The Albums of 1973: The Rolling Stones: Goats Head Soup

Release Date: August 31, 1973

Active Members: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts

Produced by Jimmy Miller

Side One: Dancing with Mr. D; 100 Years Ago; Coming Down Again; Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker); Angie

Side Two: Silver Train; Hide Your Love; Winter; Can You Hear the Music; Star Star

The Rolling Stones recorded Goats Head Soup in 1973 on the heels of their masterful double LP Exile on Main Street released the year before. A sense of weariness lingers throughout the record wavering between wistful reflections with remnants of the excess and the blues.

"Dancing with Mr. D" is a menacing rocker that sets a foreboding tone somewhere between hallucination and reality. "100 Years Ago" continues the reflective mode of the album, shifting between a country rock/fantastical pastoral that longs for quietude. 

"Coming Down Again" perfectly encapsulates the tone of the record, utilizing piano and keyboards. "Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" was more in line with the classic Stones sound, with Jagger's vamping vocal with hints of violence in the lyrics. 

The hit single "Angie" is an infectious ballad with syrupy strings and all, and Jagger's iconic vocal. Speculation about the inspiration of the song remains full of narrative red herrings. 

Fuzzy guitars and echoes of the blues punctuate "Silver Train." A mid-tempo R&B pastiche, "Hide Your Love" has a rollicking piano in the tradition of Fats Domino. "Winter" is my favorite track with its epic scope and a poetic grace the Stones were capable of at their best. "Can You Hear the Music" starts out sluggish but builds into a groove. "Star Star" satirizes 1970s Hollywood, ending the record in a fit of bathos.

Mostly recorded in Jamaica, where some of the best music of the year would originate, Goats Head Soup then and now sounds like an exhausted band still finding inspiration and pushing on. 

The Albums of 1973: Bruce Springsteen: Greetings from Ashbury Park, N.J.

Release Date: January 5, 1973

Produced by Mike Appel, Jim Cretecos

Side One: Blinded by the Light; Growin' Up; Mary Queen of Arkansas; Does this Bus Stop at 82nd St?'; Lost in the Flood

Side Two: The Angel; For You; Spirit in the Night; It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City

Greetings from Ashbury Park marked the debut of one of the most vibrant and iconic voices in Rock - Bruce Springsteen. A working-class New Jersey kid, Springsteen, like millions was enraptured with the romance and promise of rock music, a step towards the promise of something revolutionary, even Utopian.

He played in many bands, shaping a sound and style with many musicians along the way in what would evolve into the E Street Band. In 1972, he was signed by Columbia and recorded the first album.

Springsteen's musical and autobiographical influences are all over Greetings From Ashbury Park, while also introducing themes and locales that would carry though his entire body of work. Verbose and romantic, Greetings made moderate sales but garnered glowing reviews from critics. 

Taking a cue from Dylan's 1965 LP Bringing it all Back Home, Greetings was initially intended to be divided between acoustic numbers and tracks recorded with the band, but only two acoustic songs made the final cut: "Mary Queen of Arkansas" and "The Angel." The former could be compared to Dylan's "Ramona", but also introduces the desperate star-crossed lovers on the run in so many of his songs. "The Angel" is a piano number, vaguely reminiscent of Randy Newman's mini epics, but also referencing Kerouac's road prose poetry, Bruce adds a touch of Gothic darkness and despair, a zone of pitiful desperation and dead ends. 

"Blinded by the Light", the bombastic opener written at the behest of Columbia who "did not hear a single," is one of the highlights of the record. Clearly Dylan inspired, while at the same time influenced by R&B and gospel, the surreal landscape of the song allows for playful wordplay:

And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart to see if it was safe to go outside

And little Early-Pearly came in by her curly-wearly and asked me if I needed a ride

In the vein of Dylan's "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" minus the icy cynicism and more in line with Marc Bolan's jukebox anthems of dreamy imagery, the joyful call and response on the fadeout welcomes all to join in.

"Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?" is a poetical tapestry of New York Street scenes. "Lost in the Flood" revealed a cinematic lyrical style. Each of the three verses follows characters disillusioned with America in the wake of the Vietnam War, juxtaposed with violence and despair on city streets. "For You" is about a girl whose life was "one long emergency" in a frenetically paced vocal by Springsteen. 

"Spirit in the Night" eases the mood, a piano driven narrative held together by Clarence Carter's saxophone. Not interested in straight narrative, the song creates a youthful atmosphere, moments of release among wanderers of the night who will return in various incarnations on future songs. The closing track "It's Hard To Be A Saint in the City" begins with a jazzy piano and returns to street scenes with more adventure and temptation.

Other artists took notice of Ashbury Park, David Bowie was a fan and recorded versions of "For You" and "It's Hard To Be a Saint in the City." Fifty years later the sense of urgency still enraptures the listener and gives the album a distinct power. For anyone seeking new voices in 1973, one would've found it here. 

The Albums of 1972: The O'Jays: Backstabbers

Release Date: August 1, 1972

Band Members: Eddie Levert; Walter Williams; William Powell

Produced by Gambie & Huff, Bunny Sigler

Track List: Side One: When the World's At Peace; Back Stabbers; Who Am I; (They Call Me) Mr. Lucky; Time to Get Down

Side Two: 992 Arguments; Listen to the Clock on the Wall; Shiftless, Shady, Jealous Kind of People; Sunshine; Love Train

The O'Jays got their start in Canton, Ohio, performing and recording steadily through the 1960s. By the early '70s only three of the core members remained and were considering disbanding. In 1972 Philadelphia International signed them and they recorded what would become their most successful record Backstabbers, producing two massive hits in "Backstabbers" and "Love Train."

The O'Jays years with Philadelphia International Records produced some of their greatest hits, exemplars of the "Philly Soul" sound. The lavish production style incorporated horns and strings, influenced by funk and Motown. 

Side One opens with the forward looking "When the World's at Peace." A plea for love and peace, the staccato horns and overlapping vocals (which hauntingly fade to echo by the end) in the production make for a powerful start to the record. Rife with paranoia and distrust, "Backstabbers" sounds as fresh and relevant as ever 50 years later, an empowering song with a message.

"Who Am I" slows the pace of the album, a mournful love ballad. "(They Call Me) Mr. Lucky" features more harmony, a jaunty track with a catchy chorus. "Time to Get Down" ends the first side on a positive note.

"992 Arguments" is about a stormy relationship, once again the vocals, piano, strings, and horns make for a magnificent production. "Listen to the Clock on the Wall" deals with an affair, both suspenseful and quietly suggesting emotional turmoil. "Shiftless, Shady, Kind of People" could be a sequel to "Backstabbers", another warning about people waiting to take advantage. "Sunshine" is a quiet, tender ballad.

"Love Train" hit number one on the R&B and Billboard Top 100 charts. Its call for universal tranquility and peace will put good vibes into any room then or now. It's been used in many commercials and films, notably as the credits played on the 1998 film The Last Days of Disco, evoking the hopes and dreams of an era.

One of the best albums of 1972, Backstabber holds up to repeated plays at any time of the year. Do yourself a favor and give it a spin.  

REM #2: Reckoning (1984)

Release Date: April 9, 1984

Members: Michael Stipe (vocals); Peter Buck (guitars); Michael Mills (bass, keyboards); Bill Berry (percussion)

Produced by Don Dixon and Mitch Easter

Track List: Harborcoat; 7 Chinese Bros; So. Central Rain; Pretty Persuasion; Time After Time (Annelise)

Side Two: Second Guessing; Letter Never Sent; Camera; (Don't Go To) Rockville); Little America

Anticipation for REM's second album was high after the glowing critical response to their debut record Murmur. Their follow-up Reckoning more than lived up to the promise of Murmur, offering ten tracks of modern pop that would influence alternative music in the decades to come.

"Harborcoat" opens the record with Strip's catchy inane lyrics combined with cryptic imagery and Peter Buck's swinging guitar riffs. Cavalier in its disdain for what passed as mainstream pop, then sidles into covert punk.  The melodic "Seven Chinese Bros" was based on a children's book and according to Stipe a relationship that went wrong. Lyrics aside, the sound has an epic quality. "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)" became a minor hit and remains a popular track in REM's catalog, Stipe's impassioned vocal marked a shift to a more direct approach.

"Pretty Persuasion" is a moody, hard driving pop song with Peter Buck's versatile guitar playing. Bill Berry's drumming on "Time After Time (Annelise)" provides a martial cadence in a retro folk rock song. "Second Guessing" feels a bit tossed off, but the harmonies sound great. "Letter Never Sent" utilizes more vocal harmonies and suggests spiritual longing. "Camera" feels inspired by the first Big Star record with Alex Chilton and Chris Bell, heavy weeping guitars and emotive vocals.

("Don't Go Back To) Rockville" shifts to a more Americana sound, written about a former girlfriend of Mike Mills deciding to back to her hometown, including cheeky lyrics like "You'll wind up in some factory/that's full of filth and nowhere left to go." Stipe sings the song on the record but Mills usually sang when played live. "Little America" references Roman and American history, surreal imagery of an agrarian past one sees when driving through rural country. 

Reckoning marked REM as a band evolving with ever more ideas, versatile in both style and approach. 

REM #1: Murmur (1983)

Release Date: April 12, 1983

Members: Michael Stipe (vocals); Peter Buck (guitars); Michael Mills (bass, keyboards); Bill Berry (percussion)

Produced by Don Dixon and Mitch Easter

Track List: Radio Free Europe; Pilgrimage; Laughing; Talk About the Passion; Moral Kiosk; Perfect Circle

Side Two: Catapult; Sitting Still; 9-9; Shaking Through; We Walk; West of the Fields

One of the most influential debut albums of the 1980s, Murmur introduced REM to the world with a stately grace. 

The iconic opening track "Radio Free Europe" is a clarion call. The repeat play potential of the song is unlimited. It stands in contrast to the earlier single version, which is more punk in delivery and attitude. On Murmur, "Radio Free Europe" is diamond layered with arcane imagery, a technicolor light show of the mind. Stipe's sublime vocal promises something new for all willing to heed the call. 

The anthemic "Pilgrimage" thumps along with Stipe's mysterious vocals alluding to a spiritual journey but not like Chaucer. The grotesque imagery of "two-headed cows" and "broken lips" are contrasted with Berry's adventurous drumming. "Laughing" is irresistibly melodic with Peter Buck's guitar and Stipe's vocal blending perfectly. A snapshot of a mother and her two sons possibly in search of a better situation, finding peace through humor and each other.  

"Talk About the Passion" features more melodic hooks and stirrings of transcendence. "Moral Kiosk" is opaque and sublime, pushing the boundaries of the pop song's potential. The idea of a moral kiosk, post-religion in its implication, suits the album's allusions to a spiritual quest. "Perfect Circle" is proof pop songs can be beautiful. A lullaby of sorts, also a hymn for a world engulfed with consumerism and ill-shaped opinions.

A wave of childhood nostalgia permeates "Catapult", it's got the drive of a Gen-X TV commercial jingle by way of William Wordsworth. "Sitting Still" is a tossed of track of fragmented lyrics and Byrds like harmonies. "9-9" could be the most cryptic track, expressing an existential unease. "Shaking Through" uses more disjointed imagery, sonically all over the place and it's great. 

"We Walk" is catchy and ominous with references to the French Revolution. "West of the Fields" closes the album and like "Pilgrimage" and inverts and turns spiritual ideas inside out - hinting at an eternal journey - even after death. 

Murmur breathed life into American music during the mid-1980s. With their hardscrabble origins, REM brought a poetic sensibility of a romantic and gothic variety, drifting between forebodings of joy and dread. The songwriting eschewed narratives in favor of expressionism, welcoming to all listeners, interactive by design.

For Albino Carillo (1964-2022)

The Albums of 1972: Al Green: Let's Stay Together

Release Date: January 31, 1972

Produced by Willie Mitchell

Side One: Let's Stay Together; La-la For You; So You're Leaving; What is This Feeling; Old Time Lovin'

Side Two: I've Never Found a Girl (who loves me like you do); How Can You Mend a Broken Heart; Judy; It Ain't No Fun To Me

The Reverend Al Green's fourth LP Let's Stay Together produced one of the biggest soul hits of the 1970s "Let's Stay Together", a number one single on the America charts, a standard in the purest sense. The additional eight tracks on the album are textured with Green's crystalized vocals and a sturdy horn section.

"Let's Stay Together" is the timeless recording that opens the record, a song of devotion and perseverance. "La-la For You" power lies in its understatement in the vocal and the production, precision piano chords and a subtle percussion defying gravity. "So You're Leaving" brings unease and moodiness in contrast to the previous two tracks. The intense, but spare, production is especially prevalent on "What is this feeling?" The intense but steady groove on "Old Time Lovin' brings side one to a close. 

Side two opens with the upbeat "I've Never Found a Girl." The longest track at over six minutes is a meditative version the Bee Gees hit "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." Green's quiet vocal is resilient, the narrative evolves in Green's vocals that tell their own story. "Judy" celebrates a new love, while "It Ain't No Fun to Me" is a breakup song ending the record on an uneasy note.

An album for all seasons and moods due to the depth of human emotion it draws upon, Let's Stay Together has aged with grace.

The Albums of 1972: Big Star: #1 Record

Release Date: April 24, 1972

Members: Chris Bell (guitar, vocals); Alex Chilton (guitar, vocals); Andy Hummel (bass, vocals); Jody Stephens (drums)

Produced by John Fry

Track List: Side One: Feel; The Ballad of El Goodo; In the Street; Thirteen; Don't Lie to Me; The India Song

Side Two: When My Baby's Beside Me; My Life is Right; Give Me Another Chance; Try Again; Watch the Sunrise; ST/100

I always imagined all three Big Star records as these floating talismans waiting for down on their luck devotees of rock to unearth. To paraphrase the Rolling Stone encyclopedia "there was this band who recorded a few records and vanished, but they synthesized the sound of The Beatles, The Who, and The Byrds" and it was something worth skipping a few days of school to seek out. 

Now that multiple reissues and deluxe releases, books, and documentaries the story of Big Star has been told many times. One must feel vindicated their music's been canonized, but also rueful over a selfish sense of loss. 

As pointed out by many before me, the power pop sound of Big Star may have seemed out of fashion in 1972. Maybe, yet the mystique of Lennon/McCartney still loomed over much of the '70s music scene. Time never moves in a linear path with cultural history. 

Alex Chilton, a teenage sensation as lead singer for The Box Tops, would continue to reinvent himself through the 1970s and Big Star marked a specific step in that evolution. Chris Bell, a prodigy on the Memphis music scene as songwriter and session guitarist, would share a short lived but fruitful collaboration with Chilton. 

"Feel" opens the album with punchy guitar riff that build into lacerating waves of sonic harmonies, punctuated by Bell's soulful vocal espousing truculence and defeat. Defeat edging into despair marks a recurring motif on the album. "The Ballad of El Goodo" lives in such a head space but allows a firm resolve to take hold as well. Chilton sings "It gets so hard in times like these to hold on" transcends being mere self-help prattle, but a mantra of defiance.

"In the Street" creates an indelible scene of youthful exuberance and malaise with Byrds harmonies and Harrison guitar leads. Chilton's "Thirteen" proves the record has way more heft than being derivative of British Invasion. At 2 minutes and 34 seconds, the ballad transcends love song clichés and becomes pure poetic emotion.

"Don't Lie to Me" goes for a more conventionally produced rock sound, a defiance rearing its head as uncompromising anger. Bassist Andy Hummel contributed the baroque psychedelia of "The India Song" conjuring a blissed out atmosphere of stately decadence. 

Side two begins with "When My Baby's Beside Me", an array of delightful hooks that can be taken as pop song parody or pure sincerity. "My Life is Right" hints at a spirituality in a joyful song celebrating connection. 

"Give Me Another Chance" by Chilton begins the acoustic sequence of songs that close out the record. Melancholy and regretful, the Beatles style harmonies add poignancy to the track. "Try Again" glimpses into the cosmic nature of heartbreak. The opulent "Watch the Sunrise" could be a Neil Young closer, sunny ruminations after the dark night of the soul. "ST/100" serves as a coda to the comedown that is the second side of #1 Record. 

An album of dimming romanticism in the face of long odds, the first Big Star record stands as a metaphysical victory. Bell's sensitive vocals and intricate production skills alongside Chilton's exuberance reign on high 50 years later.