25. CAN - "Tago Mago", 1971: Not always the easiest listen and probably the most inaccessible album to make this list, there’s just no denying the grand visionary magnificence of CAN’s 1971 double album, “Tago Mago.” Always, three or four steps ahead of their contemporaries, with this disc CAN’s vision of a new approach to music was finally realized, steering far away from standard blues-inspired songwriting to the creation of something entirely all their own. On the leading edge of the krautrock movement, avant-garde experimentalism, progressive, electronic and minimalism, “Tago Mago” set the stage for what have become the three classic CAN albums of

the seventies. Beginning with the out in left-field loose hippy jamming of “Paperhouse,” about as accessible an introduction to the album as they could’ve come up with, the album quickly morphs right into “Mushroom,” revealing the prototypical angular rhythms and non-conventional drumming that would define the band’s best work. Augmented by Suzuki’s frenetic speak/sing/shrieking, the band drift into “Oh Yeah,” a pumping funkified, blowout, all leading to the albums highlight, the eighteen minute epic, staccato “Halleuhwah.” Pierced by spasms of guitar, it’s nearly impossible not to lose yourself in the drumming as the rhythm section drops into the king of all rock and roll trance/funk beats. By this time, it doesn’t even matter than the inaccessibility quotient gets notched up for the quasi-ambient, arrhythmic “Aumgn,” or the bizarre smorgasbord of pasted sounds, shrikes and toy piano notes that is “Peking O.” By this time the table had been set, the bar raised to near unreachable heights. CAN led the charge that avant-garde rock artists of today are still trying to approach. Profoundly influential.

24. JANIS JOPLIN - "Pearl", 1971: While it's another shining example of "What more can be said about this one that hasn't already been said?" we still need to say a few words to commemorate the induction of the posthumous smash hit from the one and only Janis. Besides the unquestionable sense of melancholy that goes along with a one-of-a-kind talent leaving the world too soon, there are plenty of other reasons why this is an Essential Album. First, there's the Full-Tilt Boogie Band, arguably the first and only band to back up Ms. Joplin that both a) was musically impressive in its own right (check out the instrumental "Buried Alive in the Blues" for proof) and b) was skillful enough to

showcase that talent while giving the spotlight wholly to the star of the show. Second, the songs are tight and with a ton of variety. Along with the No. 1 hit "Me and Bobby McGee," there are danceable numbers in "Move Over" and "Half Moon," the rip-roaring choruses of "Cry Baby" and "Get it While You Can," the soulful, gut-wrenching ballads "A Woman Left Lonely" and "Trust Me," and even a bit of playfulness with "Mercedes Benz." Finally, there's Janis herself, and that voice that's just as instantly recognizable as Jagger, Ozzy or Van Morrison. By this point her voice shows some considerable wear-and-tear (how could it not?), but like the blues masters before her it just helps that timeless message of heartbreak to be sent home all that more effectively. To call her without peer would be a gross understatement, and her emotional wails raise goosebumps just as well today as they did back when they were first laid down. So instead of mourning what could have been, we choose to celebrate what may be the best example ever of going out on a high note - something that so very few of the bands already inducted to the Essential Albums list can claim.

23. COMUS - "First Utterance", 1971: While bands like BLACK WIDOW were merely cool and funny, COMUS' "First Utterance" is really rare among the early "occult" albums in that its insistence upon devious artfulness will really make you grab the garlics and rabbit's feet closer to your heart if you're inclined to superstition. Obscure prog-folkers COMUS were doomed to obscurity by the commercial failure of this album and the overall catastrophe that was their next and last album, but it is not totally without reason that this original LP goes on eBay for the price of a small house. If tribes of evil hippies or gypsies still exist in some backwoods areas of the world, this album is their testament!

The overall authenticity, gripping tension and feverish delivery definitely give the impression that the band stumbled on a secret orgy of a witches' coven somewhere in the secluded groves of Essex. Take for example the classic "Song to Comus": The perfect strums of the acoustic guitars weave the spellbinding tale of woodland creature Comus emerging from it's cave, bizarre delays are applied to the vocals while flutes, hand drums and violas join the dance across flowery meadows as if you're hearing some meticulously dedicated folk ensemble, all perfectly melodic. After a while, even a seasoned listener of blasphemous death metal can't help but be a bit shocked when Comus starts raping the virgin and the vocalist screams on the top of his lungs about cracking you open and peeling your red flesh! Overall, the INCREDIBLE STRING BAND may have been more skilled and poetic, but for pure energy, overall effectiveness and imagery that won't leave you for the rest of your life, go for COMUS!

