Tag Archives: Decades

by

Song of the Day #6,121: ‘Night Moves’ – Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…

One of the best albums I listened to for this dip into 1976 was Night Moves, Bob Seger’s 12th album (counting three he released with The Bob Seger System at the beginning of his career). This was his first release where the Silver Bullet Band was also credited, even though they don’t appear on nearly half of the songs.

This is a quintessential rock and roll album, with heartfelt lyrics sung over muscular guitars and plaintive pianos. It owes a lot to Bruce Springsteen and a little to Bob Dylan and Neil Young.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #6,120: ‘The Fuse’ – Jackson Browne

Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…

Before I get to nine albums I gave my first real listen for this series, I want to run through a handful of 1976 albums I have written about already as part of artist deep dives.

My favorite of the bunch is Jackson Browne’s The Pretender, which ended up as my fifth favorite of his 14 albums. Recorded in the backdrop of his wife’s death by suicide, the album is a lot more upbeat than you’d expect.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #6,117: ‘Judy is a Punk’ – Ramones

Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…

The most influential debut of 1976 was the self-titled first release of punk rock band Ramones. This is one of those albums to which Brian Eno’s famous quote about The Velvet Underground’s debut applies: very few people heard it, but everyone who did started a band.

Running 14 tracks and under 30 minutes, Ramones is a collection of fast, furious, funny songs — head-bangy but deceptively melodic.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #6,116: ‘Anything That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll’ – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…

Today’s debut album is mostly a forgettable introduction to a band with great things in its future. But two great songs that (almost) bookend the album make sure it can’t be dismissed entirely.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ self-titled debut didn’t sell very well and received little attention from U.S. critics. It actually fared much better in the UK, where today’s SOTD gave the band their first Top 40 hit.

Continue reading →

by

Song of the Day #6,115: ‘Crazy On You’ – Heart

Continuing my look at the albums of 1976…

One of the most surprising debut albums I heard from this year is Heart’s Dreamboat Annie.

The record kicks off with ‘Magic Man’ and also features the similarly blistering ‘Crazy On You,’ two guitar-driven hits I expected from the band. But much of the album has a folk sound more reminiscent of The Carpenters or Joni Mitchell than Led Zeppelin.

Continue reading →