1975 in Music

Music reviews for music originally released in 1975.

1. Keith Jarrett: The Koln Concert (10/10)

Like much of the great music of the world, it sounds instantly familiar and yet I can’t place it, it sounds like it has existed forever.

I can’t believe he could just make this up, either. (That is to say, though I love this record, I’m super dubious he just sat down and made it up as he went along.)

2. Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (10/10)

I can’t be objective about this record, FYI.

The Floyd take their earlier approach of pairing a side-long track with shorter pieces, and play with it, halving the track so that it bookends the record. It’s their best side-long track, in my opinion. Building to two crescendos and fading out twice. (Probably wasn’t conceived as a whole, especially given that one part that’s from “One of These Days.”)

The other songs on the record stand among Waters’ best lyrics. The title track is perhaps their greatest song (as opposed to composition) they ever recorded, and the other two stand as relatively unique in their oevre.

As a Floyd snob, this is my favourite record. I don’t really know if it’s their best, but it’s my favourite.

Read my reviews of Pink Floyd albums.

2. Neil Young: Tonight’s the Night (10/10)

Neil Young was a star for the first time in 1973. And yet even though he was star, and he was expected to pump out further “Heart of Gold” style hits, his life was a mess. Whether or not he may acknowledge it now, he had drug issues. And within a rather short span of time, the rhythm guitarist for one of his bands died, and then a roadie died, both of heroin overdoses.

Read the full review of Tonight’s the Night.

Listen to me talk about Tonight’s the Night.

4. Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks (10/10)

Dylan will tell you he doesn’t write confessional songs. (I wonder if any interviewer has responded to this statement with “What about “Sara”?”) But even his son thinks this album is about the end of Dylan’s marriage.

Regardless of what the album is or isn’t about, this is Dylan’s best set of songs in nearly a decade. And though I haven’t delved into the depths of his late ’70s and ’80s music, it’s arguably his last truly essential album worth of songs. (He’s definitely written songs since that are among his very best, but I’m not sure he’s put out an entire album of them.) For me, it’s the only record he’s put out since the motorcycle accident that belongs with his truly astonishing run of world-changing albums from 1963 to 1966.

Moreover, the whole thing feels more mature – well, at least most of the time. (Except when he’s calling his ex wife an idiot…) He’s not just lyrically showing off now; instead he’s writing for a unified purpose, whether that’s to process the end of his relationship or whether it’s, um, to put Chekhov to music. (I’ve never read a defense of this claim, but I’m curious: does it hold any water? I’ve read a fair amount of Chekhov and really don’t see it at all.)
It’s one of the great singer-songwriter albums of the 1970s and Dylan’s last masterpiece. Essential.

5. Led Zeppelin: Physical Graffiti (10/10)

I have been listening to this album for nearly two decades at this point, so it is way too close to my heart. But, on the occasion of its 40th anniversary, I am going to try to review it.

This is not Zeppelin’s very best record – it’s a little too spotty – and it’s not my favourite either. But I think it might be the most Zeppelin of Zeppelin albums. Nearly everything they did is available here: it’s got some of their very loudest material, and some of their poppiest; their longest songs and also their shortest; some of their flirtations with folk and country and tracks with ten (!!!) guitar overdubs; it contains some of their most mature, original compositions, and still has its share of ripoffs of other people’s work; despite being a showcase of Page’s abilities as a producer, it’s probably an even better showcase of how great a drummer Bonham was; it contains both new material and a host of outtakes from the last three albums; etc. Everything about the band is encapsulated here. If someone didn’t believe me about Zeppelin’s diversity I would point them to this record.  If someone didn’t believe me that you could dance to Zeppelin (not that I do), I would point them to this record. (It’s their funkiest by far, I think.)

It’s a shame that so many metal bands either don’t like Zeppelin (not metal enough) or ignore the lessons; numerous good bands could benefit from following Zeppelin’s example of eclecticism and its on this album that that eclecticism is on its fullest display.

Check out all my reviews of Zeppelin’s studio albums.

6. Brian Eno: Another Green World (10/10)

To my ears this is the missing link between Eno’s earlier solo albums and Bowie’s “Berlin Trilogy.” Sure, this is a little more jazz-influenced, and Eno is no Bowie (as a performer), but this music (and Eno’s early ambient stuff), makes Bowie’s Berlin albums sound a lot less like they came out of nowhere.

Eno’s early solo music is severely underrated – or at least severely underapreciated by people other than music nerds – and it’s crazy to me that this record doesn’t get more attention.

When he wanted to be, Eno was a pretty great “art rock” songwriter and this shows that off about as well as his first two albums, but includes all these diversions – hints at the ambient to come – that make a really unique record, unlike anything else in 1975 that I am aware of.

Classic.

7. Neil Young and Crazy Horse: Zuma (9/10)

Young’s reunion with Crazy Horse is basically everything you’d want it to be: it’s a strong set of songs featuring the ragged playing from both Young and the band that you would expect.

Though, at first, the songs might appear to be not quite up to the rather high par that Young set with the so-called “Ditch trilogy,” this has nearly as many classics as any of Young’s other classics from the first half of the ’70s.

It’s only not among his very best because of the ridiculous records he put out before it.

Read my reviews of all albums by Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

8. Henryk Gorecki: “Amen” (9/10)

The “Amen” feels slight in comparison to Gorecki’s “Miserere,” in some ways, but it is still kind of immense, despite its relative brevity. It features even fewer words than the “Miserere” (to my ears, I only hear the one), and it just goes to show you that lyrics can be totally irrelevant. (Though that really doesn’t make sense in this case, since “Amen” carries a great deal of import for a great many people.) Gorecki’s crazy use of dynamics are on considerable display here and the contrasts between near-silence and the massed voices is incredible.

9. The Dictators: Go Girl Crazy! (9/10)

I haven’t listened to this record in ages (years?) and I forgot how much I loved it. It’s so unbelievably dumb but so self-aware that it makes it all the more wonderful.

Like so much “proto punk” this is clearly not punk – in this case it’s far too competent and conventional. (So ridiculously competent.) This band is clearly a hard rock band with punk lyrics. (And those pop backing vocals, too.) It’s like a arena rock band wished it was a punk band, or something like that. They also seem to have started the punk tradition of covering hit songs and trying to make them sound as stupid as possible. (I don’t know if that became a trend until the nineties, so they might have been close to a decade and a half ahead of their time.)

Just awesome.

Listen to me talk about this album.

10. Patti Smith: Horses (9/10)

Smith tries to do the same thing Jim Morrison did: combine rock music with serious poetry. I’d say Smith’s far more successful as her approach is more musical than theatrical. However, The Doors were a much more versatile band than The Patti Smith Group.

Anyway, musically this is basically just the kind of rock and roll that was common to New York at the time – where the emphasis was on energy over professionalism and idiosyncratic approaches to playing over traditional ideas of mastery – with some very good lyrics. I prefer Television and the Voidoids but Patti Smith was first (on record) and I can’t deny that.

11. Parliament: Mothership Connection (9/10)

Their best album. Read the review of Mothership Connection.

12. Joni Mitchell: The Hissing of the Summer Lawns (9/10)

At this point Mitchell had been moving slowly away from the straightforward singer-songwriter aesthetic of Blue for some time. But her interest in mainstream jazz had really never fully manifested itself previously as it does here: even if her songs rarely actually turn into jazz – save for that piano solo in the “Centerpiece” cover – their is the sound of jazz throughout the album.

The other thing that’s apparent in this (slightly) more experimental sound is the synthesizer, which plays a prominent role on two songs. And then there’s that African drumming.

These accents, added to her already rather unique approach to rhythm guitar and backing vocals (she creates choirs through overdubs) marks this as perhaps her most difficult album to date. But that shouldn’t put you off. Though the songs are not her very best, they’re still strong and, combined with the idiosyncratic approach to the arrangements, they make this one of her very best records.

It’s rather shocking it was poorly reviewed at the time. But then people probably expected her to just write sequels to Blue over and over again.

13. Fela Kuti: Expensive Shit (9/10)

Basically an EP. And I have no idea how big a deal it is. But it’s great. Read the review of Expensive Shit.

14. Queen: A Night at the Opera (8/10)

Probably my favourite Queen album, containing two of my favourite Queen songs. It’s full of jarring jumps from rock to pop to rock to pop to prog folk to rock to pop to prog metal to pop to dixie land to prog. Seriously. (I think I have the order right.) Only this band could make this record and mostly be successful.

15. Tangerine Dream: Rubycon (8/10)

Probably a landmark. Read the review of Rubycon.

16. Aerosmith: Toys in the Attic (8/10)

I grew up during Aerosmith’s reunion: I was eight when Pump came out and twelve when Get a Grip was released (which was apparently old enough to stay up to watch that SNL skit pointing out all Aerosmith ballads are the same). My introduction to Aerosmith was therefore Much Music (Canada’s version of MTV) and Wayne’s World 2. When I was young enough, they seemed cool. The older I got, the more like a caricature of the hard rock bands I was slowly discovering they seemed. And then they released “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” – which may be the worst thing about Armageddon (I exaggerate slightly), something that is a particularly difficult accomplishment – an ’80s power ballad somehow recorded and released in 1998 by a band that was supposedly good in the ’70s…Read the full review.

Listen to me talk about Toys in the Attic

17. Burning Spear: Marcus Garvey (8/10)

Big band reggae. Read the review of Marcus Garvey.

18. Van Der Graaf Generator: Godbluff (8/10)

The first reunion goes well, with a slightly less ambitious sound and the same menace. Read the review of Godbluff.

19. Jeff Beck: Blow by Blow (8/10)

Jeff Beck’s first “solo” album is very much on the “fusion” side of the jazz fusion spectrum, and it’s much more “jazzy” than it is jazz of any kind.
I have listened to this album way too many times to be objective about it but I believe its reputation is a bit out-sized for what is actually contained on the record. Yes, I like the music, and Beck is in fine form, but it’s pretty one-note and, as I said, it’s more “jazzy” than anything approaching jazz. (It is very much a blues rock guitarist’s idea of what jazz fusion is.)

I think a lot of the reputation has to do with George Martin producing and the fact that it was an actual hit, which most instrumental guitar albums are not.

Beck’s career is pretty spotty – he is not a good songwriter – and this is one of his better albums. (It’s probably his best record of the 1970s, which isn’t saying that much.), but it’s definitely a product of its time and, if you’re not a fan of his playing, you might not love it.

20. Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Jackson and the Midnight Band: The First Minute of a New Day (8/10)

A way bigger, more musical sound than the previous record. Read the review of The First Minute of a New Day.

21. Oliver Knussen: Ophelia Dances (8/10)

I like the Ophelia Dances more than Trumpets (see below). I’m not sure that anyone could dance to this very well, but if it’s meant to conjure Ophelia in her descent into madness, then it does a good job.

22. Neu! ’75 (8/10)

There’s a part of me that wants to ding this record for being two completely different records, for the tracks having nothing in common with each other. It’s likely the right thing to do.

But the thing is, I’ve listened to this album too damn much. And what would usually be a flaw for me – say if I was listening to this for the first time in 2021 – has now become this endearing quality of it.

Then there’s the other thing: whatever you might want to say about the incongruity of pairing borderline ambient music with ragged rock music, both of these guys were pretty ahead of their time here. And the music here is certainly ahead of its time.

23. King Crimson: U.S.A. (8/10)

The overdubs and the fade-outs make it weaker than it should have been.

24. Emmylou Harris: Pieces of the Sky (8/10)

I have listened to this record a few too many times and it’s funny because a lot of stuff I claim to dislike in seventies country and country pop are present here and yet here I sit claiming I like it. It’s horribly over-produced, it’s got a number of the Mellow Mafia on it, making it mellow.

But it’s very varied for a country album. (Seriously, it’s true!)

It lacks the rawness of her work with Parsons. I’m sure if I listened to it for the first time ever today I would disparage it more than a little bit for being a product of the ridiculous seventies obsession for making everything perfect.

But I just can’t bring myself to say that, knowing the songs as i know them and with these standing as the definitive performances for me.

Listen to me talk about this album.

25. Ritchie Blackmore’s R-A-I-N-B-O-W (8/10)

Rainbow is like a combination of Uriah Heap and Purple. Or, if you prefer, Uriah Heap with a better lead guitarist, a better singer, slightly less ridiculous songs (both a plus and a minus) with better riffs but nearly as ridiculous lyrics.

Some stray thoughts:

  • It sounds to me like Blackmore is holding himself back and I don’t know why.
  • Dio is an acquired taste, and I still haven’t acquired it yet, but I can’t deny that this is an influential record and that his approach to both singing and lyric-writing has been incredibly influential.
  • Is “Black Sheep of the Family” really something you would quit your band over?
  • Jimi Hendrix wants his royalties for “Catch the Rainbow.”

All in all, this is a little bit more “metal” (or rock) than the slightly more over-the-top Heap. So I guess I like it better. The older I get, the less tolerance I have for this stuff, but it’s hard to really be too critical, given the era.

Decent hard rock for its time.

26. Slapp Happy/Henry Cow: Desperate Straights (8/10)

An unusual collaboration to be sure. Read the review of Desperate Straights. Or, read my reviews of Henry Cow albums.

27. Curtis Mayfield: There’s No Place Like America Today (7/10)

An all-time great album cover and some of Mayfield’s funkiest music. I just wish it was a little more scathing. Read the review of There’s No Place Like America Today.

28. Crack the Sky (7/10)

American prog rock that isn’t obsessed with shifting units. Read the review of Crack the Sky’s debut album.

29. Elton John: Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (7/10)

I kind of feel like this is his best album. Read the review of Captain Fantastic and Brown Dirt Cowboy.

30. John Cale: Slow Dazzle (7/10)

I wrote an angry review about this album a while ago, which didn’t match the rating:

I wanted to like this a lot, I really did. It’s been suggested to me as a much harder thing than his pop side. And I like the aesthetic generally.  That cover of “Heartbreak Hotel” is classic, it’s just ridiculous. But some of his lyrics, especially the choruses, are pretty terrible. I don’t know what he was on, but it sure sounds like he had some kind of chemically induced writer’s block. Maybe it is a joke. One should usually assume that talented people know what they’re doing.  But it was also the 70s. But if it is a joke, there are many better ones out there (with better lyrics). The music is good, the lyrics often not. Oh yeah, Manzanera’s guitar on “Rollaroll” is rad, making up for the terrible lyrics.

I don’t agree with the comment about the bad lyrics.

31. Oliver Knussen: Trumpets (7/10)

Trumpets is not a piece for trumpets. Instead it’s a piece for clarinets and voice. The clarinets don’t try to sound like trumpets, either, as far as my ears can tell. Instead they jump around manically.

32. Oskar Morawetz: Concerto for Harp and Chamber Orchestra (7/10)

Morawetz’s concerto is, unsurprisingly, minor by comparison with something such as Ginastera’s. There’s nothing wrong with this piece, but it’s just not anything special, especially given everything that has gone before it. (And let us remember that it was written 10 years after Ginastera’s…)

33. Roxy Music: Siren (7/10)

I only know one Roxy Music album, For Your Pleasure. I like it, I don’t love it. But one of the things I like about it – perhaps the thing I like about it most – is the artiness of it, provided primarily by Eno and Manzanera (to my ears). I assumed that when Eno left the artiness did too, but according to reviews, it didn’t leave just yet. Not until this album. And that makes me sad.

This is certainly as mainstream as art rock gets without ceasing to be art rock. It’s accessible (as these things go), its often danceable, it’s relatively catchy. It features so little of the overt weirdness I associated with (early) Roxy Music. It’s just mainstream pop rock, far as I can tell.

But, that being said, it is good mainstream pop rock. Ferry is a decent writer, his lyrics are fine and his melodies are just left field enough to be interesting. And, of course, there’s saxophone and violin to keep things slightly off kilter. (And the occasional burst of art rock guitar. Really occasional.)

But I just don’t love it. I can’t. It sounds to me like an interesting band in the process of making itself uninteresting.

Read all of my reviews of Roxy Music albums.

34. David Bowie: Young Americans (7/10)

The critic’s cliches about this album seem to be true.  This is more of an enthusiastic tribute than it is any kind of Bowie album of the quality of most of his other ’70s albums, albums which embraced various emerging styles but still managed to sound like Bowie; that is innovative and traditional at the same time.  This album lacks a lot of that, and comparing it to Station to Station, for example, it is clear that Bowie hadn’t quite figured out his unique take on “blue eyed soul” yet. 

That being said, there are many fine moments. As has been pointed out many times before, “Young Americans” is fantastic and features probably Bowie’s greatest vocal performance ever (though the end of “Can You Hear Me” is also pretty impressive). “Fame” is also pretty classic. It’s weird that an album trying to recreate certain aspects of American music would be so full of the Beatles.

Read my reviews of David Bowie albums.

35. Earth, Wind & Fire: That’s the Way of the World (7/10)

A diverse funk/soul record. Read the review of That’s the Way of the World.

36. Ohio Players: Honey (7/10)

I think this is pretty influential. Read the review of Honey.

37. Richard & Linda Thompson: Hokey Pokey (7/10)

A good set of songs performed well. Read the review of Hokey Pokey.

38. Gentle Giant: Free Hand (8/10)

Gentle Giant get a titch more accessible on this record, with a few songs (well, okay, parts of songs) that non-prog fans might even enjoy.

Honestly, it’s been so long since I’ve done a listen through the first seven albums that I’m not sure I can really think about where I would rank this one any more.

But I do feel like this is the Gentle Giant record I might recommend neophytes, since it really does seem more accessible to normal rock listeners than much of their earlier music.

Read my reviews of Gentle Giant albums.

39. The Pointer Sisters: Steppin’ (7/10)

I really like part of it. Read the review of Steppin.

40. The Grateful Dead: Blues for Allah (7/10)

This is kind of shockingly middle of the road, given what I know of the Dead. I am kind of tempted to say they sound like Steely Dan here, though I hardly know what Steely Dan sounds like. This is a little too polished and safe for me, though I appreciate the musicianship and their attempts at incorporating at least somewhat unusual musical influences (for jazz rock).

Disappointing given the album’s reputation.

41. Al Green is Love (7/10)

I have heard so much about Al Green, I guess I was bound to be disappointed.

This is very competent, able smooth soul. Green is undeniably a great performer. But I like my music with a little oomph behind it. As someone who values both grit and history, it’s hard for me to understand why this is considered such a classic (by critics anyway) when it glosses over and doesn’t appear to improve upon what went before it.

Well, anyway, I’m definitely not the audience. Fine, but I’m not going to go out of my way to listen to more.

42. Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra: Pathways to Unknown Worlds (7/10)

Spacey and futuristic free jazz. Read the review of Pathways to Unknown Worlds.

43. Black Sabbath: Sabotage (7/10)

I think I like it more than Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Read the review of Sabotage.

44. Funkadelic: Let’s Take It to the Stage (7/10)

Not their best record, a little too Parliament for me. Read the review of Let’s Take It to the Stage.

45. Nazareth: Hair of the Dog (7/10)

Pretty good blues rock. Read the review of Hair of the Dog.

46. Azymuth: Azimuth (7/10)

I have a problem.

For the last 18 years or so, I have been keeping track of what music I want to listen to. The list is now gigantic.

But that’s not my problem. I know I will never listen to everything on the list. It’s an aspirational list not a practical one.

The problem is that I didn’t track when I added particular albums to the list. So I might have added something last year or 17 years ago. And the problem with that is my tastes have changed. (I would say they’ve matured.) And so some of the stuff I added in my late teens or early 20s…well, maybe I don’t actually want to listen to it any more.

And that’s how I ended up with the debut album from Azymuth. From the very first track I thought “Oh god, I added this in my jazz fusion phase.”

I sure did.

The jazz fusion I still like is the hard stuff. This soft, wussy shit is not for me. But that being said, I recognize that this is an interesting take on the genre; a fairly unique one. And so I have to respect it for that. But this is definitely not my thing, despite the talent involved and the (possible) originality of the take on the genre.

47. 10cc: The Original Soundtrack (7/10)

Why can’t they use their powers for good? Read the review of The Original Soundtrack.

48. Heart: Dreamboat Annie (7/10)

Too slick for me but definitely unique and a bit of a landmark. Read the review of Dreamboat Annie.

