Nazareth "Razamanaz" (1973)

Razamanaz
release date: May 1973
format: vinyl (6303 085 A) / digital (2006 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Roger Glover
label: Philips - nationality: Scotland, UK

3rd studio album by Scottish hard rock band Nazareth is produced by Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover.
My older brother handed me this in a pile of other albums, primarily of the 1970s, alongside albums by Deep Purple and Jethro Tull, when he left our family house back around 1979/80.

The Jam "In the City" (1977)

In the City [debut]
release date: May 20, 1977
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Vic Smith and Chris Parry
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Art School" (5 / 5) - 2. "I've Changed My Address" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Slow Down" - 4. "I Got by in Time" - 5. "Away From the Numbers" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "In the City" (5 / 5) (live) - 2. "Sounds From the Street" (4 / 5) - 3. "Non Stop Dancing" - 4. "Time for Truth" - 5. "Takin' My Love" - 6. "Bricks and Mortar" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by The Jam released on Polydor Records and produced by Vic Smith [Vic Coppersmith-Heaven] and Chris Parry. Primary songwriter Paul Weller on lead vocals & guitar, Bruce Foxton on bass & additional vocals, and Rick Buckler on drums constitute the blasting trio who was leading the mod revival movement with strong influence from The Kinks, The Who, and Small Faces back in a punk rock disguise. The album contains two covers - "Slow Down" written by Larry Williams and first issued as B-side to his single "Dizzy, Miss Lizzy" in 1958, and (the) "Batman Theme" by Neal Hefti for the 1966 TV-series . This was already covered by The Who in '66 and that version is found on the EP Ready Steady Who (Nov. 1966), which could be the place where The Jam found its inspiration. Pete Townshend (The Who) and many others praised the band as the biggest thing since The Fab Four, and I was hooked from this and onward, although, my first actual listen may have been All Mod Cons (1978).
The band was always in my top 5 of favourite artists from scratch and until Paul Weller left and put an end to the band in 1982.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

1977 Favourite releases: 1. Ramones Rocket to Russia - 2. The Clash The Clash - 3. The Jam In the City

Jimi Hendrix "Are You Experienced?" (1967)

Are You Experienced? [debut]
release date: May 12, 1967
format: cd (reissue)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5]

Track highlights: A) 1. "Foxy Lady" (5 / 5) - 2. "Manic Depression" - 3. "Red House" (4 / 5) - 4. "Can You See Me" - 5. "Love or Confusion" - 6. "I Don't Live Today" (4,5 / 5) (live) - - B) 1. "May This Be Love" - 2. "Fire" (5 / 5) - 3. "Third Stone From the Sun" - 4. "Remember" - 5. "Are You Experienced?"

Studio debut album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience originally released on Track Records (distributed by Polydor). Both style and sound of the album was something totally new as it was released. Hendrix shows his r&b-based source transformed into electrified psychedelic blues rock or acid rock. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Small Faces, Buffalo Springfield, Frank Zappa, Cream, and many others had experimented with dubbing and started to bring in psychedelic elements to their sound but the Hendrix' feedback distortion was something new, and the tracks are refreshingly new. The album is naturally enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
I don't think I listened to the album in its entirety until the early 80s, but I had listened to several of the songs from the album, e.g. "Foxy Lady", "Manic Depression", "I Don't Live Today", and "Fire" back in the 70s, and I knew from early on that it was something extremely powerful.

1967 Favourite releases: 1. The Velvet Underground and Nico The Velvet Underground & Nico - 2. Jimi Hendrix Are You Experienced? - 3. The Doors The Doors

~ ~ ~

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.

Best of 1978:The Clash "Give 'Em Enough Rope" (1978)

Give 'Em Enough Rope
release date: Nov. 10, 1978
format: vinyl (reissue - CBS 82431) / cd
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,87]
producer: Sandy Pearlman
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Safe European Home" (5 / 5) - 2. "English Civil War" (4 / 5) - 3. "Tommy Gun" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Last Gang in Town" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Guns on the Roof" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Drug-Stabbing Time" (4 / 5) - 3. "Stay Free" (5 / 5) - 4. "Cheapskates" (4 / 5) - 5. "All the Young Punks (New Boots and Contracts)" (4,5 / 5)
[ full album ]

