I'm going out for most of the day so hope you dont mind me posting this years kick off a few hours early.
1974
1974 was some year. I left school following my Highers and joined the world of full time work with the Bank I would give 40 odd years service to.
Evenings were spent as a waiter serving flambeed Steak Diane and Crepes Suzette to the wealthy and the tourists of the small east coast town where I lived
I fell in love.
My parents split up
(these two milestones were not related in any way)
Music was a very big part of my life. If you had asked the 16 year old me what I wanted to do as a career, the answer would have been be a music journalist with the NME (I was still saying that when I joined the Bank lol).
Amongst the highlights, I saw Pink Floyd debuting some of Wish You Were Here (as well as playing the whole of DSOTM and Echoes) in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh. I can remember they went a bit mad Ted with the old dry ice which completely covered the front stalls where we were sitting. I think they were playing the intro to Great Gig in the sky at the time but I couldn’t see a thing.
I was supposed to see Genesis play ‘Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’ in October 1974 but Steve Hackett had an accident with a wine class and managed to sever a tendon in his hand so that was pushed back to Spring 1975. (Having seen Tales from Topographic Oceans at the Empire in December 73 I guess I can claim a prog rock triple crown ;-))
Living in a small town, there was no record shop. The nearest we had was in Edinburgh, a thirty minute trip up the east line to Waverley Station and then a ten minute walk down to Bandparts which still had 60’s style listening booths. If money was tight, you could visit Cockburn Street that had ‘hippy’ type shops that smelled of joss sticks and sold kaftans and second hand albums. Once a month a small white van would visit the bleaching field in Dunbar and we locals could buy albums out of the back of it. I can remember buying Cream Live vol 2 and Quadrophenia from them. Friday night dances were pretty perilous affairs. Look the wrong way at someone and you could end up having a swim in the harbour. Tough on you if the tide were out. Minor groups played these dances and occasionally one that would later break through to an odd hit single (Sweet, Chicory Tip, Mud). So life was ok from what I can remember it was work/work/party and repeat.
1974: A Year of Crisis, Escapism and yearning for the past
A quick fire summary of life in 1975 for those too young to remember it.
1974 was a tumultuous year for the UK, marked by economic strife, political instability, and domestic terrorism. The year began under Edward Heath’s Conservative government with the introduction of the three-day week, aimed at conserving electricity amid coal shortages caused by an overtime ban by the National Union of Mineworkers. This was compounded by the oil crisis following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which led to soaring energy prices and inflation. With industry limited to three days of electricity per week, speed limits reduced, and TV broadcasting curtailed nightly, public morale sagged. In February, the miners began a full strike. Heath sought a new mandate in a general election on 28 February, asking “Who governs—Government or Unions?” The result was Britain’s first hung parliament since 1929. Labour, despite receiving fewer votes than the Conservatives, gained more seats and formed a minority government under Harold Wilson. The miner’s strike was quickly settled with a 32% pay rise, ending the three-day week (NB the answer to Heath’s question was undoubtedly the Unions). But the agreement was viewed by many as a capitulation that deferred deeper issues that would have to be addressed at a later date.
Wilson’s final term was riddled with challenges. Reports from aides and historians describe a fraught period marred by cabinet discord, Wilson’s alleged dependency on alcohol, and growing disillusionment with his leadership. Britain faced another general election in October 1974, which Labour narrowly won, securing a majority of just three seats.
Meanwhile, IRA violence escalated. Bombings in Guildford and Birmingham killed dozens and left hundreds injured. Both cases later resulted in notorious miscarriages of justice involving the Guildford Four and Birmingham Six. The public was further shaken by scandals such as the disappearance of Lord Lucan after the murder of his children’s nanny, and MP John Stonehouse faking his own death and fleeing to Australia, only to be later revealed as a former spy for Czechoslovakia.
Amid this grim backdrop, pop culture offered a form of escape. The music scene was in transition. Glam rock, once dominant, was fading. Acts like David Bowie and Roxy Music remained strong, but newer bands such as Mud, Showaddywaddy, and the Rubettes offered pale nostalgic reworkings of ‘50s American rock. Mud’s Tiger Feet and Lonely This Christmas both topped the charts, while Showaddywaddy’s Hey Rock and Roll epitomized the growing public appetite for retro music. Abba burst onto the scene with Waterloo, winning Eurovision in Brighton, heralding their global success.
Sparks made a striking debut with This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us, marked by Russell Mael’s theatrical performance and brother Ron’s deadpan gurn. Even novelty acts like the Wombles, led by Mike Batt, became wildly popular. Sylvia’s Y Viva España captured the spirit of new package holidays, especially in Spain, combining hedonism with kitsch.
Though the country struggled with inflation, unemployment, and national unrest, consumerism rose. More households owned fridges, washing machines, and TVs, softening the blow of wider hardships. Music’s retreat into pastiche reflected a broader yearning for comfort and escapism—a desire to look backward as the present faltered and the future looked grim.
