42 tracks, runtime 2h 56m. The playlist features the highest-rated track from each album (subject to what's available on YouTube) in chart order, with a minimum individual track-rating of 6.5 required for inclusion. To view the full tracklist, access shuffle-play or avoid in-play interruption due to territorially blocked videos, it might be best playing directly via YouTube
SAVIOURS: JOHNNY • TOMMY • JOEY • DEE DEE
It's 1976 and the Ramones are GO on the albums front, generating steam heat, pulsating to the back beat. In Britain, the Sex Pistols have released their explosive debut single, declaring themselves to be the anti-christ, they are here to destroy Eagles and overthrow Queen. This is a two-pronged attack from both sides of the Atlantic. The explosion may only be underground, but this is THEE big bang. Scenes and ‘zines burst into life all over the western world; the D.I.Y. ethics of which will continue to reverberate into the next century. As well as Ramones, the New York scene is represented by fine long-players from the Patti Smith Group and Blondie. From Massachusetts, Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers deliver their long-awaited debut LP - it was a case of waiting four years and two coming along at once.
Elsewhere, Virgin execs are swanning around Jamaica with suitcases full of cash. As a result, Rasta roots music is bubbling hot in many corners of the world; there are an impressive 8 long-players in my Top 30 this year from Bob Marley and The Wailers, Prince Far I, Peter Tosh, U-Roy, The Upsetters, Justin Hines and The Dominoes, Augustus Pablo and The Mighty Diamonds.
In terms of rebel quality, there is no strength-in-depth to the music LPs of the western world in '76 but, thankfully, Antigua's King Short Shirt is on red hot form, Turkey's Selda Bağcan is intensely brilliant, and there are number of terrific African LPs from Mahlabathini, Kawere Boys Band, Daniel Kamau, Fela Kuti and Amagugu - to name just 5!
Whilst the feeling of 1976 is definitely forward march it's great to see Bob Dylan continue his magnificent mid-70s form.
A quick head-count reveals this to be a ten-nation Top 30 - long may this continue.
The Jukebox Rebel
30-Jul-2016
THE MODERN LOVERS The Modern Lovers Home Of The Hits HH-1910 “A masterpiece”Proto-Punk
Jukebox picks: “Roadrunner [1972]” (10) • “She Cracked” (9.9) • “Pablo Picasso” (9.7) My album of the year in ’76 was a mutation; aborted recordings from 1971-72 finally given their place as an album statem...more →
RAMONES Ramones Sire SASD-7520 “A classic”Punk
Jukebox picks: “Blitzkreig Bop” (10) • “Beat On The Brat” (10) • “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” (9.4) Staring back at you from their iconic debut in April ’76 were: Johnny Ramone (27, guitar); Tommy Ramone (27, drums); Joe...more →
GHETTO VIBES King Short Shirt Charlie's Records CR-103 “Excellent”Caribbean
Jukebox picks: “Tourist Leggo” (9.3) • “Nobody Go Run Me” (9.1) • “When” (9.0) What a glorious offering from the 34-year-old McLean Emmanuel, surely one of the very finest Calypsonians ever to emerge...more →
RASTAMAN VIBRATION Bob Marley and The Wailers Island Records ILPS-9383 “Excellent”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Who The Cap Fit” (10) • “Positive Vibration” (9.4) • “Crazy Baldhead” (9.3) The Bob Marley story was moving along beautifully at this time. There had been no studio albums in ’75 but the live vers...more →
DESIRE Bob Dylan Columbia PC-33893 “Brilliant”Folk Rock / Americana
Jukebox picks: “Romance In Durango” (9.2) • “Joey” (8.7) • “Black Diamond Bay” (8.3) Bob Dylan’s career story to date has consisted of early-60s solo excellence, mid-60s intense group brilliance, and then ...more →
KENYAFRICA VOL. 5 Kawere Boys Band Playa Sound PS-33005 “Brilliant”Africana