2nd studio album release by The Clash, who went through a change of line-up after releasing its debut album as drummer Terry Chimes left and was replaced by Topper Headon (aka Nicholas Bowen Headon).
Somehow this was never credited as much as the debut album (1977) or as the highly praised successor, London Calling (1979). This is however, my favourite The Clash album, and I‘m very very close to rate the other two just as high as this one but here’s why. The debut album of '77 has of course a special status in punk rock and popular music history. The songs were raw, intense, and energetic but [... trying to say something negative about it] also much alike [whoo... careful now!], and then there’s the production aspect. Some would argue and say: “It’s punk rock you daft e-diot! Not friggin’ George Miiikel!!” Right, eh I get the point, but... even so, I think the debut has a (shallow) poor production sound compared to this one. And it’s a bit funny mentioning the production side because at the time this one was all brand new, people claimed that the production was too heavy, and way too 'polished', meaning too traditional rock related, and simply not punk rock enough. At that time that meant: not ugly enough, and not contrary to what else is around, which of course was a HUGE part of being correct 'punk'. The only pit fall about this argument is a focus on form and style instead of sound, lyrics and music - in essence what making music is all about! Anyway, compared to the punk rock iconic London Calling, my only negative remark about that is that it’s a little... weak [listen, I just said 'weak' about one of my favourite albums]. 'WEAK!???' Sorry, now don’t sue me. I love this band and that album is on my desert islands' list, I’m just trying to make a tiny little point here as to why I prefer Enough Rope, Okay?! Easy, for heaven's and Joe's sake - bless his soul wherever he enlightens everything. What I mean about 'weak' is that London Calling is not really a pure punk rock album altogether but more of a great pop / rock and rock album with some really fine pop / rock songs. It's songs like “The Right Profile”, “Wrong ‘Em Boyo”, “Koka Kola”, “Lover’s Rock”, “I’m Not Down” - all of which are just a wee bit too nice and sweet [stylistically, not lyrically, mind you!] and I end up skipping them in the (considerably) long run.
In my mind, Give 'Em Enough Rope has no weak spots - so that’s why... there you have it - it’s simply G R E A T. < period >
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Q Magazine 5 / 5 stars ]

1978 Favourite releases: 1. The Clash Give 'Em Enough Rope - 2. The Jam All Mod Cons - 3. Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town

Jethro Tull "Thick As A Brick" (1972)

Thick as a Brick
release date: Mar. 10, 1972
format: cd (1987 reissue) / vinyl (2022 remaster)
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,38]
producer: Ian Anderson
label: Chrysalis - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Thick as a Brick (Part 1)" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Thick as a Brick (Part 2)" (3,5 / 5)

5th studio album by Jethro Tull. Before going to the studio to record new material the band's drummer, Clive Bunker had left the band and was replaced by Barriemore Barlow. This is the bands [Ian Anderson's] response to music critics referring to Acqualung (1971) as a concept album. Anderson wanted to make a gimmick out of this release, so he really went all the way in making something that could only be labelled conceptual. However ironic the idea behind the album was founded, and created with inspiration from Monty Python's Flying Circus, it really is a musical masterpiece. The album consists of one composition, only divided into two halves (Part 1 and Part 2) due to the vinyl album format. The style is progressive rock blended with classical and folk. It's really a great composition that hasn't ceased to fascinate me. I think, I first heard the album back in the early '80s where I had found a vinyl copy at the local library. At this time, I knew of Heavy Horses and Songs From the Wood on vinyl and wanted to know more of the band. I recall, how great it was to unfold the newspaper version of the sleeve with its fictitious stories about a local community and the primary story about 8yo wonderkid Gerald Bostock. Initially, I thought it was true, but having learned about the gimmick, I still found it pretty ingenious. The album reached number #5 in the UK but it topped the albums chart list in the US.