Across the pond, 1974 was a watershed year in the United States—a time of political crisis, public disillusionment, and cultural flux. Most notably, it marked the culmination of the Watergate scandal. Following months of mounting evidence of corruption and a relentless investigation, President Richard Nixon resigned on August 9, becoming the first U.S. president to do so. His Vice President, Gerald Ford, assumed the presidency and shortly after issued a controversial pardon for Nixon, sparking a national debate about justice and accountability (hmmmmm. Plus ca change?).
The broader mood in the U.S. was one of malaise. The economy was reeling from stagflation—high inflation paired with stagnant growth and rising unemployment. The oil crisis triggered by the OPEC embargo hit American consumers hard, with long queues at petrol stations and a sense that the postwar boom had definitively ended. Trust in government plummeted, and for many Americans, the sense of national unity that had defined the early 1960s seemed irrevocably lost.
Yet amid this national uncertainty, music—like at home—offered both distraction and meaning. The pop and rock charts of 1974 captured the contradictions of the time: escapism, nostalgia, cynicism, and creativity all jostled for space on the airwaves. Looking at the US Billboard charts for 74 there was greater variety and deeper quality than could be seen in the UK
The year saw the continued dominance of soft rock and adult contemporary sounds. The Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, and John Denver all charted highly—Denver in particular with hits like Annie’s Song and Sunshine on My Shoulders, which offered soothing lyrics in uncertain times. Similarly, Barry White and The Stylistics embodied the lush romanticism of the Philadelphia soul movement, smoothing the edges of a rough year.
However, rock was evolving fast. Progressive and hard rock were gaining ground, with bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd attracting massive American audiences. David Bowie, made a major impact in the U.S. with his Diamond Dogs tour—his mix of glam rock, dystopian themes, and theatrical flair felt oddly apt for a paranoid, post-Watergate America. I remember seeing the film of that Tour for the first time and being pretty stunned by its theatre.
Meanwhile, funk and R&B surged. Stevie Wonder’s Fulfillingness’ First Finale won Grammy accolades and continued his streak of socially conscious and musically innovative albums. Earth, Wind & Fire and Kool & the Gang injected danceable optimism. These sounds would heavily influence the impending arrival of disco.
Disco itself was still in gestation, but signs of the coming wave were clear. George McCrae’s Rock Your Baby was a hit, and Gloria Gaynor’s early releases pointed the way forward. At the same time, the Jackson 5 were transitioning, with Michael Jackson's solo career beginning to gather momentum.
Country music also crossed over into mainstream charts. Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson began to achieve national prominence, reflecting the growing appeal of the outlaw country sound—a genre defined by its defiance of Nashville slickness and its raw emotional honesty.
In short, the U.S. in 1974 was a country between certainties, but music flourished in the cracks in the sidewalk. Whether in smooth ballads, experimental rock, or the nascent beats of disco and funk, Americans sought solace and meaning in sound—even as the political and economic landscape crumbled around them.
If I’m honest, in hindsight 1974 is far from being a standout year for me in music. The year lacks a ‘Dark side of the Moon’ a ’Tapestry’ or a ‘Bridge over troubled water’. The best of Glam rock was fading and being replaced by bands with nothing new to say. If you look at the list of best 100 albums for the year, whilst it has some pearls, it lacks the depth of excellence of the preceding few years. Indeed the three albums I mentioned still feature amongst the best sellers for 1974 despite being released in previous years. The biggest acts of the time either released an album that was not quite as good as their best (Yes - Relayer, Genesis - Lamb) or they were so busy touring they didn’t release any new music at all. It was a year that saw prog rock eat itself through bloated excess, a year that saw the emergence of disco (eeeuugh) and the green (?) shoots of Punk.
In nominating my ten album choices from 1974, I have tried to keep one eye firmly on the ‘history’ element of this thread so have chosen albums that have significance for their genre, or the artistic direction of the act, or in one or two cases the album represents the act at their zenith. A couple of the albums are ‘live’ and count amongst my top ten ever live albums.
Most of the albums I bought and listened to and enjoyed in 1974. A couple I came to love long after that year. I hope you enjoy the variety and (hopefully) the quality. Maybe, in us developing the playlist for the year you will prove me wrong about 1974. Whatever you think, when you put your nominations forward, say a bit about how 1974 was for you.
Lou Reed – Rock ’n’ Roll Animal (Live)
So this album was one of the ones I bought from that van in Dunbar. It was my first Lou Reed album. I think I bought this after reading a NME article, perhaps by Nick Kent, because he sounded pretty cool (Lou not Nick). It wasn’t what I had expected tbf, but all the better for that. It remains one of my favourite live albums and along with Transformer my favourite LR album. The time he spent working with Bowie and Ronson is so evident on this recording.
Rock ’n’ Roll Animal was Lou Reed’s first live album, recorded during a concert at Howard Stein’s Academy of Music in New York on December 21, 1973. At the time, Reed was still riding the wave of his post–Velvet Underground solo career, particularly the success of 1972’s
Transformer. Yet his 1973 follow-up,
Berlin, was bleak and commercially disappointing. Lou needed a ‘hit’ and
Rock ’n’ Roll Animal aimed to reposition him as a live rock powerhouse.
In arrangements that presented his lean melodies and street lyrics in arena rock mode, guitarists Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter (of Alice Cooper fame) carry the album for me. In short, their playing is superb and complement Reed’s ’spoken’ drawl perfectly. “Sweet Jane," "White Light/White Heat," “Heroin” and "Rock 'n' Roll” are re-interpreted rather than played as originally conceived.
Reed would rarely sound this commercial again, but Rock N' Roll Animal proves he could please an audience when he had to.
The album was a commercial and critical success. It reached No. 45 on the US Billboard 200 and became Reed’s highest-charting album to date in America at the time. Though purists were divided, the production gave Reed’s songs new life and accessibility for a wider rock audience. The album played a crucial role in cementing Lou Reed’s legacy beyond his cult Velvet Underground roots. It introduced a generation of fans—particularly in the US—to Reed as a solo force, and it reframed his earlier, darker material as fit for rock stadiums, not just downtown clubs.
It remains one of my favourite Live albums, one I still play and every track is vital. I have chosen the first because the ‘Intro’ showcases Wagner/Hunter at their very best. I absolutely love the way the guitars segue into Sweet Jane.
Intro/Sweet Jane- Lou Reed
10cc – Sheet Music
I nominated 10cc first album on the album thread. As a lover of the Beach Boys, their clever pastiche’s, tight harmonies and smart writing hooked me immediately
. Sheet Music was their second studio album and it firmly established their reputation as one of the most inventive groups of the 1970s. Comprising Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme, 10cc brought together formidable songwriting and studio expertise. Unlike many contemporaries, they drew from pop, doo-wop, and vaudeville as much as rock, creating a style that was clever, self-aware, and sonically adventurous. My own view is that the reached their peak with Sheet Music and their next album The Original Soundtrack
The album was a moderate commercial success, reaching No. 9 on the UK Albums Chart and staying there for 20 weeks. It produced several hit singles, most notably The Wall Street Shuffle (UK No. 10) and Silly Love (UK No. 24). In the US, they hadn’t quite broken through yet, but critical acclaim was growing. The album became a cult favourite there.
The songs, production and musicianship are all excellent. 10cc always had a fixation with old cinema, though this would emerge more on their next album, and they are masters of the piss-take, with biting humour evident on several songs. Worst Band in the World (and they don’t give a shit), Old Wild Men (dedicated to the Stones I believe - little did they know) and Oh Effendi (Oil money? coming rom Manchester they should have known better) are particularly excellent send ups. Clockwork Creep is a plane bombing seen from the bomb's point of view (sick)
Tick a tick a time bomb
Tick a tick a time bomb
Tick a tick a time bomb
Sacro Iliac is about the latest dance crazes authored by someone who won’t/can’t dance.
I like the line
Here's what you got to do-nothing,
in any tempo and any rhythm"
Eg stay sat down and call it the Sacro Iliac! 10cc were always a band with a sense of humour. All the members contribute roughly equally to the writing, usually working in pairs (and not just Godley/Creme and Gouldman/ Stewart as they later became). Self-produced at Strawberry Studios in Stockport, Sheet Music is a great example of the band's mastery of studio technology and layered arrangements. The whole band are highly talented on their main instruments, but the three front men are multi-instrumentalists who can swop the keyboard/guitar roles around freely. Creme and Stewart both play some scything lead guitar. All 4 sing lead vocals on at least one track and they are remarkably consistent in their excellence, with harmonies being a strength. The production and sound quality is exemplary. 10cc managed to lampoon commercial pop while excelling at it, and Sheet Music embodies that contradiction perfectly. It was a reaction to the seriousness of progressive rock and the simplicity of glam, offering an alternative that was both cerebral and catchy. The album’s lasting appeal lies in its precision, absurdity, inventiveness and musicality.
On reflection, I think that this pips The ‘Original Soundtrack’ as their best album and I still enjoy it enormously. I have chosen Somewhere in Hollywood as the track for the playlist as it showcases everything I have talked about including their fascination with Hollywood which would continue on the Original Soundtrack. As usual, the lyrics are spot on:
I had a part in the talkies
When you were a little girl
I've taken Lassie for walkies
When she was the pup
That Vaudeville threw up
And destiny led her
Hand in paw to
Somewhere in Hollywood
That's crazy
A dog up in Beverly Hills
Crazy, crazy
Somewhere in Hollywood - 10cc
Queen – Sheer Heart Attack
Sheer Heart Attack was Queen’s third studio album (the first four Queen albums are, undoubtedly, their finest). This one may just edge it as their best work, although both the previous and the following (Night at the Opera) have strong claims as well. Following the heavier Queen II, this record embraced a change of direction and featured a wider palette of styles, from heavy metal, to dixieland whilst retaining their flamboyance. Recorded in the wake of guitarist Brian May’s near-fatal illness during their U.S. tour, the album reflects both the band's creative ambition and their determination to break into the mainstream - an ambition that would ultimately make them a far less interesting band (imo). The album was a major breakthrough, reaching No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and climbing to No. 12 in the U.S.—their first real American success. The lead single, Killer Queen, was a significant hit (UK No. 2, US No. 12), and remains one of Queen’s most iconic tracks.
