My Favorite Albums Of 1976
I love punk a whole lot, but this modest list of 25 albums from 1976 should get across how little I find it to be a righteous rebuke of what everyone else was up to. As far as I’m concerned, it was just another great & welcome accident in a medium full of ‘em.
1. Ramones, Ramones
"Despite nearly 50 years of tribute and imitation, Ramones crackles with smarts and stupidity, shits and giggles, mind-numbing repetition and sudden, perverse shifts. I still don’t know what the fuck they were thinking."
Anthony Cougar Miccio
2. Joni Mitchell, Hejira
"Hejira earns that ‘grown’ adjective through an atypically reflective take on romance, where heartbreak and alienation stops feeling like an injustice."
Anthony Cougar Miccio
3. Aerosmith, Rocks
"You could say Rocks is simply a shiny retread of Toys In The Attic. You could also say you don’t need a cleaner, faster car with more extras for the same price. But here it is, and why turn it down?"
Anthony Cougar Miccio
4. The Modern Lovers, The Modern Lovers
Jonathan Richman’s proudly square proto-punk sensitivity on these early anthems will only sound more passive-aggressive and proto-m’lady with time. It’s not a big stretch between telling a girl she doesn’t appreciate the dignity of the “old world,” and being an incel. But, despite the guilt by association in cheering his proud rationalization of blue balls, I still love this collection of early ‘70s demos from the brief period when Velvets fandom made young Jojo think he needed amplifiers. With a future Car on drums and a future Talking Head on organ, “She Cracked” isn’t only a brutal dismissal of a manic pixie crush object, but a frenzied link between “Sister Ray” and Stereolab. “Someone I Care About” is as spirited in its angry romantic optimism, “Girl Friend” brave enough to make sympathetic ladies risk climbing up his pedestal. After all, “Roadrunner” and “Government Center” confirm his ideal modern world includes fun and dancing. Not a lot of incels can say that.
Stevie Wonder, "Another Star"
5. Stevie Wonder, Songs In The Key Of Life
With Sign 'O' The Times a rare exception, I’m not one to hawk the grandly genre-hopping double-album as an artist’s best (and, honestly, I do dig Purple Rain slightly more than Times). The streaming era has only affirmed my belief that a short incomparable blast of individual accomplishment like Talking Book is more consistently enjoyable than someone screaming “look at my range!” for the length of a movie. But I’m not going to reject Songs In The Key Of Life because Talking Book exists, any more than I’d reject Exile On Mainstreet because of Let It Bleed. Astoundingly, the eight songs on Life over five minutes long are all terrific, and only one side has even two songs I’d cut. When I huff about 2LP indulgence, sometimes it’s a quibble over whether a cultural artifact is miraculous, or merely awesome.
J.J. Cale, "Let Me Do It To You"
6. J.J. Cale, Troubadour
I mistakenly had Naturally filed as a ’72 release instead of ’71, so this is the first I’ve mentioned my fondness for early JJ Cale. Some would balk at a delineation between “early” and “late” J.J. Cale, and it’s doubly hard to explain the unique identity of a single J.J. Cale album: from a long lens, the pride of Tulsa was cooing softly to a sexy lady about the blues between slide solos and over brisk drum patterns until he died. But Troubadour might be his grooviest full-length, with cute synth sound effects popping up in the shuffles. Bumpin’ highlights like “Let Me Do It To You” and “Ride Me High” ask to be covered by Al Green more than Eric Clapton. Clapton did grab the atypically heavy riff of “Cocaine,” and the best compliment I can give Troubadour is that I wouldn’t miss track 6 that much, while Slowhand sure needs it as Track 1.
Augustus Pablo, "Young Generation Dub"
7. Augustus Pablo, King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown
I’m a complete dilettante when it comes to dub, and would be sharing second-hand any explanation of what puts King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown above the norm, assuming it actually is. My best guess is that Pablo rooted his remixes here in rocksteady tracks that were pretty damn solid before he added the echo and other assorted effects, so he was heightening the energy rather than trying to subvert it or center his own. Again, that’s a guess. But everyone says to start here, and I can’t say they’re wrong.
AC/DC, "High Voltage"
8. AC/DC, High Voltage
9. AC/DC, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
"No band has ever sounded more like the parade riot in Animal House, or Slim Pickens’ riding the A-bomb in Dr. Strangelove: a perfect nightmare of unnerving power and unbelievably good humor."
Anthony Cougar Miccio
10. Parliament, The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein
My favorite of this year’s three P-Funk platters proper, though Bootsy’s debut might make the first update to this post. It’s nothing on 1975’s Mothership Connection, but - once you get past the goofball title track - there’s a relative cool to the kookiness on Clones, with Bernie Worrell’s synth-whirrs, the JB horns and the snaking choruses given room to breathe. The mood is less claustrophobic and more seductive than usual madcap hump-n-pump (“Funkin’ For Fun,” as the closer says). No hits, but no dick in your ear either.
