Oh shit.

I have a feeling this is a favorite of a lot of people.

No, it's not as good as the self-titled, but it's still a pretty damn great slab of McCartney-esque pure pop music. Some of the lyrics get a little too self conscious at times, but there is no denying the melodies.



The Kinks' exploration of Americana is still decidedly British. And a freaking masterpiece.

And... and easy pick for my Listmania! Top 5 even:

Also a masterpiece. Nilsson becomes something more than a pop or rock musician, if he ever was one. Some of his best songs are on here, and some of his biggest hits. Although those are not necessarily the same things: "Coconut", "Without You", Jump Into the Fire", "Gotta Get Up", "The Moonbeam Song". Still sounds surprisingly fresh today. And, may be the best album released in all of 1971.

Not going to try to go obscure for this one. Not yet, anyway.


Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On

Do I really need to say anything about this?

<-- Does not like Emitt Rhodes. I've only listened to him once in my life and it sounded like Meta-McCartney and less talented.

That's cool. I completely understand. He just scratches that itch for me, sometimes better than McCartney, himself.

He's one of those guys that I get why people like him, it's just not for me.

I guess I'll out myself as a big fan of this album and I don't care what people say!

Mungo Jerry - Electronically Tested



It's much better than the hit "In the Summertime." Good off-kiltered blues/folk songs. It's not that I think it compares to the heavy weights of this year like Sticky Fingers. It's just a surprisingly enjoyable listen.

This is a hellavua year though. Tons and tons of great albums. "Classics."

This monster, partly responsible for my obsession with music.

Really good album. 'Yesterday's Numbers' is one of my favorite tracks. Great straightforward blues/r&b based rock'n'roll.

used to sneak into my bros room and listen to this because i loved the cover so much. great fucking album.

Yeah, so many great records in '71.

I was going to post this one but thought, "Let DJ do it."

Also my favourite J. Geils Band album.

The debut from Little Feat is one of my favourites as well.

the Comus album used to bug me out as a child. i felt cool, like i was listening to something 'so weird'.

If you haven't heard Merry Clayton's debut, you should give it a try.


Her cover of 'Southern Man' is great.

Admittedly this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but here's Ruby Starr's debut. Pretty dense Southern blooze.

Of the 1971 albums that have only recently entered into regular rotation, these two are near and dear.

Serge Gainsbourg, Histoire de Melody Nelson.


Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band Mirror Man

This was my first, and for the longest time my only Who album.

The two best AC albums were both released in '71. Love It To Death came first, and that cover shot pretty much nails the atmosphere of the project. A wasted sense of evil permeates the thing, especially as you move into the later stages of the album. Stuff like "Black Juju" and "The Ballad of Dwight Frye" are as close to nightmarish as AC ever got. Killer is comparatively light-hearted, stuffed with more conventional rockers like "Under My Wheels", "Yeah Yeah Yeah", and "You Drive Me Nervous" - but it also contains "Dead Babies", which maybe even more than the "I'm Eighteen" single helped usher the AC group into the commercial stratosphere.

Lots of titanic releases from this year. Here's by a popular artist but definitely on the "you should hear" list if you have never heard it:





Recorded in the Spring of '71, she had pretty much staked her claim as "Queen of Soul" by this point but this live document shows just why she was held in such high regard outside of her singles.

They brought in an all star band for this 3 night stand to make this album. She's backed by King Curtis, the Memphis Horns, with backing vocals by The Sweethearts of Soul. Not to mention that Ray Charles guests on one of the tracks.

The back to back punch of "Dr. Feelgood" and "Spirit in the Dark" is just insane. Just revved up soul music. I mean, she even manages to groove up "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and make Stephen Stills existence worthwhile if only for her to cover one of his songs.

FYI, I only have this on vinyl and it only has 10 tracks but there was a reissue a few years back I think that was much more expanded. Still, I think this stands by itself with just the 10.

An artist at the height of her powers.

A classic.
Baby Blue, Day After Day, Money, Suitcase, The Name of the Game, blah blah blah.

Faust-Faust

Some really great moments here if not great "songs".


Ash Ra Tempel-Ash Ra Tempel

A couple of really cool free long jams here. It takes about 1 step to get from here to SHOTM-Jaybird 30 years later.


Yoko Ono-Fly

What Can did this same year is certainly better than what Yoko pulls off on the best track here Mind Train, but I love the shrieks and howls and barks and machine gun stutters of her voice here.


Popol Vuh-In Den Garten Pharaos

Not their best by any stretch of the imagination, but the structure and processes involved on this record are very cool.


Jacob Druckman-Animus III/Synapse Valentine

Druckman would never reach the level of contemporaries like Reich or Adams but the interplay between the contrabass and the tape loops here stand up very well, and if nothing else are a nice archive of what was happening with forward thinking composers at the time. These guys introducing tape manipulation and synthesizers and the atonal/microtonal exploration that began happening pissed a lot of people off, and is as far as I am concerned probably the ballsiest example of musical rebellion there ever has been.


Harry Partch-Delusion of the Fury

Speaking of microtonal music--the king of junkshop composition showcases some amazing free construction and sound exploration. Everything from Zappa and Beefheart to Black Dice can be found in this recording. One of my favorite artists of all time.

Yes.