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

Applause for Harmonia

This poll is starting to look like a major disappointment. We're at #46, and still we've had only 6 albums of soul/funk/jazz/disco, 1 Brazilian album and no reggae, Afro-Cuban music, Afrobeat, etc at all. Even the earlier, supposedly more canonical 70s poll looked better than this one at #46 (with 2 soul albums, 2 reggae albums, 3 jazz albums, 3 disco albums, and 3 funk albums in the top 46-100). Is it possible ILM has become even more rockist in the 5 years between the two polls?

A poll is a major disappointment if it does not confirm my own good taste.

Exactly.

A poll is a major disappointment if it does not confirm Euler's good taste.

I don't know - I don't share Tuomas' tastes at all, but the results of this poll do seem egregiously focused on hoary old rock. So, I demand either some surprises or just for us to switch the poll results to exactly match my ballot, that would be good, yep.

Ach, I'm assuming that the real good stuff is up and coming.

Mostly consisting of each ILXor's top poll choice that had more than one additional vote.

I am feeling a bit bad about how my top 60 had every nominated reggae record I'd heard in and a couple of funk records, but of those only the one I nominated myself and am pretty sure nobody else would have voted for made it to my 40.

Oh no, don't say number 1 vs number 2 in individual polls will make such a major difference, I think any of my top 8 or so could easily have been my #1 on a different day!

Damn you people for not voting for albums you've never heard!

Emily OTM. It's not just a question of personal taste, it looks like some genres that were an important part of popular music in the 70s (artistically and/or commercially) are very much underrepresented, whereas the list is dominated by the same old boring rock musicians, only with different albums than in the previous poll.

why don't you make a 70s poll with the genres you are interested in, tuomas? the 70s non-rock, non-pop poll or something. or maybe a general non-pop, non-rock poll. that could be quite interesting.

I guess I was hoping that "alternate" in the poll title would mean an alternate history the seventies, not just alternate albums by Bowie and Springsteen and The Rolling Stones.

Well, at least a couple of those Kraut albums sound pretty interesting and new to me. Gotta check out Cluster and Harmonia.

(x-post)

I am kind of wondering what this poll would look like with none of the bands who featured in the first poll. But that would mean no "Autobahn", which would make me unhappy, and also no Al Green, Funkadelic, Parliament, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield... so maybe none of us would be happy then.

Basically my 70's knowledge is Punk/Post-Punk and then hoary old rock stuff, so sorry guys.

been a lot of my picks in the mix lately, Red Headed Stranger, Who's Next (my #1), Armed Forces...am reading the 33 1/3 on the latter at the moment and was just wondering where it would place here.

one of the albums I checked out while working on my ballot was Heaven Tonight, but i didn't quite like it enough to include it. should i be listening to the first Cheap Trick instead?

I've been on a Cheap Trick bender the last few days and have gotten a lot more out of In Color and the debut than Heaven Tonight. "Surrender" is a fantastic song but I don't think it sustains the high throughout, while the debut doesn't have massive singles/stand-outs but is consistently Beatletastic.

Armed Forces was my number one. My first and favourite Costello album and also probably my second favourite of the decade.

should i be listening to the first Cheap Trick instead?

Yes. In Color and Heaven Tonight are both good but aren't anywhere near the debut.

He's a whore from the debut has been in regular rotation for me since I discovered it a couple months ago.

There's much in common with the 101-200 in the previous poll. But there's some new things popping it to keep it interesting. Glad to see Harmonia make it. Here's something I wrote about them:

Frustrated with trying to assemble a live band for Neu! shows, Michael Rother visited Cluster's Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius at their bucolic, woodlands studio home in Forst, Weserbergland in 1973 to ask them to join. He clicked with them so well creatively that he decided to put Neu! on hiatus and stayed. The result was two incredible albums in which they eschewed repetition for a variety of short burts of experimental sounds, including torturing a long-suffering drum machine by putting it through effects and chopping up the rhythms. Brian Eno played keen attention to Music Von Harmonia (1974) before recording Another Green World (1975). Bowie was also a big fan, which was reflected on side two of Low (1977). On Deluxe they let the drum machine alone, recruiting Guru Guru's Mani Neumeier for a more powerful sound. Eno joined them and made some demos that were released 20 years later as Harmonia 76, Tracks And Traces. While it was fascinating stuff, it wasn't nearly great as the two official releases. Live 1974, issued by Water in 2007, offers a rare peak of a live performance of mostly different material, with more of the improvised space rock feel of earlier Cluster. It also, however, lacks the magic of the studio albums.

Those just getting into it can find more via my kosmische/krautrock and reggae lists.

So far there's been nothing from my top 25.

