I currently am subscribing to Sirius XM Radio and they highlighted the albums that turned fifty this year as well as which ones were the best as voted by the listeners. Of course it got me to thinking about the year of my birth and all the music that was released that year (which is pretty extensive). It was a pivotal year in many ways. As a country were still dealing with the aftermath of the sixties and all the transformations that happened culturally and socially during that time period. We were mourning the losses of soldiers still in Vietnam. Watergate was exploding with President Richard Nixon. I love connecting music with history cause I feel music is always the backdrop to history and reflects all the nuisances of a time period. Sometimes it reflects it directly and other times it’s in the abstract. Sometimes it is just highlighting the mundane and silly of a particular time period as well. But it all means something to me whether I like the music or not. There is always the underground scene to a time period which then explodes later as the main scene years later and gets oversaturated.
As with most of my posts, this will be an ongoing post as I try to highlight albums that I find interesting from 1972. Since I was just a baby, of course these didn’t affect me at that time. But I do feel it’s the blueprint that will become the music I like and loathe in the future. Many of these artists will still have strong careers in my youth music listening years of the eighties and nineties. I will also include country music along my main interests in pop and rock. My mother kept a small transistor radio on 24/7 that had country music playing around the clock. What is now considered “classic country” is a huge influence in my musical upbringing. Let’s get started! My source is from Wikipedia. Click here for the link!
- Jamming With Edward – is a 1972 album by three Rolling Stones band members (Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman) accompanied by Nicky Hopkins and Ry Cooder. Released on January 7, 1972. The title does not lie, this is definitely jam music and of course very good jam music from some of rock’s best. Out of the six tracks, these are the ones I like best:
“Edward’s Thrump Up”
“Highland Fling”
2. Home Is Where the Music Is – Hugh Masekela Home Is Where the Music Is is a 1972 jazz and Afrobeat double LP by Hugh Masekela issued by the joint American label Chisa/Blue Thumb Records. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It was release on January 15, 1972. I have never heard of this album or artist but then again I can’t say that I am very familiar with jazz and Afrobeat BUT upon the first minute into song one, I’m friggin’ hooked! I am not a huge fan of jazz (I’ve said it’s too “busy” for me) but this is some really amazing music that I highly recommend if you are open to it. Here are some of the tracks I really dig:
“Part of A Whole”
“Minawa” – This track is so nice, easy, delicate sounding. Reminds me of the beginning of spring. Or a day filled with good memories to cherish for the future.
“Maseru” – Simply wonderful and magical!
“Inner Crisis” – There is not a weak track on this album!!
3. Blue Oyster Cult (Self Titled Album) – “is the eponymous self-titled debut studio album by the American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on January 16, 1972 by Columbia Records. The album featured songs such as “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll“, “Stairway to the Stars”, and “Then Came the Last Days of May”, all of which the band still plays regularly during its concerts. Despite positive reviews, the album failed to chart for some time before finally cracking the Billboard 200 chart on May 20, 1972, peaking at No. 172. Blue Öyster Cult toured with artists such as The Byrds, Alice Cooper and the Mahavishnu Orchestra to support the album.” I have generally liked all the hits of BOC but I’m not such a fan that I know their whole catalog. But into track one, I’m feeling that heavy metal and psychedelic rock. Here are the tracks I like:
“Then Came the Last Days of May” – a very chill, groovy track. If you aren’t feeling this vibe, you never will.
“Before the Kiss, a Redcap”
“Cities On Flame with Rock and Roll” – classic rock at it’s finest and their debut single!
“Redeemed” – A folksy rock song as a last track to a decent album. Toke up for this one!