GNMD Poll: Top Ten Albums of 1975

[Serjeant Grumbles]

Last call for votes
@Oblivious Maximus
@Dazed and Brutal
@Einherjar86
@Omni
@Terasophe
@tagradh
@Burkhard
@crimsonfloyd
@no country for old wainds

I don't expect a high voter turnout this time around; I'm not participating myself. But I am hoping at least crimsonfloyd might have a list.

 

[crimsonfloyd]

1. Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here: One of my top 10 records of all time. It's simultaneously transcendent and intensely personal. The music is so emotive and monumental and yet the lyrics create an intimacy and vulnerability that is rare in this sort of giant work.

2. Led Zeppelin- Physical Graffiti: The first LP would be the greatest hard rock album of all time if it stood on its own. The first five tracks are some of Zeppelin's most sexy, visceral, and spirited music, and are followed by the luscious "Kashmir." The second LP is still pretty strong, but nowhere near as great as the first.

3. Rush- Caress of Steel: Sure, "I Think I'm Going Bald" is stupid, but "Necromancer" is brilliant and includes some of the heaviest riffs of the 70s and one of the most disgusting guitar solos of all time, and "The Fountain of Lamneth" is a really compelling, if imperfect, piece. "Bastille Day" is a great hard rock single.

4. Jethro Tull- Minstrel in the Gallery: Great balance between Tull's folky, hard rocking, and prog rock elements. "Baker St. Muse" has some brilliant stretches on it.

5. Camel- Snow Goose: Will always hold a special place in my heart. Reminds me of sitting around with my friends in college getting high and analyzing the concept behind this album while laughing at the cheesiness and loving the earnestness of it. The title track is heartbreakingly beautiful.

6. Bob Dylan- Blood on the Tracks: The first three tracks are pure Dylan brilliance. "You're a Big Girl Now" is brutally beautiful. The rest is just solid.

7. Fripp and Eno- Evening Star: An ambient classic. The first half just gorgeous and the second half would make a great soundtrack for an exploration of the surface of an alien planet.

8. Van Der Graaf Generator- Godbluff: Classic VDGG with a mix of psychedelic show-tunes jazzy prog.

9. Tangerine Dream- Rubycon: Tangerine Dream's best outing. Wonderfully alien soundscapes.

10. Queen- A Night at the Opera: There's a lot that makes this album overrated, but there's no denying that there are some excellent melodies on this record.

 

[Bloopy]

Fripp and Eno- Evening Star: Probably belongs on the list, but I haven't heard it in a decade and can't find it online to relisten to it.

People have put it up on Vimeo and Soundcloud.

 

[Einherjar86]

1. Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here (these guys will probably always be number one for me)

2. Jethro Tull, Minstrel in the Gallery (title track sends this one into the stratosphere, and the rest just coasts--and holy shit, those riffs)

3. Hawkwind, Warrior on the Edge of Time (epic cheese)

4. Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti (not my favorite Zeppelin, but it's still Zeppelin)

5. Tangerine Dream, Rubycon (solid soundscapes)

6. The Band, Northern Lights--Southern Cross (actually has one of my favorites of theirs, "Acadian Driftwood")

7. Kansas, Song for America (I have a weird thing for Kansas; not their best, but still good)

8. Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks (I'm not a huge Dylan fan, but the guy can write a folk song)

9. Camel, The Snow Goose (Mirage is better, but Snow Goose is still good)

10. Aerosmith, Toys in the Attic (mostly nostalgic, but whatever)

 

[Dazed and Brutal]

ill try and get one one in by tonight

 

[Dazed and Brutal]

1. Fela Ransome Kuti & Africa 70 - Expensive Shit
2. Parliament - Mothership Connection
3. Taj Mahal Travellers - August 1974
4. Milt Jackson, Joe Pass & Ray Brown - The Big Three
5. ማሕሙድ ኣሕመድ [Mahmoud Ahmed] - ማሕሙድ ፡ ኣሕመድ ፡ (Mahmoud Ahmed)
6. Bernard Parmegiani - De natura sonorum
7. Derek Bailey - Improvisation (DIVerso n.2)
8. Eno - Another Green World
9. Neil Young with Crazy Horse - Zuma
10. Masayuki Takayanagi and New Direction Unit - Eclipse / 侵蝕

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

I already had the top ten figured out. Luckily, your votes have zero effect on it.

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#10 Gentle Giant - Free Hand

Genre(s):
Progressive Rock
​

Gentle Giant is fucking amazing.

Those who voted:
@Talos of Atmora #2
@Sirjack #6
@zabu of nΩd #9

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#8 Jethro Tull - Minstrel in the Gallery

Genre(s):
Progressive Rock, Folk Rock
Chamber Music
​

DRINK BEER AND LISTEN TO JETHRO TULL

Now sitting around listening to Jethro Tull while fairly inebriated, and noticing the various nuances to the music and hints of the vocalist's personality that I tune out while sober.

I'm usually labeled as a prog fan, but I don't like prog for prog's sake. I appreciate progressive elements tastefully balanced with good songwriting and melody (which is why I enjoy Jethro Tull and Genesis more than, say, Brand X). When it is done right, I find that it can be the culmination of an emotional experience. Simplicity is fine, but when true talent and complexity is combined with restraint, some wonderful things can happen.

