1971

Undoubtedly, 1971 is one of the most powerful years for classic rock of all time. Even so, nary a disc could challenge the evil guitar tones that Iommi presented in "Masters of Reality". Many of the tracks on the album like "Into the Void" and "Lord of This World" feature a guitar tone that actually sounds three-dimensional. It's so thick, heavy, and organic that you'd swear there was some additional element in that sound besides simple distorted electric guitar. Iommi also demonstrated new heights in compositional execution, contrasting the mellow, trippy interludes like "Orchid" and "Embryo" against the devastating riffs of "Children of the Grave" and "Sweet Leaf". Absolutely flattening stuff that would be copied and recopied throughout rock history.

It could be argued that the entire year represents a major renaissance period for the rock scene as a whole. Psychedelic rock mixes itself with hard blues and dark themes on many of the albums below. It's great to have the opportunity to include GRAND FUNK on the list, a band known for ass-kicking bajillion-selling blue collar rock records and sellout tours throughout the seventies, strangely receiving nothing but scorn from most critics. Plus, we're leaving out killer releases from bands like MOUNTAIN, SANTANA, FACES, NAZARETH and LEAF HOUND, all of which are worth pursuing.

Picks of the litter, 1971: