72 tracks, runtime 5h 11m. 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
MASCHINEN MÄNNER SIND NUMMER EINS!
Why put yourself through the hassle and boredom of album-launch photo-shoots when pretend-robots can do the job just as well? The Kraftwerk futurists from Dusseldorf dared to be different in many different ways, and this set them apart from the stars of yesterday and today. In 1978, they were at the peak of their mighty powers, capping a phenomenal 18 months for this most visionary of groups.
Elsewhere, English music is going from strength to strength on the back of last years’ Punk explosion, and leftfield music fans are revelling in glorious offerings from Buzzcocks, The Jam, Elvis Costello, Public Image Ltd. and Kevin Coyne, as well as high quality debuts from Siouxsie and The Banshees, Alternative TV and The Adverts.
The overall rise in quality is measurable in my ratings system; for the first-time ever, only a rating of “7” or more is good enough for a Top 30 place.
The Saints, from Australia, typify the great leap forward, with a quite magnificent follow-up to their ’77 debut.
Jamaican music continues to reverberate strongly, with terrific LPs from Bob Marley and The Wailers, Prince Far I, Culture, Poet and The Roots (led by Jamaican-born poet Linton Kwesi Johnson) and Lee Perry with his Upsetters.
Revolution is afoot in Rhodesia, and Thomas Mapfumo risks life and limb by putting music at the heart of the battle, although this is known only to his people in his homelands at this time.
In the States, old dogs Captain Beefheart and Lou Reed underline their durability, whilst newcomers Pere Ubu demonstrate that they’ve been watching and learning, as they forge ahead with the “Avant-Garage” new tricks of now.
The Jukebox Rebel
28-Sep-2016
DIE MENSCH-MASCHINE Kraftwerk Kling Klang 1 C 058-32 843 “A masterpiece”Electronica
Jukebox picks: “Das Modell” (9.6) • “Spacelab” (9.5) • “Neonlicht” (9.4) Released in May ’78, the seventh Kraftwerk LP was the group’s poppiest offering to date, yet still retained an allure fo...more →
ANOTHER MUSIC IN A DIFFERENT KITCHEN Buzzcocks United Artists Records UAG-30159 “A classic”Punk; New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Sixteen” (9.9) • “You Tear Me Up” (9.4) • “Fast Cars” (9.2) Following the seminal “Spiral Scratch” EP and two cracking non-album singles – “Orgasm Addict” and “What Do I Get” – the...more →
ALL MOD CONS The Jam Polydor 2442-155 “Excellent”New Wave; Punk; Songwriter
Jukebox picks: “Down In The Tube Station At Midnight” (10) • “’A’ Bomb In Wardour Street” (9.8) • “English Rose” (9.7) What an absolute gem this is; they released two good albums last year, but ‘78s “All Mod Cons” is on a different level a...more →
THIS YEAR’S MODEL Elvis Costello and The Attractions Radar Records RAD-3 “Excellent”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Night Rally” (10) • “Pump It Up” (9.8) • “(I Don’t Want To) Go To Chelsea” (9.5) Following the success of “My Aim Is True”, Costello wasted no time in forming his own permanent backing band, and The At...more →
ETERNALLY YOURS The Saints Harvest SHSP-4078 “Excellent”Punk; New Wave
Jukebox picks: “No, Your Product” (9.8) • “Private Affair” (9.3) • “This Perfect Day” (9.2) Eschewing the raw and gritty Stooges-inspired sound of their debut, the Saints opted for a generally brighter, breezier ...more →