Jukebox picks: “Elizia Atieno” (8.4) • “Omolo Mzee” (8.1) • “Joseph Awiti” (8.0) Kawere Boys Band were purveyors of benga music, which has its heartlands in Nairobi and is characterized by an extremely...more →
PSALMS FOR I Prince Far I Carib Gems CGLP-1002 “Brilliant”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Psalm 48” (9.0) • “Psalm 23” (8.9) • “Psalm 95” (8.6) After several years in the business the characterful and gruff chanter, now in his early 30s, was ready to unleash his f...more →
VURULDUK EY HALKIM UNUTMA BIZI Selda Türküola (Turkey) LP-305 “Really good”Folk; Middle Eastern
Jukebox picks: “Maden Dağı (Deloy, Deloy)” (9.4) • “Askerin Türküsü” (8.6) • “Acıyı Bal Eyledik” (8.4) By now in her late 20s, the Turkish folk singer Selda Bağcan had crammed much into her first 5 years as a professional m...more →
LEGALIZE IT Peter Tosh Columbia PC-34253 “Really good”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Brand New Second Hand” (9.6) • “What’Cha Gonna Do?” (8.0) • “Burial” (7.8) As a Wailer for all of his adult life until very recently, the 31-year-old Peter Tosh was a legendary figure by the time...more →
RADIO ETHIOPIA Patti Smith Group Arista AL-4097 “Really good”Blues Rock / Soul Rock
Jukebox picks: “Pissing In A River” (8.4) • “Ask The Angels” (8.3) • “Ain’t It Strange” (8.0) Patti Smith has now become the Patti Smith Group; in comparison to “Horses”, “Radio Ethiopia” side-steps from the punk f...more →
NATTY REBEL U-Roy Virgin V-2059 “Really good”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Natty Rebel” (8.5) • “If You Should Leave Me” (8.3) • “Natty Kung Fu” (8.0) U-Roy was riding on the crest of a wave at this time; the world’s ears were open to Jamaica and he was well placed as an...more →
KENYAFRICA! 1 Daniel Kamau Playa Sound PS-33001 “Really good”Africana
Jukebox picks: “Kiririkano Kia Zk” (8.5) • “Jane Macyline” (8.2) • “Ningwite Nawe pt.2” (8.0) A highly enjoyable LP from the 27-year-old singer-guitarist from Gatanga. I’m pretty sure it’s a compilation of 45s (the...more →
ZOMBIE Fela and Afrika 70 Coconut PMLP-1003 “Really good”Disco / Funk; Dubbeat
Jukebox picks: “Zombie” (7.6) • “Mister Follow Follow” (6.8) The 23rd new music album from the uber-prolific 37-year-old Afrobeat star proved to be a nightmare for him, despite bein...more →
OXYGÈNE Jean Michel Jarre Les Disques Motors 2933-207 “Really good”Electronica
Jukebox picks: “Oxygène, part 2” (8.2) • “Oxygène, part 6” (7.9) • “Oxygène, part 5” (7.7) After quietly cultivating his craft over the course of several years, the 28-year-old painter from Lyon assembled his de...more →
THE PRIDE OF AFRICA Amagugu with The Intuthuko Brothers Kaya Lami KYL-2003 “Really good”Africana
Jukebox picks: “Isithabathaba Segoli” (8.5) • “Ukuhlupheka Kwami” (7.8) • “Wamuhle Thekwane” (7.7) Amagugu’s “Ubhek’uZulu” was well received by myself in my album chart of 1974. The second offering from the quintet, a r...more →
JAMMY SMEARS Ivor Cutler Virgin V-2065 “Really good”Avant-Garde; Poetry; Storytelling
Jukebox picks: “Life In A Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 2, Ep. 11” (10) • “A Wooden Tree” (9.8) • “Life In A Scotch Sitting Room, Vol. 2, Ep. 6” (9.6) The idiosyncratic wonder that is Ivor Cutler delivered his third and final album for Virgin in September ’76 and for the...more →
BLONDIE Blondie Private Stock PS-2023 “Really good”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Rip Her To Shreds” (9.9) • “X Offender” (9.8) • “In The Flesh” (9.4) Out just in time for Christmas was the debut LP from the exciting quintet out of New York who lined up: Debbie Harry (31...more →
SCRATCH THE SUPER APE The Upsetters Upsetter “Good”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Dub Along” (8.9) • “Zion Blood” (8.4) • “Three In One” (8.2) Dubby, but rarely vacant, this is an enjoyable 40 minutes atmospheric trip, deep into the heart of Lee Perry’s Black Ark...more →
