#162 Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago Transit Authority self-titled debut album was an explosion of rock and jazz. The group would continue to grow throughout its career and finally peak in the 80s because of changing musical trends and losing its iconic singer Peter Cetera to a solo career. The band changed its name shortly after this to Chicago and […]

#161 Tim Buckley – Happy Sad

Tim Buckley is back with this third album Happy Sad. This album is more experimental than his previous albums. As with Bob Dylan, Buckley suffered a bit because of his changes in musical direction. He lost some of his folk fans. Those people are so prejudice. Darn hippies are supposed to be accepting of others. Isn’t […]

160 Sly and the Family Stone – Stand!

Sly and the Family Stone‘s Stand! is highly rated. I am not so sure it deserves it. Some of the songs rely on repetition of lyrics, especially provocative lyrics. Provocative is great, but it needs a leg to stand on to move the audience into a lasting movement. The album does not begin until the […]

#159 The Temptations – Cloud Nine

The Temptations was one of those groups that I heard my mother listen to when I was a child. I am not sure which album, but it was not Cloud Nine. I think it was the albums before this one when they had David Ruffin as the lead singer. This is different than the 60s […]

#158 MC5 – Kick Out the Jams

Kick Out the Jams was the live debut album from proto-punk band MC5. I will not waste your time on this one. If you want to listen to an early punk-type band, then check it out. I did not like it because it was too raw for me. I like my punk a bit more […]

#157 Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin II

In 1969, Led Zeppelin gave us a debut album and Led Zeppelin II. Isn’t that weird that today it takes years to get another album from all artist and in the 60s and 70s they were so prolific. Will this album be any good, since it was in the same year? Or will it be like […]

#156 The Band

Robert Christgau, a music critic, was so disappointed with The Band‘s debut album that he planned to “castigate” their follow-up. After hearing the album he declared it better than Abbey Road. After reading that and hearing The Band’s second album I decided that Christgau was high when he listened to it. I might not like […]

#155 Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin is the band and the eponymous debut album. I was super excited when I saw them in the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. At the time of its release the critics wrote mostly harsh things in regards to the album and the band members. Rolling Stone magazine writer John Mendelsohn was […]

#154 Quicksilver Messenger Service – Happy Trails

Happy Trails is the second album from Quicksilver Messenger Service. I thought I was moving past the time of bands I have never heard of, but I was wrong. Unless they have a popular single they would have remained in obscurity for me. I do not know a lot about acid rock. I am not a fan of the first part […]

#153 The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground return with their third album. I wonder if this will be better than White Light/White Heat. Lou Reed said, “I really didn’t think we should make another White Light/White Heat.” Hopefully, he was correct and it is completely different and better. “Candy Says” the first song has a nice beat, but I […]