Sometimes, you just need to reset your listening habits and playlists. I felt like I needed a change, having drifted into all sorts of music and sounds recently. I do love the variety of different artists, genres, and time periods, but sometimes you just need that feeling of coming home.
For me, that's about classic rock. That label can and does cover a lot of ground. Roughly from around 1963 or 1964 right through to the very early 1990s is the usual timescale applied. In terms of genres, well, rock and roll is the classic style for the name, but it’s flexible enough to stretch to many variations of that.
The coming home part to refresh what I have been listening to means getting some good old classic rock playing. The music works for many generations, and it’s not hard to find some great albums to play. The part I like most about a return to classic rock is digging out some of the less obvious albums or bands.
Four 1970s classic rock albums worth hearing again
Playing a few albums that don't get as much airtime or are overshadowed by others from the era works well. Among all the classics are a whole load more that are great to hear again. It’s a warm feeling as the familiar sounds play on, and you immediately know what's coming up next as you go through the tracks.
Here are four great albums that fit the bill for that refresh perfectly. It’s no coincidence that these all have a strong rock and roll sound. Classic rock does cover much more, but for me, this sort of rock music is very much at its core. So they do feel very much like that warm welcome home as they play out.
Faces - A Nod Is As Good As A Wink… To A Blind Horse
This is the band's top-selling album. So it’s not really overshadowed by others that came before or followed it. But with sales at only around half a million worldwide, it’s not had the recognition it deserves.
Faces was a superb rock band, there’s no doubt or debate over that. With Rod Stewart as lead singer and Ronnie Wood on guitar, they have a strong core. Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan, and Kenney Jones completed the group and played their part in the Faces’ success.
The album was their third and the second one to be released in 1971. They may have loved a party on stage, but they worked hard to get the records made. It brought them their first hit single in “Stay With Me.” The whole album rocks in that raucous and rollicking style the band exudes. I doubt it gets played much as an album, with key tracks being selected instead. Go give it a much-deserved listen.
Bad Company - Run With the Pack
This third album from 1970s supergroup Bad Company is definitely overshadowed by their first two. The self-titled debut in 1974 and Straight Shooter in 1975 are the two go-to albums with the big hit songs. But Run With The Pack from 1976 is well worth playing.
The album continues largely in the same vein as the first two, delivering good solid rock and roll with the typical Bad Company sound and more great vocals from Paul Rodgers. There are some slight changes here and there. Some strings were added to the opening song “Live For The Music” and a softer style to a couple of songs. One being “Do Right by Your Woman," which some have noted delivers a Crosby, Stills, and Nash tone. The second, “Silver, Blue, And Gold,” went on to be a big fan favorite.
The band is getting some great recognition again currently. A much-deserved nomination to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has them back in the spotlight. That will put the focus back on a couple of their big songs and those first two albums. This third record stands alongside the others very well and shouldn't be forgotten.
Nazareth - Razamanaz
Nazareth overall is somewhat overlooked as a great rock band. It’s very much an if you know, you know scenario. Sadly, though, plenty of people don't, and the band didn't achieve as much success as they deserved.
Overall, they sold just under two million albums worldwide. The majority of that was for the just over a million selling Hair Of The Dog from 1975. That is a top album from the band and one that overshadowed some other great releases. Probably the best of the rest is this third album, Razamanaz, from 1973.
Razamanaz had Deep Purple’s Roger Glover as producer. Under his guidance, the album gave us more great rock and roll, a very dynamic sound, and some great tracks. It only sold around 100k copies, which is well below what it merits.
The balance across the whole album is very good. There are stand-out and well-known singles in “Broken Down Angel” and “Bad, Bad Boy.” Alongside those is a rework of a song from the previous album. “Woke Up This Morning” is enhanced with some added slide guitar blues. Mixed with the tongue-in-cheek, having-a-bad-day lyrics, it’s a stand-out swaggering song on a great album.
Deep Purple - Burn
This 1974 album comes without Roger Glover. He and Ian Gillan had left before it was recorded. The then pretty much unknown David Coverdale joined for vocals, and Glover’s bass play was taken up by Glenn Hughes. Coverdale and Hughes ended up alternating on lead vocals.
Burn isn't the go-to Deep Purple album. But then, it’s not the absolute classic lineup either. With Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice all remaining in place, it’s still a very strong one. Coverdale and Hughes added to that rather than being weak points as stand-ins.
The album was met with a mixed response, but perhaps it is one where time is kinder. It’s a good, solid slab of blues and rock with superb performances throughout. There’s even a bit of funk with “Sail Away,” which works well for the band. It’s the band's eighth studio album and stands up very well in their catalog.