Produced by Queen and Roy Thomas Baker, Sheer Heart Attack was recorded at multiple studios over several months. It is sonically dense and ambitious, fusing glam rock, vaudeville, proto-punk, heavy metal, and even ragtime jazz into a sharply executed album. Tracks like Brighton Rock showcased May’s trademark guitar harmonies and extended solos, while Now I’m Here demonstrated their power as a live act. I particularly liked Roger Taylors drumming on this. I grew to dislike their penchant for vaudeville and ‘Leroy Brown’ is my least favourite track on the album. I thought the first side was immeasurably stronger than the second but these are minor criticisms as its still a very good album and anyway, I got it as a 17th Birthday present from my then girlfriend (now wife).
Freddie Mercury’s role as the band's frontman and creative engine became more pronounced, particularly in tracks like Flick of the Wrist and Lily of the Valley, where his flair for drama, melody and vocal pyrotechnics took centre stage. The album's diversity—both in style and song structure—was unprecedented in Queen’s catalog at that point. Sheer Heart Attack marked Queen’s transformation from cult glam-prog into bona fide rock stars. It laid the groundwork for the blockbuster success of A Night at the Opera the following year and established Mercury as one of the most distinctive frontmen in rock. The album also demonstrated that Queen could appeal to both the rock crowd and the pop market without compromising their personality
In short, Sheer Heart Attack was where Queen became Queen.
Now I’m here - Queen.
Sparks – Kimono My House
Kimono My House was the third album by Sparks but marked their true breakout, especially in the UK. Though originally formed in Los Angeles by brothers Ron and Russell Mael, Sparks relocated to Britain in 1973, where they found a more receptive audience for their eccentric, theatrical brand of art-pop. Teaming up with producer Muff Winwood and a new British backing band, they recorded Kimono My House, an album that would redefine their sound and public image—most notably through Russell’s androgynous, high-energy presence and Ron’s sinister/amusing/annoying, deadpan stage persona.
The album was a surprise hit, reaching No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart and staying there for over six months. The lead single, This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us, was a sensation—peaking at No. 2 in the UK and becoming a defining glam-era hit. Although Sparks never quite reached the same level of mainstream success in the U.S., the album helped establish them as cult icons and left a deep imprint on alternative music circles.
Produced by Muff Winwood at Island Studios in London, the album combined glam rock flamboyance with operatic vocals, jittery rhythms, and quirky, literate lyrics. Ron Mael’s songwriting was sharp, witty, and unpredictable, with bizarre but compelling narratives (Talent Is an Asset, Thank God It’s Not Christmas) backed by intricate arrangements and soaring melodies. The band’s fusion of classical flourishes with glam guitar riffs and Russell’s falsetto vocals resulted in a sound that was completely unique in the pop landscape of 1974. Sparks rejected the prevailing blues-based rock of the era, instead embracing a hyperactive mix of show tunes, avant-garde pop, and surreal storytelling. The production was tight and dramatic, with sudden key changes, theatrical dynamics, and an aggressive sense of irony—qualities that distinguished them sharply from their peers. The album’s art-pop experimentation influenced artists as diverse as Queen, Kate Bush, Morrissey, Faith No More, and Franz Ferdinand (who would later collaborate with Sparks as FFS).
I bought it on the back of the single and loved the energy of the album (I even bought the follow up which was good but not as good). It’s a long time since I have played it but enjoyed listening again for the purposes of this playlist. It’s an album of its time but captures the essence of the best of ‘glam’ rock perfectly.
This town ain’t big enough for the both of us - Sparks
Stevie Wonder – Fulfillingness’ First Finale
Fulfillingness’ First Finale is the fourth album in Stevie Wonder’s legendary “classic period” (1972–1976), and it followed the ambitious Innervisions (1973). This album marked a more introspective, personal turn in his music, partially shaped by his near-fatal car accident in August 1973. Where Innervisions tackled systemic injustice and political dysfunction, Fulfillingness’ addressed vulnerability, spirituality, and emotional reflection—while still carrying some sharp social commentary.