PUBLIC IMAGE (FIRST ISSUE) Public Image Ltd. Virgin V-2114 “Excellent”Post-Punk
Jukebox picks: “Public Image” (9.3) • “Low Life” (9.0) • “Religion I” (8.3) Johnny Rotten had started the year on stage in America with the imploding Sex Pistols, infamously sneering “this is no...more →
KAYA Bob Marley and The Wailers Island Records ILPS-9517 “Excellent”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Time Will Tell” (10) • “Is This Love” (9.7) • “Easy Skanking” (9.5) Cleverly annexed from the “Exodus” sessions, “Kaya” stands cohesively as an album of peace, love and marijuana. Once I g...more →
LONG LIFE Prince Far I Front Line FL-1021 “Brilliant”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Daughters Of Zion” (9.2) • “In Your Walking Remember Jah Jah” (9.1) • “So Long” (8.4) Far I’s second album for Virgin this year was undoubtedly the stronger, even if it is preachy, harking back to “Psal...more →
HARDER THAN THE REST Culture Front Line FL-1016 “Brilliant”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Behold” (9.6) • “Work On Natty” (8.6) • “Iron Sharpening Iron” (8.2) Following royalty disputes with Joe Gibbs, Culture had been “looking around” for a new production partner and had record...more →
DYNAMITE DAZE Kevin Coyne Virgin V-2096 “Brilliant”Songwriter; Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
Jukebox picks: “Brothers Of Mine” (10) • “Dynamite Daze” (9.5) • “Juliet And Mark” (9.2) Co-produced by Kevin Coyne and Bob Ward, who also plays on the album. The contributors are: Kevin Coyne (vocal, guitar);...more →
ROAD TO RUIN Ramones Sire SRK-6063 “Brilliant”Punk
Jukebox picks: “I Wanna Be Sedated” (10) • “Questioningly” (8.0) • “Bad Brain” (7.8) The fourth Ramones already? They didn’t hang about in any way whatsoever, that’s for sure. “Road To Ruin” isn’t as stron...more →
DREAD BEAT AN’ BLOOD Poet and The Roots Front Line FL-1017 “Brilliant”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Five Nights Of Bleeding” (9.0) • “Dread Beat An’ Blood” (8.8) • “Man Free” (8.3) Further to the publication of his 1975 book of poetry, “Dread Beat and Blood”, Linton Kwesi Johnson became a revered nam...more →
HOKOYO! Thomas Mapfumo and The Acid Band Chimurenga ASLP-5000 “Brilliant”Africana
Jukebox picks: “Matiregerera Mambo” (8.4) • “Murandu” (8.2) • “Hwa-Hwa [1978 song]” (8.1) Since the 1960s, Thomas Mapfumo had been playing western rock music with his band, The Springfields, in the pubs and clu...more →
RETURN OF THE SUPER APE The Upsetters Lion Of Judah LPIR-0001 “Brilliant”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Dyon-Anasaw” (9.8) • “The Lion” (9.0) • “Psyche And Trim” (8.2) Following “Scratch The Super Ape” and “Roast Fish Collie Weed And Corn Bread”, Lee Perry continued his fine form with “R...more →
BALDHEAD BRIDGE Culture Joe Gibbs Record Globe “Really good”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Behold I Come” (9.5) • “So Long Babylon A Fool I (And I)” (9.4) • “Love Shines Brighter” (7.7) Culture’s second and final LP for Joe Gibbs was, once again, brilliantly recorded with “The Professionals” studio band, ...more →
LOVE BITES Buzzcocks United Artists Records UAG-30197 “Really good”New Wave; Punk
Jukebox picks: “Ever Fallen In Love” (8.8) • “Late For The Train” (8.4) • “Love Is Lies” (8.1) “Love Bites” arrived just six months after the debut and, already, there’s a remarkable difference in the band’s sound, ...more →
THE SCREAM Siouxsie and The Banshees Polydor POLD-5009 “Really good”Post-Punk
Jukebox picks: “Mirage” (9.6) • “Metal Postcard (Mittageisen)” (8.8) • “Overground” (8.5) With the confrontational explosion of British Punk anything now seemed possible, and the Banshees, commanded by Siouxsie...more →
BLACK AND WHITE The Stranglers United Artists Records UAG-30222 “Really good”Punk; New Wave; Post-Punk
Jukebox picks: “Nice ’n’ Sleazy” (10) • “Tank” (8.4) • “Toiler On The Sea” (7.9) The third Stranglers LP in just 13 months arrived in May ’78, with labels and sleeves distinctly coloured to reflect the...more →
AN AMERICAN PRAYERː JIM MORRISON The Doors Elektra 5E-502 “Really good”Poetry; Blues Rock / Soul Rock
Jukebox picks: “Angels And Sailors” (9.4) • “Newborn Awakening” (9.0) • “The Hitchhiker” (8.8) Jim Morrison recorded quite a few sessions in 1969 and 1970 where he laid down some poetry and stories, with the intent ...more →
EASTER The Patti Smith Group Arista AB-4171 “Really good”Rock
Jukebox picks: “High On Rebellion” (8.7) • “25th Floor” (8.0) • “We Three” (7.8) After breaking several neck vertebrae as a result of her horrendous fall from stage at the beginning of last year, Patti...more →
THE MODERN DANCE Pere Ubu Blank Records 001 “Really good”Post-Punk
Jukebox picks: “Life Stinks” (8.8) • “Real World” (8.0) • “Non-Alignment Pact” (7.9) Serving bona-fide modernity as opposed to Kraftwerk's unrealistic variant, this peculiar quintet from Cleveland were jus...more →
THE IMAGE HAS CRACKED Alternative TV Deptford Fun City Records DLP-01 “Really good”Post-Punk; Punk
Jukebox picks: “Viva La Rock N’ Roll” (9.1) • “Still-Life [live ’78]” (8.6) • “Why Don’t You Do Me Right?” (7.9) 4 live tracks (recorded at the 100 Club in London on 7 February 1978) and 5 in the studio make up the strange but compel...more →
STREET HASSLE Lou Reed Arista AB-4169 “Really good”Blues Rock / Soul Rock
Jukebox picks: “Street Hassle” (10) • “Gimmie Some Good Times [live]” (7.7) • “Dirt [live]” (7.4) Lou’s eighth album of new music in seven years was the best of his solo career since the high-watermark of 1972s “Transf...more →
ROAST FISH COLLIE WEED AND CORN BREAD Lee Perry The Upsetter Upsetter LPIR-0000 “Really good”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Roast Fish And Cornbread” (9.2) • “Throw Some Water In” (9.0) • “Favourite Dish” (8.0) Incredibly, this was the 20th new music LP from the prolific producer, and the first which fully featured him on lead vo...more →
A TONIC FOR THE TROOPS The Boomtown Rats Ensign ENVY-3 “Really good”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Rat Trap” (9.6) • “Like Clockwork” (9.3) • “She’s So Modern” (9.0) A massive improvement on last years’ self-titled debut, “A Tonic For The Troops” found the Rats playing to their own str...more →
CROSSING THE RED SEA WITH THE ADVERTS The Adverts Bright Records BRL-201 “Really good”Punk
Jukebox picks: “One Chord Wonders” (8.7) • “On Wheels” (8.2) • “Great British Mistake” (7.8) I keep reading stories about how these misfits couldn’t play to save themselves – a tale backed-up by themselves on thei...more →
GIVE ’EM ENOUGH ROPE The Clash CBS S-CBS-82431 “Really good”Punk; New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Tommy Gun” (9.9) • “Safe European Home” (8.8) • “English Civil War” (7.2) Much against the prevailing punk trend, The Clash took their time with the second album – it arrived fully 18 months aft...more →
UJABULISA ABANTU Izintombi Zesi Manje Manje Masterpiece Records LMS-535 “Really good”Africana
Jukebox picks: “Ujabulisa Abantu” (9.2) • “Ekhaya Kulezontaba” (8.4) • “Izindlela Ziyahlangana” (8.1) As clearly marked on the label itself, this is an album of two distinct halves, with side 1 being described as the “soul...more →
PARALLEL LINES Blondie Chrysalis CHR-1166 “Really good”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Picture This” (9.7) • “Sunday Girl” (8.9) • “Heart Of Glass” (8.5) The album blasts in with a killer version of The Nerves’ 1976 single, “Hanging On The Telephone”, and Blondie boss t...more →
GERM FREE ADOLESCENTS X-Ray Spex EMI INS-3023 “Good”Punk; New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Obsessed With You” (8.0) • “Germ Free Adolescents” (7.9) • “Plastic Bag” (7.7) Having given up on her fledgling career as Britain's answer to Susan Cadogan, 19-year-old Marian Elliott (soon to be re-...more →
PLASTIC LETTERS Blondie Chrysalis CHR-1166 “Good”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “(I’m Always) Touched By Your Presence Dear” (10) • “Denis” (9.5) • “I Didn’t Have The Nerve To Say No” (9.2) There’s plenty of high-class action on the first side of “Plastic Letters” with the two glorious singles, “Denis” (t...more →
Qː ARE WE NOT MEN? Aː WE ARE DEVO! Devo Warner Bros. Records BSK-3239 “Good”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Space Junk” (8.0) • “Come Back Jonee” (7.5) • “Gut Feeling / Slap Your Mammy” (7.4) De-evolution = the theory that we're de-evolving as a species was initially a bit of a joke, but who's to say we aren't ...more →
DISGUISE IN LOVE John Cooper Clarke CBS CBS-83132 “Good”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Readers Wives” (8.2) • “(I Married A) Monster From Outer Space” (8.1) • “Health Fanatic” (7.2) Major label mania strikes - Cooper Clarke hits Epic! The first of three Cooper Clarke albums to officially feature The I...more →
THE ONLY ONES The Only Ones CBS CBS-82830 “Good”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Another Girl, Another Planet” (10) • “No Peace For The Wicked” (7.8) • “The Immortal Story” (7.7) Battling through their scarcely disguised pub rock tendencies, the debut from this quartet emerges triumphantly largely ...more →
HOT BLAST Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl Blackthorne Records BR-1059 “Good”Folk
Jukebox picks: “White Wind” (9.2) • “Cut-Price Hero” (7.2) • “Emily” (7.0) The husband-and-wife duo continue with their fine 1970s form, with musical accompaniment from their sons Neil and Calum ...more →
REAL LIFE Magazine Virgin V-2100 “Good”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Shot By Both Sides” (8.8) • “Definitive Gaze” (7.3) • “Recoil” (6.6) Even before Buzzcocks' seminal “Spiral Scratch” EP was released in late Janaury, 1977, Howard Devoto had announced his d...more →
TUBEWAY ARMY Tubeway Army Beggars Banquet BEGA-4 “Good”New Wave; Post-Punk
Jukebox picks: “Jo The Waiter” (8.4) • “Listen To The Sirens” (7.6) • “The Life Machine” (7.5) 10th February 1978 was a bit of a monumental day in the life of Gary Webb. With just under a month left as a teenager, h...more →
