1971: Your 10 favourite albums

1. Low Spark
2. Blue
3. Gonna Take A Miracle - Laura Nyro w/ LaBelle
4. Who's Next
5. White Light - Gene Clark
6. Sticky Fingers
7. Mudslide Slim
8. Bonnie Raitt - ST
9. Tupelo Honey
10. John Prine - ST

 

Hard to believe three pages and nobody has mentioned Roy Harper's masterpiece from 1971: Stormcock ~ I guess it truly is a Cult-Classic.


From my old thread, hree is kinda my "classic top ten":

Led Zeppelin IV
Sticky Fingers
Who's Next
Aqualung
Hunky Dory
Imagine
Tapestry
Blue
What's Goin' On?
and
There's A Riot Giong On...


http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-music-of-1971-was-it-the-peak-of-rock.150235/


But, personally, I'd take:

Stormcock
The Northstar Grassman and The Ravens
Message From The Country
Nillson Schmillson
Rosemary Lane
Muswell Hillbillies
If I Could Only Remember My Name
Every Picture Tells A Story
A Space In Time
The Yes Album


and my latest deeper understanding discovery:

Madman Across The Water


cheers

mrbill

 

Although it's buried in there under "Level III"...see my post here, post #68 & I did mention it...glad you did too though...truly fine album (I'd venture it might be his best)...

 

Yeah, it was a most impressive list, and I scanned it quickly.

Glad to see someone put it at at least level III.

Please check out my link above.

 

Here are my Top 10 ..... and 42 more for good measure.

1) Alice Cooper - Killer

2) Alice Cooper - Love It To Death

3) Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin [IV]

4) Pink Floyd - Meddle

5) Faces - A Nod Is As Good As A Wink... To A Blind Horse

6) Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality

7) The Who - Who's Next

8) The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers

9) David Bowie - Hunky Dory

10) Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells A Story



11) The Doors - L.A. Woman

12) Mott The Hoople - Brain Capers

13) Jethro Tull - Aqualung

14) Sweet - Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be

15) Yes - Fragile

16) Uriah Heep - Look At Yourself

17) Faces - Long Player

18) Dust - Dust

19) The Kinks - Muswell Hillbillies

20) Deep Purple - Fireball

21) T. Rex - Electric Warrior

22) ZZ Top - ZZ Top's First Album

23) Uriah Heep - Salisbury

24) The Allman Brothers Band - At Fillmore East

25) John Lennon - Imagine

26) Yes - The Yes Album

27) Electric Light Orchestra - The Electric Light Orchestra

28) Funkadelic - Maggot Brain

29) Traffic - The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys

30) Badfinger - Straight Up

31) Grand Funk Railroad - Survival

32) Elton John - Madman Across The Water

33) The J. Geils Band - The Morning After

34) James Gang - Thirds

35) Sparks - Halfnelson [AKA: Sparks]

36) Jeff Beck Group - Rough And Ready

37) Humble Pie - Rock On

38) Thin Lizzy - Thin Lizzy

39) Paul McCartney - Ram

40) The Moody Blues - Every Good Boy Deserves Favour

41) Don McLean - American Pie

42) Mott The Hoople - Wildlife

43) Cheech & Chong Cheech And Chong

44) Grand Funk Railroad - E Pluribus Funk

45) Nazareth - Nazareth

46) REO Speedwagon - REO Speedwagon

47) The Kinks - "Percy"

48) Wings - Wild Life

49) UFO - Flying: UFO II - Space Rock

50) The Doobie Brothers - The Doobie Brothers

51) Genesis - Nursery Cryme

52) The Guess Who - So Long, Bannatyne

 

1. Who's Next - The Who
2. Sticky Fingers - The Rolling Stones
3. Aqualung - Jethro Tull
4. A Tribute to Jack Johnson - Miles Davis
5. Imagine - John Lennon
6. Madman Across the Water - Elton John
7. Muswell Hillbillies - The Kinks
8. Hunky Dory - David Bowie
9. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin
10. Every Picture Tells a Story - Rod Stewart

 

Just checking in, but wasn't the late great J.J. Cale's debut, Naturally, released on Shelter Records in early 1972?