The album was a major critical and commercial success. It reached No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B Albums charts, and won three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year—making Wonder the first Black artist to win that category twice. The singles Boogie On Reggae Woman and You Haven’t Done Nothin’ were both top 5 hits, with the latter (featuring backing vocals from The Jackson 5) reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. You Haven’t Done Nothin’, released shortly before the 1974 U.S. midterm elections, was a direct critique of the Nixon administration—and hit No. 1 just months after Nixon resigned. Produced by Wonder himself and released on Motown’s Tamla label, the album is a blend of soul, funk, gospel, and synth-laden pop. Wonder continued to experiment with then cutting edge technology, especially the TONTO synthesizer system, blending electronic textures with organic grooves and deeply human vocals.
Stevie plays most of the instruments himself on many tracks, showcasing his virtuosity across keys, bass, and drums.
Musically, the album influenced generations of R&B, soul, and pop artists—from Prince to Alicia Keys. Though sometimes overshadowed by the Songs in the Key of Life (1976), Fulfillingness’ First Finale is arguably Wonder’s most emotionally cohesive album.
Boogie on Reggae Woman - Stevie Wonder
David Bowie – Diamond Dogs
The album starts with a spoken introduction over menacing guitars and synths:
And in the death,
as the last few corpses lay rotting on the slimy thoroughfare,
The shutters lifted about inch in temperance building,
high on Poacher's Hill and red mutant eyes gazed down on Hunger City
No More big wheels,
Fleas the size of rats sucked on rats the size of cats
And ten thousand peoploids split into small tribes
Coveting the highest of the sterile skyscraper
Like Packs of dogs
Assaulting the glass fronts of Love-Me Avenue
Ripping and rewrapping mink and shiny silver fox, now leg warmers
Family badge of sapphire and cracked emerald, Any day now,
The year of the Diamond Dogs
I personally loved this album. My wife, who was a much bigger Bowie fan than me absolutely hated it and hated the direction his music subsequently went in. It seems to be a marmite piece of work - something in retrospect proven by the music critics who over subsequent decades have lauded it either as the best album Bowie made or the worst. There seems little middle ground.
Diamond Dogs marked a turning point in his career. Coming off the high of his Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin sane persona, he created a darker, work that fused glam rock with bleak urban decay and emerging punk energy. Diamond Dogs was Bowie's last album in the glam rock genre.
The album was initially conceived as a musical adaptation of Orwell’s 1984. At the end of 1973 his widow, Sonia Orwell denied Bowie the rights. Unable to adapt the novel, Bowie decided to create his own apocalyptic scenario inspired by both Orwell and William Burroughs. Bowie fused dystopian themes with ideas from a scrapped Ziggy Stardust musical. The result was a mutant concept album populated by the grotesque “peoploids,” street gangs, and the titular Diamond Dogs (gangs of underfed kids roaming the decaying streets - their description was very much like ‘punk’ would become). Diamond Dogs combined elements of glam, soul, funk, and rock opera with Bowie’s flair for spectacle and roleplay. The music reflecting a cultural mood shift from the optimism of the 1960s to the harsh realities of the 1970s.
Musically, Bowie took on more responsibility than ever, playing most of the guitar parts himself after parting ways with longtime collaborator Mick Ronson (and the rest of the Spiders). Though critics missed Ronson’s refined touch, Bowie’s jagged, (“scratchy” according to Charles S.M. of NME) unconventional guitar style gave the album a raw, unnerving edge that would later influence punk, post-punk, and alternative rock acts. The album showcases this evolution, with complex structures, shifting tempos, and lyrical themes of power, submission, and disillusionment. The pianist Mike Garson and the drummer Aynsley Dunbar returned from the Pin Ups sessions, Herbie Flowers who had played previously on Space Oddity, was recruited to play bass. Alan Parker of Blue Mink played guest guitar on "1984" and "augmented" Bowie's riff on "Rebel Rebel”. Diamond Dogs reunited Bowie with Tony Visconti, who provided string arrangements and helped mix the album at his studio in London. Visconti would go on to co-produce much of Bowie's work for the rest of the decade. Belgian artist Guy Peellaert painted the controversial cover artwork depicting Bowie as a half-man, half-dog hybrid. His genitalia were airbrushed out subsequently.
“Rebel Rebel” stands apart as the album’s most straightforward and accessible track—an anthem of gender fluidity and teenage rebellion with one of Bowie’s most iconic guitar riffs. Legend has it that at the time of making the album David was a tad obsessed with the Stones and in particular MJ. He lived not far away from most of the band and they ‘socialised’ a great deal. Bowie being a musical magpie wrote Rebel Rebel as a tribute to the Stones music.
Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing reprise is listed as three tracks but in fact it’s one. For me it’s the highlight of the album and I don’t think Bowie has delivered a better vocal performance than this.
If you haven’t listened to the album as a whole, I would urge you to. It is in my top 3 Bowie albums and I still love its bravery and ‘difference’.
Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing - David Bowie
Gram Parsons – Grievous Angel
Now, you probably already know this but I am not the greatest lover of country with some notable exceptions. This is one. Grievous Angel was Gram Parsons’ second solo album—and his last. It was released just four months after his tragic death from a drug overdose at age 26. The album cemented his legacy as a pioneer of “cosmic American music,” Parsons' own term for the blend of country, soul, and rock that defined his brief but hugely influential career.
