TURN THIS MUTHA OUT! It's the Alternate 1970s Albums Poll on ILX — Results Thread

Great stuff - the Aerosmith, ZZ Top, Neu! and Blondie ones all narrowly missed places on my ballot so it's nice to see them. Not heard so far: Hawkwind and Miles.

vol 4 should be orange!

too many amazing classics coming up fairly low here...

vol 4 should be orange!

Good to know! It definitely looks better that way.

I like Rocks fine, it's probably even my favorite Aerosmith album front to back. But it should not be ten places higher than Van Halen's debut imo.

― Johnny Fever, Monday, January 4, 2010 2:29 PM (18 minutes ago)

I know; it should be 20 or thirty places higher at least!

:P

I actually didn't even put Rocks on my ballot, but it is the only Aerosmith album that I ever bothered to own (on a cassette that I no longer have in my possession for some reason).

84. Tubeway Army - Replicas (1979) [86 points, 9 votes]

http://i50.tinypic.com/kbeg0j.jpg

the tubeway army albums and the pleasure principle are awesome and completely unassailable classics.

― latebloomer, Saturday, July 5, 2008 1:48 AM (1 year ago)

The first three Gary Numan albums are quite good. He had a cool sound with the funky drums, buzzy guitars, synths and scifi schtik. If they didn't come out so close together, I would say that Ric Ocasek probably listened to some Tubeway Army.

― earlnash, Thursday, November 21, 2002 7:29 PM (7 years ago)

"Are Friends Electric" is pretty great, and a couple of others are alright. I find his singing off-putting overall. If you're not well acquainted with the genre, it sounds badly dated now. Some hilarious song titles though, as Mark S pointed out the other day.

― Patrick, Wednesday, May 9, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

interesting results so far, kinda surprised fleetwood mac finished that low with the s/t but i imagine tusk will be top 5?

I had figured the ILM archives would be overflowing with Numan/Tubeway Army talk, but anything substantive mostly concerned The Pleasure Principle and later work. I really like Replicas a lot myself, though.

Exactly! The S/T has 'Rhiannon' AND 'Landslide' on it for goodness' sake. I'm just glad I scored it so highly.

83. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak (1976) [86 points, 11 votes]

http://i47.tinypic.com/166ng95.jpg

For the last six months I just cannot get enough of "Emerald." It is just so massive - that instrumental chorus! - and I want it to go on forever. I imagine them just jamming it for twenty minutes and no one getting close to tired of it. I've made it past 30 minutes of straight repeats but eventually life had to start up again. So good.

― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, November 25, 2009 11:22 PM (1 month ago)

I can't front on Cowboy Song either I got my preferences but seriously what an amazing band. work-related story I've probably told before, first time I went to Dublin I played at a club where the soundman is the guy who got all Thin Lizzy's road equipment after PL died & I got to play through a PA stamped THIN LIZZY TOUR 1976 and I was freaking out. started my soundcheck with like 3 chords of "Dancing in the Moonlight," not really recognizable as such because I am a terrible guitarist & wasn't singing the lyric, just strumming the chords nervously, and immediately dude walks up and says "you'll make a lot of friends around here playing that song."

― a full circle lol (J0hn D.), Wednesday, November 25, 2009 10:32 PM (1 month ago)

I can't believe how awesome Thin Lizzy is. The danceable beats, the DOUBLE lead guitar parts, Phil Lynott's voice...dear god. "Cowboy Song" may be the first song I've ever heard about a rodeo and liked.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, March 6, 2004 1:54 PM (5 years ago)

^ this should've never missed the first poll, tbh.

82. The Who - Live at Leeds (1970) [87 points, 6 votes]

http://i46.tinypic.com/118k1kz.jpg

Live at Leeds is one of the best live albums ever!

― Jim Reckling (Jim Reckling), Sunday, October 22, 2006 5:34 PM (3 years ago)

Live at Leeds has a great album cover, but dull contents.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, October 21, 2006 6:49 PM (3 years ago)

The Who "Live at Leeds" sounds punk as fuck when you play it at 45

― Drew Daniel (Drew Daniel), Tuesday, December 6, 2005 4:46 PM (4 years ago)

I'm still pretty much meh on this one.

two of my favorites in a row!

your comment on Live At Leeds is bizarre to me

last three have been A++ all around should have placed higher. Live at Leeds is something fierce.

Me too. I've seen it on enough 'Best ... ever' lists, but when I heard it I was underwhelmed. Same with the rest of The Who really - I just don't see what the fuss is about.

I do love that cover, for real, especially in a used record bin w/ about 12 copies. You can see how they all fade differently and the slight changes between all the various pressings. xxp

xp2jf

Like, I'm sure The Who was actually mind melting when they played live in 1970, but it sure as hell sounds flat on that record. (I'm not a fan of many live albums ever, though.)

I love The Who pre-Tommy, but only care for a song or two after.

Nice to see my "Emerald" quote - love that song, love that album.

Still nothing I've voted for, but good results.

should probably noted that it's the expanded version of Live at Leeds I was voting for. I've heard the original and it was nowhere near as good.

One more today, and then we'll resume tomorrow...

one of those albums that nourished my deep skepticism towards critics. i bought it because many critics said it was a classic. and then it was totally disappointing. they seem to have used up their energy in destroying hotel room furniture instead of making powerful rock'n' roll music.

the who is one of those bands that i feel like didn't translate as well to subsequent generations (lol) as much as other bands at their star level.

So far there's been no funk or soul at all, and only one jazz album. I hope there's plenty of that stuff (+ Brazilian music) yet to come, otherwise this poll is gonna be a disappointment to me. I thought this being the "alternative" 70s poll would mean it's less rock-centric than the OG poll, but it doesn't look like that yet.

81. Comus - First Utterance (1971) [87 points, 9 votes]

http://i45.tinypic.com/rbdrp4.jpg

After years of hearing about it, I've only just heard the Comus 1st album! Why do people call it folk? Because it's acoustic? It's much more of a prog thing. I'm reminded of Family (mostly the vocals) and even Jethro Tull! Also, Comus fans should check out the Incredible String Band's "Pictures in a Mirror", which seems to me to be coming from a similar(ly) (bizarre) place.

― Tom D., Thursday, October 11, 2007 4:58 AM (2 years ago)

I don't think i've ever really run across band that sounds quite like Comus. They're sort of in a league of their own.

― dialecticbricks (dialecticbricks), Thursday, July 1, 2004 2:22 AM (5 years ago)

Comus strikes me as a little bit cornball. "The Herald" is my favorite thing on the album, I think.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Sunday, March 6, 2005 5:44 PM (4 years ago)

I'd never even heard of this before the nominations process. Will investigate.

Totally unknown to me too.

So far there's been no funk or soul at all

Chic doesn't fall squarely in either category, I guess.

Blankin. 'Incredible String Band' comment makes me think this isn't fitting your criteria Tuomas.

This is an amazing album and not much like any other British folk record. Very influential on current 93, nurse with wound, coil, all those guys.

So relieved Comus placed! One of my favorite albums ever.

I thought this being the "alternative" 70s poll would mean it's less rock-centric than the OG poll, but it doesn't look like that yet.

It's still a poll based on consensus, and the most broadly appealing records will always trump the more niche or genre-specific records every time. That said, the results gets less homogenic as we get further in.

I think the Comus album compares well to Family's "Music in a Dolls House" (esp. vocals-wise) except more manic and with Wicker Man cartoon paganism.

Current 93 covered "Diana" from it.

People expecting pleasant jingly jangly brit folk rock will be VERY surprised - seek it out everyone!

The cover sort of gives away the fact it won't be pleasant and jingly jangly.

Comus! Awesome!

20 down, 80 more to go:

100. ZZ Top - Tres Hombres (1973) [80 points, 7 votes]
99. Milton Nascimento & Lô Borges - Clube de Esquina (1972) [80 points, 7 votes, 1 first place vote]
98. Chic - C'est Chic (1978) [80 points, 14 votes]
97. John Lennon - Imagine (1971) [80 points, 15 votes]
96. Patti Smith - Horses (1975) [80 points, 17 votes]
95. Van Halen - Van Halen (1978) [81 points, 6 votes, 1 first place vote]
94. Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac (1975) [81 points, 8 votes]
93. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory (1970) [81 points, 11 votes]
92. Blondie - Eat to the Beat (1979) [82 points, 9 votes]
91. Miles Davis - Agharta (1976) [82 points, 10 votes]
90. Ian Dury - New Boots and Panties!! (1977) [83 points, 6 votes]
89. Neu! - Neu! 2 (1973) [83 points, 10 votes]
88. Tom Waits - Closing Time (1973) [84 points, 6 votes]
87. Black Sabbath - Vol. 4 (1972) [85 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]
86. Hawkwind - Space Ritual (1973) [85 points, 11 votes]
85. Aerosmith - Rocks (1976) [86 points, 8 votes, 1 first place vote]
84. Tubeway Army - Replicas (1979) [86 points, 9 votes]
83. Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak (1976) [86 points, 11 votes]
82. The Who - Live at Leeds (1970) [87 points, 6 votes]
81. Comus - First Utterance (1971) [87 points, 9 votes]

Opeth took an album name from a lyric on it – "My Arms Your Hearse."

xp

Agree with Tom D's quote that it's not really folk, more a kind of dark, twisted acoustic prog really. I love the mixture of airy beauty and sheer bloody malice on this record.

I tried getting into Incredible String Band bcz people said they sounded like Comus but not nearly enough for my tastes.

I hope the funk albums didn't get pushed out of the top 100 with the last couple of ballots Will be gutted if any of them are 110-101

Also agree w/Tom D – I have never heard a folk album that had near as cool of basslines as "First Utterance" does.

Cool Comus coming so (relatively) high - makes me think there will be further pleasant surprises

I think I am the only person in the universe that thinks "To Keep From Crying," their second album, is really any good.

most broadly appealing records will always trump the more niche or genre-specific records every time.

But why would rock albums be less genre-specific and more broadly appealing? "Rock" is a genre just like "jazz" or "soul" are. I guess my view of things is pretty different from most ILXors, because I've never really listened to or cared for rock music, but I don't quite get why it's always the consensus choice, whereas equally broad genres like jazz are thought as "niche".