50 RINGO STARR — RINGO
Forget “Now and Then”, this was the last Beatles record. It has songs by John, Paul, George, and of course Ringo. They are all alive, and all play and sing. As do guests including Harry Nilsson, Marc Bolan and members of The Band. Good songs, great atmosphere, and Ringo’s amiable vocals make this album a humble classic. Terrific booklet too, illustrated by Klaus Voorman. See, I told you it was a Beatles record! [Released November 1973]
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49 BADGER — ONE LIVE BADGER
Tony Kaye, the original Yes keyboard player (who did reappear in Yes much later) is a key musician on this live LP. It’s a very good progressive rock album that falls just short of being essential. In its favour, not only does the LP have one of Roger Dean’s best covers, there is a pop-up badger inside!
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48 LE ORME — FELONA E SORONA
One of the finest Italian progressive rock albums of the 70s. Great melodies presented in the symphonic rock style, with swathes of keyboards and fabulous bass playing. Full of variety and grandeur, it is a corker even if you cannot follow the story. (I only realised it was a concept album a couple of days ago, as I don’t speak Italian.)
[Photo sourced from the internet because I couldn’t find the LP]
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47 PFM — PHOTOS OF GHOSTS
Another great Italian prog band, Premiata Forneria Marconi (Marconi’s Famous Bakery, perhaps) took the bold step of collaborating with early King Crimson lyricist Pete Sinfield for this English language album. The result is musically strong, showing power and delicacy, though the accented vocals my deter some. If you like Genesis from this era, chances are you’ll love Photos Of Ghosts. [Released October 1973]
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46 LOU REED — BERLIN
After the camp delights of Transformer, Lou Reed’s third solo album could not have been more of a downer. Songs about suicide, intimate partner violence, neglected children and general existential despair are not a recipe for a good time. Yet the playing is superb and Reed’s delivery has never been more authentically tortured (in a smacked out kind of way). It’s said that if you play this on a sunny day, the sky will cry. I played it a lot in the mid-70s. [Released October 1973]
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45 JOHN MARTYN — INSIDE OUT
Imagine a top class Scots folky in thrall to the demon drink listening to Astral Weeks and Maggot Brain on high rotation for an extended lost weekend before cutting an album. That’s Inside Out. Brilliant, surprising, unsettling, moving, jagged, soothing. And it’s not even Martyn’s top entry in this list. [Released October 1973]
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44 MARVIN GAYE — LET’S GET IT ON
Yes, Marvin, let’s.
[Released August 1973]
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43 JOE WALSH — THE SMOKER YOU DRINK THE PLAYER YOU GET
Joe Walsh is more interesting than his well-documented and well paid tenure with the Eagles suggests. This, his second album, contains signature tune “Rocky Mountain Way” but is greater than that one rifftastic song. Every track is well-crafted and worthy of attention, meaning that this likeable larrikin could easily have place higher. [Released June 1973]
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42 THE POINTER SISTERS — THE POINTER SISTERS
The debut album from the Pointer Sisters is often over-shadowed by their later success on the pop singles charts. But it is a true R&B gem. Showing their gospel roots and magnificent sibling harmonies, it is a delight from stem to stern. The bluesy, hip-swinging “Jada”, frenetic “Cloudburst” and Willie Dixon classic “Wang Dang Doodle” are just the beginning. [Released May 1973]
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41 PAUL McCARTNEY & WINGS — BAND ON THE RUN
A fabulous collection of instantly accessible McCartney songs. Perfect sing-along fodder from needle drop to run-out groove. [Released November 1973]
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vinylconnection.com.au 
Another intriguing batch, Bruce. Happy to see “Band On the Run” and Ringo’s album on the list, as well as Marvin Gaye and Joe Walsh! I also dig The Pointer Sisters, based on what I’ve heard. They had great versatility and superb vocals.
Of course, you won’t be surprised some of your picks are entirely new to me. And once again you impress with your knowledge of prog rock, throwing in two Italian acts! Speaking of prog, Badger in particular sound like I could like them, based on my very first impression.
Keep ’em coming! 🙂
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It’s the curse of eclecticism, Christian. 😅
Love that you had some new offerings to explore amongst the well-known artists!
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Good luck finding Badger in the wild (if you are a physical objects guy). They are out there, and there is a CD re-issue too. How many albums come with a free badger inside?
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“A free badger”? Man I didnt even know this existed. Did I miss out
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I think eclecticism is a good thing. That said, I can see it become overwhelming, once you start digging into each music genre you like!
