Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties

1974

Great album with great compositions and great playing. Bizarro lyrics. These guys are really creative and eclectic. It all really comes together on this album. When I try to think of other bands that are similar I can't really, except bands I don't really care for, something like Frank Zappa or some progressive rock bands from the 70's. B.O.C. really synthesize the weird, out there music of the early 70's. Fine tune and make it digestible. Even though it's complicated it's pleasant to listen to.

Thin Lizzy - Nightlife

1974

Well, it's Yacht rock isn't? It's not that bad but it's hovering near there. A couple rockers, but the lighter stuff is Really light. Probably my least favorite of the first four.

Just when I thought they had it figured out they drop this one. I think the balance between the poetic soft side and the rockers was perfect on the previous album. Then if I understand correctly they lost their guitar player, then lost the guitar player who replaced him then got two new guitar players for this album. The soft side of Thin Lizzy here goes way overboard and go's full on Yacht rock. There's only a couple rockers, which are great.The rest of the album is filled in with slow dull songs. Now, this is the first time I've listened to this and was expecting something totally different. I'm sure this album has it's place. The songs are done well, I was just hoping/expecting  so much more after Vagabonds of the Western World.

It's like they're starting over trying to figure out what kind of band they're going to be. Most of this really is something you could listen to while having coffee in the morning. It's pleasant and easy going.

Kiss - Kiss

1974

The second best Kiss studio album.

There's 10 songs on here. Six of them are all time rock classics. Two of them are good enough, but work well enough with the rest of the album. Kissin Time is a stinker, that the record company had them do, and Love Theme From Kiss is for sure filler that should have never been included. It's the kind of thing that turns up as a bonus track when albums are re released 30 years later, and then you say to yourself, "Oh, I see why that didn't make the album.".

Kiss - Hotter Than Hell

1974

The best Kiss studio album.

Gene Clark - No Other

Psychedelic Country Rock. First couple songs seem pretty much straight forward country with some psychedelic twinges. Then it just gets bigger and spacier. Killer soft psychedelic soft country rockin.

Gene Clark was in The Byrds for the first couple albums and was their principal song writer. I totally dig this album. Kickin' back.

Aerosmith - Get Your Wings

I haven't listened to this album in years and years, so I'm pretty surprised by how strong it actually is. Blusey 70's hard rock. Good Stuff. People say Steven Tyler is singing in a lower voice on this one. Whatever, oh wait a mintute that was the first album. This is the second one. I like the way this sounds production wise. This has got to be one of Aerosmiths' top three or four albums.

-Produced by Jack Douglas.

Brainticket - Celestial Ocean

Psychedelic space journey Krautrock. Mello spacey trip. Cool if you've got the time and patience.

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping

Sweet Home Alabama

Electric Light Orchestra - Eldorado

I think this one more than any other ELO album features the orchestra as a core part of the band and music. They live up to their name here. Pop music utilizing orchestral instruments. Big thanks to the Beatles, I suppose, is due...or at least George Martin. Each progressive ELO album after this seems to use the Orchestra less and less as the main structure of the songs, but more for accents. I'm pretty sure they abandonded the Orchestra all together by the end of their run. Anyway, it's in full effect here. Lots of sounds. Good stuff.

Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties

Psychedelic feel under there. I wouldn't call it metal. It's menacing and heavy. Not as heavy or plodding as Sabbath. It's hard rock, but not just hard rock. These guys are doing a lot of playing. Little proggy like Jethro Tull. I don't know much about Zappa or the Tubes (or Jethro Tull for that matter), but for some reason those bands come to mind.