Having already played a key role in reshaping The Byrds (Sweetheart of the Rodeo) and founding The Flying Burrito Brothers, Parsons used his solo work to refine a deeply personal, emotionally rich sound.
Though Grievous Angel was not a major commercial hit at the time, it has since become one of the most revered albums in the alt-country and Americana canons. It peaked modestly on the Billboard charts but was championed by critics and musicians alike. Over the years, its songs have grown in stature, and it is now often ranked alongside Harvest and Blood on the Tracks as one of the defining singer-songwriter albums of the decade.
The album was produced by Parsons and Ric Grech (of Blind Faith) and recorded at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles. It featured a stellar cast of musicians, including James Burton on guitar, Emory Gordy Jr., Glen D. Hardin, and most notably, Emmylou Harris, who shared lead vocals on several tracks (Emmylou is another notable exception). Their vocal chemistry is one of the album’s highlights—particularly on Hearts on Fire, Love Hurts, and $1000 Wedding.
The production is warm, restrained, and evocative—intentionally closer to classic Nashville than to the rough-hewn country-rock of the Burrito Brothers. Strings, pedal steel, and harmony vocals are used sparingly and effectively, serving the songs rather than overwhelming them.
Grievous Angel is often considered one of the cornerstone albums of Americana and alt-country, long before either term existed. Gram Parsons fused the lyricism of country music with the sensibility and lifestyle of a rock star. His influence looms large over artists like Lucinda Williams, Wilco, Ryan Adams, and Gillian Welch.
Emmylou Harris’s career was launched in part by this album, and she has often spoken of Parsons’ mentorship and musical vision. Songs like Brass Buttons and Return of the Grievous Angel have become cult standards, admired for their poetic depth, world-weariness, and timeless arrangements.
Though Parsons didn’t live to see the recognition he would later receive, Grievous Angel stands as a haunting, beautiful farewell—an album soaked in sorrow and grace, delivered with an intimate clarity. Its a truly beautiful album.
Love Hurts - Gram Parsons (With Emmylou Harris)
Richard & Linda Thompson – I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
This was the first album credited to Richard and Linda Thompson as a duo, and it marked a major turning point for Richard after his departure from Fairport Convention. The album was recorded in May 1973 but its release was delayed for nearly a year due to a fuel crisis and record label issues. Despite this shaky rollout, the album would come to be seen as one of the greatest British folk-rock records of all time.
Richard, already a revered guitarist and songwriter, teamed up with his wife Linda, whose haunting vocals, full of sadness, added emotional resonance to the bleak, complex material. The album draws deeply on British folk traditions (Thomas Hardy was a major influence on Richard) but places them in stark, modern settings, weaving tales of loss, despair, and spiritual longing with uncommon elegance and intensity.
Initially, the album received modest attention. It didn’t chart and was largely overlooked at the time of release, though critics were quietly impressed. Over time, however,
I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight gained cult status. Today, it's widely regarded as a masterpiece of British folk-rock, consistently appearing on "best albums" lists and cited as an essential influence on later artists in folk, indie, and alt-country. Produced by Richard Thompson and John Wood, the album was recorded at Sound Techniques in London in just a few days on a small budget. Its sound is intimate but not lo-fi—deep, rich acoustic textures mix with occasional electric bursts. Richard’s guitar work is subtle but brilliant throughout, and the use of instruments like the dulcimer, accordion, and horns gives the album a stark, occasionally eerie atmosphere. Tracks like
Withered and Died,
Down Where the Drunkards Roll, and
Has He Got a Friend for Me paint portraits of weary, working-class British life, while the title track adds a twist of hedonistic urgency and longing. Linda’s voice—emotive, unshowy, and piercingly pure—carries the heaviest emotional moments, while Richard’s dark, ironic sensibility underpins the writing. Though it was a slow-burn success,
Bright Lights has had lasting impact. It reframed folk music not as something nostalgic, but as a living form capable of expressing the emotional texture of contemporary life. Its sense of moral ambiguity, social realism, and quiet devastation helped pave the way for generations of singer-songwriters and folk revivalists—from Elvis Costello to Laura Marling.
I came to this album pretty late and Folk music is normally not my bag but I have included it as its a great album with some lovely guitar work by Richard and because of its long lasting influence on its genre.
The Calvary Cross - Richard and Linda Thompson
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
I made this choice for a number of reasons. One being because I like a bit more than half of it and I saw them do it live. The other reasons being more ‘historical’. Let me explain, LLDOB typified prog at this stage of its evolution. Everything had to be big (bloated?). Everything had to be done to excess. Think Tales from Topographic Oceans by Yes, released the year previously. Four tracks over two albums, a live stage show which featured an industrial sized drum kit emerging from a pulsing mollusc. Oh, don’t forget the triple live album, Yessongs. ELP took three jugernaughts on tour with them, each resplendent with a band members name and containing their instruments. Enough electronics in there to light a large city. Not to be outdone by Yes, they also released a triple live album.