22. SILBERBART - "4 Times Sound Razing", 1971: Yes, this band, like many back in '71, was simply a trio (Hajo Teschner - guitar, vocals; Werner Klug - bass; Peter Behrens -drums) but also like a few of their contemporaries, could kick up a majorly intense racket! "4 Times Sound Razing" starts innocently enough with the 4 ½ minute "Chub Chub Cherry," a bluesy hard rock guitar romp that brings thoughts of Zep I to mind, right down to the Pagey-toned guitar solo. In truth, it's with the end of this relatively abbreviated ditty that any ship called "normal" departs port for SILBERBART. Next up is "Brain Brain" and it begins it's 16+ minute length with an extended, eerie choir-like intro, belying what

is to follow. This deceptive opening suddenly explodes into complete and utter chaos, a monumental din of roaring feedback & howling shrieks courtesy of Hajo Teschner that simultaneously blow my eardrums out and raise the hairs on my neck every time. A piece of highly experimental music that alternates between proto-noise rock and riffs reminiscent of another German obscurity, NIGHTSUN, "Brain Brain" is truly one of the most frightening quarter-hours that this scribe has ever heard. Coming next is "God," a 10 minute plunderer that is a good bit more restrained than it's predecessor (although that doesn't take much!). Now's the time to get the air guitar out, as Teschner takes you on a jamming journey much like those piloted by Mick Bolton on UFO's criminally-underrated "UFO 2 - Flying" record. Man, there are some hot-ass guitar solos in this one, along with an ungodly scream by Hajo midway through that scares the pants off me every time. "4 Times…" is then brought to a conclusion by the 12 minute slab of greatness called "Head Tear Of The Drunken Son." With Klug & Behrens laying down a groove like I don't know what, Teschner just loads up on the vocal & guitar pyrotechnics and wails. Especially of note is the weird middle section that reminds me of sounds from some sort of street bazaar. I can honestly say that "4 Times Sound Razing" is about 10 times more intense than most records you'll ever hear.

21. DAVID BOWIE - "Hunky Dory", 1971: Aligning yourself with other popular artists by name-checking them can seem a bold move and could be seen as using the fame and works of others to further your own career. Due to the theatrical approach of both in the lyrics and the vocals of "Hunky Dory", Bowie's references to Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan and Lou Reed come off without sounding pompous. "Song for Dylan" starts with a convincing imitation of Dylan before BOWIE finds his own vocal to tribute the man "with a voice like sandpaper and glue". "Queen Bitch" is possibly the best LOU REED imitation ever performed; Not only is the voice similar, but the guitar strumming and transvestite

nightlife lyrical approach is eerily close to the mark. "Andy Warhol" is a playful, tongue-in-cheek acoustic guitar piece that succeeds mostly to Bowie's voice and lyrics with frankly much more to offer than Warhol's art. Radio programmers all around the word have ch-ch-ch-charmed us with the album opener "Changes". There's definitely no denying its catchiness. "Oh! You Pretty Things" is fantastic piano driven pop with drums storming in mid-song, then disappearing like a thief in the night after speeding up the piano's heartbeat. The ambient feel of "Life on Mars" is classic BOWIE with a vibe that rivals "Space Oddity". The upbeat catchy "Kooks" ensures a cheerful change of pace and the piano and touches of trumpet provide further convincing that the cross dressing songwriter really is a kook. Despite the melancholic piano, "Quicksand" doesn't sink at all; the clever lyrics painting pictures of Crowley and well-known World War Two heroes and enemies. Finally, the piano and falsetto of "Fill Your Heart" are custom-fit for stage shows and the man's versatility is further demonstrated. Bowie's showmanship is integral to this album and gives it a timeless quality; "Hunky Dory" is an album that still sounds fresh and vital almost 40 years after the fact.

20. HAWKWIND - "In Search of Space", 1971: HAWKWIND, Britain's motorized space warriors did something almost unique in the history of rock, which is combining the psychedelic jam session with the vital, pulsing and rebellious tones of fast rock. Their first truly defining work after a debut which had a mostly different line-up and style, "In Search of Space", is one of the key albums for tracing the development of hard rock sounds from the 60's towards proto-punk and heavy metal. It uses early synthetic and psychedelic sounds to layer the mysteries of space on the background of a driving and motoric rhythm section. The pounding, hypnotic basslines drilling to the listener's brain

in classic tracks such as "You Shouldn't Do That" and "Master of the Universe" leave no doubt as to where Lemmy got his fuel to start MOTÖRHEAD after his brief time in HAWKWIND, documented also on the bonus tracks from the hit single "Silver Machine" which is included on the re-release of this album. The overall impression is not one of the most mature of albums, but very vital, full of energy, like the vocals that sometimes wander tunelessly but carry the fanatic, excited power of a seer of distant worlds; the album is drug-addled at times, containing some filler material like the lazy jam piece "Adjust Me", but when it really gets its shit together, you can't help but see before your eyes the vastness of space, engines of alien ships and spells of sorcery merged by the wild, adolescent pulp mystique of HAWKWIND's overall image and Dik Mik's miraculous audio generator which captures all the eerie wonder that synthesizers have since lost by years of banality.

19. CACTUS - "One Way...Or Another", 1971: In an era notable for the early so called "supergroups" forming and disbanding at alarming rates CACTUS, featuring ex-VANILLA FUDGE rhythm section CARMINE APPICE and TIM BOGERT amongst their ranks, managed just three studio outings. All are notable, but this second one found them stepping out in style, with an album that plays like a lesson in blues-rock pulling together the strands that created the genre and offering a potential blueprint for the decade to follow. Early in the piece "Rock 'n Roll Children" delivers a guitar break of the like JIMMY PAGE laid all over "Led Zep II". Harmonica drenched "Big Mama Boogie" goes back to the traditional, railroad

rhythm that drove so much early blues and contrasts superbly latter cut "Song For Aries", a sublime instrumental, which if it does nothing else acts as a perfect spotlight for the underrated star of the show guitarist JIM McCarty"Hometown Bust" is a stark reminder of the times, sharing similarities to THE WHO's "Water" in some ways whilst perhaps more relevant to some in today's seemingly less inspired times is the opening, incendiary reconstruction of LITTLE RICHARD's "Long Tall Sally". Now that's how to do a cover version! It's one of those album's that makes rock music archaeology worthwhile and whilst the various branches off the group both before and after also offer many interesting moments, it's a work that still seems somewhat uncelebrated. This then is the perfect opportunity to try to put that right.

18. BUDGIE - "Budgie", 1971: This little disc was not simply the first by an oddly-named power trio. It was the initial statement, and one of several gigantic ones, from Wales' greatest rock band. BUDGIE were not pretenders to the Sabbath throne nor were they just another Zeppelin clone. They are one of the original real deal, towering powers of the '70's and this is no more evident than "Budgie's" opening cut, "Guts." Few times has a title every been as apropos as this one. Within this glorious 4 minutes Tony Bourge (guitar), Burke Shelley (bass, vocals) and Ray Phillips (drums) meld into a seamless unit of organic power and lay down a world-class beating that matches, if not exceeds the great

debuts ever. Think about "Good Times, Bad Times," "Black Sabbath," "Over The Green Hills/Worry." Yeah man, you got it. When "Everything In My Heart" flies in next, borne on the wings of acoustic guitar, you might be excused for thinking about the little minute-pieces that the early Sab Four used to great effect. With that in mind, you'd expect the next cut to be another slab of molten mayhem. Instead, you'd get the split-fingered forkball of "The Author." Once again, laced on the gossamer strands of some gorgeous acoustic work, this one sees Shelley take flight as a true balladeer, his love for the Beatles making it's first strong statement on a BUDGIE album. And, thinking you have the lovable Welsh threesome all figured out, you look up long enough to have your head blown raggedly off your neck by the nearly 9-minute bazooka shot of "Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman." With what would be the first in a career of bizarrely entertaining song titles, BUDGIE also serves notice that the Birmingham bashers are not the only ones to have a monster SG-wielder named Tony. Truthfully, on this cut Mr. Bourge not only sends one of 1971's most menacing riffs tumbling out of his Laneys but authors (ouch!) one of the greatest ever. If you still have any of your cochlea left after this motherfucker ends, you're one tough hombre, hoss! With Side Two of this scorcher, BUDGIE unleash what my old friend Rudo Anvilmeister would have called "an 8 cent tree stump." This sucker is as staunch and raw a statement of heavy handed audio glee as a boy could want and I put it up there with anything. In "Rape Of The Locks," Shelley laments a guy's loss of his long hair with an obliterating proto-metal shuffle as the back-drop. "All Night Petrol" teaches METALLICA what "Fuel" should really mean, and "You And I" sees the Beatle-esque vibe take forefront for another 2 minutes before Bourge absolutely loses his mind in Riff Hell, the massive "Homicidal Suicidal" rivaling "Nude…" for sheer nuclear volatility. NOTE: This record was later re-issued including the once-single, "Crash Course In Brain Surgery," also covered by, yes, METALLICA.