STARS OF AFRICA Intuthuko Brothers Kaya Lami KYL-2002 “Good”Africana
Jukebox picks: “Yasuka Yahlala” (8.5) • “Mahlabathini Special No.6” (7.9) • “Wedding Bells No.5” (7.7) A big improvement (for my tastes) on their more poppy offering from ’74, “Tomorrow’s Wedding”. On “Stars Of Africa”, the...more →
JEZEBEL Justin Hines and The Dominoes Island Records ILPS-9416 “Good”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Babylon Children” (7.9) • “Fire” (7.2) • “Dip And Fall Back” (7.0) With the demise of his great supporter, Duke Reid, the Ska legend that was Justin Hinds was thought to be retired early ...more →
AIRS AND GRACES June Tabor Topic Records 12TS-298 “Good”Folk
Jukebox picks: “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda” (10) • “The Merchant's Son” (7.3) • “Bonny May” (7.3) The debut album from the 29-year-old Warwickshire lass features 8 traditionals and 2 contemporary covers. June shows her...more →
GET UP OFFA THAT THING James Brown Polydor PD-6071 “Good”Disco / Funk
Jukebox picks: “Get Up Offa That Thing / Release The Pressure” (9.6) • “I Refuse To Lose” (7.7) • “Can't Take It With You” (6.8) “Get Up Offa That Thing / Release the Pressure” lives here in all of its 9-minute glory, a behemoth of the funky-dis...more →
ROCK AND ROLL HEART Lou Reed Arista AL-4100 “Decent enough”Songwriter; Cerebral Pop
Jukebox picks: “Temporary Thing” (8.9) • “Rock And Roll Heart” (7.4) • “Banging On My Drum” (7.0) With his contract at RCA expired, Lou moved on to Arista for his next episode, “Rock and Roll Heart”, a decent set, even...more →
T SHIRT Loudon Wainwright III Arista AL-4063 “Decent enough”Folk; Country
Jukebox picks: “Talking Big Apple ’75” (8.5) • “Wine With Dinner” (8.0) • “Wine With Dinner (Night Cap)” (7.8) By and large a full-blown band supports Loudon on his sixth offering – I’m extremely wary. To be fair, he doesn’t let me...more →
KING TUBBYS MEETS ROCKERS UPTOWN Agustus Pablo Yard Music “Decent enough”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Young Generation Dub” (7.7) • “Keep On” (7.4) • “Satta” (7.2) As you’d expect with Tubby and Pablo at the desk, this is a primal dub affair with all shades of nice keys from the melo...more →
WHEN THE RIGHT TIME COME I NEED A ROOF The Mighty Diamonds Well Charge JOE-JOE-101 “Decent enough”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Them Never Love Poor Marcus” (8.5) • “Why Me Black Brother Why” (7.7) • “Have Mercy” (6.8) Virgin’s raid on Jamaica for talent led to the debut long player of the Mighty Diamonds vocal-trio – Donald Shaw, Fitzro...more →
SMALL CHANGE Tom Waits Asylum Records 7E-1078 “Decent enough”Jazz; Crooner / Cabaret
Jukebox picks: “Step Right Up” (10) • “Pasties And A Gstring (At The Two O’Clock Club)” (6.8) • “Bad Liver And A Broken Heart (In Lowell)” (6.1) Another smoky late-night jazz-rap session from the 26-year-old who seems to be going on for 57. His Louis Armstrong styl...more →
FUTURISTIC DRAGON T. Rex T. REX BLN-5004 “Average”Pop; Rock
Jukebox picks: “New York City” (8.5) • “Jupiter Liar” (7.4) • “All Alone” (7.2) The shifting line-ups continued on album #11 with only Marc Bolan (vocals, guitars, moog), Gloria Jones (backing vocals,...more →
ASWAD Aswad Island Records ILPS-9399 “Average”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Back To Africa” (7.1) • “Concrete Slaveship” (6.6) • “I A Rebel Soul” (6.4) Fine debut from the London roots-rockers, very much in the vein of The Wailers. The core line up was: Brinsley 'Chaka B'...more →
ALL I HAVE IS LOVE Gregory Isaacs Micron Music Limited “Average”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Help Us Get Over” (8.6) • “All I Have Is Love [single version '75]” (6.3) • “Sinner Man” (6.2) I’ve witnessed first hand the adoration for the cool ruler in his homeland and it’s not difficult to understand just why...more →
JOAN ARMATRADING Joan Armatrading A&M Records SP-4588 “Average”Cerebral Pop; Pop
Jukebox picks: “Love And Affection” (9.2) • “Down To Zero” (7.4) • “Somebody Who Loves You” (5.5) Breakthrough LP from the 25-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist, with experienced producer Glyn Johns (Steve Miller, Th...more →
ARRIVAL ABBA Polar POLS-272 “Below average”Pop
Jukebox picks: “Knowing Me, Knowing You” (7.0) • “Why Did It Have To Be Me?” (6.8) • “Dancing Queen” (6.7) Confounding those who predicted that they'd fade as quickly as their firework exploded, ABBA went from strength to stren...more →
HEJIRA Joni Mitchell Asylum Records 7E-1087 “Below average”Jazz
Jukebox picks: “Blue Motel Room” (6.4) • “Coyote” (6.1) • “Amelia” (5.5) The 8th album from the newly turned 33-year-old, considered by critics and fans as one of her very best. The album's nam...more →
DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP AC/DC Albert Productions APLP-020 “Below average”Rock
Jukebox picks: “Rocker” (7.1) • “Ride On” (6.8) • “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (6.2) Palatable, even for a non-rock-head like me, sometimes a bit bluesy, sometimes a bit punky, but very much in their own u...more →
SWEET AMERICA Buffy Saint-Marie ABC Records ABCD-929 “Below average”Blues Rock / Soul Rock; Pop
Jukebox picks: “I Been Down” (6.9) • “Starwalker” (6.7) • “I Don’t Need No City Life” (6.4) The album includes three covers within the first four tracks; “Sweet America” (Greenfield, 1971), “Wynken, Blynken...more →
THE CLONES OF DR. FUNKENSTEIN Parliament Casablanca NBLP-7034 “Poor”Disco / Funk
Jukebox picks: “Gamin’ On Ya!” (6.0) • “Do That Stuff” (5.8) • “Funkin’ For Fun” (5.7) Another succesful US Top 20 album from the ever-ambitious larger-than-life wide-eyed funksters, trading at their commerc...more →
STATION TO STATION David Bowie RCA Victor APL1-1327 “Poor”Cerebral Pop
Jukebox picks: “Golden Years” (7.2) • “TVC 15” (5.2) • “Station To Station” (4.6) “The return of the Thin White Duke, Throwing darts in lovers' eyes” warns Bowie in the very opening barb of the ti...more →
FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO SOUTH CAROLINA Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson Arista AL-4044 “Poor”R n B
Jukebox picks: “Johannesburg” (6.2) • “Beginnings (The First Minutes Of A New Day)” (5.5) • “The Summer Of ’42” (5.0) Now firmly settled in to their new home at Arista, this set gains a whole point on its predecesor, “The First Minute Of ...more →
SUGAR BABE Ruth Brown President Records PTLS-1067B “Lame”Soul
Jukebox picks: “Stop Knocking” (6.5) • “Lots More Of Me Leaving (Less Of Me Coming Home)” (5.5) • “Ain’t No Piece Of Cake” (4.6) Ruth Brown’s 1976 LP finds her in the house of Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams. You’d have thought such a pairing up would b...more →
LAFFIN ROOM ONLY Hector Nicol Newkey Records NKR-900 “Lame”Comedy
Jukebox picks: “Bonnie Wee Jeannie McColl [live]” (5.0) • “If I Had My Way [live]” (4.0) • “Big Gertie Gordon [live]” (3.8) Recorded live at The Greenfield Social Club, Burnbank, Lanarkshire in 1976. Funny at times, but the old-skool nonsense l...more →
FLY LIKE AN EAGLE Steve Miller Band Capitol Records ST-11497 “Terrible”Psychedelia; Rock
Jukebox picks: “Rock ’n’ Me” (7.7) • “Sweet Maree” (5.2) • “Dance, Dance, Dance” (4.4) Ninth album from the San-Francisco-based rocker, his new core group recreated as a trio since 1973's “The Joker”. They l...more →
SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE Stevie Wonder Tamla T13-340C2 “Terrible”Disco / Funk
Jukebox picks: “Sir Duke” (6.8) • “Pastime Paradise” (6.4) • “Village Ghetto Land” (5.4) On the ratings front, I include the 17 LP tracks, but exclude the bonus 4 track single that came with the album. The 2LP...more →
YEAR OF THE CAT Al Stewart RCA Victor RCA LP-3015 “Terrible”Songwriter