26. Pere Ubu - Dub Housing
29. Patti Smith – Horses
31. Van Morrison – Moondance
40. Harmonia - Music Von Harmonia

My ballot was about 75% rock/pop/folk and 25% jazz/blues/Afrobeat/funk/world/country.

I suspect the 40-place ballot may have actually skewed these results toward the familiar instead of the "alternate," because most of the albums that have placed in the 100 had many middle to low ballot votes and then one or two high ballot votes. If we'd used a 30 or 20 album ballot, though, people would have had to leave even more of their favorites out and would be complaining now that they wish they had more choices when voting. I think smaller ballots could've led to more diverse results, because voters would've felt compelled to champion the more obscure side of their own tastes, but that wasn't the case. Everyone wanted bigger ballots.

This is just my hypothesis about why the list is the way it is, though. I could be totally wrong.

(Tie) 44. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Zuma (1975) [116 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote]

http://i49.tinypic.com/1zl7wr8.jpg

Zuma's where we get our first real glimpse of what "Neil Young" guitar playing would be. Not that he hadn't played plenty of lead guitar beforehand, but Zuma's got those big wind-blown solos that would become his trademark.

― tylerw, Thursday, December 17, 2009 10:41 AM (3 weeks ago)

Is it me or do aspects of Zuma sound as if Neil dusted off his old Beatles records? The La La La's in "Stupid Girl" are an obvious example. But the rest of record, even the longer tunes, is fairly focused and poppy as well. I def think this could be a fave for folks in Dinosaur Jr. and Teenage Fanclub.

― QuantumNoise, Friday, July 4, 2008 3:31 PM (1 year ago)

The best *Crazy Horse* record bar none, even though it'd be tighter if the acoustic outtake cuts weren't mixed in. Some of his other records from the era I feel are better all-around, but this is the one where he fully blends into the backing band and they seem on the verge of world domination every subsequent verse. It really doesn't get any better than "Cortez the Killer," "Danger Bird," and "Barstool Blues." Some of Neil's best singing and guitar playing is on this record.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Saturday, May 28, 2005 8:16 PM (4 years ago)

There's been plenty of good albums in this list but I think there were a lot more surprises in the 80's list which is odd considering the original idea of this list.

Every time another big name artist (such as Neil Young) features in the list I fear that there's no hope left for most of my more obscure favourites. I can't see Black Devil's Disco Club album being in now, I'm not giving up on Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band though.

I think if the ballot had been smaller people really would have just voted for the big canon favourites. A larger ballot means obscurer stuff can go in high and canon stuff you dont wanna leave out goes in but at the lower end.

(Tie) 44. James Brown - The Payback (1973) [116 points, 10 votes, 1 first place vote]

http://i50.tinypic.com/i3x4wo.jpg

James Brown's 'The Payback' - minimalist hypnotic grooves that are also aggressive about it, a rare thing.

― tarden, Saturday, July 14, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

James Brown's individual LPs are often a total mess (tho there are some fantastic front-to-back ones, like The Payback).

― Jesus, the Czar of Czars (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, October 21, 2009 11:53 AM (2 months ago)

James Brown's The Payback is essential listening for anyone even remotely interested in hardcore rap. it's kinda like late-'80s hip-hop--as conceived some dozen years earlier--in sound (and mood).

― a single man owns you (Ioannis), Sunday, October 4, 2009 4:41 PM (3 months ago)

there we go

Again, i voted for a different JB

Geir will be pleased!

43. Grateful Dead - American Beauty (1970) [119 points, 9 votes]

http://i47.tinypic.com/2hea7iq.jpg

But more than anything I just think [American Beauty] has a few more instances of what Marcello likes to call punctum; those perfect moments in a song that elevate its cognitive/emotional impact. The mandolin line that David Grisman plays behind the chorus on "Ripple" is one such instance. That descending guitar line that emerges on the last chorus of "Sugar Magnolia", right before the "Sunshine dayream" coda. And nothing can top that watery, sighing steel guitar solo that Garcia plays on "Candyman". I mean, that's what master musicians do - conjure moments of beauty like that.

American Beauty just feels fuller, it has more songs, it's easier to melt into.

― Broheems (diamond), Friday, April 16, 2004 8:12 PM (5 years ago)

I love the Grateful Dead, especially their Americana period, where they didn't jam at all. American Beauty is one of my favorite records, it really is a great pop album.

― Otis Wheeler, Sunday, July 22, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

I've heard 10 seconds of American Beauty and about a minute of Workingman's Dead and I can can safely say that they will not be troubling my ears again, unless by accident.

― Dr. C, Monday, July 22, 2002 8:00 PM (7 years ago)

Freaks and Geeks makes me wish I loved this album.

Yeah, I just watched that series for the first time recently, made me feel bad that I'm not a "Dead Head"

That's the reason I gave it another chance. (Still didn't vote for it here, though.) xp

i forgot to vote for american beauty but i'm glad it made it!

42. Amon Düül II - Yeti (1970) [120 points, 12 votes]

http://i48.tinypic.com/154k74g.jpg

While I would hardly call it "sucky", Amon Duul II's Yeti is blisteringly solid for the first two thirds, then becomes really unfocused and meandering during the last third -- namely the improv tracks "Yeti", "Yeti Talks To Yogi", and "Sandoz In The Rain". That said, that last third of the album is still better than most albums combined, but relative to what preceded it, it almost borders on "sucky" to me, mainly as an album sequencing decision, rather than "sucky" music.

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, May 11, 2004 3:50 PM (5 years ago)

Parts of Amon Duul II's brilliant sophomore effort "Yeti" can certainly qualify as wank. But you won't hear anybody using that term to describe it. You'll hear "Hypnotic", "freak out", "wild", etc. instead. But John Zorn, for example, seems to be a much easier target for that term.

― Brian MacDonald, Saturday, December 8, 2001 8:00 PM (8 years ago)

Amon Düül II's Yeti was hopefully the last album I bought based on rave reviews. That is the kind of krautrock which anticipated most of the prog-rock shite of the seventies.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Friday, October 18, 2002 3:21 AM (7 years ago)

why did u pick those posts?

Believe it or not, there hasn't been much positive talk about Yeti over the years other than people voting for it by name in a Tago Mago vs. Yeti poll.

Well, the comments are kind of right - there is a little too much guitar wankery in places. However, there are some great moments in there too, and I'm glad it made the cut.

A nice surprise...... didn't think it would have rated higher that Cluster or Harmonia though.

Grown like fungus from a harry, hippie commune, the first incarnation managed one decent album in Paradieswärts Düül. However, it’s the offshoot that produced the most awe-inspiring music, starting with Phallus Dei (1969), translating to “God’s Cock.” Yeti is even better, both heavier (lurching psychedelic guitar freakouts) and prettier (“Sandoz in the Rain”). Dance Of The Lemmings (1971) is more fragmented and contentious. Some think it’s their best, Cope thinks it’s a “pile of pedestrian shit.” I’d say it’s their fifth best and leave it at that. Carnival In Babylon and Wolf City (1972) are much different, with acoustic guitars and slightly more structured songwriting. Some swear by these as their best. Repertoire reissued the first three, remastered with bonus tracks, and Revisited did later albums in similarly lush digipacks.

41. New York Dolls - Too Much Too Soon (1974) [121 points, 4 votes, 2 first place votes]

http://i48.tinypic.com/2u7ot8w.jpg

First album is pretty much their '72 live show in the studio, second album is the most awesome sound-effects record this side of Van Halen's debut. Among their many accomplishments, the Dolls invented 80s hairspray metal (yes, this was a good thing) and made it cool to be less-than-killer musicians, leading directly to the Ramones (merged with Hamburg-era Beatles) and the Sex Pistols (the Malcolm connection).

― Chris Clark (Chris Clark), Friday, June 13, 2003 6:47 AM (6 years ago)

My LP copy of the New York Dolls' Too Much Too Soon has a sticker the original owner stuck on the front. It says 'Hard Rock Is My Candy' in a yummy 70s font. No way would I peel that off!

― Sean (Sean), Sunday, February 1, 2004 5:40 PM (5 years ago)

The debut rocks like everybody's business. But In Too Much Too Soon is even more inclusive than that, popping and rocking with equal amounts of glee. It's the greatest album of the 1970s.

― Kevin John Bozelka, Tuesday, April 15, 2008 11:53 PM (1 year ago)

xp i'm not sure if this makes me more or less interested in finally giving Amon Düül a try

^ our first album with 2 first place votes (and only two others). This album benefited more than any other from ranked balloting. xp

the first incarnation managed one decent album in Paradieswärts Düül. However, it’s the offshoot that produced the most awe-inspiring music

RONG. paradieswarts duul >>> anything amon duul ii ever recorded imo

I've only heard Paradieswärts Düül and Yeti, and I definitely prefer the former.

i had never really listened to anything by the grateful dead until the freaks and geeks finale, myself. i still don't like a whole lot of their stuff, but i really think american beauty is wonderful.

it just needs a small cabal of challops and bam hello top 50 :P

I just can't tolerate jammy Dead at all, but I really do like the American Beauty/Workingman's Dead twofer. xp

the fact that Freaks & Geeks made at least 4 people on this board want to get into the Grateful Dead is kinda bizarre imo

It was a good scene.