|
While you were filling our your readers poll, we had ten of our editors and writers fill out a similar one. What we found out is that we agree with you in some cases and we’re radically different in others. Here, we expose our true colors.
1. Twenty Best Albums of the 1970s. Here is the cumulative result, followed by the individual choices of each critic. The writers and editors participating in the poll were: Jeff Tamarkin, Andy Edelstein, Clark Peterson, Steve Kraye, Howie Klein, Toni A. Brown, Paul Bernsten, Tom Silvestri, Mark Rose and Karen Schlosberg.
The Relix Top 20 – Best Albums Of The 1970s.
- Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run
- The Who – Who’s Next
- Rolling Stones – Exile On Main Street
- Grateful Dead – Live Dead
- Sex Pistols – Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
- Rolling Stones – Some Girls
- Bruce Springsteen – Darkness On The Edge Of Town
- Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks
- Ramones – Rocket To Russia
- Patti Smith – Horses
- Grateful Dead – Workingman’s Dead
- Derek and the Dominos – Layla
- Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon
- Elvis Costello – This Year’s Model
- George Thorogood – Move It On Over
- Joe Jackson – Look Sharp
- Nick Lowe – Pure Pop For Now People
- Grateful Dead – American Beauty
- Jethro Tull – Benefit
- Ramones – Ramones
Editor’s Choice – Best Albums of the 1970s (With selected comments)
Jeff Tamarkin –
1. Argent – Argent (Epic) Somewhat out of character that I should even like this LP, but it’s held up throughout the decade. I can still listen to every cut. It’s flawless.
2. Dave Edmunds – Get It (Swan Song) This, my friends, is rock and roll.
3. Grateful Dead – Live Dead (Warner Bros.) Recorded in ’69, but released in ’70, a truly incredible performance. Wha’ happened, guys?
4. The Who – Who’s Next (MCA) Set the standards of ‘70s rock and roll.
5. Ramones – Rocket To Russia (Sire) All the excitement R&R should have.
6. Bob Dylan – Blood On The Tracks (Columbia) Best songs he ever wrote.
7. Bob Marley and the Wailers – Natty Dread (Island) ‘70s soul is reggae – this is reggae at its best.
8. Elvis Costello – This Year’s Model (Columbia) Most important and creative singer/songwriter of the late ‘70s – his best all-around work.
9. Patti Smith – Horses (Arista) Saved me from terminal boredom in ‘75.
10. Wild Tchoupitoulas – Wild Tchoupitoulas (Island) Addictive good-time party music. Hard to find but worth the look.
11. The Rubinoos – The Rubinoos
12. Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run
13. Rolling Stones – Exile On Main Street
14. Sex Pistols – Never Mind…
15. Willie Nelson – Stardust
16. Grateful Dead – American Beauty
17. Rolling Stones – Some Girls
18. Paul Simon – Live Rhymin’
19. Elvis Costello – My Aim Is True
20. Talking Heads – Fear Of Music
Andy Edelstein –
1. The Who – Who’s Next (MCA) Every cut holds up. The Who at their most mature.
2. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Cosmo’s Factory (Fantasy) The best LP by the best American pure rock and roll band of the ‘60s was actually released in the ‘70s.
3. Ramones – Rocket To Russia (Sire)
4. Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tells A Story (Mercury)
5. Sex Pistols – Never Mind… (Warner Bros.) The best way to dispel accumulated anger is to put this on and sing along.
6. Neil Young – After The Gold Rush (Warner Bros.)
7. Paul Simon – There Goes Rhymin’ Simon (Columbia) Because underneath my punk exterior I’m a sentimentalist.
8. Nick Lowe – Pure Pop For Now People (Columbia)
9. Asleep At The Wheel – Asleep At The Wheel (United Artists) Joy in an unusually dreadful year – Take Me Back To Tulsa, yay!
10. MC5 – Back In The U.S.A. (Atlantic )Easily seven years ahead of its time.
11. B-52’s – B-52’s
12. Derek and the Dominos – Layla
13. Elvis Costello – My Aim Is True
14. Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes – Greatest Hits
15. New Riders – Adventures of Panama Red
16. Talking Heads – ‘77
17. J. Geils Band – J. Geils Band
18. Graham Parker and the Rumour – Heat Treatment
19. Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen – Country Casanova
20. Allman Brothers – Eat A Peach
Clark Peterson –
1. Derek and the Dominos – Layla (RSO)
2. Rolling Stones – Exile On Main Street (Rolling Stones)
3. Allman Brothers – At Fillmore East (Capricorn)
4. George Harrison – All Things Must Pass (Apple)
5. Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run (Columbia)
6. Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon (Capitol)
7. Allman Brothers – Brothers And Sisters (Capricorn)
8. Neil Young – Rust Never Sleeps (Reprise)
9. Steve Miller – Number 5 (Capitol)
10. Graham Parker and the Rumour – Heat Treatment (Mercury)
11. Van Morrison – St. Dominic’s Preview
12. Rod Stewart – Never A Dull Moment
13. Rolling Stones – Some Girls
14. Beach Boys – Holland
15. John Fogerty – Blue Ridge Rangers
16. Thin Lizzy – Jailbreak
17. Commander Cody – We’ve Got A Live One Here
| 
