When you think of the month of December, you generally think of Christmas music, love it or hate it. December 1970 had other ideas, hosting a number of excellent albums that had nothing to do with the holiday season.
Videos by American Songwriter
55 years ago this month, these five excellent albums were released. And they can still deliver non-holiday-based pleasures after all these years.
‘John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band’ by John Lennon
John Lennon needed to get it all out of his system, all his childhood turmoil, his adult pain, and his Beatles baggage. He corralled Klaus Voorman on bass and Ringo Starr on drums to churn through rock songs that managed to be minimal and pulsating. The stripped-down approach was ahead of its time. Lennon proved exceedingly brave for cutting loose with unfiltered, larynx-shredding confessionals like “Mother” and “Well Well Well”. “God” might have shattered the dreams of Fab Four fans. But it opened the door for Lennon’s wondrous solo career.
‘Emitt Rhodes’ by Emitt Rhodes
The early 70s proved a fertile era for DIY singer-songwriters who played all the instruments and made for very convincing one-man bands. Emitt Rhodes’ debut album ranks very near the top of any list of such albums. Paul McCartney comparisons were plentiful, as Rhodes’ melodic ease certainly offered Macca vibes on ridiculously catchy tracks like “With My Face On The Floor” and “Promises I’ve Made”. Elsewhere, Rhodes shines on the brooding rocker “Long Time No See” and tender ballads “Lullaby” and “You Should Be Ashamed”.
‘Pendulum’ by Creedence Clearwater Revival
While they weren’t quite in their death throes during the making of Pendulum, CCR was beginning to lose steam. Whereas previous records by the band lacked anything close to filler, a few songs on this album fade from mind not long after you hear them. Of course, it’s hard to knock any LP containing a track as monumental as “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”. On top of that, “Hey Tonight” and “Molina” are expert ravers. And “(Wish I Could) Hideaway” and “It’s Just A Thought” capture John Fogerty in an introspective, appealingly bluesy mode.
‘T. Rex’ by T. Rex
Although they had shortened their name from Tyrannosaurus Rex to T. Rex, the duo of Marc Bolan and Mickey Finn hadn’t quite changed their game on this album. They were still a tad more indebted to psychedelic folk music than to glam rock at this point. But you can hear them making the transition to a new sound. Bolan’s melodies and Finn’s steady drum patter start to get a bit edgier here. They’d make the big transformation with the follow-up, Electric Warrior. This album still succeeds on Bolan’s idiosyncratic songwriting and charismatic performances.
‘Til The Band Comes In’ by Scott Walker
Walker found himself caught between his artistic ambitions and commercial concerns on this album. After building a sort of concept album throughout the first ten tracks, he pivots to beautiful music covers for the last five. It makes for a disjointed listen. But Walker could mesmerize in either guise. He delivers some sharp originals like “Thanks For Chicago Mr. James” and “Jean The Machine”. And when he goes into crooner mode, he elevates material like “The Hills Of Yesterday” with his one-of-a-kind vocal approach.
Photo by PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.