EDIT 2025:
The 2022 50th anniversary remaster is a repress of the 2012 remastered Steven Wilson remix, and it comes with reprint of the original newspaper cover.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, SputnikMusic 5 / 5 stars ]

1972 Favourite releases: 1. David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars - 2. Lou Reed Transformer - 3. Jethro Tull Thick as a Brick

Pusle Helmuth "Tryllesangen" (1967) (single)

Tryllesangen, 7'' single

release date: 1967

format: vinyl

[single rate: 2 / 5] [1,76]

producer: ?

label: Polydor - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "Tryllesangen" - - B) "Jodlesangen"

Single taken from the Danish family film "Min søsters børn på bryllupsrejse" (1967) in which 'Pusle' (nickname - aka Louisa Nene Helmuth) plays her second part as child actor following her debut in "Min søsters børn" (1966) both directed by Annelise Reenberg. Both songs on the single is written by Erik Leth and composed by Sven Gyldmark, who composed music scores to more than 200 films throughout his career. As a popular feature young children were cast as wonderkid actors in the 60s and Pusle Helmuth was definitely one of the most famous, as she featuring in a little more than a handful of nationally popular films over a five-year period starting in 1966.

This single was part of my parents' record collection and a single I hardly ever listened to. Even as a 6-7 year-old, I simply found it of little interest, although, the songs were part of my earliest music memories with music that wasn't purely children's songs.

👉 Another one from that earliest stage.

~ ~ ~

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.

Françoise Hardy "Clair-obscur" ('Clair-obscur', 2000)

Joni Mitchell "Clouds" (1969)

Clouds
release date: May 1, 1969
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,17]
producer: Joni Mitchell, Paul A. Rothchild
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 3. "I Don't Know Where I Stand" - 4. "That Song About the Midway" - 8. "Songs to Aging Children Come" - 10. "Both Sides, Now"

2nd studio album by Joni Mitchell is a fine acoustic folk and singer / songwriter album. The arrangements to Joni's singing voice are with little or no other additional instrumentation but her acoustic guitar like was the case on her debut album. I find this a more introvert and gloomier album than her acclaimed debut. Joni is nearly always solid and gold, although, this does come through as the weaker and difficult follow-up to a strong debut. However, the album was well-received, reaching number #22 in Canada and number #31 in the US and Mitchell was awarded a Grammy for Best Folk Performance in 1969.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Toots & The Maytals "Slatyam Stoot" (1972)

Slatyam Stoot
release date: 1972
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,84]
producer: Warrick Lyn
label: Dynamic Sounds - nationality: Jamaica

Tracklist: 1. "Louie Louie" - 2. "Pomp & Pride" - 3. "Daddy" (4 / 5) - 4. "If You Act This Way" - 5. "Pressure Drop" (4,5 / 5) - 6. "Redemption Song" (4 / 5) - 7. "Come Reggae" (4 / 5) - 8. "The Same Thing" - 9. "Collie Baby" - 10. "It Was Written Down"

6th studio album by Toots & The Maytals nearly only features compositions written by Frederick 'Toots' Hibbert. The first song is a cover written by Richard Berry. "Pomp & Pride" may be referred to as rocksteady but it fits nicely in the new emerging genre of reggae.
"Daddy" had first been released in '65 on The Sensational Maytals and is here rearranged into a roots reggae version, and "Pressure Drop" was issued in '69 on the album Sweet and Dandy, and is here slightly less tight. Track #7 "Come Reggae", an uptempo soul, rocksteady and reggae composition by Toots Hibbert is another song with the word "reggae" in the title - the first known song with the word was the 'Toots' Hibbert track "Do the Reggay" from 1968, thus giving name to the new genre. The last three tracks on the album are actually the most reggae-styled tracks on the entire album, although I don't find them bettering the first seven.
The album is yet another great release by Toots & The Maytals, and as such highly recommended.

Andrés Segovia - Live

Andrés Segovia
"Sevilla"

[Live performance of Isaac Albeniz's "Sevilla", 1962]

Andrés Segovia Live:

"Live concert" (43:44 min.)
playing "Mozart variations" (3:33 min.)
playing "Gavotte" by J.S. Bach (4:17 min.)
playing Villa-Lobos "Prelude no. 1, e minor", live in Spain (4:36 min.)
playing Luis de Navaez at the age of 86 (2:52 min.)

.  .  .

.  .

. 

Malihini-Kvintetten "Lille sommerfugl" (1966) (single)

Lille sommerfugl, 7'' single

release date: 1966

format: vinyl (45-1130)

[album rate: 2 / 5] [2,18]

producer: ?

label: RCA - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) "Lille sommerfugl" - - B) "Maria Elena"

Single release by Danish song-quintet Malihini-Kvintetten, formerly known as Malihini Hawaiians.