MESSAGE FROM THE KING Prince Far I Front Line FL-1013 “Good”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Moses, Moses” (8.8) • “Message From The King” (7.1) • “Black Man Land” (6.6) The biggest story in the 1978 world of reggae music came as a result of Richard Branson and Johnny Rotten's visit to Jam...more →
ÉQUINOXE Jean Michel Jarre Disques Dreyfus FDM-83150 “Good”Electronica
Jukebox picks: “Equinoxe, part 5” (8.7) • “Equinoxe, part 8” (7.0) • “Equinoxe, part 6” (7.0) After the huge success of “Oxygène”, Jarre delivered the follow-up in December '78, exactly two years later. The wondrou...more →
MAVOUNGU Lolo-Lolitta and his Likwe-Likwe Band Establishment Bonne Musique EBM-LPS-005 “Good”Africana
Jukebox picks: “Ambiance A Abidjan” (7.0) • “Malelissa” (6.4) • “Samboulouma” (6.1) Recorded in the Ivorian capital of Abidjan, this lively and entertaining production features 3 pieces, with the blisteri...more →
AMBIENT 1ː MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS Brian Eno Polydor 2310-647 “Decent enough”Ambient
Jukebox picks: “1/1” (8.1) • “1/2” (6.2) • “2/2” (5.9) “Brian Eno? What does ‘e know?” I used to scoff, back in the day when I was an ignorant youth. Sorry about that Brian. K...more →
SHALIMAR R. D. Burman Polydor 2392-147 “Decent enough”Crooner / Cabaret
Jukebox picks: “Title Music” (9.2) • “Naag Devta” (8.3) • “Aaina Wohi Rehta Hai” (7.1) I knew before I picked up this soundtrack that I was getting the classic Title Music for my money – an epic of the c...more →
DUB HOUSING Pere Ubu Chrysalis CHR-1207 “Decent enough”Dubbeat; New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Navvy” (8.7) • “Dub Housing” (7.1) • “On The Surface” (6.9) The second album of the year from the vocally imaginative David Thomas and his experimental gang of avant-garage adventu...more →
MORE SONGS ABOUT BUILDINGS AND FOOD Talking Heads Sire SRK-6058 “Decent enough”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Thank You For Sending Me An Angel” (8.0) • “I’m Not In Love” (7.0) • “With Our Love” (6.8) “When we were making this album I remembered this stupid discussion we had about titles for the last album. At that ti...more →
THIRD Big Star PVC Records PVC-7903 “Decent enough”Moodcore; Songwriter; Soft Rock / A.O.R.
Jukebox picks: “Kanga Roo” (9.8) • “Stroke It Noel” (8.3) • “Nighttime” (7.1) Their “#1 Record” long-player of ’72 may have been highly-rated but was a bit of a soft-rock snooze-fest for me. “Third”...more →
OUTLANDOS D’AMOUR The Police A&M Records AMLH-68502 “Decent enough”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “So Lonely” (9.5) • “Can’t Stand Losing You” (8.8) • “Roxanne” (8.8) Just as well they called it “Outlandos d'Amour” coz “Outlaws of Love” just sounds naff! Cheap japes aside, this decent d...more →
MOVING TARGETS Penetration Virgin V-2109 “Decent enough”New Wave; Punk
Jukebox picks: “Future Daze” (7.3) • “Life's A Gamble” (6.9) • “Freemoney” (6.8) With two non-album singles and a Peel session behind them, the artful County Durham group of pop-rockers / new wavers / ...more →
WRECKLESS ERIC Wreckless Eric Stiff Records SEEZ-6 “Decent enough”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Whole Wide World” (9.7) • “Reconnez Cherie” (7.0) • “There Isn't Anything Else” (6.8) The debut album from the Ian-Dury-inspired 23-year-old singer-songwriter-guitarist, known by day as Eric Goulden. His (t...more →
