Barry Ryan "We Did It Together" (1970) (single)

We Did It Together, 7'' single

udgivet: 1970

format: vinyl

[vurdering: 2,5 / 5] [2,58]

producer: Paul Ryan

selskab: Polydor - nationalitet: England, UK

Numre: A) "We Did It Together" - - B) "Lay Down"

Singleudgivelse af den engelske sangskriver og fotograf Barry Ryan (Sapherson, også kendt som Barry Davison) fra tvillingebroder-duoen Paul & Barry Ryan. Denne single ser ud til at stamme fra en tid, hvor Barry koncentrerede sig om en solokarriere, mens tvillingebroderen Paul havde trukket sig tilbage fra rampelyset for at hjælpe Barry med sangskrivning og produktion. Titelnummeret her fungerer på sin vis som en passende beskrivelse af, hvordan de to brødre fandt deres vej i showbizz.

Denne specifikke danske udgave stammer sandsynligvis fra min storebrors pladesamling. Jeg kan huske, at jeg spillede den i 7-12-årsalderen, men den fangede aldrig rigtig min interesse. Stilistisk lyder den inspireret af The Walker Brothers og deres kærlighed for tunge, orkestrerede arrangementer. Barry og Paul oplevede en del succes, efter Barry gik solo – for eksempel med hit-singlen "Eloise" (1968), som et årti senere også blev et singlehit for punkrockbandet The Damned.

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Dette opslag er en del af MyMusicJourney, som lister de vigtigste udgivelser, der har formet min musiksmag gennem min opvækst og frem til 14-årsalderen. De fleste af disse udgivelser stammer fra mine forældres og / eller min storebrors samling.

Kraftwerk "Kraftwerk" (1970)

Kraftwerk [debut]

release date: Dec. 1, 1970

format: digital (1994 unofficial reissue)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,84]

producer: Ralf Hüttel, Florian Schneider-Esleben, Konrad 'Conny' Plank

label: Germanofon - nationality: Germany

Track highlights: 1. "Ruckzuck" - 2. "Stratovarius"

Studio debut album by Kraftwerk consisting of the two founders Ralf Hüttel and Florian Schneider-Esleben after they had left the experimental German band Organisation, who had released the album Tone Float (Jun. '70). On this first outing, the drummers Andreas Hohmann and Klaus Dinger are also credited as members. Hohmann plays drums on the first two compositions, while Dinger is credited drums on the final cut.

The album consists of four tracks with varying playing time running from 7:50 to 12:10 minutes and with a total running time of just under 40 minutes. It's experimental instrumental music pointing to inspiration from another German band: Tangerine Dream, which had just released its debut Jun. '70, and then it's also music with influence from experimental releases by Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, John Cage, and especially Karlheinz Stockhausen and musique concrete in general. Several tracks and parts of compositions sounds very much like the result of spontaneous sessions with Hüttel playing organ and a special instrument: electric 'tubon', while Schneider is credited playing violin, flute, and percussion. Besides a krautrock style, the individual compositions are made with some interesting twists pointing to ambient and progressive elements and rhythms you may find on early electronic music of the mid-70s by Brian Eno, Roxy Music, David Bowie, Jean-Michel Jarre, and in the early eighties by an artist like e.g. Laurie Anderson and among many synthpop bands, and then again in the early techno scene. You'll find sound bits hinting at this in the actual electronic explosion from the late 80s and early 90s with bands like The Orb, The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Dust Brothers etc. and in much wider sub-styles. The album was originally released on Philips - reissued several times through the 70s and also on cassette from '77, but it has never been officially released on CD format, nor has it been reissued after 1980, and Germanofon releases (many from '94) of the band's three earliest albums are all unofficial or 'bootleg' releases, and the band themselves haven't found it fruitful to reissue the earliest albums. This may also be seen e.g. with the band's own 8-CD box set Der Katalog (2009), which doesn't include releases from before Autobahn (1974).

The album is a pure curiosity. There are many other and better experimental albums from the period, and it's only interesting that Hütter and Schneider already here named their music-project Kraftwerk, although, the electronic characteristics were only established with the band's fourth album. Still, it's a bit of shame how Hütter and Schneider somehow won't acknowledge their musical starting point. There are some fine parts pointing to both their own later progression, but also to much other music that flourished during the 70s.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Creedence Clearwater Revival "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" (single)

Have You Ever Seen the Rain / Hey Tonight, 7'' single

release date: Dec. 29, 1970

format: vinyl (LBF 15440)

[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,58]

producer: John Fogerty

label: Liberty - nationality: USA

Tracklist: A) "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" - - B) "Hey Tonight"

Single release by Creedence Clearwater Revival with two songs taken from the album Pendulum (Dec.1970). Like all tracks on the album, these two songs were written, arranged and produced by John Fogerty. Some issues have flipped A and B-sides (British, French, Italian, Spanish, and some German issues).

I got the single from the older brother who had purchased it in the early 70s.

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This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Eddie Skoller "En enkel sang om frihed" (1970) (single)

En enkel sang om frihed, 7'' single

release date: 1970

format: vinyl

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,76]

producer: John Friis

label: Philips - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "En enkel sang om frihed" - - B) "Den grå dame" (live in 2006)

Single release by Danish folk pop and entertainer Eddie Skoller (aka Edward Ralf Skoller) from his early career as folk troubadour and singer / songwriter shortly before breaking as musical and comic entertainer. The title track is a song by Bobby Darin titled "Simple Song of Freedom", not issued by Darin until '71, and here with (more or less directly translated) Danish lyrics by Skoller.

This single was part of my parents' record collection, and it's a single I knew of at age 6-10 but never really enjoyed - probably because it's touching on schlager music.

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This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

George Harrison "My Sweet Lord" (1970) (single)

My Sweet Lord, 7'' single

release date: Nov. 23, 1970

format: vinyl (F 2995)

[single rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]

producer: George Harrison & Phil Spector

label: Apple Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "My Sweet Lord" (4,5 / 5) - - B) "Isn't It a Pity"

1st single release by George Harrison taken from his solo album debut All Things Must Pass (Nov. 27, 1970). The single was released in the US as a double A-side single and international issues as regular two-sided 7'' singles.

This song is likely to be Harrison's best loved single - being highly valued as a stand-out work from his first album while creating a clash with his mangement as he didn't want to issue any singles from his album. Perhaps, just as importantly, the single is highly treasured because the single mix of the song differs from that found on the album.

During the Winter of 1970/'71, the release became an international number #1 single-hit, and the first to top the singles charts by any of the four ex-Beatles members. The song itself must have been the best possible promotion for the critical acclaim and commercial success of his double album, although, Harrison probably still didn't just see it as a sales stunt.

The copy I own is a first issue pressing from Denmark, which also played a central role as Harrison appears to have written and composed the song while on tour in Copenhagen, Dec. '69.

Back in the 70s I did enjoy this very song but somehow I also felt that I should appreciate it more 'cause I wasn't a huge fan. I think, I found it a bit too melancholic and repetitive - both traits are perhaps the reason I have come to treasure it much more as an adult. Harrison makes it simple and he carries much of a recognisable style from The Beatles without sounding like a tune coming from his former band. The song is both a simple one lyrically and with its bold chorus and yet musically, it's a complex compound of styles. There's a fine balance of psychedelic rock - here it's a conglomerate of folk rock, singer / songwriter, baroque pop, and pop / rock, and you can't really tell which style is the dominant one. It's tempting to stay with notion of 'psychedelic' but it seems too simplistic. All Things Must Pass is an iconic masterpiece, and "My Sweet Lord" is there as a highlight, to stress the fact that Harrison possessed much more than he was given a chance to lay open while being part of a band with two leaders. As much as I enjoy the various periods by The Fab Four, I just feel a more warm-hearted appreciation for Harrison's solo career, which I consider generally underappreciated.

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This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Bjørn Tidmand "Bjørn Tidmand's bedste" (1970)

Bjørn Tidmand's bedste

release date: 1970

format: vinyl (MOFK 102)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,75]

producer: ?

label: Odeon - nationality: Denmark

Best of compilation by Danish schlager pop vocalist Bjørn Tidmand.

The album was part of my parents' record collection, and it's an album I vividly recall from my pre-teen years. I'm still doubtful as to whether I actually acquired this myself as one of my first vinyl purchases, and perhaps then alongside Stop en halv by John Mogensen or together with I Don't Believe in If Anymore by Roger Whittaker. The price tag on the front cover could indicate this was on sale - say in '75, and then it makes perfect sense. Fact is, I really enjoyed Tidmand at that age, and together with Mogensen and Roger Whittaker, he could have been one of my first choices when finding music on my own. Back then, Tidmand soon slipped my mind when music by ABBA and Boney M was more to my liking, and in retrospect, Tidmand is associated with schlager music that I don't find that appealing but who undoubtedly back in the 60s an even in the mid 70s, he was quite popular among my parents' and my gran parents' generations.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Ry Cooder "Ry Cooder" (1970)

Ry Cooder [debut]
release date: Dec. 1970
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]
producer: Van Dyke Parks, Lenny Waronker
label: Reprise Records - nationality: USA

Studio debut album by Ry Cooder is a blues rock, roots rock, and an americana album, though, I find that the blues element is the most dominant genre here. It's not bad not at all, only traditional blues doesn't appeal much to me. Cooder is famous for mixing styles and genres in his own blend of roots rock, I just find that The Band does this better. However, the album is interesting for being released in 1970 when blues rock was almost pseudonymous with electrified rock with reminiscence of Hendrix in one way or another, and then: this has no link at all to that, but goes beyond Hendrix, the whole psychedelic rock pond, and perhaps reaches out for the very sources to contemporary artists like Hendrix: Leadbelly, Blind Willie Johnson, and the like of the earliest decades of the century.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Nick Drake "Bryter Layter" (1970)

Bryter Layter
release date: Nov. 1, 1970
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Joe Boyd
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK

2nd studio album by Nick Drake. This is his most orchestrated album and also his most baroque pop styled album, although, it's still singer / songwriter and acoustic folk-based. This time strings have been arranged by Robert Kirby. Several notorious musicians accompany Drake on the album. Guitarist Richard Thompson, bassist Dave Pegg, and also drummer Dave Mattacks of Fairport Convention all contribute on several tracks, but also Beach Boys drummer Mike Kowalski play on a number of compositions, and John Cale feature on two compositions. Like the debut this wasn't paid much attention back at the time of release, but very much like Five Leaves Left (1969) it's enlisted on several lists paying tribute to the best albums of all time including "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". Apparently, the "title is in reference to Queen's English and BBC weather reporters who would describe the weather as "brighter later". (from wikipedia).
[ allmusic.com, The Music Box, Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]

Best of 1970:Creedence Clearwater Revival "Cosmo's Factory" (1970)

Cosmo's Factory
release date: Jul. 25, 1970
format: cd
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,88]

Tracklist: A) 1. "Ramble Tamble" (5 / 5) - 2. "Before You Accuse Me" - 3. "Travelin' Band" (5 / 5) - 4. "Ooby Dooby" - 5. "Lookin' Out My Back Door" (5 / 5) - 6. "Run Through the Jungle" - - B) 1. "Up Around the Bend" (5 / 5) - 2. "My Baby Left Me" - 3. "Who'll Stop the Rain" - 4. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - 5. "Long as I Can See the Light"