The single was part of my parents' record collection and a single I knew as a kid but never found enjoyful.

~ ~ ~

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.

Bob Marley and The Wailers "Kaya" (Mar. 1978)

Bob Marley

Kaya (Mar. 1978)

[album rate: 3 / 5]

"Is This Love"
.  .  .
.  .
. 

Felt "The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories" (1984)

The Strange Idols Pattern and Other Short Stories
release date: Oct. 26, 1984
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,02]
producer: John Leckie
label: Cherry Red Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Roman Litter" - 3. "Spanish House" - 5. "Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow" - 6. "Vasco Da Gama" - 9. "Crystal Ball"

3rd studio album by Felt is released only eight months after The Splendour of Fear, which had John A. Rivers in the recording seat, but with John Leckie as producer both sound and style are almost identical to its predecessor. Some tracks are dominated by jangle pop guitars by Lawrence and Maurice Deebank and/or by Lawrence's characteristic vocal and others are more experimental instrumental tracks with classical or art rock inspiration. The predominant style is jangle pop kept in a narrow soundscape held together with two guitars (acoustic and electric jazz guitar), bass and drums. It's not their best nor their worst album. Mostly, I just find it less interesting.

Simple Minds "Life in a Day" (1979)

Life in a Day [debut]
release date: Apr. 1, 1979
format: cd (1993 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,78]
producer: John Leckie
label: Disky - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Someone" - 3. "Sad Affair" - 4. "All for You"

Studio album debut by Scottish quintet Simple Minds originally released on Zoom Records. The band consists of lead vocalist Jim Kerr, guitarist & violinist Charles Burchill, bassist Derek Forbes, keyboardist Michael MacNeil and drummer and percussionist Brian McGee. All tracks are credited Kerr and Burchill and the initial musical style is quite different from the style that later came to be associated with this band. Here at their earliest stage they play a simple power pop new wave style with focus on guitar. Some of the tracks makes me think of XTC and especially Magazine both in melody and the singing style of Jim Kerr, which bears much of the characteristics of Howard Devoto.

The Clash "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" (1978) (single)

"Black" cover

(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais, 7'' single
release date: Jun. 17, 1978
format: vinyl (CBS 6384)
[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,33]
producer: The Clash
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais" (4,5 / 5) - - B) "The Prisoner" (4 / 5)

Single release by The Clash. A great single with two tracks that are not on either the debut album nor the '78 studio album. The A-side track however appears on the US version of the debut album, which wasn't released until 1979 (with a very different track list but almost identical cover) after their actual second album Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978). The B-side track also appears on the compilation ep Black Market Clash (1980). Both tracks show how reggae was a major source of inspiration for The Clash and songwriter Joe Strummer.

       

"Yellow"    
alt cover     

"Green"
alt cover 

"Blue"
alt cover 

Felt "The Splendour of Fear" (1984)

The Splendour of Fear
release date: Feb. 1984
format: vinyl (M RED 57) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,35]
producer: John A. Rivers [recording engineer]
label: Cherry Red Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Red Indians" - 2. "The World Is as Soft as Lace" (4 / 5) (excerpt from 'Big Blue') - 3. "The Optimist and the Poet" (4 / 5) - 4. "Mexican Bandits" - 5. "The Stagnant Pool" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "A Preacher in New England" (3,5 / 5)

2nd studio album by Felt following two years after Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty (Feb. 1982) feels like an improvement to an interesting debut. Like was the issue with the debut, the credits omits an actual producer. John A. Rivers is credited as recording engineer. As with the band's first four albums, this is also dominated by lead guitarist Maurice Deebank's meandering and reverbing guitar together with vocalist and guitarist Lawrence's jangle pop sound. Felt notoriously make rather short albums, playing time-wise, and half of the tracks here are almost entirely instrumental compositions. They are more complex than the music on the debut, but other than that, the two albums are closely related. The guitar jangle pop element dominate more on this. The cover art was taken from the poster for Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey's experimental art movie "Chelsea Girls".
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Sounds 5 / 5 stars ]

[ collectors' item - from ~ €60,- ]

The Clash "Complete Control" (1977) (single)

Complete Control, 7'' single
release date: Sep. 23, 1977
format: vinyl (CBS 5664)
[single rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,45]
producer: Lee Perry and Mickey Foote
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Complete Control" (4,5 / 5) - - B) 1. "City of the Dead" (4,5 / 5)

Single release by The Clash, who has now changed to their most famous line-up as Tory Chimes from May '77 has been replaced by Topper Headon. The A-side track is not released on any of the official studio albums except for the '79 US version of the debut album (the track "Remote Control" is a different track from the debut). The B-side appears on the reggae and ska revival-styled compilation ep Black Market Clash (1980).