Now if you wanna get into amazing records recorded in 1971, but not released until 1972, that's another list:

Just off the top of my head, for starters:

Harvest
Pink Moon
Paul Simon
Something/Anything?
Naturally...


etc
etc
etc

 

I'm sure there's more that I've omitted, but...as a recovering Beatlemaniac, I'd be remiss in not mentioning that I totally forgot "Wings Wild Life"- Wings...I'd think I'd stick it some where around Level II, or maybe on a good day Level Ia...
Most people are sticking to the top ten format, & odds are if anyone is going to be choosing a McCartney album from that year that it'd much more likely be "RAM", but "Wings Wild Life" certainly has it's moments, even if, I concur, that's it's far from the achievement that the incredible "RAM" was/is.

 

Oh man!! I knew I was gonna forget one. I thought this was 1970 for some reason. That album absolutely needs to go in my top 10. Not sure what I'd bump though...

 

Woe.... is me... Have You HEARD Stormcock. To put it in Level III below Wildlife.... um....

 

I find polls about favorite releases in the 1970s impossible because that was the time I started buying albums and there was so much to discover. But I'll give it a try...

The Who - Who's Next
Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
Randy Newman - Live
Emitt Rhodes - Mirror
Elton John - Madman Across the Water
John Lennon - Imagine
Paul McCartney - RAM
Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells a Story
Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On
Various - Concert for Bangladesh

Some of these I picked because I played the heck out of them at the time.

 

I was 21 in 1971. This is what I was listening to (that came out that year - the actual truth is that I was mostly listening to what was released from 1964 to 1971 but ...)

L.A. Woman - Doors
Who's Next
Pearl - Janis Joplin
ZZ Top's First Album
Little Feat
Carly Simon
Every Picture Tells A Story - Rod Stewart
Live Johnny Winter and
The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
Split - The Groundhogs

(edit to mention 'Marvin Gaye - What's Goin' On' so that's 11 for me. Gotta include it!)

 

What's Going On--Marvin Gaye
Cry of Love--Jimi Hendrix
London Howlin' Wolf Sessions--Howlin' Wolf
Who's Next-The Who
Sticky Fingers--Rolling Stones
There's a Riot Goin' On--Sly and the Family Stone
Led Zeppelin IV--Led Zeppelin
LA Woman--Doors
Let My Children Hear Music--Charles Mingus
Live at the Fillmore East--Allman Brothers

 

Paul McCartney - Ram
James Taylor - Mud Slide Slim
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
Led Zeppelin - IV
Lighthouse - One Fine Morning
The Who - Who's Next
John Lennon - Imagine
The Doors - LA Woman
Cat Stevens - Teaser and the Firecat
Gilbert O'Sullivan - Himself

 

In no particular order.
Alice Cooper - Love It To Death
Alice Cooper - Killer
The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers
Black Sabbath - Master Of Reality
Rod Stewart - Every Picture Tells A Story
The Who - Who's Next
Led Zeppelin - "IV"
T-Rex - Electric Warrior
Humble Pie - Rockin The Fillmore
The Doors - LA Woman

 

Artist names would be nice.

 

I haven't heard it in years...I checked out a bunch of Harper ages ago & I recall it was the one that impressed me the most...I guess it's partly in Level III because I'm less familiar with it, but thought it was worth listing for sure...
As far as "Wings Wild Life" goes...I have to say that I think there's a trio of albums that are Macca's weakest (Pipes Of Peace- Press To Play- McCartney II...though they all have some great tracks on them), & that "Wings Wild Life" sits amongst the next weakest trio (alongside London Town & Wings At The Speed Of Sound), but this trio is a far cut above the lower trio.
It's a mixed bag, & so short it's almost like a long EP, but...I think that the great moments are truly great ("Some People Never Know" & "Tomorrow"- and whatever I recall of "Stormcock" thought there may be songs that great on it, I don't think there was anything better than either of these incredible songs), what's in between has aged better than I expected it to ("Dear Friend", "I Am Your Singer", "Mumbo" & "Love Is Strange"), & the really lesser stuff is more inconsequential than bad ("Bip Bop", "Wild Life")...
So I agree that I certainly could have sold "Stormcock" short & if this thread has done anything, it might inspire me to check it, & the whole Harper catalog, out again some time soon...but...I remain a defender of the merits of certain oft maligned McCartney efforts & this is one....however I'm nowhere near as enthusiastic a champion of this album as I am of other underrated/overlooked/misunderstood McCartney solo albums...
For many years I touted "RAM" & certainly time has led to that album being pretty much universally lauded...I also used to champion "Back To The Egg", but it seems like the historical tide has turned in it's favor as well (though not as strongly as with "RAM")...currently I champion "Electric Arguments"- which I think is both operationally a Paul McCartney solo album & brilliant to boot, but that it's anemic sales had everything to do with it being put out as a Fireman album- those low sales make it, arguably, the most overlooked great album by any Beatle...also I'm a big booster of "Off The Ground" (which I actually slightly prefer to "Flowers In The Dirt") & "Driving Rain" (which is terrific, but is saddled with being the album in between "Flaming Pie" & "Chaos & Creation In The Backyard"- which I feel are two of his best 3 albums, along with "Band On The Run"...so "Driving Rain" gets overlooked as well...)...and finally, while I'd put it at the end of my list of things to champion, I also have a soft spot for "Red Rose Speedway". It shares a distinction with "Wings Wild Life" in that it comes out between "RAM" & "Band On The Run" & while it may pale in comparison to either of those, it is, like "Driving Rain", a truly worthwhile effort...I'd say quite a bit better than "Wings Wild Life" & since operationally "McCartney" ends up more like a long EP, I'd vernture it's even in a class with that album...