49. Steve Hackett: Voyage of the Acolyte (7/10)

Mostly good prog in need of better singers. But Hackett likes his cheese and he does indulge in it at times.

50. Janis Ian: Between the Lines (6/10)

Overproduced. Read the review of Between the Lines.

51. War: Why Can’t We Be Friends? (6/10)

I like part of it. Read the review of Why Can’t We Be Friends?

52. The Isley Brothers: The Heat Is On (6/10)

I like one side a lot. Read the review of The Heat Is On.

53. Elton John: Rock of the Westies (6/10)

Not his best material. And I don’t think the mild makeover very convincing. Read the review of Rock of the Westies.

54. Steely Dan: Katy Lied (6/10)

I do not like Steely Dan. Read the review of Katy Lied.

55. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Nuthin’ Fancy (6/10)

The AOR version of a singles band. Read the review of Nuthin’ Fancy.

56. Tavares: In the City (6/10)

Pretty good material for a slick soul/funk record. Read the review of In the City.

57. Loudon Wainwright III: Unrequited (6/10)

A maddening record by a talented songwriter who has bad instincts. Read the review of Unrequited.

58. Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run (6/10)

Full disclosure: I have avoided Springsteen much of my life because I grew up with a bunch of stupid TV shows telling me “Springsteen saved Rock and Roll from Disco.” These interviewees (boomers all) were apparently ignorant of Punk Music but, also, in retrospect, maybe Disco won? Anyway…Read the full review.

59. Eagles: One of These Nights (6/10)

The Mellow Mafia in full force. Read the review of One of These Nights.

60. Paul Simon: Still Crazy After All of These Years (6/10)

I don’t love the songs, I dislike the aesthetic. Read the review of Still Crazy After All These Years.

61. Rod Stewart: Atlantic Crossing (6/10)

Sounds like the beginning of the end. Read the review of Atlantic Crossing.

62. ABBA (6/10)

Slick, but there is evident craft. Read the review of ABBA’s self-titled third album.

63. KC and The Sunshine Band (6/10)

Very adequate early disco. Read the review of KC and The Sunshine Band’s second album.

64. The Spinners: Pick of the Litter (6/10)

Very good material for a Philly Soul record. Read the review of Pick of the Litter.

65. Smokey Robinson: A Quiet Storm (6/10)

Supposedly the birth of a new radio format for R&B and soul. All I hear is ’70s smooth soul that is, perhaps, slightly less overproduced than Philly Soul. Read the review of A Quiet Storm.

66. Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare (6/10)

Bob Ezrin let loose. Read the review of Welcome to My Nightmare.

67. Lou Reed: Metal Machine Music (6/10)

The most controversial album of the decade by a major rock star has proven to be shockingly influential. Read the review of Metal Machine Music or why not read all my Lou Reed reviews?

68. KISS: Alive! (5/10)

I’d up this to 6/10 if they removed one track. Read the review of Alive!

69. Glen Campbell: Rhinestone Cowboy (5/10)

Can something this over-produced really be called “country”? Read the review of Rhinestone Cowboy.

70. Bee Gees: Main Course (5/10)

The Bee Gees reinvent themselves by embracing disco and I just don’t care. Read the review of Main Course.

71. AC/DC: High Voltage (5/10)

It’s hard to imagine this band would go on to conquer the world. Read the review of the Australian (aka) original High Voltage.

72. Fleetwood Mac (5/10)

When I was a kid and a tween, I only listened to oldies. For reasons I may never know, the oldies station in Toronto played Fleetwood Mac songs from this album and Rumours, among the very limited amount of music it dared play from post-1970. This stuff was deemed acceptable.

Read the full review.

73. Eric Clapton: There’s One in Every Crowd (5/10)

Middling. Used to own it.

74. Wings: Venus and Mars (4/10)

This is not very good. Read the review of Venus and Mars.

75. KISS: Dressed to Kill (4/10)

This band is The Worst. Read the review of Dressed to Kill.


Not Ranked:

Bob Dylan and the Band: The Basement Tapes (9/10)

Read my reviews of all of Bob Dylan’s albums.

John Coltrane: Alternate Takes (6/10)

On its own, of interest only to the collector or Coltrane fanatic.