Waters as one of his influences. His songs sometimes appear in long-time fan Martin Scorsese's movies, including The Color of Money, Casino, as well as Goodfellas. Waters's 1970s recording of his mid-'50s hit "Mannish Boy" (a/k/a "I'm A Man") was used memorably in the hit film "Risky Business".

Other songs for which Muddy Waters is known include "Long Distance Call", "Rock Me", and the blues anthem "Got My Mojo Working".

Mannish Boy:

374. Weather Report - Heavy Weather (1977)

















Track Listing

1. Birdland
2. Remark You Made
3. Teen Town
4. Harlequin
5. Rumba Mama
6. Palladium
7. Juggler
8. Havona

Review

Weather Report comes into the list at a timely occasion seeing as Joe Zwainul died just some days ago on the 11th of September. That said this isn't really going to be a eulogy of what was a great keyboardist. And it isn't going to be a eulogy because this album didn't do anything for me.

The playing is very competent throughout of course, but the music itself leaves me cold. It runs the gamut from hotel lobby to mildly interesting but never really does anything to wake me up. This album has the exact opposite problem of ELO and Billy Joel, it is very good and competent but it is also dull an not entertaining in the least.

That said, fusion jazz is really not my thing at all, I find that it always sounds a bit cheap and I much prefer the things that have been fused to be their own separate worlds. I prefer Jazz by itself, and I prefer rock music by itself. Zwainul was unfortunately opening the doors here for many a porn film soft-jazz soundtrack with synths. I am sorry but I just think my life is too short for this album, it is competent and all, but unexciting.

Track Highlights

1. Birdland
2. Rumba Mama
3. Palladium
4. Havona

Final Grade

6/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

Featuring their classic jazz standard "Birdland", the album is one of the best-sellers in the Columbia jazz catalog. Heavy Weather is considered a landmark album in the jazz-rock or fusion movement of the 1970s. Its opening track, "Birdland", was a significant commercial success, something not typical of instrumental music. Additionally, the album was a breakout recording for Pastorius, virtually turning him into a household name. His track "Teen Town" and inspired performances reinforced his self-proclaimed status as "the Greatest Bass Player in the World".

Birdland: