Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…
If you want a debut album on which the artist emerged fully formed right out of the gate, look no further than Boston’s self-titled first release.
Consider that the first track on the band’s first album is ‘More Than a Feeling,’ a bona fide classic. And right on its heels comes ‘Peace of Mind,’ another all-timer. And closing out Side One of the nine-track album is ‘Foreplay/Long Time,’ a stellar instrumental followed by another classic rock song.
Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…
1976 was a big year for debut albums, and I’ll feature five of them to kick off this look at that year in music.
Debuts are interesting because some reveal a great artist emerging fully formed out of the gate, while others are rougher but contain seeds of the greatness to come. This week will include a bit of both.
Phil Collins owned the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 the week of March 30, 1985, with the first U.S. single from his album No Jacket Required. ‘One More Night’ spent two weeks at #1, giving Collins his second chart-topper, following ‘Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)’ the year before.
I have a soft spot for anything by Phil Collins, and this song certainly goes down easy, but it sounds like it was written in about 15 minutes (which is pretty close to the truth).
Throwing back to the week of March 29, 1975, we find Labelle atop the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Lady Marmalade,’ one of only nine songs to reach #1 recorded by two different artists (the other version was by Lil’ Kim, Mýa, Christina Aguilera, and Pink for the 2001 Moulin Rouge soundtrack).
At #2 that week was ‘Lovin’ You’ by Minnie Riperton, a song that would reach #1 the following week. This was the third single from Riperton’s 1974 album Perfect Angel, and the only hit in the singer’s brief career.
Concluding a countdown of my favorite albums of 1976…
#1 – Desire – Bob Dylan
Desire might be my eighth or ninth favorite Bob Dylan album, but that’s enough to make it my favorite release of 1976.
This album is a showcase of Dylan as a collaborator. He co-wrote most of the songs’ lyrics with psychologist Jacques Levy; Emmylou Harris’ backing vocals add grace and texture; and most important, Scarlet Rivera’s violin gives the record a rich air of mystery. Desire sounds like nothing else he ever recorded.
Meet Me In Montauk 