FINAL EXAM Loudon Wainwright III Arista AB-4173 “Decent enough”Songwriter
Jukebox picks: “Fear With Flying” (8.0) • “Golfin’ Blues” (7.2) • “The Heckler” (6.9) The second of his two-record deal with Arista was, rather unfairly, a critical and commercial flop. Your journeyman is o...more →
DUCK STAB / BUSTER & GLEN The Residents Ralph Records RR-0278 “Decent enough”Avant-Garde; New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Hello Skinny” (7.3) • “The Electrocutioner” (7.2) • “Semolina” (6.9) The fifth album from the determinedly anonymous art collective is regarded as one of their most accessible works; I can'...more →
BLUE VALENTINE Tom Waits Asylum Records 6E-162 “Decent enough”Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Songwriter
Jukebox picks: “Romeo Is Bleeding” (7.0) • “Wrong Side Of The Road” (6.6) • “Somewhere” (6.4) The first Tom Waits album where Jazz doesn't emerge as the foremost genre. The story goes that part way through the sess...more →
HANDSWORTH REVOLUTION Steel Pulse Island Records ILPS-9502 “Average”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Prediction” (6.9) • “Sound Check” (6.6) • “Soldiers” (6.3) Three years of hard work had led the Birmingham group to Island Records, who were seemingly hellbent on becoming a world...more →
BUSH DOCTOR Peter Tosh Intel Diplo DSR-6923 “Average”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Dem Ha Fe Get A Beatin’” (6.6) • “(You Gotta Walk) Don’t Look Back” (6.5) • “Bush Doctor” (6.5) A good move for Tosh business wise, his 4th solo album in 4 years was tied in with the Rolling Stones label, involved Ja...more →
BRUISED ORANGE John Prine Asylum Records 6E-139 “Average”Country
Jukebox picks: “Sabu Visits The Twin Cities Alone” (8.2) • “Crooked Piece Of Time” (6.4) • “The Hobo Song” (6.4) Disillusioned with Atlantic, the 31-year-old singer-songwriter jumped ship to Asylum Records and, after a lot of wasted ...more →
JUST IN TIME Justin Hines and The Dominoes Mango MLPS-9532 “Average”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Positive Way” (6.7) • “Let Jah Arise” (6.2) • “Help Your Falling Brother” (6.1) The second long-player from the Rastafarian convert, once again produced by Jack Ruby with a pucker cast, the busy studi...more →
JESUS OF COOL Nick Lowe Radar Records RAD-1 “Average”Pop; New Wave
Jukebox picks: “I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass” (7.8) • “So It Goes” (7.2) • “Marie Provost” (6.7) Debut album from the 28-year-old singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist, taking some timeout as the bassist with Rockpi...more →
ONE NATION UNDER A GROOVE Funkadelic Warner Bros. Records BSK-3209 “Average”Disco / Funk
Jukebox picks: “One Nation Under A Groove” (8.4) • “Who Says A Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?!” (6.5) • “Groovallegiance” (6.2) Their most celebrated work, critically and commercially, arrived in September '78. “Let's dance our way to freedom” is t...more →
OBSCURE ALTERNATIVES Japan Ariola Hansa AHAL-8007 “Average”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Obscure Alternatives” (7.0) • “The Tenant” (6.8) • “Suburban Berlin” (6.4) They stick with the German Ariola Hansa label for this October '78 release and prove to all and sundry what a difference...more →
EXCITABLE BOY Warren Zevon Asylum Records 6E-118 “Average”Soft Rock / A.O.R.