 

Fair enough, and I appreciate your long, thoughtful and consider reply to my: Are you bros? broadside.


FWIW, I'm an early era Macca fan as well. I wasn't for years--firmly in the Lennon camp and felt you could not appreciate both--but I have come around to the joys of Macca's early effort, say through 1975. (Also owning and having a soft spot for Flaming Pie--vinyl anyone?--and Chaos.)

What brought me around to Ram and Band On The Run (I always loved McCartney, every little bit of it) was hearing UK First pressing on vinyl. A simply stunning listening experience, and the only way to hear these albums--even better, dare I say it, then the SH~Mastered Cds, which art know slouches.

Nevertheless, long way about it, Stormcock remains Harper's crowning achievement. I think so, Roy thinks so, Jimmy Page (who plays on it) thinks so, and so do many, most others who are really familiar with it. To know this record and Love it is Bliss, to know it and think it ok, so/so, etc, is to not really know it and understand it or to have "heard" it. To have "heard it" and to put it below Wildlife (possibly a much maligned record---I don't know...) is, FWICF, Heresy.

Its like comparing apples and oranges, or more like comparing "near perfect" with "An A for effort."


If you have a recent copy of Stormcock (the new remaster will do--not some Internet samples) give it a spin or two and then play your beloved Wildlife. If, after that, you honestly think Wildlife the better record (hence level II) well, more power to you, viva la difference, and subjective opines rule etc...

Been a pleasing pleasure being able to shine a spotlight on STORMCOCK, this most incredible record, a Top Three Desert Isle Disc for me, and up there with Blue and Hunky Dory as the finest of the very finest of years, 1971.


Cheers,

mrbill

 

I was going by memory, blurred by alcohol, illegal substances, dead brain cells and stuff like that. But, Allmusic Guide says '71.

Release Date December, 1971
Duration 31:41
Genre Pop/Rock
StylesBlues-Rock
Recording Date September 29, 1970 - June 9, 1971

 

I can't believe I'm the only one who has the 1971 stone-cold classic double album "Fairyport" on his list.

With songs like these how can it not be on more lists?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9fm6KWlo4k

....these are the only two songs up on YouTube USA. Some great rockin' ones missing.

 

released in 1972
Recorded between September 23 – November 18, 1971

 

No particular order:
The Who "Who's Next"
David Crosby "If I Could Only Remember My Name"
Jethro Tull "Aqualung"
Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers"
Allman Brothers "Live At Fillmore East"
Beach Boys "Surf's Up"
Pink Floyd "Meddle"
Elton John "Madman Across The Water"
Led Zeppelin "IV"
Traffic "Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys"

 

In 1971, I purchased these albums:

Alice Cooper -- Killer

Chicago at Carnegie Hall

LZ -- IV


Purchased after 1971:

Jethro Tull -- Aqualung

The Who -- Who's Next

CSN&Y -- 4 Way Street

 

Sorry Rodney, you had it too.

 

'71 was a good year. I could have easily named 15 more...

Elton John Madman Across The Water
Led Zeppelin Runes
Harry Nilsson Nilsson Schmilsson
Badfinger Straight Up
John Martyn Bless The Weather
America America
Marvin Gaye What's Going On
Carole King Tapestry
Paul & Linda McCartney Ram
Grand Funk Railroad Survival
Don McLean American Pie
Gypsy In The Garden
Bruce Cockburn High Winds White Sky
Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers
Black Oak Arkansas Black Oak Arkansas
Jethro Tull Aqualung
Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East
War All Day Music