17. STRAY - "Suicide", 1971: With debut albums, preparation time is often sufficient to prepare a landmark, but with the second both pressures and expectations mount within a much shorter time frame. Even so, UK heavy rock band STRAY hit the nail on the head with their sophomore album "Suicide". Opening track "Son of the Father" begins with quiet singing over an acoustic guitar before changing to an uptempo heavy rocker, and eventually an instrumental with a number of time changes, including a marching, militaristic anti-war segment. Finally, the whole thing starts over again, repeating the battlecry-like soft intro before launching back into the bombastic rock.

Must...hear...more. The fuzzed out guitar of Del Bromham in "Nature's Way" ups the intensity level, the rhythm section grabbing the listener by the throat with STRAY's effective timing and tempo changes while the guitar leads smoke on and on. "Where Do Our Children Belong" and "Dearest Eloise" are quieter tracks along the lines of THE BEATLES mellower moments. "Jericho" lulls the listener in with some heady instrumental work, somewhat similar to early IRON MAIDEN. When Steve Gadd sings, "Making all of Jericho crumble to the ground", guitars and drums rumble and quake to simulate the sounds of a crumbling city. The organ sounds may warn of a horrific earthquake, but the melodic hooks of this killer seem capable of halting the disaster, offering much more than simply something to hang on. The chorus of "Run, Mister, Run" is so contagiously catchy, it could be listed in doctor's offices around the world, while the bass and guitar riffs are hot enough to spark a potential fire hazard. "Do You Miss Me" sports a shuffling beat before embarking on a jam with hot grilling and baking guitar riffs. If barbecuing and collapsing cities weren't enough, the title track "Suicide" is an explosion of anger, bass riffs, wild guitar leads and lyrics that tell the story of a black man about to kill himself. The heaviness of the subject matter is more than matched by the music - this one just rocks like a bitch! In fact, "Suicide" should be adopted and loved by all fans of the rock, despite the possibilities of setting your house on fire.

16. URIAH HEEP - "Look At Yourself", 1971: By this, their third album, URIAH HEEP had nailed the sound that would serve them well for a career with a longevity few would have expected, especially given the amount who seemed happy to dismiss them a poor man's DEEP PURPLE. It's true there are similarities to PURPLE's sound but with the dominant, swirling organ sound HEEP allowed Ken Hensley a prominence JON LORD was rarely afforded and also delivered a perfect example of "psychedelic rock mixing itself with hard blues and dark themes". Perennially underrated guitarist Mick Box proves his worth too, not only leading the band through the driving hard rock finale of "Love Machine" but with

contrasting styles too marking "Tears In My Eyes" a fine number. Place the pair in partnership and you've got beauties like "Shadows Of Grief" and the exuberant masterpiece "July Morning" defining pomp-rock in glorious technicolor. Affront it all, and the man that sets this era apart from later URIAH HEEP line-ups was of course the showman extraordinaire David Byron. His troubles to come lead to an all too early demise but at this point he was writing the book on flamboyance years before the real Freddie Mercury would arrive. It wouldn't be until the following year and the breakthrough track "Easy Livin'" from "Demons And Wizards" before HEEP would win greater wide-scale appreciation but the parts that make the band's continual under-appreciation a mystery were already in place here. A testament to a band who defied the odds and one of the great albums of 1971.

