ILX 70s album poll - results

points: 604
1st place votes: 1
total votes: 15

VARIOUS ARTISTS - THE HARDER THEY COME

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The Harder they Come

John Peel had a rating system for songs: 1 star meant he might play it
on
the radio, 2 stars meant he should, and 3 stars meant he must. Every
few
years he would announce that an album had achieved the distinction of
every
track on it getting 3 stars (I remember Misty in Roots 'Live at the
Counter-Eurovision' and the first Bhundu Boys album being examples)

Anyway, 'The Harder They Come' falls into this category. Every track on
it
is not just good, but great, good enough that if you bought an album
and it
had just one of these tracks, you'd be satisfied with your purchase
even if
the rest of the album was rubbish.

Joe Kay

Various - The Harder They Come (Soundtrack)

To this day, the artist on the spine of "The Harder they Come" reads
"Jimmy Cliff," although the album is indeed a compilation. Maybe it
was a recognition that Cliff's contributions are more numerous and
arguably better than anything else on the record, but it probably had
more to do with marketing, as Cliff starred in the lead role of the
film. The other selections, by reggae stalwarts such as Toots & the
Maytals and Desmond Dekker, are some of the island's greatest tracks,
and serve as a counterpoint to Cliff's four masterpieces. Even though
you'll often hear that this is a "great introduction to reggae," I've
always thought this collection is all the more powerful because Bob
Marley is absent from it. Not because he is in any way a lesser
artist, but the inclusion of such a major personality would have
distorted the balance of the album. Either way, it's indispensable
for both casual reggae fans and fanatics alike.

Keith C

points: 616
1st place votes: 0
total votes: 22

THE SEX PISTOLS - NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS, HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS

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points: 683
1st place votes: 3
total votes: 18

THE MODERN LOVERS - THE MODERN LOVERS

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i burned a copy of this for my girlfriend, and she told me they were a shitty Doors ripoff. She doesn't know it, but i still haven't forgiven her for that.
-- Felcher (wangchungvsah...), September 17th, 2003

points: 692
1st place votes: 0
total votes: 20

DAVID BOWIE - THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST

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The TV announcer begins, telling us all of our imminent demise and the rest is a "what the fuck, its all over, let's take what we can get" ride. The last ever rock n roll band appearing, entrancing the kids, and getting torn to shreds. The aliens whispering over the airwaves, and those willing to listen going out, staring at the sky and hoping for some sort of salvation.

It ends with a stagger home, a lit cigarette, screeching brakes as the singer assures you you aren't alone, he'll comfort you, he'll make it all okay. Perhaps you just need to go home, come down, it'll all be okay. The world will be allright, and you imagined everything.

Not completely consistent, but which of his albums is? It doesn't need to be. The result is a technicolour dystopian dream - frightening and utterly seductive.

points: 698
1st places: 1
total votes: 19

GANG OF FOUR - ENTERTAINMENT

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At least The Sex Pistols made top 20--glad the public turnaround on that isn't too intense. And also good to see Kraftwerk and Bowie's best albums both make the top 20.

Blondie - Parallel Lines
Eno - Before and After Science
Dylan - Blood on the Tracks
Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady
Bruce - Born to Run (?)
Clash - London Calling
Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe
Marv - What's Goin' On
PiL - Metal Box
Stones - Exile
Sly - Riot
T. Rex - Electric Warrior

Am I missing anything?

I'd bet money against this.

I'd be interested in seeing those predictions, though.

the 70s poll (albs and singles) predictions and things are posted here, i guess

I'll start it up again.

points: 732
1st place votes: 0
total votes: 22

STEVIE WONDER - INNERVISIONS

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Innervisions

Stevie's third post-liberation album, and arguably the peak of his
career.
Dazzlingly diverse, from bubble-jazz to stately piano ballads to
singalong
gospel funk, but effortlessly commercial too (is that a Carpenters
influence
I hear on "Golden Lady"?). Every track could be - and probably was -
either
an FM or AM radio staple. Lyrically, it's gently hippie and gently
socially
conscious, which only adds to its crossover appeal. Faultless,
basically

Jeff Worrell

points: 732
1st place votes: 4
total votes: 18

THE ROLLING STONES - EXILE ON MAIN STREET

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If the Rolling Stones had only released Exile on Main
Street, they'd still have a good claim for "World's
Greatest Rock and Roll Band." A double album that
deserves all 4 sides. Xgau says "Weary and
complicated, barely afloat in its own drudgery, it
rocks with extra power and concentration as a result,"
in a remarkably lucid and entirely accurate remark.
An album that sounds good at first listen and
exponentially better on the 10th or the 100th.
Absolutely amazing and essential.

Matt Sab

points: 746
1st place votes: 0
total votes: 19

MARVIN GAYE - WHAT'S GOING ON?

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However, it sounds downright futuristic compared to that half-awful Marvin Gaye album. Oh well.

I mean, yeah, I'd rather listen to retro synth-funk that than the snoozetastic "timeless" "What's Going On?"

well, yeah.

Innervisions has some fantastic tracks on it - personally, "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" is one of my favourite tracks ever. Another one I forgot to nominate for the poll.

There are quite a few I skip, though.

jaymc - my choices too, With living for the city chucked in.

bach obviously sounds like the third millenium! innervisions is just dull and annoys me. i don't remember any song on there. the production is totally not my cup of tea.

points: 758
1st place votes: 0
total votes: 24

BUZZCOCKS - SINGLES GOING STEADY

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-- Anthony Miccio (anthonymicci...), March 23rd, 2003.

I think that Innervisions sounds great - though it's not Wonder's best, or even in the top three. But it's far from dull. And it doesn't really sound dated - in fact I'd say it sounds a lot less dated than most of the albums on this list. You can turn on the radio and hear lots of contemporary songs (e.g., Alicia Keys) that aren't too far removed from what Wonder was doing on Innervisions, and they are no more nostalgia-driven than something like Franz Ferdinand which sounds like Gang of Four, which is at least as dated as Innervisions.

points: 758
1st place votes: 1
total votes: 22

PiL - METAL BOX

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