5 Awesome Albums Released 55 Years Ago This Month

What was happening in the world of music circa June 1970? Well, quite a lot, as these five albums released during that fateful month prove. (And, trust us, we had to leave off some LPs from big-name artists just because we didn’t have space.)

Videos by American Songwriter

You’ll find some bona fide classics, an under-the-radar release or two, and one of the most infamous albums in the career of an all-time artist. Check out these albums released 55 years ago this month.

‘Workingman’s Dead’ by The Grateful Dead

Although their live reputation was already built, the Dead’s first few studio albums lacked cohesion. Out of necessity (they were a bit broke), they trimmed things down for Workingman’s Dead. They concentrated on self-contained songs that owed heavily to roots music and vocal harmonies. And they came out of the process with a masterpiece. From the hushed cadences of “Uncle John’s Band” to the benign ramble of “Casey Jones”, there’s not a false step. Amazingly, they came back with another whopper in the same vein later in the year with American Beauty.

‘Gasoline Alley’ by Rod Stewart

Just three months earlier, the Faces, who featured Stewart as their lead singer, released their first album. Stewart used his bandmates occasionally on Gasoline Alley, although only Ronnie Wood appears throughout the entirety. Folks already knew by this time that Stewart was an outstanding interpreter of classic songs. He proves that here with a tender reading of Bob Dylan’s “Only A Hobo”. But he also shows off his skills here as a songwriter, as on the title track, and as a bandleader, as he and his sidemen outdo the Stones on a thrilling cover of “It’s All Over Now”.

‘Kristofferson’ by Kris Kristofferson

Much of the material on which Kristofferson’s songwriting reputation is built appears on this debut solo release. By that time, cover artists were already making hay with these songs. Just don’t sell Kristofferson’s own takes short. Although his vocal range was limited, his ability to sink into these characters stands tall. That’s especially true on the woebegone songs like “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” and “For The Good Times”. You also get unheralded tracks like “Just The Other Side Of Nowhere” and “Duvalier’s Dream”. Singer-songwriter fans need to have this one on their want list.

‘Self Portrait’ by Bob Dylan

Had Self Portrait been released in this era, Dylan would have been able to communicate his humble intent for the double album via an online press release or nothing. At the time, people waiting for another masterpiece had cut loose with their vitriol. We also know, from the Bootleg Series release devoted to it, that there was a better album in there waiting to be released. That said, it still holds value as a pleasant, quirky listen. High points include the mysterious, Dylan-less “All The Tired Horses”, and a haunting take on the moonshiner’s lament “Copper Kettle”.

‘Deep Purple In Rock’ by Deep Purple

Bands in transition don’t usually sound as forceful as Deep Purple does on this relentlessly rocking record. Prior to its making, they switched out their bassist and lead singer. Roger Glover and Ian Gillan, respectively, joined on the fly. The impetus for this move was a desire to rock harder, in response to the gauntlet thrown down by acts like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. Mission accomplished. Whether wandering off into proggy territory on “Child In Time”, or simply hammering straight ahead on “Living Wreck”, this is uniformly potent stuff.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images