1970 was 50 years ago. Can you believe that? Well I can, but as a child of the late 90s everything earlier than 1995 seems ancient to me. Anyway, a lot of people seem to think music peaked in the 70s, so I ranked my top 5 favorite albums from 1970 as a 50-year retrospective for your reading pleasure.
5. All Things Must Pass – George Harrison
George Harrison is my favorite Beatle, there’s something in the way he sings that attracts me like no other. The guitar work on this triple LP is consistently flawless in execution and sound. I think after 12 albums of playing second fiddle (but lead guitar) to John and Paul he went hog-wild on his first solo album to show the world and his former bandmates what he was made of.
Standout tracks: “What Is Life”, “Run of the Mill”, “If Not For You”
4. Morrison Hotel – The Doors
As soon as “Roadhouse Blues” starts, you know this album is going to kick ass. Ray Manzarek’s organ is phenomenal as always, Robby Kreiger’s guitar is understated in some tracks but never disappoints, and John Densmore’s drums are solid. I’ve always thought, and I doubt I’m alone on this, Jim Morrison’s strength was more songwriting than song singing, and this shows on Morrison Hotel, yet I can’t help but think that if he wasn’t such a larger-than-life on-stage presence would he even be in a band?
Standout tracks: “Roadhouse Blues”, “Land Ho!”, “Waiting for the Sun”
3. Paranoid – Black Sabbath
Paranoid by Black Sabbath is one of the most important metal albums of all time. But that’s not all it is. Black Sabbath was a very creative band and changed sounds quite a bit for some songs on this album and others in their discography. There are songs about apocalyptic war, mental illness, and space travel. When put like that, it almost sounds like a progressive rock album rather than metal, but even though there are light spots it is still very much a metal album.
Standout tracks: “War Pigs/ Luke’s Wall”, “Planet Caravan”, “Rat Salad”
2. Band of Gypsys – Jimi Hendrix
One of these things is not like the others! Band Of Gypsys is a live album, recorded at the Filmore East in New York on New Year’s Day 1970. It is the first and only album Jimi recorded with a band other than the Jimi Hendrix Experience, replacing Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding with Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. This album is known for having the best version of “Machine Gun,” a song dedicated and about the troops in Vietnam. This album is also the last one Jimi Hendrix would ever release during his lifetime, released in March, just 5 months before he died. It marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.
Standout tracks: “Machine Gun”, “Changes”, “Who Knows”
5. Loaded – Velvet Underground
Loaded is a perfect album, but not a perfect Velvet Underground album. It is easily the most accessible album of theirs as it’s full of classic rock classics. You could put this on at a college party and no one would leave, well maybe not no one, but very few. I say that it’s not a perfect Velvet Underground album because for me it’s just too far from the sound that cemented them as alternative icons on albums like White Light/ White Heat. While it isn’t my favorite VU album, I can’t deny how great it is.
Standout tracks: “Sweet Jane”, “Head Held High”, “Train Round The Bend”
What are you favorite albums from 1970? Have you seen any of these groups live? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!