1978… My birth year. I used to think this was my favorite year in music, mostly due to debuts by some of my favorite bands in college (The Cars, The Police, The Attractions). But now… It doesn’t seem to have the variety of some of the other years we have examined. To further illustrate that point, look at the amount of overlap between everyone’s lists. It’s unprecedented on this blog up to this point. And the music that gets me most excited these days, lush orchestrated pop, is missing entirely. I spent a lot of time trying to find something new while revisiting things I’d passed on previously, but nothing really came up. So most of my list probably wouldn’t have made the top 10 in previous years that we have done, like 1972 or 1970. But here we go…
Albums:
1. The Cars – The Cars: The band refers to this album as their greatest hits. They are correct. Wall to wall brilliant pop. Really great guitar work and arrangements. My Best Friend’s Girl, Let the Good Times Roll, Just What I Needed, You’re All I’ve Got Tonight, Bye Bye Love, All Mixed Up.
2. The Police – Outlandos D’Amore: Probably my 3rd favorite Police album (Zenyatta is easily number one and then probably Synchronicity), but this one certainly rocks like no other. I wish they had dumped the last 2 or 3 songs (or at least Sally). Otherwise perfect. Three one-of-a-kind musicians makin’ it work. Hole In My Life, Can’t Stand Loosing You, So Lonely, Truth Hits Everybody, Roxanne, Next To You
3. Elvis Costello and The Attractions – This Year’s Model: No other artist has done more to shape my songwriting that Elvis Costello. And this is a great record. That being said it’s probably my 7th favorite album by him (Favorite goes to Get Happy, then Trust, Brutal Youth, Painted From Memory, Armed Forces and My Aim Is True). I feel he favored style over substance on this record a bit. But style it has, from the cover to the dry and immediate production. Certainly his “coolest” record, and the arrangements are great. And of course it does have some great songs (Pump it Up is NOT one of those). I Don’t Want To Go To Chelsea, No Action, Lip Service, This Year’s Girl, Lipstick Vogue, The Beat, Night Rally.
4. Big Star – Third: Oh how I love Big Star, but in all honesty that has more to do with Radio City and #1 Record (to a slightly lesser extent). Back when I was unfamiliar with the band, everyone told me to check out this record. Let me say this is not the place to start for the uninitiated. But despite any of its challenges and eccentricities, there is some great stuff in there. And this is probably the closest thing to the orchestrated pop that I found so lacking in this year. Take Care, Thank You Friends, Stroke It Noel, You Can’t Have Me, Kizza Me, Jesus Christ, For You, Oh Dana
5. Nick Lowe – Jesus of Cool: Simply a great collection of songs. He throws his hat at a bunch of different things, which I think was the point, and most of it works. So It Goes, Mary Provost, I Love My Label, No Reason (especially the first 28 seconds).
6. Doobie Brothers – Minute By Minute: Well I’m fairly certain I’ll be the only one with this album on my list. But I’m not ashamed to say it’s awesome. And strange. In fact, I think the keyboard arrangement on tracks like “What a Fool Believes” is just as bizarre as anything on Big Star’s Third, or releases from this year by Kraftwerk, Devo, Wire, etc. Really interesting chord progressions. And Michael McDonald’s crazy voice that sounds so low even though he is singing higher than I could ever reach. Plus you’ve still got Jeff “Skunk” Baxter’s amazing guitar work occasionally popping out of McDonald’s wall of keyboards. But in the end, it’s the McDonald melodies that really shine. “What a Fool Believes,” “Minute by Minute,” “Here to Love You,” “How Do The Fool’s Survive.”
7. Devo – Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!: I was first introduced to this album in college by my friend Lenny. At the time we liked the more “weird” songs like Jocko Homo and the robotic arrangement of Satisfaction. Now, it’s the awesome edgy pop rock that I enjoy most. In fact I’m thankful that there is enough melodic content, which appears on nearly every other song, to keep me from switching to a different album. Uncontrollable Urge, Jocko Homo, Mongoloid, Gut Feeling.
8. Willie Nelson – Stardust: Classic Songs. Classic voice. Organic. This thing straddles so close to cheesy, but with the exception of the “Unchained Medley,” it never gets there. It’s the opposite of edgy and progressive, but it’s what 1978 needed. And maybe 2013. It just works. “September Song,” “Stardust,” “Blue Skys,” “Moonlight In Vermont.”
9. Marvin Gaye – Here My Dear: A sendoff for his ex-wife. There is genuine sorrow and regret. It’s an R&B release from 1978 that never sounds even remotely like a disco release. Lots of cool arrangements. There are a few standouts like “Time To Get It Together” and “Anna’s Song,” but mostly it works better as a whole.
(10.) I toyed with several options, like Blondie, Kraftwerk, Genesis, Van Halen, etc. but I didn’t care enough for the entire albums to include them. They shall be represented in the singles. So… That’s right 1978. You only get a top nine.
Singles:
1. Chris Bell – “I Am The Cosmos”
This and its b-side comprise what is easily one of the top ten singles/45s ever released. The album of the same name didn’t see the light of day for over another decade. But this single was really the highlight anyway.
2. Chris Bell – “You and Your Sister”
The b-side of the aforementioned single. Features Alex Chilton on backing vocals. In my eyes it’s more of a Big Star release than Third.
3. Genesis – “Many Too Many”
Peter who? For me this emotional mid/late seventies pop from Banks sung by Collins is the best Genesis ever was. “Undertow” from the same album is also really great.
4. Elvis Costello – “Radio Radio”
Not part of the UK release of This Year’s Model. If you have the American release, replace this with “I Don’t Wanna Go to Chelsea.” They are the two greatest songs he recorded this year.
5. Joe Jackson – “Is She Really Going Out With Him”
Released a year before his debut, and it’s definitely the best thing on the album.
6. Todd Rundgren – “Can We Still Be Friends”
So good it sounds like 1972.
7. Jacksons – “Shake Your Body Down To The Ground”
Those falsettos on the verse get me every time. This is awesome.
8. Kraftwerk – “The Robots”
As mentioned, I almost included this album, but one song is probably more than enough.
9. Little River Band – “Reminiscing”
How long do you have to joke about liking a song before you actually start to like the song? Well, I don’t joke about the Little River Band.
10. Wreckless Eric – “Whole Wide World”
Technically a cheat, since the only the album came out in 1978 and the single was released in 1977. But I guess I don’t care because this song is too great not to include on every possible list.
Honorable Mention to a ton of great dance/disco tracks that I happily listen to on the radio or the dance floor every time they start to play. It’s often popular to talk down on disco, but I would trade the garbage currently on the radio for this sort of stuff any day: Taste of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie, Heatwave – The Groove Line, Earth Wind & Fire – September, Cheryl Lynn – Got to be Real, Blondie – Heart of Glass, etc.
Music Corner w/ Archive 