So what’s a band to do faced with that stiff competition? Make a double album based on lived experience? Not quite. LLDOB is a ‘concept’ album (another prog cliche during this period). The story follows Rael, a street punk in New York who undergoes a surreal, mythic journey involving underground cages, supernatural creatures, seduction, castration, and eventual redemption. Just what a NY street punk experiences on a daily basis I hear you snigger. Not that Charterhouse educated Peter Gabriel would have the slightest idea about living on the mean streets. The plot is laden with Christian and mythological symbolism, but remains dense and almost impossible to follow narratively even with the aid of the original lyric booklet (and boy did I try). The live act had, of course, multiple costume changes including the infamous Slipperman, mechanical devices, spinning cages and not a gig happened when everything worked perfectly.
No bloody wonder punk emerged as a reaction to this nonsense. After The Lamb, prog’s dominance quickly faded. Punk, disco, and new wave became the dominant musical genres.
The other reason its ‘historical’ was the album created the fissures that would break this version of the band and launch successful solo careers for Phil, Peter and Steve. The album cemented the fact/impression that Genesis was Gabriels band. He created the image of the band with his stage persona (the others although fabulous musicians faded into the background. Steve even performed sitting on a chair!)
The album was his conception and he wrote all the lyrics. The recording process was difficult. Gabriel, distracted by personal matters (his baby had some pretty serious health problems) and side projects, left much of the musical composition to Banks, Collins, and Rutherford. Steve Hackett, by some accounts, was barely involved (spoiler, he later admitted that this was one of the determining factors in seeing him leave the band after their next album and launched his own solo career). The band’s exhaustion shows in spots—some material is recycled from earlier works, and others feel like filler. The strain of the album and the subsequent tour ultimately led to Gabriels departure. This fractured moment in time—where creative ambition pushed the band to their limit—marked both a peak and a turning point. Genesis, remarkably, adapted. Gabriel launched a successful solo career, while Collins took over vocals and led the band into more accessible territory. As the band shifted toward more commercial music/pop, they became immensely more popular and were still touring until 2022.
So by now, you must have formed the impression that I don’t like the album but that’s only partially correct. I like half of it and it contains some of the very best that PG’s Genesis ever produced. The first side and a half are magnificent and as good as it got. From the menacing sweep of “Fly on a Windshield” to the gentle beauty of “Cuckoo Cocoon” and the rhythmic drive of “In the Cage,” one of the band’s finest moments. However, the second disc loses momentum. Many tracks focus on mood and texture rather than structure—“The Waiting Room” is a noisy collage, “Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats” and “Ravine” are ambient interludes, and even narrative-driven songs like “The Colony of Slippermen” sacrifice energy for story progression. There are still strong moments, like “Anyway” and the closing track “it,” but overall the second half meanders.
Today, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is seen as a high-water mark of 70s prog excess. It isn’t the most perfect or cohesive Genesis album—that would be Selling England or if you are a post Gabriel Genesis fan maybe, A Trick of the Tail. But if there’s one album that encapsulates the heights, the madness, and the boundless ambition of progressive rock at its zenith, it’s The Lamb. It’s weird, flawed, and entirely unforgettable.
Track - In The Cage. Genesis
Rory Gallagher – Irish Tour '74 (Live)
In a year when lots of the major acts of the time released good albums but by no means their best, I wanted to include this live album as it is a perfect representation of the great mans very best work. That, being Rory, has to be him playing live. My introduction to Rory was through whispering Bob on the OGWT. I liked him immediately but at that time Prog ruled so I didn’t really catch up with his music extensively until much later.
We have our very own Rory expert/super fan as a contributor to this thread and he has certainly forgotten more than I know about this great Irish artist such is his extensive knowledge. With the authors kind permission, I am including
@mancity2012_eamo brilliant write up of his 1974 live release which originally appeared on the album thread - its a far better tribute to this album than anything I could come up with:
“Where to start, when it comes to how I feel about this man. Or how this man makes me feel.
That’s the thing with Rory. It’s involuntary. It’s a compulsion that drives me every month or so, whenever I need an energy injection, something to tear me out of negativity or my more melancholic moods. I have to put him on. Nothing else will do.
This music is almost 50 years old and some of the tunes he covers are far older, but to me, it’s endurance is it’s honesty. It’s undiluted purity. It’s uncompromising and has survived everything from hippies to glam to prog through punk and into new wave and beyond the MTV generation.
One of the unfortunate things about the punk era, if it can be called an era…. Or perhaps more accurately, an insurrection…. Is that while I look back on it now and can see the value of it and admit the necessity of it, it did however have the ground zero disregard for everything that went before it. It essentially sought to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Music needed a kick up the arse, but there was plenty of fine honest musically gifted people who were cast aside by a whole generation..