15. YES - "The Yes Album", 1971: Despite the fact that YES dominated our 30 Prog Albums feature earlier this year, it seemed fairly certain they would be vanquished to also-ran status for this one, which essentially pits 'em against all of the greatest bands from the late 60s and early 70s. But comparing these sparkling, ambitious prog gems to the morose hippie-hangover moodiness of SLY & THE FAMILY STONE or the grim, epitaph-serving releases by THE DOORS and HENDRIX this year, it seems impossible to leave it out. "The Yes Album" serves up an edge, a true excitement representing a changing of the guard; a band ready to rewire each any and every preconceived notion

while tirelessly exploring uncharted territory. From the moment Chris Squire's meaty, unmistakable bass burbles take up residence in "Yours is No Disgrace", these tunes jump from the speakers to meet the listener with unrestrained ardor. Newcomer Steve Howe wastes no time vanquishing most guitarists of the era with the unfathomable bluegrass folk hybrid, "The Clap", proceeding to add his definitive brush strokes throughout the album, like the sudden hoedown in the middle of "Starship Trooper" and the dreamy mandolin-like passages that open "I've Seen All Good People." But the real showstopper of the record is Jon Anderson's vocal performance, keeping even the most perplexing passages of "Perpetual Change" from sounding stuffy with his angelic vocal hooks. There are few albums on these pages that symbolize a new vista for 1971 as strongly as "The Yes Album", and impossibly, the boys would go on do deliver the "Fragile" record later the same year.

14. FUNKADELIC - "Maggot Brain", 1971: Is there really anything to hate about George Clinton? We didn't think so. After all, how many other artists have had a career as lengthy, fruitful and with as strong an impact as the rainbow-haired one himself? Still, those who think of Mr. Clinton as solely synonymous with good-time dance floor funk desperately need to be set straight with this sucker. When it came to FUNKADELIC and its sister project PARLIAMENT, the former was easily the more mature and politically-oriented of the two. This point can't be made any clearer than the mammoth title track. The formula is simple enough: Take a simple SABBATH ballad-y interlude, stretch it out

to 10 friggin' minutes and overlay some of the most gut-wrenching guitar work ever laid down, courtesy of the extraordinary Eddie Hazel. Oh, and it's the very first track, meaning that there isn't much room on the album for any sense of flow. Fortunately for the layman, the rest of the album is far more accessible and places easier in the funk category. "Can You Get to That" is an acoustic/piano mix of laid-back classic soul while "Hit It and Quit It" is an upgrade to electric wah and organ, and "Super Stupid" mixes some surprisingly heavy rock guitar with deathly infectious groove. Finally, "Wars of Armageddon" is a nearly 10-minute acid jam that combines SANTANA-worthy rhythms with fistfuls of samples ranging from protest chants to air traffic control to… flatulence? Well, nobody ever said George Clinton was synonymous with "normal"!

13. ALICE COOPER - "Killer", 1971: It’s been said that before ALICE COOPER, there was no goth, no punk, and no glam. Never is this statement made more clearly than on Alice’s second 1971 release “Killer.” Yeah, I know Alice’s Love it To Death” has already made the Peacedogman best of 1971 list, but “Killer,” the second Bob Ezrin produced album, takes the giant leap forward that Alice made on “Love” and propels it even further, creating another undeniable classic album. Not just an Alice Cooper classic, but an all-time classic. Here, we can see everything that Alice Cooper would become all gelling together. We’ve got the raging arena standard “Under My Wheels,” the sly and sexy

“Be My Lover,” and a host of garage rave-ups like “You Drive Me Nervous,” and “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.” But more than that, this is the album where Alice really began to stretch the boundaries of shock rock, epic theatricality and the simple act of great songwriting. “Dead Babies,” brought the macabre into rock like never before. The eight-minute epic “Halo of Flies,” hinted at the grand theatrics that would be an Alice mainstay on albums such as “Goes to Hell,” and “Welcome to my Nightmare.” And then, in the midst of all this madness, Alice’s ode to Jim Morrison, “Desperado,” defies you to dismiss his talent as merely shock and rawk. Over the top, yet achingly sensitive, and still able to kick out the jams, this track would set the pace for the genuinely affecting ballads Alice would write that led none other than Bob Dylan to once declare, "I think Alice Cooper is an overlooked songwriter.” A classic rock and roll album of any era.