5th studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival released on Fantasy Records and produced by John Fogerty who also wrote 7 of the album's 11 tracks. To me this is the very best of the band who never again would release an album at this level. The two predecessors Willy and the Poor Boys (Nov. 1969) and Green River (Aug. 1969) are both major album as well, but this one is in a league of its own. The album consists of only great tracks, and almost the entire album are made up of songs that today are pure classics. Unfortunately, the band rushed back into the studio after the release, and a sixth studio album Pendulum was already on the shelves Dec. 1970, which basically signaled the end of the band. I think, it's a bit of an achievement if you look at how the band was able to keep to their own trademarks of swamp rock country rock at a time when almost everyone made progressive rock, psychedelic rock or experimental rock. They started out two years and four albums earlier by playing country rock and blues rock like so many other bands did in '68 but these guys are perhaps the only ones who became that famous for sticking to their original style in the long run. John Fogerty was not just the primary songwriter but he was such a gifted musician that he almost tore the band apart as he wrote their songs, sang lead vocals, played lead guitar, and handled saxophone and piano - AND on top of that he also arranged and produced the album. So, it's understandable that they would argue about their musical direction. Maybe it would have been easier for the other members (not to mention his brother Tom) if they had agreed on the name 'John Fogerty & Creedence'. Nevertheless, they play as a unit with Tom Fogerty on rhythm guitar, Stu Cook on bass, and Doug Clifford on drums.
Even today it seems quite natural that the album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 5 / 5 stars ]

1970 Favourite releases: 1. Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo's Factory - 2. Van Morrison Moondance - 3. Neil Young After the Gold Rush

T. Rex "T. Rex" (1970)

T. Rex
release date: Dec. 18, 1970
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Fly Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "Jewel" - 3. "The Visit" - 10. "One Inch Rock"

1st studio album under the shortened name of T. Rex - the 5th studio album after forming Tyrannosaurus Rex and the second with Mickey Finn on percussion. The album follows only 9 months after A Beard of Stars (Mar. 1970) and although several 'official sites' insist on filing this as the actual debut album by T. Rex, but given the story behind the band / duo, it does appear more logical regarding it as the fifth album with Marc Bolan leading a musical project he has now named T. Rex.
The album T. Rex clearly shows the transition period of the band still playing psychedelic rock but also playing with new shorter, more simple compositions of glam rock - e.g. compare "The Visit" with "Pavillions of Sun" released as Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Tyrannosaurus Rex "A Beard of Stars" (1970)

A Beard of Stars
release date: Mar. 13, 1970
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,14]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Regal Zonophone Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Fist Heart Might Dawn Dart" - 5. "Pavillions of Sun" (4 / 5) [alternate version not on album] - 6. "Organ Blues" - 9. "A Beard of Stars" - 12. "Lofty Skies" - 14. "Elemental Child"

4th studio album release by Tyrannosaurus Rex and the final under the full band name, as the following album was released as a T. Rex album. Steve Peregrine Toke is here replaced with percussionist Mickey Finn. This album stands as one of two transitional albums reflecting Marc Bolan's move away from psychedelic folk and folk rock and into his heydays fused with glam rock. Tracks #1 and #14 showcases his inspiration in Jimi Hendrix (and the album features Bolan on electric guitar for the first time), and tracks #4, #5, #7, and #12 are fine (proto-)glam rock and boogie rock compositions.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Supertramp "Supertramp" (1970)

Supertramp [debut]
release date: Jul. 14, 1970
format: digital
[album rate: 2 / 5]
producer: Supertramp
label: A&M Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 4. "Words Unspoken" (3 / 5)

Studio debut album by Supertramp. I have only come across the album in recent years, and really cannot see anything of interest in the album. The style is piano-founded pop / rock or soft rock with too much fusion. I have really never enjoyed a fusion of jazz and pop / rock much and this is for its time a typical blend with Hammond organ and various vocal harmonies blended with bold use of percussion, horns and elements from classical compositions, but in my ears, without much success or clear direction. It's a jam session of harmonic arrangements. At best, it's supermarket muzak.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

Neil Young "After the Gold Rush" (1970)

After the Gold Rush
release date: Sep. 19, 1970
format: cd (1987 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Neil Young, David Briggs with Kendall Pacios
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Tracklist: 1. "Tell Me Why" (4 / 5) - 2. "After the Gold Rush" (4 / 5) - 3. "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" (5 / 5) - 4. "Southern Man" (4 / 5) - 5. "Till the Morning Comes" - 6. "Oh, Lonesome Me" - 7. "Don't Let It Bring You Down" (4 / 5) - 8. "Birds" (3,7 / 5) - 9. "When You Dance I Can Really Love" (4 / 5) - 10. "I Believe in You" - 11. "Cripple Creek Ferry" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Neil Young is a solo release, however, Crazy Horse members guitarist Danny Whitten, also credited harmony vocals and co-lead vocal on "Cinnamon Girl", bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina (also harmony vocals) all contribute on the album resembling the line-up as was the case on the previous release. Aside Crazy Horse also Nils Lofgren is credited on guitar, piano, and vocals, Stephen Stills as vocalist, Jack Nietzche on piano, and bassist Greg Reeves are co-musicians here.
The album contains so many great songs - and you really need this in any pop / rock music collection including the 1970s. With this he stands out as one of the few who took folk rock and singer / songwriting into a new era - making it contemporary. His previous two solo albums after leaving Buffalo Springfield, the homonymous debut (that links him very much with the material he wrote for Buffalo Springfield) and Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, had already proven that he was the driving force of Buffalo Springfield and much more than just a gifted and promising singer and songwriter of folk and country. The album is naturally enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

1970 Favourite releases: 1. Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo's Factory - 2. Van Morrison Moondance - 3. Neil Young After the Gold Rush

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young "Déjà vu" (1970)

Déjà vu
release date: Mar. 11, 1970
format: digital (1993)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,96]
producer: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
label: Warner Bros., Japan - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Carry On" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Teach Your Children" - 4. "Helpless" (4 / 5) - 9. "Country Girl"

Debut as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and the follow-up to the album Crosby, Stills & Nash by Crosby, Stills & Nash from 1969. The album was originally released by Atlantic Records and at the time the band was perceived as a super-group, which could become America's Beatles. This may be seen in the light of the fine reception of the Crosby, Stills & Nash debut album and also the great successes by Neil Young and Buffalo Springfield - needless to say, the expectations were there.
The music is, in my mind, a strange pot of genres and styles - some tracks are entirely folk rock, others are a mix of that with blues rock and psychedelic rock, which brings to mind bands like Jefferson Airplane and the like [e.g. track #2. "Almost Cut My Hair" by David Crosby], or: a mix with country rock [e.g. track #3. "Helpless" by Neil Young].
The album was well-received, although, not all critics agree in the positive feelings (see Rolling Stone review from 1974 at the bottom). It went all the way to the top of the US albums charts, and it's enlisted in various best of lists including "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
I don't really like it that much. There's too much psychedelic rock of the Woodstock era going on with jazz rock and fusion rock in the arrangements to my liking, and I have to confess that I never liked the music by neither Graham Nash nor David Crosby that much. I think the best songs on the album are material by Stephen Stills and Neil Young respectively. Some songs like track #7. "Our House" scream: The Beatles!, or track #2 "Teach Your Children": The Byrds! in a way that makes you wonder on which album by either you'll find the original. Best track is the simple classic "Helpless" by Neil Young. That song just seems out of tune with the rest as being the only pure country rock and singer / songwriter compositions on the album, and basically fits much better on his album After the Gold Rush released 6 months later. In more recent interviews, Graham Nash has put it into words how it was to work with Neil Young at this stage, where Young was still in his formative years. Nash points to the fact that they just thought they would continue their initial work as an extended Crosby, Stills and Nash-project, but that they all felt how strong the influence was from Neil Young, and listening to his contributions - which they had no expectations to - completely blew them over. Also, as they finished the recordings to the album, Young would go into the studio to record his landmark album After the Gold Rush released Sep. 1970.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5 stars - Rolling Stone denies it stars ]

Van Morrison "His Band and the Street Choir" (1970)

His Band and the Street Choir
release date: Oct. 1970
format: digital (2015 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,42]
producer: Van Morrison
label: Rhino Records / Warner Bros. - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Domino" (4 / 5) - 2. "Crazy Face" - 3. "Give Me a Kiss" - 4. "I've Been Working" - 5. "Call Me Up in Dreamland" - 7. "Blue Money" - 11. "If I Ever Needed Someone" - 12. "Street Choir"

4th studio album by Van Morrison released only 8 months after Moondance and originally issued by Warner Bros. - here in a 2015 'Expanded & Remastered' edition containing 5 bonus tracks all of which are alternate recordings of tracks already on the album. The style is a bit surprisingly changed to be more traditional r&b-oriented with stress on blues without the same strong folk rock and soul that shaped the predecessor, and it's almost completely without a celtic tone. Surprisingly, 'cause Moondance was seen as his so far strongest album, so why try something else?
Apparently, Morrison initially wanted to make an 'a cappella' album of songs consisting of a mix of new songs and leftovers from the recording sessions for Moondance and Astral Weeks but the backing choir recordings left him dissatisfied, which led him he to a change of mind and had the songs rearranged as more traditional r&b-styled.
The single "Domino", Van's tribute to Fats Domino, has become his best fairing single ever reaching number #9 on the US singles chart list and by that surpassing his signature hit song "Brown Eyed Girl". The album reached number #15 in the US, and has been one of his highest charting albums in the US.
My biggest 'complaint' about the album is that it lacks cohesion. some tracks point to his two most recent and great predecessors - others falls far from that, and the result is a very mixed album, not combining styles, not incorporating but more like a compilation album that reveals his many assets. That said, the album still contains some truly fine songs, although, it never reaches the same artistic level as his two most recent albums, but it does point forward to the style of music that he would later be associated with for the rest of his long lasting solo career, and in that respect it's by no means an album off track.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Uncut 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Joni Mitchell "Ladies of the Canyon" (1970)

Ladies of the Canyon
release date: Apr. 1970
format: vinyl (2023 reissue) (transparent green) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Joni Mitchell
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Morning Morgantown" - 3. "Conversation" - 4. "Ladies of the Canyon" - 7. "Rainy Night House" - 10. "Big Yellow Taxi" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "The Circle Game" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Joni Mitchell following one year after Clouds (May 1969) originally released on Reprise is another fine classic singer / songwriter and folk album characterized by lyrics focusing on environmental, social and political issues but most blantantly several songs sees Joni telling her recent personal experiences with men. Also, the album marks a change of sound more than a stylistic change. It's still held in the same folk and singer / songwriter style as her first two albums, but what really has changed are heard in the arrangements, which now feature strings and percussion both for amplifying and for a widening of the soundscape.
The album betters Clouds as well as her debut from '68, in so far this appears with more uptempo songs in between, and there's a touch of lightness and a more original sound. It's quite diverse and not really a as coherent as her follow-up, Blue. It's not quite folk rock but at times it surely hints to that but in essence this is Mitchell's so far best effort, imho.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Deep Purple "Deep Purple in Rock" (1970)

Deep Purple in Rock
release date: Jun. 3, 1970
format: cd (2008 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]
producer: Deep Purple
label: Warner Bros., Japan - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Speed King" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Bloodsucker" (4 / 5) - 3. "Child in Time" (5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Flight of the Rat" - 2. "Into the Fire"

