Posts From Mark Leviton
Paul McCartney’s Solo Debut: Declaration of Independence
The 1970 album, his first outside of the Beatles, is a picture of Paul in transition, a historical document of quiet beauty.
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Free’s ‘Fire and Water’: More Than Just All Right
The album featured one of rock’s all-time classics in “All Right Now,” but there was much more to Free’s ferocious-yet-controlled ethic.
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Bad Company’s 1974 Debut: When Rock Fans Couldn’t Get Enough
Arising from the ashes of Free, Bad Company pursued a more stripped-down hard-rock vision. By the end of 1974, they had a #1 LP and were headlining arenas.
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Joni Mitchell’s ‘Ladies of the Canyon’: Painting the Canvas
The album sets out clearly the direction Mitchell would take for the rest of her career, leaving behind the constraints of folk music.
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Paul Simon’s ‘There Goes Rhymin’ Simon’: American Tunes
With classic songs such as “American Tune,” “Kodachrome” and “Loves Me Like a Rock,” Simon’s third solo album sealed his reputation as a major solo artist.
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Rod Stewart’s ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’: Ha!
The man who one said, “I’m a rock star because I couldn’t be a soccer star,” broke through with his solo third album, which included the smash “Maggie May.”
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Maria Muldaur’s Solo Debut: Smart, Sassy and Seductive
The album, which included the top 10 hit “Midnight at the Oasis,” is a potent blend of country, blues, folk and pop, and it still sounds fresh.
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Joe Cocker’s ‘Mad Dogs & Englishmen’: More Than a Little Help
“We can imagine how exhausted Cocker, Russell and Co. must have been when they got off the road, but from the audience’s point of view, it was worth it.”
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ZZ Top’s ‘Eliminator’: Hot-Rods, TV Dinners and Sharp-Dressed Men
The music is stellar, and the LP became a massive hit, selling 10 million copies and staying on the Billboard album chart for three years.
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Delaney and Bonnie’s ‘Accept No Substitute’: White Soul Born in Turmoil
A beautiful album, close to perfection in the playing and singing, it was helmed by a married couple whose own relationship was falling apart at the seams.
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