12. T. REX: "Electric Warrior", 1971: Here is one induction that is painfully overdue. Anyone who's really been paying attention should start seeing a pattern with this list: bands that have simple and easily identifiable blues roots, regardless of where they choose to grow their sound from there. The godfathers of sleaze rock, Marc Bolan and T.REX, are certainly no exception. So what makes this album so special? The answer is simple: It just sounds so damn good! From Bolan's smooth-as-butter vocals to the reverberated plinks of his guitar to the soft slap of snare drum and hand clap, what we have here could very well be a flawless production. Of course, having great songs doesn't

hurt either. This album has more hooks than a bass fishing tournament. Beyond the much-beloved "Bang a Gong (Get it On)," classics like "Mambo Sun," "The Motivator" and "Rip-Off" are instant party starters. At the same time, we have reminders of the old school with the rockabilly feel of "Jeepster" and the aptly titled "Lean Woman Blues," and the more somber tracks like "Cosmic Dancer" and "Girl" have all the sincerity of anything Bowie ever did. But probably the best thing about this album is that, much like the STONES at their best, it's a rock 'n roll record that doesn't try to be anything else, and the fact that everything is in single-ready, bite-size portions instead of one whole side of the record was a tremendous breath of fresh air for the time. One reminder of how good "Electric Warrior" is can (almost) make us forgive all those "70s retro" bands out there who've been shamelessly ripping this album off since.

11. RORY GALLAGHER - "Rory Gallagher" & "Deuce", 1971 : What is it with 71's double-shot artists? Of course, the question wasn't if RORY GALLAGHER would make his way into our top 25 this year, but which album? Would it be the perfect vocal and instrumental folk syncopation in "Just The Smile" from the debut? The ringing, twilight-zone licks of "Whole Lot of People" from "Deuce"? The absolutely sinful soloing of "For The Last Time", or the bagpipe-ish melodies and frenzied picking of "Out Of My Mind"? Ah fuggit, we'll stick 'em both in there! After all, it's our list! RORY GALLAGHER was the complete package: Great singer, fabulous songwriter, guitar virtuoso, and so

much more. This man's licks could transform a polka into a Rock Band-worthy affair. In a year riddled with dark texts like Joni's "Blue" and Leonard Cohen's "Songs of Love and Hate", Rory proves to be an absolute magician with contrasting profound blues, folk balladry, and swinging rock without ever losing that sly grin. Let the others conjure up the perfect background music for espresso machines: RORY GALLAGHER will always be Thee guitar hero's guitar hero.

10. VAN MORRISON - "Tupelo Honey", 1971: Already a legend for his work with THEM and the lush folk magic of “Astral Weeks”, VAN MORRISON is still firing on all cylinders for 1971’s “Tupelo Honey”. Most of us have heard the original version of the opener “Wild Night”, a warm rush of scrumptious Ronnie Montrose guitar licks, swelling violins, and booming horns that provides a perfect taster for the record. It’s rock ‘n roll played big-band style; a wall of sound that seems effortlessly achieved, like the whole thing was recorded live in the studio. Van’s freewheeling vocal talent is beyond reproach; The man doesn’t even need lyrics, often dropping into the doo-doo-doos and la-la-ti-das

as sometimes actual words might just disrupt the flow. Otherwise, he’s preaching like a gospel singer, chirping like a street folk musician, or braying like a country crooner (sometimes all in the same song). The ballads drip with emotion and the uptempo stuff threatens to tear the roof off the joint while Van spouts his intimate, smiling, picturesque lyrics that you'd swear he wrote and performed just for you. Incredible.

9. THE FLAMIN' GROOVIES - "Teenage Head", 1971: They were a 60s garage rock band stuck in the 70s. While so many bands on these pages were experimenting with lengthy, psychedelic jams, the Roy Loney-fronted version of San Francisco's FLAMIN' GROOVIES twisted fifties-style rock 'n roll into rapid-fire bursts of swagger and grit. The disc is packed with marvelously catchy rockers, like the spunky Hank Garland-style stomper, "Doctor Boogie", and the echo-heavy rockabilly of "Evil Hearted Ada". Otherwise, it's all about Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and even beating THE STONES at their own game ("City Lights", "Whisky Woman"). Unfortunately, Loney would exit THE GROOVIES

soon after this release, resulting in a new sound for future records more in line with British pop influences. Regardless, "Teenage Head" was marvelously ahead of it's time, and remains a proto-garage punk gem and a mandatory purchase for fans of THE NEW YORK DOLLS and MC5.