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Hence part of the reason I kept putting this particular project on the back burner!
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It’s fun, though, when folks like your good self join in. 🙂
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Reading your posts is definitely quite revealing and a recurring reminder that exploring music is an endless endeavor. And while this can feel overwhelming at times, it’s really a nice problem to have!
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I think Ringo is so underrated. Every time I hear him sing he makes me smile.
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He’s my partner’s favourite Beatle by far. I don’t think I’ve ever used the word ‘amiable’ in an album review before, Jeff, but it fits, doesn’t it?
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All killer no filler VC! Le Orme Felona e Sorona now that’s an obscure album only available as an import. We must have done our album shopping at the same record outlet. Agree a fabulous album with sensational cover art. Rivals Genesis Selling England by the Pound artistically. What a treat, ponder the art whilst being aurally enthralled. Doing it by the numbers helped of course! PFM were up there too, all part of that unique Italian contribution to the musical renaissance of the early 70’s.
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Probably browsed alongside each other in several purveyors of quality records, Woody. For example, I was talking to a younger music mate yesterday about Pet Sounds in Malvern. Not to mention all the city shops!
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I don’t know why, but I never would have imagined there was such a thing as Italian prog rock. And lo, two such albums make your list! Love the Marvin and Pointer Sisters. And RIP Denny Laine…
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Italian prog is big, dramatic, and often symphonic. Bet that astonishes you!
Yes, Denny’s demise was sad.
One more significant soul/R&B album to come (One you could guess, I imagine). 🙂
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I do really rate the Joe Walsh – there is just something very likable about the man, despite his association with that birdie group. I own that and the Badger one courtesy of my uncle, although as the years advance my pop-up doesn’t work as well as it used to …
Berlin is good but I never want to listen to it, its one of those albums for me. Interesting experiment: does it cancel Band On The Run. If you bound them both together would they form an unimpeachable core of emotional neutrality?
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Perhaps. But rock physics may also dictate that a giant black hole opens up and the universe ceases to exist. Which would put having less pop in one’s pop-up into perspective, I guess.
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Less pop in one’s pop-up? I’m dyin’ ovah’ hee-ya!
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You can take the boy out of Grade 10, but…
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That’s a really funny question about the emotional neutrality! Now that would be a fun challenge for our friend Bruce, to put records of opposite emotional spheres like that. Fun! Yeah we could have a good time ruminating on the McCartney-Reed duality there for sure. Feels like some real old-school wankerism I’m not above, personally 😜
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That’s what these pages are for, right?! 🙂🖤
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Yeah Joe’s record has a place in my pile. The “birdie group” thing was a total surprise but a few bucks never hurt.
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As Joe sang, “Life’s been good”.
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He is a likable character. The album and me go back to the beginning. By the way this post is some of your more eclectic choices. Nice to see you dipping your toes in other waters.
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I have very eclectic toes. But it’s hard to shoehorn (ouch!) lots of different genres into a list like this. Steeleye Span and Tangerine Dream both got elbowed.
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Good to see “Ringo” and “One Live Badger” on the list. I’m pretty “meh” on “Now and Then,” but I have quite enjoyed the last two EPs that Ringo has released. Joe Walsh, Paul McCartney, Benmont Tench, Mike Campbell and Steve Lukather featured on the most recent, “Rewind Forward,” among others.
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Hey, that’s impressive that you have followed Mr Starkey right through, J.E.S.
I had one from the late nineties but it didn’t survive the (minor) millennium cull.
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His solo career has definitely been up and down, but he seems to have hit on a nice formula over the past decade or so. Totally amiable (perfect word!) as you note. He makes me smile.
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Nice.
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This piece of yours is also perfect from needle-drop to run-out groove, a real corker and true to form for VC and BJ.
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Thank you my friend. Almost half way through the list! (pant pant)
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You have me revisiting some of my past but also have me working through some stuff I missed. I dont trust to many folks but you are one that I do. Musically anyways. Enjoying it very much. Thanks for putting in the effort. Appreciated.
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Super, CB. I’m chuffed you are enjoying it. And yes, it’s a monster of a project (that I wish I’d started publishing a month earlier) but we’ll soldier on and with a bit of luck stagger over the line on New Year’s Eve!
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I couldn’t do it. Like your other comment about leaving off Span and Dream, that’s just to tough. I will be Lazy CB and sit on the fence and enjoy. I’m a bit of Tom Sawyer in that if i can I will defer the labor.
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You can tell the substitutions bothered me! 🤣
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[…] Albums #50 — #41 […]
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