The Clash "The Clash" (1977)

The Clash [debut]
release date: Apr. 8, 1977
format: vinyl (CBS 82000) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,32]
producer: Mickey Foote
label: CBS Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Janie Jones" (4 / 5) - 2. "Remote Control" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "I'm so Bored With the USA" - 4. "White Riot" - 5. "Hate & War" (4 / 5) - 6. "What's My Name?" - 7. "Deny" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "London's Burning" (live) - 9. "Career Opportunities" (live) - 10. "Cheat" - 11. "Protex Blue" - 12. "Police & Thieves" (4,5 / 5) - 13. "48 Hours" (4 / 5) - 14. "Garageland" (4 / 5) (live)

Studio debut album by British punk rock quartet The Clash consisting of Joe Strummer (aka John Graham Mellor) and Mick Jones (aka Michael Geoffrey Jones) both on vocals and guitars, Paul Simonon (aka Paul Gustave Simonon) on bass and with Tory Crimes (aka Terry Chimes) on drums. Actually, drummer Chimes had left the band in Nov. '76 before the band signing with CBS (Jan. '77), but he was brought back to the recording sessions but eventually replaced by Topper Headon.

This album has a special status in the history of punk rock. Unfortunately, I only listened to this around 1980, after discovering London Calling (1979), which was the first album, I purchased and listened to by The Clash. At the time, I thought, this was great, it still is, but the production is poor and the songs are much alike [Gee, I never thought I'd hear myself say that.]. I know punk rock is very much like similar, but still.... I think, Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978) just offers more than poor sound and 3-chords kicking away. Having said that, this is one of the best and most important of the original punk rock albums ever made. Imho, Sex Pistols never made it to this level of musical creativity or skills.
The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Blender, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 5 / 5 stars ]

1977 Favourite releases: 1. Ramones Rocket to Russia - 2. The Clash The Clash - 3. The Jam In the City

Jethro Tull "Aqualung" (1971)

Aqualung
release date: Mar. 19, 1971
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Ian Anderson, Terry Ellis
label: Chrysalis - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Aqualung" (4 / 5) - 2. "Cross-Eyed Mary" - 3. "Cheap Day Return" - 4. "Mother Goose" (4 / 5) - 6. "Up to Me" - 8. "Hymn 43"

4th studio album by Jethro Tull. The album feature John Evan has official member on keyboard and a change of bassist as Glenn Cornick has been replaced by Jeffrey Hammond. Stylistically, the album continues from Benefit (1970) with a combo of progressive rock, hard rock, and folk, but it feels like an even more elaborated album with several strong compositions. It's regarded to be the band's first conceptual album, although, band members reject it as such; however, music critics point to a central theme of the distinction between religion and god.
The album peaked at number #4 on the UK albums chart list and it's enlisted on several best of albums of all time including the band's only entry in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", and it's the band's best-selling album to date. My brother played the album a great deal back in the early and mid 70s, so I was familiar with it as a young teenager, and already found it interesting, although, not quite as intriguing as Deep Purple, back then.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

Leonard Cohen "Songs of Love and Hate" (1971)

Songs of Love and Hate
release date: Mar. 17, 1971
format: cd (2007 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,96]
producer: Bob Johnston
label: Columbia, Japan - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "Avalanche" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Dress Rehearsal Rag" - 5. "Love Calls You by Your Name" - 6. "Famous Blue Raincoat" (4 / 5) - 8. "Joan of Arc" (4 / 5)

3rd studio album by Leonard Cohen is like its predecessor produced by Bob Johnston, who has build a more fully orchestrated minimalist sound, which comes out as a much richer and harmonic sounding album than his two first albums.
It's his third consecutive album and deservedly inclusion of "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Sputnikmusic 5 / 5, Q Magazine, Uncut 4 / 5 stars ]