8. ALICE COOPER GROUP - "Love It To Death", 1971 : While the early titles "Pretties For You" and "Easy Action" were destined to become psych 'n' roll cult classics, it was "Love It To Death" that established the campy ALICE COOPER proto-metal juggernaut we'd come to love. Bob Ezrin's one-of-a-kind production talents combined with an absolutely stellar tracklisting to create the ultimate get-your-freak-on rock masterpiece. From the iconic ("I'm Eighteen") to the sleazy ("Is It My Body") to the demented ("Ballad of Dwight Fry"), this platter never lets up from top to tail. Michael Bruce's leads and riffs snap, crackle, and pop with an orchestral power, and Alice's witty, tongue-in-cheek

lyrical distinctiveness is in top form. In a year stacked to the rafters with great releases, Alice and the boys led the pack with "Love It To Death" and later "Killer": two undeniable classic LPs.

7. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD- "E Pluribus Funk", 1971: The press absolutely hated them. Their manager Terry Knight invented new ways to rub everybody the wrong way. The "intelligentia" of the early 70s dismissed them as one-dimensional kiddie fare. But cranking up the perfect, in-the-pocket bass groove and wild organ riffs of "Footstompin' Music", it's doubtful that many of our readers will give a shit about the history. "E Pluribus Funk" is the sound of Flint, Michigan's lusty, soul-crazed, power trio madmen laying waste to the competition. Mark Farner's crafty wah-wah pulses in "People, Let's Stop the War" are spellbinding. It's all there, track after track: Perfectly harmonized vocals,

thundering basslines, unrestricted guitar blitzes, and more. Compared to these guys, many of the hallowed psych and jam albums of the time period sound lifeless and constipated. The band would go on to rack up ten consecutive platinum albums during the bitchin' years...and you don't have any of them do you? Shameful.

6. JETHRO TULL - "Aqualung", 1971: Classic rock radio aside, "Aqualung" easily represents TULL's strongest track-by-track platter. It was the sound of Ian Anderson truly spreading his wings, for the first time as a composing bandleader. Despite popular opinion, "Aqualung" is not a concept record, either, although many of the songs seem to focus on themes of free-spirited romanticism and religious hypocrisy. Cuts like the epic "My God" and the infamous title track (actually inspired by a photo of a vagrant taken by Anderson's wife) pull the listener this way and that through tangled webs of odd chord changes, electric riffs, and acoustic moodiness. The elegant folkish magic of "Mother

Goose" and "Wond'ring Aloud" are but two examples of Anderson's exuberant, hook-heavy songcraft, strong enough to get you trading your Les Paul for a handmade Martin.

5. MC5 - "High Time", 1971: Cohesive, yet untidy; loose-limbed yet commanding. This band could have invited three children's choirs, and a barber shop quartet to the sessions, and the end result would still sound like sonic barbed wire. "High Time" stretches out in a dazzling display of all the MC5's strengths. The harp and piano bits in "Sister Anne" and "Miss X" deliver that wasted, wrecked hotel, soul lullaby vibe that out-muscles most of THE STONES catalog. There's no excessive brothers and sisters babble, no thin guitar tones or 2-minute pop ditties this time. Track after track, the band strikes a powerful balance between the concise garage rock of "Back In The USA" with

the passionate, edgy power of the debut. From the swelling harmonies of "Over and Over" to Michael Davis' meaty basslines in "Future/Now" to the barnstorming leads of "Poison", it's clear that the MC5 hit its stride just before final collapse.

4. ROLLING STONES - "Sticky Fingers", 1971 The sixties are in ashes. Janis and Jimi are both a memory. THE BYRDS were fading fast and SLY & THE FAMILY STONE are dropping records that ooze with disenchantment. Could THE STONES turn the corner into the 70s? And would they be able to perpetuate the streak of quality from "Beggars Banquet" to "Let It Bleed" with new guitarist Mick Taylor? Even if you dismiss the low-key lead approach in "Bitch", even if you discount the yeah-yeah-woos in "Brown Sugar", "Sticky Fingers" is a colossal blues rock record. "Sway" is bombastic street busker fare, while "Wild Horses" shimmers with deft harmonics and dreamy bends. The terrifying slide

guitar and horrifying drug casualty themes of "Sister Morphine" butt up ingeniously against the stoned, dark humor and countrified clucks of "Dead Flowers". Listen to it a thousand times and you'll pick up something new each time, lurking in the background. At any rate, "Sticky Fingers" was a strong indicator that THE STONES would continue their streak of dominance far into the new decade.

