Everybody loves lists right? We love reading them, making them, obsessing over them, being shocked and appalled by them-- and most of all, we love to bitch about them. Well I'm putting one out here for you. I can never bring myself to give an artist more than one entry on a list. I'm not sure why that is, but I almost never do. I've stuck to that on this one, otherwise the top twenty would consist of about three or four artists, and those lists are never any fun.
Burn and Shine’s 50 Favorite Power Pop Albums of the 1970s:
01. The Flamin’ Groovies, Shake Some Action (1976)
02. Badfinger, Straight Up (1971)
03. Big Star, #1 Record (1972) [The twofer with Radio City pictured]
04. The Real Kids, The Real Kids (1977)
05. Nick Lowe, Jesus of Cool (1978)
06. Paul Collins’ Beat, The Beat (1979)
07. The Undertones, The Undertones (1979)
08. The Only Ones, The Only Ones (1978)
09. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (1976)
10. The Cars, The Cars (1978)
11. The Rasberries, Fresh (1972)
12. Cheap Trick, In Color (1977)
13. The Toms, The Toms (1979)
14. The Scruffs, Want to Meet the Scruffs? (1977)
15. 20/20, 20/20 (1979)
16. Shoes, Present Tense (1979)
17. Dwight Twilley, Twilley Don’t Mind (1977)
18. The Last, L.A. Explosion! (1979)
19. Joe Jackson, Look Sharp! (1979)
20. The Records, Shades in Bed (1979)
21. Emmit Rhodes, Emmit Rhodes (1970)
22. Pezband, Pezband (1977)
23. Blue Ash, No More No Less (1973)
24. Squeeze, Cool For Cats (1979)
25. The Rubinoos, The Rubinoos (1977)
26. Richard Lloyd, Alchemy (1979)
27. The Searchers, The Searchers (1979)
28. Bram Tchaikovsky; Strange Man, Changed Man (1979)
29. Greg Kihn, Greg Kihn (1976)
30. The Beckies, The Beckies (1976)
31. Blue, Blue (1973)
32. Motors, Approved by Moters (1978)
33. The Knack, Get the Knack (1979)
34. Liverpool Echo, Liverpool Echo (1973)
35. Off Broadway, On (1979)
36. Van Duren, Are You Serious? (1977)
37. Fotomaker, Fotomaker (1978)
38. The Cryers, The Cryers (1979)
39. The Atlantics, Big City Rock (1979)
40. David Werner, David Werner (1979)
41. Grin, 1 + 1 (1972)
42. Racey, Smash and Grab (1979)
43. The Tourists, The Tourists (1979)
44. Stories, Stories (1972)
45. Nick Gilder, You Know Who You Are (1977)
46. The Boys, Alternative Chartbusters (1978)
47. Radio Stars, Songs for Swinging Lovers (1977)
48. Artful Dodger, Honor Among Thieves (1976)
49. The Now, The Now (1979)
50. The Pop, The Pop (1977)
And here's are some that didn't quite make the cut in alphabetical:
Circus, Circus (1973)
Cowsills, On My Side (1971)
The Dodgers, Love on the Rebound (1978)
Earth Quake, Levelled (1977)
The Hudson Brothers, Totally Out of Control (1974)
Milk 'n Cookies, Milk 'n Cookies (1977)
Tim Moore, Behind the Eyes (1975)
Numbers, Add Up (1979)
The Paley Brothers, The Paley Brothers (1978)
Piper, Piper (1977)
The Quick, Mondo Deco (1976)
Rumour; Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs & Krauts (1979)
The Shirts, Street Light Shine (1979)
The Sidewinders, The Sidewinders (1972)
4 comments:
Hey, great site which I've only just found and what a fabulous list? Can't believe I'm the first to comment on it, but as a fellow blogger I can sympathise when one's deep enthusiasm and crafted prose are dealt a gaping yawn of utter indifference.
It's difficult to make an essential list for the 70's, as this was the really the golden age for power pop and there are just so many great albums fighting for top billing. However you mention most of my faves, but glad to see a sprinkling of not so obvious choices in your inclusion of the brilliant debut albums from The Real Kids, The Beckies, Blue Ash, Blue (stunning), Emitt Rhodes and Pezband. Doubly good also, some personal favourites in adding in the Motors, Grin & Stories (who were sublime).
One area of contention though - we Brits came to the Raspberries late - they were completely unknown until 'Overnight Sensation' became somewhat of a fave amongst some DJ's elevating he single to what you might call a 'radio hit'. (but really this concept hardly ever existed in alternative radio deprived UK). Yet this little notoriety rewarded us with the final & best Raspberries album in 'Starting Over', which would be my choice over yours of 'Fresh'.
Thanks MrQ for the kind words. As for the Raspberries, John Borack chose Starting Over as his #1 Power Pop Album of all-time, so at least he agrees with you.
I'd still rather listen to Fresh. It's got a couple of fantastic, Byrds-like tracks, ("Going Nowhere Tonight" and "It Seemed So Easy"), which I think are mostly due to Dave Smalley, who was pretty much gone by Starting Over. Though I still love much of SO, I miss Smalley's influence.
Great that you caught Richard Lloyd's Alchemy album. What a great production
I also agree, Richard Lloyd's ALCHEMY is genius!
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