4th studio album by Deep Purple originally released on Harvest introduces the heydays of the band in a new line-up aka the 'Mark II' era. The 'Mark I' version of the band had Rod Evans on vocals and Nick Simper playing bass, but in the summer of 1969 the two were replaced by Ian Gillan on vocals and with Roger Glover on bass after a dispute of what direction to take after Deep Purple III (1969). Listening to the band's first three releases, it's not easy to hear that this is the same band. Of course it's also a radically changed band, although, the lead guitarist, drummer and keyboardist remain the same. They had simply agreed to choose a direction into hard rock and Ian Gillan and Roger Glover were just the right people to pick for that mission.
The album became the band's first major success peaking at number #4 in the UK but topping the albums chart lists in Austria, Norway and Germany, as well as facing critical acclaim from critics.
Upon hearing this album from 2014, what's most striking is the secure output and style they manage to establish at this early stage of hard rock. The psychedelic and experimental rock is completely gone. I've never been a hard rock or heavy metal fan but I do like the tightness of the tracks and the unique melodic arrangements of most songs on the album. The A-side of the vinyl version is without doubt the strongest. It consists of only three tracks, ending with "Child in Time" which is a marvellous progressive, hard rock composition that has more in common with Led Zeppelin than their earlier Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, and American sources of inspiration. Here they turn more British in a way by being a more direct and original band.
The album is rightfully enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Van Morrison "Moondance" (1970)

Moondance
release date: Feb. 28, 1970
format: cd (1991 reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,52]
producer: Van Morrison, Lewis Merenstein (exec. pro.)
label: Warner Bros. - nationality: Northern Ireland, UK

Tracklist: 1. "And It Stoned Me" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Moondance" (4 / 5) - 3. "Crazy Love" - 4. "Caravan" (5 / 5) (live from The Last Waltz concert with The Band) - 5. "Into the Mystic" (4 / 5) - 6. "Come Running" - 7. "These Dreams of You" - 8. "Brand New Day" - 9. "Everyone" - 10. "Glad Tidings" (4 / 5)

3rd solo album by Van Morrison is once again with Lewis Merenstein, although, Van has already put himself in charge of the production. The album is the natural stylistic follow up to Astral Weeks, but it also combines a new simpler soul element with his singer / songwriter, celtic folk and jazz feel.
Although, his contemporaries didn't experience it exactly like that, Astral Weeks was his great break-through album as a solo artist, and the album where he came out perfectly on his own terms and in his own combination of celtic folk, and as a singer / songwriter. However, the album wasn't met by enthusiasm, and Morrison decided he'd try to make music that people would have a bigger chance to relate to. Moondance released 1½ years after Astral Weeks is a continued sublime journey in his newfound own combo of folk, jazz and singer / songwriter with the change that his new album has less focus on celtic folk and in addition reflects a bolder soul element, which by no means makes it a lesser interesting release. It's simply one of his best albums and a must-have in any collection of modern singer / songwriter, pop / rock, and folk-oriented music. I simply love this album, and like its predecessor it's naturally enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".

1970 Favourite releases: 1. Creedence Clearwater Revival Cosmo's Factory - 2. Van Morrison Moondance - 3. Neil Young After the Gold Rush

David Bowie "The Man Who Sold the World" (1970)

The Man Who Sold the World
release date: Nov. 1970
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,82]
producer: Tony Visconti
label: Mercury Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 2. "All the Madmen" - 3. "Black Country Rock" - 8. "The Man Who Sold the World" (4 / 5) - 9. "The Supermen"

3rd studio album by David Bowie and the first to feature guitarist Mick Ronson. The album marks a change towards heavy rock with a distinct glam rock influence. On the one hand it's more homogeneous than its predecessor but also less appealing - perhaps due to more hard rock influence but less hit-based compositions, except from the fine title track. At places, e.g. track #3, Bowie (and backing band) sounds much like a clone of Marc Bolan and Tyrannosaurus Rex. The album was reissued by RCA Records in '72 with a new cover, and that album reached number #24 on national albums chart list.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

  

1971 alt. cover

1972 RCA reissue

Roger Whittaker "I Don't Believe in If Anymore" (1970)

I Don't Believe in If Anymore
release date: 1970
format: vinyl (1974 reissue) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]
producer: Denis Preston
label: Philips - nationality: England, UK

5th studio album by Kenya-born Roger Whittaker. The reissue has a slightly different track listing than the original 1970 album released on Columbia Records.
The album is one of my own first acquisitions on vinyl. I left this to my parents when moving out of our family house, and then re-acquired it after my father's passing.

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This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.