Urban75 Album of the Year 1974

[Knotted]

So somehow we went from Five Live Yardbirds in 1964 to The Gates of Delirium in 1974. Things changed quickly and not necessarily for the better. But 1964 and 1974 feel like they bookend a certain period.

But nevermind that we're not here for the iconic narrative but for the obscure oddball favourites!

NME says. Rolling Stone says. Paste Magazine says. Rate Your Music says.

Send me a list of any length. Best at the top with the format Artist - Album (and if you are going classical Performer [Composer] - Album). No numbers, no colons, no brackets unless they are part of the artist/album name.

No compilations, no EP's.

Get it to me by August.

 

[Spandex]

But 1964 and 1974 feel like they bookend a certain period.

1974 saw the rise of the next era, as disco really got going. There's loads of great early disco singles, and even some great albums.

Let's have a theme tune for 1974 from Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra on their Rhapsody in White album:

 

[Spandex]

The title track from BT Express's Do It ('Til You're Satisfied) is the big hit but the whole album is

 

[Spandex]

Rufus featuring Chaka Khan had two albums out (the first one is just credited to Rufus), Rags to Rufus and Rufusized. Rufusized is better.

 

[Spandex]

Labelle's Nightbirds is great. Everyone knows the big hit...

 

[Spandex]

1974 is such a classic year. I'm not going to struggle to get a list together for this year

 

[Indeliblelink]

I could post a load of disco tracks I like from this year but this Tom Moulton mix from 1974 contains most of them. The earliest DJ mix I know of and still one of my favourites.

Most of these tracks were on the artists albums that came out that year.
[00] Lenny Welch - A Hundred Pounds of Pain
[03] New Censation - First Round Knockout
[08] The Mighty Clouds Of Joy - Time
[13] The Kiki Dee Band - I've Got The Music In Me
[??] Miracles - I Can't Get Ready For Losing You
[18] Carl Carlton - Everlasting Love
[22] Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye
[24] Yvonne Fair - Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On
[27] Disco Tex & His Sexolettes - Get Dancing
[33] Hamilton Bohannon - Keep On Dancin'
[38] LTG Exchange - I Like What I Like
[42] Creative Source - Harlem
[46] Barry White - You're The First, The Last, My Everything
[51] Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe
[54] Barry White - Just Not Enough
[57] First Choice - The Player (Part 1)
[60] First Choice - The Player (Part 2)
[63] Ecstasy, Passion & Pain - Ask Me
[66] Carl Carlton - Everlasting Love
[69] Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye

 

[Spandex]

Hamilton Bohannon - Keep On Dancin'

The Hamilton Bohannon album (Keep On Dancin') is incredible:

 

[hitmouse]

Think I'm gonna struggle to contribute much to this one, just checked my music library and there's one obvious gem:

And then, um, one compilation album from 1974 collecting Beach Boys material from 1962-65, which I think some purists might argue is not quite a new release for 1974:

Endless Summer (The Beach Boys album) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Endless Summer is really good though.

 

[Spandex]

A couple of classic dub albums:

King Tubby Meets The Upsetter at the Grass Roots of Dub


Keith Hudson & Family Man – Pick A Dub

 

[Spandex]

And one of the most out there, singular reggae albums I've heard...

Dadawah - Peace & Love - Wadadasow

 

[Throbbing Angel]

So many to choose from...

Kimono my house is today's choice.

Love a bit of Sparks.

 

[nogojones]

The clear winner has to be L. Ron Hubbard!

 

[Spandex]

The clear winner has to be L. Ron Hubbard!

Interesting article about the Apollo Stars, with interviews with three of the members, one more complimentary about L Ron Hubbard than the others, one literally having to escape after being put in Scientology prison:

The Apollo Stars

 

[seeformiles]

The LP where they shook off their bubblegum pop image and invented speed metal

 

[zahir]

Burning Spear - Rocking Time

 

[zahir]

Curtis Mayfield - Sweet Exorcist

 

[zahir]

Bonga - Angola 74

 

[zahir]

Neil Young - On The Beach

 

[zahir]

Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel

 

[zahir]

Emmylou Harris - Pieces of the Sky

 

[zahir]

Willie Nelson - Phases and Stages

 

[maomao]

Tom Waits second album and, although clearly an eccentric, still in his early crooner phrase. Personal highlight is Shiver Me Timbers, an overblown tale of running away to sea which with some added Marimba or bongos would have happily fitted on any of his later albums.

 

[zahir]

Dolly Parton - Jolene

 

[zahir]

Elza Soares - Elza Soares

 

[zahir]

Cartola - Cartola

 

[zahir]

Taj Mahal - Mo' Roots

 

[Indeliblelink]

1974 was was peak Tangerine Dream / Edgar Froese with Phaedra & Aqua

 

[Indeliblelink]

Fred Wesley & The J.B.'s - Damn Right I Am Somebody
Includes this classic. Like many, I'm sure, I first heard of this when Public Enemy sampled it in their first release.

Bob James - One
Another track that's been heavily sampled.

 

[Indeliblelink]

Certainly one of my favourites from that year, great album.
Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight