1973

This year was really hard.  While there was no shortage of great music released it was harder than usual to rank it.  Things get very weird here.  The different sides of music break apart and re-converge in different ways.  Eras are ending while other begin and it had yet to truly be figured out.  But I guess that's the 70s... up to a point that has not been reached at this point.

10.  Fripp & Eno - (No Pussyfooting)
Following his somewhat acrimonious departure from Roxy Music Brian Eno begins his  long-standing collaboration with Robert Fripp on this experimental record.  Where Eno may have been some kind of mad scientist sideshow in his previous band he begins his long career as a direction-changing collaborator.  Fripp testifies that these sessions forever changed his style of playing as seen on all King  Crimson albums following the beginning (more on that later).  Likewise, Eno begins his work with the studio as an instrument and his creation of ambient music that would dominate the majority of his career.  With two side long pieces, the album is created completely through Fripp's playing manipulated by Eno, mostly through tapes, but though other effects as well.  It the beginning of a collaboration that would forever change music, and in a way be the climax and conclusion of the idea of "progressive" rock.

9.  David Bowie - Aladdin Sane
 After Ziggy's fall Bowie creates a new space glam supercharacter with an even more vague and mysterious with a lad insane.  The album takes points from the last effort and takes them in different directions that make it easier or more difficult to seriously respect depending on the listener.  It is a bit less song and theme oriented, which makes its songs less memorable, but no less excellent.  Tony Visconti's influence may be the biggest part, as it is the most similar to Bowie rival and Visconti cohort Marc Bolan's work at the same time.  It is more complex and less predictable musically than Ziggy, but also deeper, not relying on pressing the same emotional and science fiction buttons.  This challenging record is Bowie's final masterpiece and, sometimes considered his peak of the glam era, as after a few records of confusion he would emerge a changed man and even greater artist.

8.  Hawkwind - Space Ritual
Hawkwind, despite their reliance on woodwinds, electronics, sci-fi fantasy lyrics and extended song leengths, always leaned more toward the punk end of space rock than the progressive.  This double live album catches them at their peak with Lemmy on bass and collects many of their best songs of their early career with all the extended live fury.  While these songs are not  always sounding the best as their studio efforts they are all here and the spoken word passages manage to preserve the band at what they did best.  It rocks very hard, sowing the seeds of punk rock and the very unfortunate future of metal.  "Born to Go" is a perfect beginning and "Master of the Universe" says it all about this unique group.  "Space Is Deep," and so is the album's penetration of the mind.

7.  King Crimson - Lark's Tongue in Aspic
The debut of the greatest Crimson lineup (Robert Fripp, ex-Yes Bill Bruford,  and future Asia John Wetton joined by David Cross not-that-one on violin, and percussionist Jamie Muir) is also the band's finest work.  Opening with part 1 of the title track, Bruford's reasons for departing Yes are justified with the perplexing interplay between him and Muir which drastically changed and improved the already top drummer's style.  Wetton's vocals fit the band perhaps the most of any of their front men with his deep detached tone and the musicians function more organically than any other lineup, placing them apart from the rest of the prog camp.  Fripp's playing, in the beginning of it's post-Eno phase is at its best and he creates guitar sounds never heard before that would influence all in its wake - the best example being part 2 of the title track.  Crimson at their best.

6.  Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power
With the addition of Funhouse hanger-on James Williamson and the demotion of the Asheton brothers the newly dubbed Iggy and the Stooges get back into the studio thanks to David Bowie resulting in this ear-bleeder.  Luckily Williamson is a great guitarist who can really wail as opposed to Ron Asheton's wall of crunch.  Which a person prefers says a lot about one's personality.  There is a lot to like about both and Williamson does shine, particularly on the opener and greatest song "Search and Destroy" which defines Iggy's glam era just as "1969" and "Loose" did for their albums.  In full-blown rock star psychotic mode the band oozes with more sexuality than ever before with the tension of "Penetration," being much more titillating than the simple statement of "I'll stick it deep inside."  "Gimme Danger."  Duh.

5.  New York Dolls - New York Dolls
Following the tragic death of original drummer Billy Murcia, the most-appropriately named band of all time finally makes their recorded debut with the aide of Todd Rundgren.  This production actually lives a little to be desired, but the songs and the performances do not.  "Personality Crisis," is actually the first thing I would play for an alien (hopefully not Earthling) who had never heard rock music before.  Johnny Thunders guitar slices with the fury of a sadistic street tough's switch blade, particularly on "Lonely Planet Boy" and the US's greatest glam rocker "Jet Boy."  New York trash has its day here in all it's abrasive and comedic charm, best heard on "Frankenstein" and the frighteningly honest "Looking for a Kiss."  It's hard to tell if the stupidity is real or not, but it does beg the question of how much intelligence is required for a sense of irony.  It's a tight rock record anyhow and a definitive sound of New York City.

4.  NEU! - NEU! 2
Another one full of tape experimentation.  Following the success of their debut the legendary krautrock duo rush together this album full of shorter songs often manipulated in speeds, to sometimes nauseating effect as on "Hallo Excentrico!" and their most proto-punk song of all "Super" sets the record straight on the pronunciation of their name... at least the regular speed version does.  The band incorporates vocals much more than on their debut to excellent, yet no more pop-oriented effect.  Are they even lyrics?  No one cares.  NEU! experiments with  the studio as and instrument like Eno the same year, but in a much more simple and rock and roll fashion further solidifying their legend.  If that intimidates anyone comfortable in the sounds of their debut, it does start off with the beautiful "Fur Immer (Forever)," the best and longest example of their definitive style.

3.  Todd Rundgren - A Wizard, A True Star
Working on his own (and really completely on his own) Rundgren attempts to create a musical acid trip to some kind of success.  Like the Pretty Things' Parachute, the first side is a collection of short, eclectic songs that flow together opening with the classic "International Feel," and The Wizard of Oz's "Never Never Land," plus the heady instrumental "Tic Tic  Tic (It Wears Off)" and the wild "Rock 'n' Roll Pussy," which gained the  album a parental advisory warning years later.  Things get into more normal territory with "Zen Archer" and continue as such with highlights like the seventies excess tribute "When the Shit Hits The Fan - Sunset Boulevard," and the gorgeous love song "I Don't Want to Tie You Down."  Todd exemplifies is unbelievable self-awareness on "Is It My Name?" addressing his continued problem with people ignoring him due to the name (or perhaps how his voices goes so high you would think he was gay).  It ends with the inspirational motivation of "Just One Victory" making it his most concise, yet expansive album.

2.  Can - Future Days
The most loved lineup of krautrock's heroes is at their best here right before Damo Suzuki's departure.  Every moment of  this album captures their cohesive group talent in both long form like "Bel Air" and the unusually short funky lounge number "Moonshake."  As a title like "Spray" would imply this is one of the most effervescent albums ever made.  A title that only Can could earn and outdo.  One of the best bands of all time at their best and probably a great place to start.

1.  Pink  Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Of course.  For any explanation consult local library.