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

12 US, 8 Britain, 2 Ireland (-ish: half of Lizzy by that stage, and i wouldn't like to answer for how Van considers himself), I Brazil, I Germany and 1 US/UK hybrid ('Mac)

A++, Ismael

I'm enjoying seeing a lot of unfamiliar albums on the list. The Springsteen is the only one I voted for to place thus far. I got it and Born to Run a couple of months ago. They've both grown on me a bit, but The Wild, The Innocent, Etc. was the only one to make it onto my ballot.

93. parkour

lol, yes that's what it was!

Rolling Spotify playlist.
(Missing: John Lennon, Aerosmith Comus, Pere Ubu... and Track 1 from Neu 2, oddly enough.)

75. ABBA - Arrival (1976) [93 points, 8 votes]

http://i50.tinypic.com/2e0oahx.jpg

arrival itself. absolutely exquisite, and an enormous influence on many of my own songwriting attempts (many times i'd end up back at that melody, wondering how i got there.)

this was a big, big favourite of mine when i was very young. i'd have to get my dad to put it on because i couldn't reach the record player (and wasn't allowed to fuck with his records, either). actually: i think i borrowed it off him many years ago and never gave it back. whoops.

― grimly fiendish, Sunday, June 8, 2008 10:35 AM (1 year ago)

Just listened to this again and boy is it good, way more consistently excellent than I expected for such a "singles band." Like I said before, the competition is really thrown off by the singles - but I'm impressed to see that "When I Kissed The Teacher" beat "Knowing Me, Knowing You." Someone in the Popular comments box at some point wrote some really nice things about WIKTT but I can't remember where or who it was...

― Doctor Casino, Sunday, July 27, 2008 5:04 PM (1 year ago)

Abba: Classic.
The cult of ABBA: Dud.

― Sean Carruthers, Thursday, April 19, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth on WIKTT (from Decibel:

WHEN I KISSED THE TEACHER

I have to pat myself on the shoulder for “bravery” here. I’m a metal dude, yet I just have to pick this song that waves the flag for one of the least “macho” song titles ever. The opening 12-string acoustic guitar chords demands your attention and I’m just disarmed from the get-go. Never been a big fan of “happy” music, yet this one is anything but a downer track. I don’t know what it is…maybe the superb production? The work they must have put into this song is just mind boggling. Anni-Frid and Agnetha are doing their trademark dual vocals throughout the track, with the exception of Agnetha’s amazing “One of these days…” choruses. This is one of those songs where you need to listen to what’s going on “behind” the main vocal. It’s a constant flow of multi-tracked, rhythmic backing vocals that matches or even surpasses the genius of a band like Queen. Yeah, I said it! I meant it too!

it's a well-known fact that mikael akerfeldt is WAY too nice to be truly metal ;-)

haha

On what planet is some Abba record better than Black Sabbath Vol. 4????

Happy New Year Bill!!

74. David Bowie - Lodger (1979) [93 points, 12 votes]

http://i47.tinypic.com/2posfa8.jpg

Lodger is Bowie's masterpiece. Interesting that it's also one of his most overlooked records, isn't it?

"Boys Keep Swinging" = freaking genius "D.J." = catchy danceable genius "Yassassin" = incredible total genius "Red Sails" = major genius "Look Back in Anger" = ASTONISHING GENIUS

― J, Friday, May 10, 2002 8:00 PM (7 years ago)

'Lodger' has the best sleeve of any Bowie record. It spawned the best tribute album in the form of Talking Heads' 'Fear of Music'. I love its travelogue theme (hmm, perhaps it also spawned the Human League's 'Travelogue'?) and its eclectic avant pop stylings, although the same quality can give it the feel of a supermarket food court or theme park: do you want to Turkish flavour of 'Yassassin' or the 'Errol Flynn in the South China Sea' vibe of 'Red Sails'? Do you want the avant-griot chunder of 'African Night Flight' or the Berlin bar-room piano of 'DJ'? But I guess that's PoMo PoMo PoMo fo yo.

― Momus, Saturday, May 11, 2002 8:00 PM (7 years ago)

I was really, really into Bowie when I got it, and it almost single handedly stopped my Bowie phase in it's tracks. It's so... devoid of anything that made the other two "Berlin Albums" so bloody spectacular.The only songs I'd say are up to par are the beautiful "Fantastic Voyage" and "African Night Flight." Maybe it's the production./. but something about it just sounds very off. And what is up with "Red Money" taking the exact same music as "Sister Midnight?" Running out of idead Thin White Duke? Have to resort to stealing from yourself? Tsk Tsk.

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Tuesday, March 1, 2005 3:12 PM (4 years ago)

That's not even a good album. With all the other stuff on that list. . . Sorry but I don't think I've complained about results yet.

At least you're not still in the position of wondering whether a single one of his votes will show!

73. Cluster - Zuckerzeit (1974) [93 points, 14 votes]

http://i46.tinypic.com/eq191g.jpg

"zuckerzeit" still sounds like it's from the future.

― cutty (mcutt), Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:34 PM (4 years ago)

I've just spent an awful lot of money to get all the Cluster I can, along with Moebius/Plank's Rastakrautpasta, which has a song called "Two Old Timers" I heard many years ago and is the reason I would have known to check out Cluster in the first place. Zuckerzeit, Sowiesoso, Cluster '71: I am ENTHRALLED with all of these.

Yes I know I can download but in this case, it just isn't enough. This music is precious like gold.

― Bimble (bimble), Saturday, May 15, 2004 6:55 PM (5 years ago)

[i][Zuckerzeit] is classic seminal proto-techno pop electronica genius and pretty essential. Tiger Sushi licensed "Hollywood" so there's definately some awareness in the current electronic dance music hipster scene.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Sunday, May 16, 2004 1:34 AM (5 years ago)

That's not even a good album.

Lodger is a fine album, not my favorite or anything, but I can totally understand why other people would love the hell out of it.

I've only ever heard the Cluster & Eno albums. I guess I should start digging into their own work some, yes?

There were 5 Bowie albums on the original poll and 7 more nominated for this one, kind of afraid that the ridiculous Bowie fanbase on this board is going to get all of them to place.

woo cluster

Lodger used to be Bowie's fave album of his.

x-p
yes i guess so, zuckerzeit and sowiesoso are good starting points. with rother they suddenly have melodies and beats. before they were mainly minimal electronic pioneers. look out for the 2 harmonia albums as well. the same people.

only 1 of my picks so far have placed. Im guessing at least 30 of them are outside the top 100

0-for-whatever here

ZUCKERZEIT! another choice of mine places... i think it's up to 3 now

Same here although I could easily have voted for about 15 of these (if it was pick 55 albums I suppose)

xpost

I really cant wait to see 101-200 to see if my picks got close to the top 100.

^^

Zuckerzeit's "Hollywood" is a track for the ages, along with Harmonia's "Deluxe (immer wieder)", from Deluxe. They really knew how to kick off their albums in legendary fashion!

Whoops, my ^^ was referring to what Alex in mainhatten wrote.

Zuckerzeit is the first record I don't know at all - voted for Harmonia though.....

72. Pere Ubu - Dub Housing (1978) [94 points, 12 votes]

http://i49.tinypic.com/34gx3kx.jpg

I've got Dub Housing - i like it lots. The guy's voice is one of the most comically incredible i've ever heard in pop but for some reason i got over it. I actually bought the album for £1 without a case thinking it was Dub Reggae... Boy was i wrong, but then it turned out to be excellent anyway :-)

― dog latin, Wednesday, May 2, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

he sings like a cross between David Byrne and Tiny Tim.

― scott, Monday, May 7, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

I'm surprised to see no consensus here that Dub Housing is by far their peak. It was dark, eerie, powerful, experimental but still totally engaging. Quite a feat for an album with an obsessive focus on paranoia and mental instability.

― Fastnbulbous (Fastnbulbous), Wednesday, September 7, 2005 11:23 PM (4 years ago)

Dub Housing is so classic. Total paranoid schizo vibe.

― dar1a g (daria g), Thursday, September 8, 2005 1:26 AM (4 years ago)

xp Zuckerzeit's my third placing as well, glad to see it that high

Man, sorry I missed voting on this. I was working on my ballot and then, well, the holidays et cetera. But the top spots were Alice Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Joe McPhee and Herbie Hancock. Even into the '70s, jazz was still slaying rock.

OH NO! I hope herbie albums still make it or it will be all your fault ;)

My intro to Pere Ubu was seeing a video from one of the late '80s albums on 120 Minutes, but I wasn't really paying attention. Later, Guided By Voices covered "Navvy" from Dub Housing so I went out and bought a cheapo vinyl copy. I tried and tried to convince myself I liked it, but I really, really didn't. I still haven't heard The Modern Dance or Datapanik or any of the other albums, early or later on.

Two of mine in a row there. I think Cluster was my number 40 and Pere Ubu were in my top 10.

It's already getting to the stage where I can tell some of my choices that I thought might sneak in lower down have probably missed out.

I'm a bit disappointed there hasn't been much disco or soul in the list so far.

dub housing is great but the debut is better and weirder. every song so different from the other and so original. it has to place as well.

disco and soul will probably place quite high. especially curtis mayfield, i am a little bit surprised chic placed so low though.

Modern Dance is my fave so I hope it places.

Where's the funk in this poll?!! If shakey mo didnt vote it's his fault.

Curtis is my #1

If shakey mo didnt vote it's his fault

He didn't.

Two of mine in a row there. I think Cluster was my number 40 and Pere Ubu were in my top 10.

