Tag: 1970sPage 1 of 16

Bob Marley & The Wailers, Babylon By Bus, 1978 on Island

Wonderful live album recorded (despite the maps on the inner sleeves showing the US leg of the tour) in Paris, Copenhagen, London, and Amsterdam. It’s 2xLP but not…

John Mayall, Down The Line, 1973 on London Records

Compilation of songs previously released: First LP includes songs from Blues Breakers, A Hard Road, Crusade, The Blues Alone, Bare Wires, Blues From Laurel Canyon, and Looking Back,…

The Modern Lovers, The Modern Lovers, 1976 on Beserkley

Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers are part of the indie rock canon, especially here in greater Boston. They formed in Natick MA in 1970, and were active…

Nilsson, Pussy Cats, 1974 on RCA Victor

I first came to discover Harry Nilsson via The Point!, the fable accompanied by an animated film adaptation that aired on ABC in 1971. (I was too young…

David Bowie, Stage, 1978 on RCA

Bowie’s second live album, following 1974’s David Live. It’s a 2xLP release, drawing on concerts from Boston, Providence, and Philadelphia. Playing with Bowie here are Carlos Alomar, Dennis…

Oscar Peterson & Dizzy Gillespie, 1975 on Pablo

Pablo records, with a logo and name inspired by Picasso, was started by Norman Granz (who also produced this record) in the early seventies. There’s a ton of…

John Prine, Sweet Revenge, 1973 on Atlantic

Prine is one of my favorite songwriters of all time. This was his third full-length, and third on Atlantic. Produced by Arif Mardin, it was mostly recorded in…

Lucinda Williams, Ramblin’ On My Mind, 1979 on Folkways

Attributed to “Lucinda” mono-nymically, this was Williams’ debut solo album, released in 1979 on Folkways (which became Smithsonian Folkways in 1987). She’s accompanied by  John Grimaudo on 6-string…

The Damned, Machine Gun Etiquette, 1979 on Chiswick

This was the third studio album from Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Rat Scabies, and (new bassist) Algy Ward, collectively known as The Damned. Includes a cover of “Looking…

Willie Nelson, Phases and Stages, 1974 on Atlantic

This was Nelson’s 17th studio album and second (and last) of the Atlantic era, following Shotgun Willie, produced by Jerry Wexler and recorded at Muscle Shoals in Alabama….

Randy Newman, Sail Away, 1972 on Reprise

Randy Newman’s third studio LP, including the title track and “You Can Leave Your Hat On” which became a big hit for Joe Cocker in the 80s. Quality…

ZZ Top, ZZ Top’s First Album, 1971 on London / Warner Bros

Originally issued in the US on London Records (the American imprint of Decca) in 1971, ZZ Top‘s First Album was reissued by Warner Bros in 1978, likely based…

Billy Joe Shaver, Old Five and Dimers Like Me, 1973 on Monument

This was Shaver’s debut album, produced by Kris Kristofferson. I know Shaver more through tributes (2022’s Live Forever) and other famous artists recording his songs more than I…

David Bromberg, My Own House, 1978 on Fantasy

Bromberg’s 9th album as a solo artist, from 1978 – his first on Fantasy after three great Columbia records in the seventies. Bromberg is one of my favorite…

Supertramp, Breakfast in America, 1979 on A&M.

Though I imagine it’s the one Supertramp album most folks could name, this was their sixth LP. It’s got “The Logical Song” “Goodbye Stranger” and “Take the Long…

Herbie Hancock, Sextant, 1973 on Columbia

1973’s Sextant was the last LP with the so-called Mwandishi-era sextet: Bennie Maupin, Eddie Henderson, Julian Priester, Buster Williams, and Billy Hart. It was also his debut on…

Labelle, Nightbirds, 1974 on Epic

Labelle were a trio including Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash, and grew out of Patti Labelle and the Bluebells. They are the original “Lady Marmalade” power…

Bessie Smith, Any Woman’s Blues, 1970 on Columbia

This is was the second in a series of five 2xLP releases on Columbia in 1970-1972 that covered Smith’s recordings for the label. These recordings were made between…

Nick Lowe, Labour of Lust, 1979 on Columbia

Second album released under the Nick Lowe name, recorded with the same personnel from Rockpile and in the same year as Dave Edmunds’ Repeat When Necessary. The US…

Tom Waits, Closing Time, 1973 on Asylum

Tom Waits’ debut album, after David Geffen met him performing at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. Amazing how fully-formed Waits is here, kicking off his debut album with…