MC5 ‘Back In The USA’ - a recent thread on the Steve Hoffman Music Forums has comforted me to learn that I’m not alone in preferring this to ’Kick Out The Jams’. I rate ‘USA’ as one of THE most influential records on what was to emerge much later in the 70s. Great songs too;
Camel ‘Breathless’ - from the brief period when Camel could be classed as a borderline Canterbury band (Caramel!), that this remains my fave of their albums will surprise nobody;
Sparks S/T - the then Halfnelson’s debut LP is now 50 years old and sounds nothing like it. In fact, play ‘Fa La Fa Lee’ to a Sleaford Mods fan and they’ll probably think it an outtake with a guest vocalist. And ‘Fletcher Honorama’ reminds me of Radiohead in their ‘Knives Out’/‘Man of War’ mode;
Black Sabbath ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ - the last truly great Sabbath album I think, not that they didn’t touch greatness afterwards;
Barclay James Harvest ‘Everyone Is Everybody Else’ - my first exposure to BJH was with this 1974 album, and it’s still one of their best for me;
The Kinks ‘Arthur’ - caught at the apex between beat group and rock band, this great LP sees Ray Davies’ social commentary at its most astute;
Robert Wyatt ‘Rock Bottom’ - I (and others) have expounded on the merits of this album over many years. All I can add is that it is as unique and perfect a record as I have heard in my six decades of existence. God bless you, Robert;
David Bowie ‘Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime)’ 45 - this late single is as indefinable as anything the great man ever released. Can’t help noticing its tonal similarity to Robert Wyatt’s ‘Team Spirit’, mind, particularly the latter’s “I beat the lot... I take the cake” bit. Am I alone?
Talk Talk ‘Laughing Stock’ - as far removed from their proto-Duran early material as could be imagined, and subtly magnificent, preparing the way for:
Mark Hollis S/T - a contender for the quietest, slowest album of “popular music” ever, this is a unique and quite beautiful record where every tiny sound is made to matter. Something to immerse oneself in;
Cliff Richard and The Shadows ‘The Best Of The Rock’n’Roll Pioneers’ - mostly fun comp of one of Britain’s former pretenders to Elvis’ throne. The fast numbers like ‘Mean Streak’, ‘Never Mind’ and ‘Dynamite’ are a gas;
Penguin Cafe Orchestra ‘Music From The Penguin Cafe’ - the first, and to my ears best, of Simon Jeffes’ wonderfully diverse records;
John Coltrane ‘Lush Life’ - Trane’s Prestige years saw his playing at its most seductive and lyrical, exemplified by this underrated LP. The long title track is a particular gem;
Keith Jarrett ‘No End’ - I find myself coming back to this unusual Jarrett release more and more, despite reservations of the master pianist’s arrogance in releasing two hours of Jerry Garcia-like low-fi hi guitar noodling. For some weird reason, it works, for most of the time anyway;
Keith Jarrett ‘The Moth And The Flame’ - a fabulously varied, in-studio solo piano improvisation that ranks alongside the best of his live dates I think;
Keith Jarrett ‘Expectations’ - pre-ECM solo album of various moods and styles; not definitive but an entertaining listen;
Keith Jarrett ‘Nude Ants’ - live document of Jarrett’s excellent European Quartet with Jan Garbarek. Superb drumming from the late Jan Christensen, who also graces:
Terje Rypdal ‘Descendre’ - mood music - and I don’t mean that dismissively - par excellence;
Kenny Burrell ‘Midnight Blue’ - classic Blue Note guitar jazz with a title track suspiciously like ‘Moondance’;
Dave Brubeck Quartet ‘Time Further Out’ and ‘Jazz Impressions Of New York’ - I was saddened to learn of Gene Wright’s death a few weeks back. Now all of the classic Brubeck Quartet are playing their heavenly harps. Remember them this way;
Haydn: String Quartets Op.74 (London Haydn Quartet) - beautifully civilised music, similarly rendered;
Vaughan Williams: Symphony no.6 (LSO/Andre Previn) - a classic recording of possibly the greatest of all English symphonies;
Beethoven: Egmont Overture and Symphonies 2, 4, 5, 6 & 8 (BBCSO/Colin Davis) - from a long forgotten series of the Beethoven symphonies newly digitised for the first time, these are, for the most part, superbly muscular and direct performances. Only the Fifth disappoints due to an inert second movement and no exposition repeat in the first;
Beethoven: Violin Concerto (Arthur Grumiaux/Concertgebouw/Colin Davis - Grumiaux was a wonderfully lyrical violinist as this lovely 1975 recording testifies.
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