Hot Pants, James Brown

Hot Pants, James Brown, 1971, :30

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Maybe not one of JB's greatest albums — it feels rushed out and desultory — but somehow, it all works, despite offering a scant five tracks and a fair number of those consisting of the Godfather just grunting or talking to his bandmates over sweet funk beats ("Pull off your pants! I mean your long pants!").  (All of which made me wonder as I listened how much of this material can properly be said to be James Brown derived material; the groovy improvisation of his crack band really makes this stuff shine.)  Somehow, against all odds and logic, this ends up being a very good album.  The ten-minute "Blues & Pants" isn't the strongest start, but some solid tracks follow.  "Escapism" is mostly where Brown ad-libs and vamps over the funk.  The music's great, but James asking where the lads are from doesn't rise to even Bo Diddley levels of proto-rapping.  Favorite tracks: "Hot Pants," "Cant Stand It."

A Nod Is As Good As a Wink To a Blind Horse, Faces

A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... To a Blind Horse, Faces, 1971, :36

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I've been a lifelong fan of Rod Stewart (but not his later, AOR shite) but have never ever heard anything by his early group, Faces.  Why?  Just a stubborn old codger, I guess.  Well, that was a mistake.  Some of Rod's strongest vocal work backed by a cracking band!  Ronnie Wood!  Youthful energy and leering innuendos!  It's just a superb example of early British rock.  I could do without the cover of Chuck Berry's "Memphis," as it adds nothing to the song and only proves that the lads aren't as rollicking as the king of rock.  Favorite tracks: "Miss Judy's Farm," "Stay With Me" (which I always knew only as a Rod track), "That's All You Need," the very solo-Rod-esque "Too Bad."

Tapestry, Carole King

Currently doing one album for each year, 1960-2020. Today: 1971.

Tapestry, Carole King, 1971, :44

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This is, of course, King's hugely influential, billion-selling album of songs she wrote or co-wrote, mostly made famous by other artists. The songwriting is undeniably brilliant, but to me there’s something missing in King's performances. And it's not that her vocals are thin or anything; she's a great singer.  These songs just feel to me like they're waiting for the right artist to come breathe life into the.   I wouldn’t go so far to say that this is an album of demos for more vibrant artists, because it's certainly not that, but there's definitely a songwriter feel to it rather than a performer feel. Sometimes the performance matters more than the song (as the success of the Ramones proves). I mean, there's a reason why Aretha Franklin's and James Taylor's renditions are universally celebrated. The title track "Tapestry" is one of the pieces with the most heart, but the lyrics are decidedly goofy.  Favorite tracks: "I Feel the Earth Move," "Smackwater Jack."

Blue, Joni Mitchell

Blue, Joni Mitchell, 1971, :36

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

With introspective lyrics, complex melodies, and a swooping, lilting, pure voice, Mitchell sings the trials and tribulations of women who love the wrong men in a world that talks a good game of free love but fails to deliver.  She meets an old lover in a bar and he picks songs on a jukebox.  "Now you're romanticizing some pain that's in your head / You got tombs in your eyes, but the songs you punched are / Dreaming, listen, they sing of love so sweet." Dang.  But that voice easily swoops from Dylanesque contempt and vitriol to an easy free come on. Who else might unironically sing "I want to shampoo you"?  This album contains multitudes. Favorite tracks: "Carey," "River," "A Case of You."

Lost In the Ozone, Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen

Lost In the Ozone, Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen, 1971, :38

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Not knowing what to expect outside the classic "Hot Rod Lincoln," I was pleasantly surprised to hear straight country roots, à la the Burrito Brothers, steel guitar and fiddle and honky-tonk piano and Carl Perkins guitar licks and all.  It's not all pure country, though; there's a couple of more rocking numbers.  Whatever the tempo, lots of paeans to gettin' high here: "Seeds and Stems (Again)," "Wine Do Your Stuff," title track.  Favorite tracks: "Hot Rod Lincoln" (which is musically a distant outlier from the rest of the album), "Midnight Shift."

John Prine, John Prine

John Prine, John Prine, 1971, :44

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I'm a longtime Prine fan but I've only ever heard three albums in their entirety.  Here in his debut we find a young Prine, his trademark deadpan wit not quite fully realized, or perhaps quashed by record execs who think that sort of thing won't sell platters.   But either way, he sure came out of the gate swinging.  It takes some chutzpah for a young man to include "Angel From Montgomery," from the point of view of a fiesty elderly woman, on his debut.  It also takes balls of brass to include "Jesus Christ died for nothin' I suppose" on "Sam Stone," a tale of a junkie vet.  Really great stuff; possibly a five-star album.  Favorite tracks: "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore" (very Kris Kristofferson), "Angel From Montgomery," "Illegal Smile."

Blessed Are…, Joan Baez

Blessed Are…, Joan Baez, 1971, 1:30

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

A double album from the queen of folk music. Baez' rich soprano, while strong and pleasant, isn't my favorite instrument and I'm not really a folkie, so this didn't grab me like it might have.  There's nothing boring about it, it just rarely rises to the level of inspiring.  Favorite tracks: the covers of "Salt of the Earth" and "Let It Be" are both terrific versions.  I also like "The Brand New Tennessee Waltz."

American Pie, Don McLean

American Pie, Don McLean, 1971, :45

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Wow!  I've heard the title track.  Everyone has heard the title track.  But I didn't know McLean had such songwriting skill beyond the big hit.  Apparently "Killing Me Softly" was written about him and his deadly songwriting chops.  Just beautiful stuff.  Favorite tracks: "American Pie," duh, and "Vincent," and "Everybody Loves Me, Baby."