And now, some of those trademark Christgau-rip-off honorable mentions! Wouldn’t this be a nicer contribution to rockcrit form than grades?
Electric Light Orchestra, A New World Record
Their most succinct and surefire display of irreverent kitsch, defined by “she loves the way Puccini lays down a tune” (“Rockaria!,” “Do Ya”)
Steely Dan, The Royal Scam
"The boisterous arrangements and coded sneering almost feels like Elton John under the influence of red kryptonite. I dig it." ("The Fez," "Don't Take Me Alive")
Anthony Cougar Miccio
Thin Lizzy, Jailbreak
Hard rock’s Celtic soul crosses over, thanks to epics of sweetly macho romanticism, and guitars that sound like double guitars (“Cowboy Song,” “The Boys Are Back In Town”)
Al Green, Full Of Fire
"...Great product, crackling with pre-ministerial spirit and disco-adjacency" ("Full Of Fire," "Let It Shine")
Anthony Cougar Miccio
David Bowie, Station To Station
How weird was David Bowie? He had to be out of his gourd, blind on coke, to make the most casually commercial album of his career: a Goldilocks moment between his soul exercises and Teutonic sci-fi, that peaks with him yelping about sex robots over Nawlins piano (“TVC15,” “Golden Years”)
David Bowie, "Golden Years"
15-60-75, Jimmy Bell’s Still In Town
Southside Johnny & The Jukes of the Ohio art-punk scene, less corny and more intense than you ever imagined a “bar band” could be (“About The Eye Game,” “Jimmy Bell”)
T. Rex, Futuristic Dragon
Fuck what you’ve heard: Marc Bolan’s non-stop nonsensical strutting never get old. Society just couldn’t handle it (“Jupiter Liar,” “Sensation Boulevard”)
Michael Hurley, The Unholy Model Rounders, Jeffrey Fredericks & The Clamtones, Have Moicy!
It’s worth knowing Michael Hurley and the Unholy Peter Stampfel on their own, but it’s also worth knowing the less prolific Jeffrey Fredericks, and a joy to hear all three stage a hootenanny (“Slurf Song,” “Griselda”)
Joan Armatrading, Joan Armatrading
Though neither her debut, nor her first good album, this earns its self-titled status by presenting Armtrading’s heavy, soulful folk-jazz sound with audacious pop-rock clarity and confidence ("Love And Affection," "Like Fire")
Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band
Kid Creole has yet to click with me, but August Darnell’s first retro-transcultural Cuban-soul fantasy is appealing enough that I’ll keep trying to dig his Coconuts (“Cherchez La Femme/ Si Bon Bon,” “Sour & Sweet/ Lemon In The Honey”)
Now, my favorite (and only!) compilation from 1976!
Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Travelin' Band"
Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chronicle
Maybe the most ironically insulting hits comp I own, as the subtext is my belief that Cosmo’s Factory is too bloated to keep. More than half of Cosmo’s appears on Chronicle, and those songs sound better alongside stray winners from CCR’s pre and post-prime albums, rather than album filler. If I thought Factory ranked with Willie & The Poor Boys and Green River, I couldn’t justify keeping Chronicle just for “Have You Ever Seen The Rain?” and "Susie Q." Yes, I think too hard about this. (“Up Around The Bend,” “Susie Q”)
And finally, five more honorable mentions!
Funkadelic, "Undisco Kidd"
Funkadelic, Tales Of Kidd Funkadelic
Their ’76 Westbound farewell was recorded at the same time as their ’76 Warner Bros debut. I don’t know if commercial considerations explain the former’s relative freakiness, but I prefer it (“I’m Never Gonna Tell It,” “Butt-to-Buttresuscitation”)
Hot Chocolate, Man To Man
Disco moralism of supreme musical authority, if not lyrical (“Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac,” “You Could’ve Been A Lady”)
The Troggs, The Troggs Tapes
Knuckle-dragging Brit invaders, a decade past their peak, fusing Kiss’ sexual politics with T. Rex slyness in a minimalist riff-rock as catchy as either. Daniel Ash fans take note! (“I’ll Buy You An Island,” “Down South To Georgia”)
Steve Miller Band, Fly Like An Eagle
Steve’s cosmic country blues bubblegum at its chewiest (“Rock’n’Me,” “Take The Money And Run”)
Jimmy Castor Bunch, E-Man Groovin’
JC & The Sunshine Band (“Dracula, Pt. I,” “Space Age”)
Jimmy Castor Bunch, "Dracula - Pt. 1"
Did you know Jimmy Castor Bunch and The Modern Lovers both released midtempo strolls in 1976 that claimed women could not resist the stare of a legendary man? Now you do! If you have other questions concerning 1976 or anything else, send them to anthonyisright at gmail dot com.
