On the turntable today...Bowie

It’s a 70’s lockdown. Today on the turntable we have an LP that was released in June 1972. It was going be this or Hunky Dory on the platter today but David Bowie’s fifth album release Ziggy Stardust was chosen because it was simply a game changer.

 
Bowie set music and fashion trends, constantly evolving his musical style and look over the years. Like Neil Young you never quite knew what the next album would sound like when it was released.

Loosely described as a concept album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mar to give it its full title, was a huge hit and within Five Years it made Bowie into a global Star. See what I did there?

On the turntable today...Elton John

It’s a 70’s lockdown...Harmony on the turntable today as we get a double album of music from October 1973. Ladies and gentlemen Sir Elton John presents Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

On the turntable today...Carly Simon

It's a 70's lockdown...Putting this on the turntable today just seemed the right thing to do. It’s Carly Simon’s No Secrets released in November 1972. This was to be Carly's breakthrough album having released the critically acclaimed Anticipation a year earlier. No Secrets topped the Billboard album charts for five weeks.

Produced by top producer Richard Perry and recorded in London, No Secrets yielded the massive hit single 'You're So Vain' which topped the Billboard charts in America for three weeks. In the years since it's release people have been trying to established who the song was written about. Carly herself has said it's not about James Taylor or Mick Jagger, the rumour is it's Warren Beatty who was the target Carly's song lyrics. 

You're So Vain set the tone for the No Secrets project which was one of the first albums from a female singer songwriter who was writing from a position of strength as an independent woman of the early seventies. Surrounded and assisted by world class musicians such as bassist Klaus Voormann, drummer Jim Keltner and trusted friend and guitarist Jimmy Ryan, she had backing vocals from the likes of Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger and husband at the time James Taylor which ensured that the album would be of the highest quality.

Carly Simon herself wasn't overly happy with the album at the time of it's release, she was more of a folk based musician and was unsure if Perry's slightly heavier production would be good enough to sell the record. She needn't have worried as it sold in bucketloads and proved to be her biggest selling album ever so I'm guessing she grew to love it. As for me I have to say that I prefer her earlier Anticipation album as a complete piece of work and That's The Way I've Always  Heard It Should Be from her first album is also outstanding. However there's no denying that You're So Vain is a great song and there are some other tracks on the No Secrets album that also reach the same high levels.

On the turntable today...Stevie Wonder

It's a 70's lockdown...On the turntable today we have Stevie Wonder’s musical masterpiece Innervisions which was originally released in August 1973. 

Like Marvin Gaye's What's Going On before it Innervisions marked a significant change in musical direction for Tamla Motown and showed further progression for Stevie Wonder. His previous offerings Talking Book and Music of my Mind had both indicated a radical change in the musical path that he was going along and Innervisions was the culmination of that trio of albums. It would set the style for his later albums such as Fulfillingness' First Finale and Songs In The Key Of Life. 

With songs that encompassed themes of drug abuse (Too High), racism (Living In The City), love ballads (All In Love Is Fair, Golden Lady). The album highlights political and social issues of the day and the final track (He's Misstra Know It All) is a scathing attack on then US President Richard Nixon. This album fell at just the right time socially and politically and sat comfortably alongside his stable mate Marvin Gaye's output at that time.

On the turntable today...Fleetwood Mac

It's a 70's lockdown...The multi million selling Rumours by Fleetwood Mac is on the turntable today. Released in February 1977 Rumours was the bands 11th album release and it was massive, selling shedloads of copies across the world. It turned the band into a hugely successful touring and recording act. 

The album was a diary of events for the band as it told the story of internal love affairs, relationship bust ups, fights, splits, parties and tensions within the band itself at that time. The subject matter proved to be the catalyst for a hugely successful and popular album. The lyrics cut straight through to the heart of the matter and musically the band were very strong with melodies to die for. Rumours garnered critical acclaim and was an instant commercial success selling over 40 million copies worldwide.    

What a nice nice way to welcome in the weekend. 

On the turntable today...Joni Mitchell

It's a 70's lockdown...Today we have Joni Mitchell’s For The Roses on the turntable. Released in November 1972, this follow up to the hugely successful and startlingly honest Blue, took Joni away from her folk roots and into a new and different direction.

 
The often overlooked Roses is a fine piece of work and lyrically one of her very best. Her vocals and musicality are not to everyone’s taste but as an album it’s in a class of its own.

In 1974 this change in style would lead to a more jazzy feel that would reach its peak with her critically acclaimed and most commercially successful album, the magnificent Court and Spark.

On the turntable today...The Beatles

On the turntable today we have the lovable fab four with their groovy 1968 double LP offering The Beatles, better known as The White Album. This double LP was a revolution when it first came out but as soon as you hear it dontcha know it’s gonna be alright.

How a band of mop tops could go from Please Please Me to this in just five years is nothing short of astonishing musical progress. The mix of songs on this album is simply amazing. We have Ob La Di, Ob La Da sitting alongside other tracks such as Revolution 1, Revolution 9, Julia, Helter Skelter, Good Night, Birthday and While My Guitar Gently Weeps. A more diverse collection of songs on the same album you would be very hard pressed to find. 

It's the diversity of this bunch of songs that is its attraction. You will find stuff you love (Blackbird) and other stuff that's perhaps a tougher listen (Revolution 9). It's a must have album though, especially the 6 CD deluxe set with the Esher sessions. On this edition you can hear the germination of songs that would reappear later on Beatle solo albums. Lennon's Child of Nature would eventually evolve into Jealous Guy on Imagine and McCartney's Junk would return for his first solo outing.

Not as commercial as earlier Beatle albums but still an essential part of any Beatles music collection as it highlights the bands progression from Love Me Do in '63. The Beatles White Album is a part of the bands closing chapter and was to point the way forward for their musical future as it entered the 70's after the group split. Although on the pricey side the 6 CD box set with a Blue-ray disc and lavish hardbound book does represent good value purely for the high quality packaging and enclosed comprehensive collection of rare rehearsal tracks and the Esher demos. You can view the product on Amazon here. 

Travel on a journey with Passenger

Album: Songs for the Drunk and Broken Hearted
Artist: Passenger

Release date: January 2021

What a stunning new album this is by Brighton based singer songwriter Passenger (Mike Rosenberg). Unbelievably it’s his 13th album release, all of them excellent but this one is truly a real gem. A genuinely brilliant piece of music that is sure to be my favourite album of the year even though it’s only February.

The wistful music is hauntingly beautiful and superbly arranged. It’s a strongly emotive piece of work and whilst the subject matter of heartbreak, loss and longing may seem desperately sad the beautifully crafted songs are in fact surprisingly uplifting in their openness and honesty. The subtle guitar playing and heartfelt vocals are on point throughout. It’s a truly magnificent album from a singer songwriter right at the very top of his game.

The deluxe edition is spread across two CD’s and the acoustic versions on disc 2 give an added dimension to the songs that makes you appreciate just how well written they are. Gentle music that is simply perfect for any lockdown. This comes highly recommended, please give it a listen.

Click the album image at the top of this page to follow the Spotify link.