Jukebox picks: “Sand In Your Shoes” (4.9) • “One Stage Before” (4.2) • “Broadway Hotel” (3.7) Seventh album from the 30-year-old Glaswegian singer-songwriter recorded at Abbey Road, and notable for the lush orchest...more →
HOW DARE YOU 10cc Mercury 9102-501 “Terrible”Prog
Jukebox picks: “I Wanna Rule The World” (6.2) • “How Dare You” (3.5) • “Art For Arts Sake” (3.5) Fourth album from the Stockport four recorded, as usual, at their own hometown Strawberry Studios. Once again, all playe...more →
TECHNICAL ECSTASY Black Sabbath Vertigo 9102-750 “Terrible”Rock
Jukebox picks: “You Won’t Change Me” (4.8) • “Back Street Kids” (4.3) • “Dirty Women” (4.0) The core four-piece are augmented by Gerald Woodruffe on keyboards. I’m really not digging their new “theatre rock opera...more →
DESTROYER Kiss Casablanca NBLP-7025 “Terrible”Rock
Jukebox picks: “Beth” (4.6) • “Detroit Rock City” (4.5) • “Great Expectations” (4.5) Fourth album from the glammed-up New York hard-rockers, partnering with producer Bob Ezrin, who had previously worked wi...more →
ROCKS Aerosmith Columbia PC-34165 “Terrible”Rock
Jukebox picks: “Nobody's Fault” (4.5) • “Sick As A Dog” (4.4) • “Rats In The Cellar” (4.2) On their fourth LP in four years the 5-piece line up: Steven Tyler (lead vocals, keyboards, harmonica), Joe Perry (guita...more →
SILK DEGREES Boz Scaggs Columbia PC-33920 “Terrible”Pop
Jukebox picks: “Lido Shuffle” (5.7) • “Love Me Tomorrow” (4.3) • “What Can I Say” (3.9) On his seventh long player, the big horns and strings enhanced production pays dividends, and the 31-year-old singer-son...more →
HOTEL CALIFORNIA Eagles Asylum Records 7E-1084 “Dire”Soft Rock / A.O.R.
Jukebox picks: “Hotel California” (5.1) • “Wasted Time (Reprise)” (4.0) • “Wasted Time” (3.0) One of the biggest selling albums of all-time, and their second successive #1 in the Billboard 200. It's a bit of a conc...more →
2112 Rush Mercury SRM-1-1079 “Dire”Prog; Rock
Jukebox picks: “The Twilight Zone” (4.0) • “Something For Nothing” (3.2) • “Lessons” (2.6) Fourth album from the Toronto prog-rock trio who line up: Geddy Lee (vocals, bass guitar), Alex Lifeson (electric and ac...more →
BOSTON Boston Epic JE-34188 “Dire”Rock
Jukebox picks: “More Than A Feeling” (6.5) • “Smokin’” (3.1) • “Peace Of Mind” (3.0) The debut album from the Boston group masterminded by Tom Scholz was assembled and well-produced on a hard-rock meets po...more →
A TRICK OF THE TAIL Genesis Charisma CDS-4001 “An embarrassment”Prog
Jukebox picks: “Dance On A Volcano” (3.0) • “Mad Man Moon” (2.4) • “Robbery, Assault And Battery” (2.4) Following the departure of founding member, main lyricist and lead vocalist, Peter Gabriel, the remaining four, after so...more →
WRITE ON The Hollies Polydor 2383 421 “An embarrassment”Pop; Soft Rock / A.O.R.
Jukebox picks: “Star” (2.7) • “Crocodile Woman (She Bites)” (1.8) • “Write On” (1.7) Just when I think they can't get any lower, back they come with this excruciating half-hour endurance test, coming acros...more →
WIND AND WUTHERING Genesis Charisma CDS-4005 “An embarrassment”Prog
Jukebox picks: “Unquiet Slumbers For The Sleepers…” (2.0) • “Eleventh Earl Of Mar” (1.7) • “Wot Gorilla?” (1.6) Following on from February's “A Trick Of The Tail”, the new Phil-Collins-fronted incarnation of Genesis delivered a seco...more →
DEDICATION Bay City Rollers Bell Records SYBEL-8005 “An embarrassment”Pop; Pop Ballad
Jukebox picks: “Dedication” (3.4) • “Yesterday’s Hero” (2.1) • “Don’t Worry Baby” (1.7) Following on from consecutive #1 hit singles in '75 with “Bye, Bye, Baby” and “Give A Little Love”, the heat of the supe...more →
CARELESS Stephen Bishop ABC Records ABCD-954 “Pathetically abysmal”Songwriter; Pop Ballad; Pop
Jukebox picks: “Little Italy” (0.3) • “Madge” (0.2) • “Guitar Interlude” (0.1) Debut album from the 24-year-old singer-songwriter who makes Elton John seem like Sid Vicious. The drummer seems terrifi...more →