Hopefully that generation, in their maturity can now look back with fresh ears and sift through many different genres of music and appreciate objectively the truly great from the…. Well, not so good.
But music appreciation is so often subjective so let me try and explain why I like Rory so much and why I am choosing this album.
Rory was essentially a troubadour. He wasn’t at home in the recording studio, where he would be separated from his fellow musicians and more importantly from his audience. Rory was all about feedback in a live setting and live is where anyone with an appreciation of him always says, he excelled. He was a guitarist’s guitarist.
So I had to choose a live album and there are so many definitive versions of classics on this album.
On the original version of the album there are ten songs and that is the one I’ll review although the 40th Anniversary Edition is a joy for any fan, in that it gives the full concerts from Cork, Dublin and Belfast. If you choose to listen to this just play the first concert at Cork for the purposes of this thread. It is masterful. You are basically getting everything on the Live in Europe album as well, played by the four piece lineup. It’s fantastic.
The original ten track album starts with Cradle Rock. From the opening lick, you are just slapped in the face. To my mind, if Jimmy Paige is supposedly the king of the riff, well Rory is unsurpassed at the intro.This song just drives in a very basic, dirty, hard rock groove and bluesy slide that never fails to get my blood up immediately.
We then slow down into a wonderful blues lesson with, I wonder Who.
Then the definitive version of Tattoo’d Lady. Rory not only was a supreme guitarist but he wrote great rock and blues lyrics also and in this song in particular his phraseology, his placing of the rhythm of the vocals in the story of the travelling troubadour is quite unique to him.
Too Much Alcohol is probably best appreciated live with the interaction between him and the audience. Maybe best appreciated with the video. A standard blues number that he gives his unique treatment to.
As The Crow Flies is another old blues number that takes us into where Rory would do an acoustic set. There is a wonderful sound from his old steel guitar., a 1932 National Triolian Resonator, to be exact. On the 40th anniversary edition you get to hear more of his acoustic set which was always a feature. On the original we go straight into ‘A MillionMiles Away’ This is a beautiful original bluesy ballad that I adore. So much feeling in it. Both vocally and in the understated guitar. Proof that you don’t need to be shoving as many guitar notes in as possible at breakneck speed to show your proficiency. Sometimes the real know how, is in when to leave the gaps. Blues is all about the feel.
For me the piece-de-resistance is next. Walk On Hot Coals. I have a feeling that this will be the crowd splitter in here when it comes to those that don’t see the fuss and those that love Rory. I would have paid the price of admission just to see and hear him play this one song alone. I love everything about it. The lyrics are fabulous. Pure rock and roll and he’s basically singing about himself. When he says, ‘Not going to gamble on my baby’, he is talking about himself and his baby is his beloved guitar, the battered 1961 Fender Stratocaster.
‘Walk on hot coals, sleep on a bed of nails.
Got my little girl beside me, no matter what else fails.’
This sums up Rory’s life. He wasn’t commercial. He devoted himself to the music he loved and never sold out. It’s all he cared about. This is the longest track and some will probably hate it for it’s long guitar solo at the end, but for me this goes way beyond a jamming session, which a lot of people don’t like. Here in this definitive version, the tension levels are maintained by the holding rhythm of Gerry on bass and the driving free form drumming of Rod. You can just picture both of them hanging on his every movement. Watching and listening to where he’s going. And the solo. This is unconventional for heavy rock. Rory uses a very sharp staccato rhythm at times and technically brilliant harmonics which in my mind absolutely capture the tension and anticipation of actually walking on hot coals. It’s a masterpiece.
(Takes a breath)
Who’s That Coming, is a show closer in itself. Every one is a crowd pleaser but some just seem to drive along at the perfect pace to keep a crowd at peak fever.
The last two tracks were actually on side four of the original vinyl and were taken from jamming sessions on the tour, rather than actual concert material.
Stompin’ Ground and Just A Little Bit are just great blues rock and straight rock n roll.However as I said further up. Just A Little Bit is a prime example of how no two shows are the same. I urge you to compare the YouTube audio of Roslyn 1974 for a totally different rhythm, slowed down a bit and yet the guitar solos are knock it out of the park heavyweight killers.
Not sure how this will be received. I’d imagine it’ll be half and half in here, but I’ve written more than enough already, although there’s a ton of other stuff in my head that I’d love to say, about the guy.
Other reviews I’ve read about him and this album say things better than I ever could, about the guy who played Belfast the day after the heaviest bombings of the troubles, when nobody else would touch the place. Indeed I remember nobody from England would even come near Dublin until about 1979 when Queen came over. Rory however, considered it his second home and never left Belfast out of a tour.
I found myself almost in tears at one review. The man had passion, was humble, honest and gifted.
Open the doors to your garden in this fine weather and turn the dial up to 11.
Now let her rip.’
A brilliant review of a magnificent album.
Walk on Hot Coals - Rory Gallagher
So that’s 1974. Sorry its so long (I can't help myself). Hope you enjoy the playlist.
www.theguardian.com