Mike’s 1977

I agree with Tim, 1977 is one of the great years in recorded music history. A complete list of the 1977 records I own is available here, and my top 77 from 77 too.

Albums:

1. Talking Heads–Talking Heads: 77. An album to nod along with, rather than head bang to. Love Byrne’s optimism.
2. Television–Marquee Moon. Well, we all know this one by heart, don’t we? Even if I hadn’t already seen Tim’s list, I would have bet that many of the same albums would appear this month. And I would have also bet on this one appearing most often. I have a hard time imagining a list of the most-beloved 77 records without this one. Hard for me to pick any one song over another, which makes for a pretty great album, I’d say.
3. Keith Jarrett–The Survivors’ Suite. As with so many of his works, just intensely lovely and melodic. This is by far my favorite. Doesn’t seem to be available online.
4. The Clash–The Clash. I find that I don’t pull this one out very often, but each time I do I sure am glad I’ve done so. Just noticing now that four of these 10 albums are first releases. I agree with Tim on his selections, but this is another one where every last song is brilliant. Allow me to just add “Police and Thieves.”
5. Brian Eno–Before and After Science. Prefer the second side, which I would regard as some of the most beautiful music of the 20th Century. I mean, seriously, “Here He Comes,” “Julie With,” “By This River,” “Through Hollow Lands,” and “Spider and I” one after the other.
6. Joni Mitchell–Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter. Criminally underrated. Joni, and her band, at an entirely other level. Nothing else quite like it that I’ve ever heard. Have you noticed yet that each time I list this, or something from it, I don’t write anything. I find it indescribable, really.
7. The Stranglers–Stranglers IV (Rattus Norvegicus). “Jet” was nearly forty when this was recorded. Heh.
8. Van Der Graaf–The Quiet Zone/The Pleasure Dome. I take it that many VDGG fans loathe this release, I suppose in much the way that some Genesis fans dislike post-Gabriel Genesis. Shorter songs, that may be more accessible, as though that were a bad thing in itself. Still plenty progressive, I’d say, however you want to define it. “Siren Song.”
9. David Bowie–Low
10. Pink Floyd–Animals. What a kick to be able to turn a son on to the Floyd. “Comfortably Numb” and the Wall is where it is at for him right now, as it was for me too initially. He’ll get to this and the early stuff on his own one day, I’m sure of it.
11. Tompall Glaser–Tompall Glaser and his Outlaw Band. Couldn’t restrain myself from listing one more album. Try the great Tennessee Blues.

Songs:
1. Anthony Phillips–“God if I Saw Her Now.” Hard as I’ve tried, I can’t say I really love any other Ant song. This is timeless.
2. The Motors–“Dancing the Night Away”
3. AC/DC–“Whole Lotta Rosie.” So juvenile, and thank god, I can’t help but continue to get a huge kick out of it.
4. NRBQ–“Call Him Off Rogers”
5. X-Ray Spex–Oh Bondage Up Yours/I’m a Cliche
6. Al Green–“Belle”
7. Bill Evans–“A Child Is Born”
8. Donna Summer–“I Feel Love”
9. Phil Manzanera/801–“Island”
10. Electric Light Orchestra–“Standing in the Rain”
11. Sex Pistols–“Anarchy in the U.K.” I admit it, I don’t ever play the entire album. I pull it out to play a specific cut or two, including, always, this one.

Mike’s 1981

What a glorious year in music. I’ve heard it said that the music we listen to in high school is the music we listen to the rest of our lives. At the very least, the music that shapes our lives in our formative years isn’t easily shaken. How lucky to have been introduced to many of these gems then that are now part of my DNA.

Songs

Laurie Anderson–“Born, Never Asked”

The Police–“Invisible Sun”

REM–“Radio Free Europe”

The Specials–“Friday Night and Saturday Morning”

Rickie Lee Jones–“We Belong Together” (I’ll say it. Maybe my favorite song of all-time.)

Penguin Cafe Orchestra–“Air a Danser”

Meredith Monk–“Dolmen Music” (Cheating…)

This Heat–“A New Kind of Water” (Deceit probably makes my album list as I become more familiar with it.)

X–“White Girl”

Brian Eno and David Byrne–“Regiment”

Albums

Rickie Lee Jones–Pirates (“Skeletons“, “Living It Up“)

Penguin Cafe Orchestra–Penguin Cafe Orchestra (“Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter“, “Telephone and Rubber Band“)

King Crimson–Discipline. It’s one thing to develop a truly unique sound for your individual instrument, and rare. Each member of this band accomplished that. Combined they devised an entirely new music that might be as shocking in its originality today as it was in 1981.  (“Sheltering Sky“, “Elephant Talk“)

Siouxsie and the Banshees–Juju. (“Monitor“, “Night Shift“)

David Thomas and the Pedestrians—The Sound of the Sand. Richard Thompson doesn’t dominate the proceedings here as much as he would on the followup. Completely zany, and, like the King Crimson, completely original. As experimental as the contemporary Pere Ubu albums (Art of Walking, Song of the Bailing Man), but infinitely more listenable and pleasurable. (“The Birds Are a Good Idea“–the only song on youtube)

Bill Evans–You Must Believe in Spring. Feel a little guilty about listing this as it was recorded in ’77, released in ’81. I always liked this a lot, but it has grown on me over the years. I now think it is as lovely as anything he ever did. (“The Peacocks“, “We Will Meet Again“)

Martha and the Muffins–This Is the Ice Age. This group seems to be pretty obscure in spite of their having a couple minor hits. Those aren’t on this album which mixes early Roxy Music Eno atmospherics with Fripp-influenced lead guitar work, but sounds very much of its era. There are enough progressive undercurrents and dynamics throughout to keep this from sounding too much like other typical early 80s electronic stuff….but that is too negative a take. This is consistently amazing! (“Swimming“, “Three Hundred Years/Chemistry“, “Jets Seem Slower in London’s Skies”)

Material–Memory Serves. A lot of people were interested in extending the range of what consituted dance music in the early 80s. I wish I could have been on a dance floor when this came on. (“Upriver“, “Memory Serves“)

Genesis–Abacab. I don’t know what to say about this. I just think it’s great! Every song!