3. THE WHO - "Who's Next", 1971 : Some bands become legendary for a reason. Focusing strictly on musical output, THE WHO clobbered just about everybody in the late 60s, dropping one masterpiece after another from "My Generation" to "The Who Sell Out" to "Tommy". Clearly in the zone, the band labored to deliver "Lifehouse", an audio / film / rock opera extravaganza unlike anything ever conceived by a rock band. Unfortunately, Townsend's most ambitious project (the apocalyptic plot was somewhat similar to "The Matrix" movies) confounded the band, the label, and just about everybody involved. Townsend developed the film script, allegedly working himself to the brink of a nervous

breakdown on the project while the rest of the band became exceedingly restless. Finally as record company money dwindled, the band agreed to release some of the "Lifehouse" material as a stand-alone album. The music of "Who's Next" is the result of a band hitting its musical peak and production that's just a little ahead of its time. The radical, computeristic keyboard arrangements of “Baba O'Riley” and “Won't Get Fooled Again” labored to create two of the most timeless, instantly recognizable rock 'n roll songs ever recorded, and they're just the beginning. Townsend's boundless clean soloing in “Love Ain’t For Keeping” is as enchanting as John Entwistle's twisting burbles alongside the rising keys of “Bargain”. Then there’s those fantastic choruses in the Entwistle original, “My Wife” and the moody colors of “The Song Is Over”. Every track is bolstered by Moon's aggressive rolls that never seem to get hammy or overplay their hand. Townsend may not have successfully imparted his "Lifehouse" vision on the world, but he did deliver one of the greatest rock slabs of all time.

2. LED ZEPPELIN - "4 Symbols", 1971: As we wind on down the road, you'll catch a reference to this album in a review every once in awhile: "We were ready for the second coming of Zep IV...", or "We're not exactly talking Zep IV, quality-wise". So what is it about LED ZEPPELIN IV that evokes these reverent, iconic references? In deference to many of the other 1971 releases reviewed on these pages, one thing is clear: Nothing else sounded quite like it. Throughout this feature, we've commented on superb musicians, late-on-the-beat grooves, superior songwriting, swelling acoustics, and powerful vocalists. This album mixes all of these elements, and still leaves the impression

that Zep was too far out for their own good. It's not a riff-rock album like Zep II, despite the cavernous, down-tuned tritone-induced heaviness of "When The Levee Breaks". It's not a percussively-dominated record - Bonham's rolling, tumbling attack amid the tricky time changes of "Four Sticks" and "Misty Mountain Hop" border on the inconceivable, yet two tracks on the album (and most of "Stairway") include no drums at all. "Black Dog" sounds like Plant throwing out some random excerpt from an old blues tune until the entire band breaks in to repeat it with a snaking, hypnotic response in perfect tandem. "Stairway To Heaven" set the groundwork for classic rock epics, from "Free Bird" to "Bohemian Rhapsody" to "One". Some stuff seems to defy analysis, like the mandolins, Tolkien-esque lyrics, and vocal accompaniment from Sandy Denny floating up to heaven in "The Battle of Evermore". Then there's the mysterious cover, the controversial 'four symbols' title, and countless other tidbits of intrigue that surround the record to this day. In a lot of ways, it's surprising that the general public has embraced this enigma of a rock record the way it has. Frankly, we haven't really figured it all out either, but the band was obviously shooting for something way beyond the realm of a standard rock 'n roll record. From where we're standing, it seems they achieved it.

1. BLACK SABBATH - "Master of Reality", 1971 : Like Michael Phelps reaching for the wall a nanosecond ahead of the next guy, "Master of Reality" tops our 1971 list. Never have four longhairs been able to create such unholy-sounding music so consistently for so long. With respect to this pick, we'll offer that THE WHO are undisputed musical geniuses, but it doesn't matter when "Children of the Grave" is blasting away on the stereo. Page and Plant created a groundbreaking platter in 1971, but we'd prefer not to discuss it until "Into the Void" has finished playing. The early SABBATH records are like a golden goose; You can cut 'em up a hundred different ways and examine all the pieces,

but there's really nothing mystical to be found. The riffs are monolithic, the crescendos irresistible, the acoustic pieces provide a peaceful sort dreadful warning of the impending doom, and the way Oz floats his vocals over Iommi's thunder is like a religious experience. Suffice to say that very little has changed with regard to the early BLACK SABBATH albums: They're the greatest heavy metal records of all time, and despite the thousands of imitators that have come and gone since their release, there's very little disagreement to that end.

- Peacedogman staff

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