More or less this in reverse for me. Thinking I should've put Zuckerzeit higher but had about 20 things competing to be in my top 5. Still not sure if my ballot is composed of too-obvious choices which will push out someone else's unknown treasures, or the other way round!

yeah sorry I am kinda following this thread but I always find these nomination threads kinda bewildering

*shakes fist*

disco and soul will probably place quite high. especially curtis mayfield, i am a little bit surprised chic placed so low though.

I voted for both the Chic albums nominated and I put Risque quite a lot higher.

I'm really rooting for the Dr Buzzard's original Savannah band album. I know it has a few supporters on here but I can't see it being higher than a lot of the things already in.

71. The Rolling Stones - Some Girls (1978) [95 points, 13 votes]

http://i50.tinypic.com/34zkb9e.jpg

...comparing Some Girls to Voodoo Lounge is like comparing the Sistine Chapel ceiling to a black velvet Elvis. Especially in the lyrics dept. where Some Girls walks all over every other Stones album except Exile.

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Saturday, September 28, 2002 10:25 PM

"Some Girls" = The Stones attempt to beat the encroaching discoistes and punkarocks at their own game while maintaining Greatest Rock N Roll Band Innaworl' status (quo), (more fuel to the punk = disco fire: In the eyes of The Rock Establishment circa 76 [eg Les Rolling Stones] punk & disco were one and the same); still Miss You's got the bassline but they didn't really hit it on the head until Emotional Rescue.

― fritz, Wednesday, May 1, 2002 8:00 PM (7 years ago)

I find Some Girls almost unlistenably unpleasant. Makes me shudder with disgust every time I hear it. It's not like the Stones' songs ever made them sound like "nice" people, but on Some Girls they sound like people I'd move house to avoid, so regardless of what the music sounds like ... I could never embrace it.

― ithappens, Wednesday, December 16, 2009 8:01 AM (2 weeks ago)

comparing the winners of the 70s albums poll with the "who had the greatest 5 album run in the 70s" poll is kinda funny

70. Neil Young - Harvest (1972) [96 points, 9 votes]

http://i48.tinypic.com/2vl5gzk.jpg

Harvest gets unfairly brutal treatment among the typical Neil Young album rankings, as if it's some sort of flaccid piece of commercial dreck. It's really just as weird and wonderful as anything else of his.

― borrowed_tunes, Monday, November 14, 2005 4:47 PM (4 years ago)

Harvest is Neil Young's worst album. Of all the ones that people think are good, for example not Re.Ac.Tor.

― powertonevolume, Tuesday, March 26, 2002 8:00 PM (7 years ago)

Harvest - handful of great songs and some dreary stuff too. Overall, it's too slick, too polite. I like Neil a little scuffed around the edges.

― Stew, Tuesday, June 19, 2007 7:49 PM (2 years ago)

The symphonic stuff on "A Man Needs A Maid" is classic indeed. Really over-the-top, but so is(are) the sentiment(s). An ex-girlfriend got me into the song (I used to think it was mawkish, over the top, blah blah blah), though now that I wish someone was cleaning my house and I find myself falling for fictional characters and celebrities I REALLY like the song. s woods might be right, I dunno if Neil's overwraughtness would work without the big strings. Bright Eyes always works better with grandiose music for me than without, usually. BE's "Nothing Gets Crossed Out" could be Conor's "Man Needs A Maid" if he didn't have so many of them.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, April 4, 2003 3:39 PM (6 years ago)

Harvest was awesome to me at about the age of 15, but I've heard so many albums since that do the same thing better, that I almost never listen to it anymore. Even most of Neil's own Neil-and-guitar albums are better than Harvest. *shrug*

harvest is one of the few commercially extremely successful albums i love. not sure if i haven't played it to death but i remember listeing to it in a luxembourg cafe by chance about 15 years ago and it was absolutely perfect. a heart of gold is one of the few songs i used to hate because for it's softness and simple tune when i was young and love now.

69. Herbie Hancock - Sextant (1973) [96 points, 12 votes]

http://i47.tinypic.com/jrb81k.jpg

Sextant is among my top 5 records ever, it's just amazing.

― Tuomas, Tuesday, December 11, 2007 3:33 PM (2 years ago)

Herbie Hancock's 'Sextant' (1973?), sounds like the Aphex Twin

― dave q, Wednesday, August 22, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

It's interesting to speculate what would've happened if Herbie and Gleeson had continued their collaboration from where it ended on Sextant, instead of Herbie forming the Headhunters. Maybe Herbie's sensibility for funk rhythms and Gleeson's electronic experimentalism could've lead them to techno? "Rain Dance" is pretty much proto-techno already, all it needs is an added drum machine beat.

― Tuomas, Saturday, January 10, 2009 10:18 AM (11 months ago)

I go with Herbie Hancock's ["Rain Dance"] from Sextant. Play that to people and then go ... that was 1973 they just won't believe it.

― phil, Wednesday, August 22, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

GET IN THERE!

cool!