Those who voted:
@Talos of Atmora #10
@Einherjar86 #2
@crimsonfloyd #4

#8 Queen - A Night at the Opera

Genre(s):
Hard Rock, Art Rock
Glam Rock, Progressive Rock, Music Hall
​

Manages a sleight of musical hand that only a handful of real master-musicians have managed: the illusion that its huge variety of styles are unified into a single statement, a drama that somehow makes sense. It's a classic example of the unity in diversity that high-minded musical commentators have heard in the symphonies of Beethoven or the operas of Mozart." -- The Guardian

I've got to say Queen's Night at the Opera is highly overrated, though there was a time when I enjoyed it immensely.

Those who voted:
@Slammed #6
@Krow #10
@zabu of nΩd #1
@crimsonfloyd #10

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#7 The Eleventh House - Level One

Genre(s):
Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Rock
Progressive Rock
​

Those who voted:
@Sirjack #1
@Talos of Atmora #3

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#6 Rush - Caress of Steel

Genre(s):
Hard Rock, Progressive Rock
​

Caress of Steel is probably my favorite Rush album.

The best era of music ever is the very late 60s to the mid 70s. If you add soul and folk to the equation, the decade is basically untouchable.
...
Rush- Caress of Steel, 2112, Farewell to Kings, Hemespheres

Those who voted:
@The Ozzman N/A
@Krow #9
@Talos of Atmora #7
@crimsonfloyd #3

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#5 Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac

Genre(s):
Pop Rock
Soft Rock, Acoustic Rock
​

Fleetwood Mac is awesome

Fleetwood Mac r00lz. I only have the greatest hits CD, though.

I think it's funny how you hate the Beatles but like Fleetwood Mac. :zombie:

The Smashing Pumpkins version of Landslide was much better.

Those who voted:
@Krow #3
@The Ozzman N/A
@zabu of nΩd #4

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#4 AC/DC - T.N.T.

Genre(s):
Hard Rock
Blues Rock, Rock & Roll
​

I am sick of AC/DC. Especially 'TNT'

I'm not saying Acca with Brian is shit, it's just not the Acca I love with the style I am attracted to.

Those who voted:
@Satanstoenail #1
@Slammed #4
@Sirjack #9
@zabu of nΩd #6

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#3 Alice Cooper - Welcome to My Nightmare

Genre(s):
Hard Rock, Glam Rock
Rock Opera, Art Rock, Dark Cabaret
​

Alice Cooper - Steven
10/10. This is the absolute nightmare. I firmly believe a young man was highly influenced by this, today we call him King Diamond.

Alice Cooper – Steven – 9/10
Great way to start the playlist. The more I listen to Welcome to My Nightmare the more I prefer the groovier/heavier first half, but this is one of Cooper’s highlights in terms of establishing his trademark sound.

Golf is definitely metal. Alice Cooper has a 4 handicap and he is definitely metal.

Choose 1 album to play from start to end during a special event: Alice Cooper's Welcome To My Nightmare or King Diamond's Abigail or Them for Halloween.

Those who voted:
@Bloopy #5
@Slammed #9
@Krow #1
@HamburgerBoy #1

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#2 Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

Genre(s):
Hard Rock
Blues Rock, Folk Rock
​

I really, really, really, really enjoy Led Zeppelin right now. What a band... what a sound... what an experience!

Led Zeppelin are a whole bunch of meh for me. I don't mind them but I never really got into them.

Physical Graffiti(the best Zep album imo)

Too many unremarkable songs on Graffiti to call it the best, but it does have some of their best songs.

Those who voted:
@Bloopy #1
@The Ozzman N/A
@Einherjar86 #4
@Slammed #8
@Krow #7
@zabu of nΩd #5
@crimsonfloyd #2

 

[Serjeant Grumbles]

#1 Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Genre(s):
Progressive Rock, Art Rock
​

Pink Floyd and King Crimson were my favorite bands in high school, which is when I joined this board.

RIP, Pink Floyd up until and including The Wall was amazing stuff.

Pink Floyd is overrated for those who don't do drugs.

Their music is boring, mostly, only really two GREAT albums they did were Animals and Wish You Were Here.

Anyone who thinks The Wall or Animals are anywhere near Floyd's best is retarded. The Wall is pompous, cheesy, loaded with filler and really only has a couple of standouts. Animals is lyrically cringeworthy and musically uninspired and actually I would go so far as to say it's one of their worst. Wish You Were Here, Meddle, DSOTM etc are all way better.

Those who voted:
@Bloopy #3
@The Ozzman N/A
@Satanstoenail #2
@Einherjar86 #1
@Slammed #7
@Krow #2
@zabu of nΩd #2
@crimsonfloyd #1

 

[Omni]

I forgot to do this one because I was busy. I'll do the next one for sure.

 

[zabu of nΩd]

Not enough votes, but it turned out decent. Guess I should listen/relisten to a few of those.

 

[CiG]

Doing these non-metal ones for RYM as well so I'll just put this here:

1. Pavlov's Dog - Pampered Menial
2. Patti Smith - Horses
3. ABBA - ABBA
4. Serge Gainsbourg - Rock Around the Bunker
5. David Bowie - Young Americans
6. Emmylou Harris - Pieces of the Sky
7. Betty Davis - Nasty Gal
8. Tower of Power - Urban Renewal
9. Hawkwind - Warrior on the Edge of Time
10. Yvonne Fair - The Bitch is Black

HM:

Gay & Terry Woods - Backwoods
Emmylou Harris - Elite Hotel
Fairport Convention - Rising for the Moon
Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill - Tríona
Joan Baez - Diamonds & Rust
Robert Palmer - Pressure Drop