Jukebox picks: “Werewolves Of London” (10) • “Excitable Boy” (6.6) • “Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner” (6.2) The third album from the 30-year-old wry-rocker gave him his only Top 10 success on the album front, and his only Top 40...more →
DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN Bruce Springsteen Columbia JC-35318 “Average”Rock
Jukebox picks: “Factory” (7.7) • “Candy's Room” (6.6) • “Darkness On The Edge Of Town” (6.1) Shockingly, legal wrangles delayed Springsteen's follow up to “Born To Run” for almost three whole years, but the highly...more →
GO 2 XTC Virgin V-2108 “Average”New Wave; Dubbeat
Jukebox picks: “Meccanik Dancing (Oh We Go!)” (6.8) • “Battery Brides (Andy Paints Brian)” (6.7) • “Life Is Good In The Greenhouse” (6.1) Their second album - and their second of 1978 - arrived in October, fronted by a wonderfully sarcastic mini-essay on the...more →
AUTOMAT Automat EMI 3C-064-18323 “Average”Electronica
Jukebox picks: “Mecadence” (6.2) • “Ultraviolet” (5.5) • “Droid” (5.3) Italian composer Romano Musumarra was keen to get a pioneering album of electronica out into the marketplace, and with t...more →
THE KICK INSIDE Kate Bush EMI EMC-3223 “Below average”Songwriter; Cerebral Pop; Pop Ballad
Jukebox picks: “The Man With The Child In His Eyes” (7.3) • “Wuthering Heights” (7.0) • “The Kick Inside” (6.6) Debut album from the piano playing 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Kent, 8 years after she started writing songs. Wha...more →
EAST OF THE RIVER NILE Augustus Pablo Message DSR-7108 “Below average”Reggae
Jukebox picks: “Natural Way” (6.8) • “East Of The River Nile” (6.2) • “Chant To King Selassie I” (6.0) 2 years passed before Pablo delivered the follow-up to “King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown”, in the meantime he was occupi...more →
OU EST LA MAISON DE FROMAGE? John Cooper Clarke Rabid Records NOZE-1 “Below average”Poetry
Jukebox picks: “(I Married A) Monster From Outer Space [live]” (7.5) • “Film Extra’s Extra [live]” (7.0) • “Nothing [live]” (7.0) The debut album from the 29-year-old John Cooper-Clarke aka the Bard of Salford aka the Punk Poet. The posh double-barre...more →
USKHANDAMAYEZA The Tulips Ring RG-K-1025 “Below average”Africana; Pop
Jukebox picks: “Mama Ka Sibongile” (7.0) • “Sofasilahlane” (6.5) • “Uskhandamayeza” (5.9) In the disco era, an mbaqanga-soul fusion is proving to be popular in South Africa, and this release on the EMI subsidia...more →
TO THE LIMIT Joan Armatrading A&M Records AMLH-64732 “Below average”Blues Rock / Soul Rock
Jukebox picks: “Let It Last” (8.0) • “Bottom To The Top” (8.0) • “What Do You Want” (6.2) Arriving in September '78 was Joan Armatrading's fifth long-player, in collaboration with producer Glyn Johns for the th...more →
SQUEEZE Squeeze A&M Records AMLH-68465 “Below average”New Wave; Rock
Jukebox picks: “Take Me I'm Yours” (9.1) • “The Call” (5.8) • “Get Smart” (5.5) Debut album from the London five-piece, jokingly named after the oft-derided fifth Velvet Underground LP. Are they a tri...more →
STREET-LEGAL Bob Dylan Columbia JC-35453 “Below average”Soft Rock / A.O.R.
Jukebox picks: “No Time To Think” (6.6) • “Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat)” (6.5) • “Baby, Stop Crying” (5.4) The unpredictable Bob Dylan of the 1970s continues to disappoint me – after the culturally brilliant French/Mexican deto...more →
C’EST CHIC Chic Atlantic SD-19209 “Poor”Disco / Funk
Jukebox picks: “I Want Your Love” (7.1) • “Le Freak [12" version]” (6.6) • “(Funny) Bone” (6.3) The big production on their second long-player gave the stylish New Yorkers their biggest album success, hitting #4 in t...more →
THE CARS The Cars Elektra 6E-135 “Poor”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “My Best Friend’s Girl” (7.2) • “Just What I Needed” (5.9) • “I’m In Touch With Your World” (4.7) The debut album from the Boston 5-piece arrived in June '78, trading in that quintessentially Amercian brand of new wave...more →
SIEMBRA Willie Colón and Rubén Blades Fania Records JM-537 “Poor”Latin
Jukebox picks: “Ojos” (5.2) • “Dime” (5.0) • “Plástico” (4.8) Regarded as an essential classic by salsa and latin aficionados, and one of the greatest selling LPs of all-time in thos...more →
HEAVEN TONIGHT Cheap Trick Epic JE-35312 “Poor”Rock
Jukebox picks: “Surrender” (5.9) • “Heaven Tonight” (5.8) • “Auf Wiedersehen” (5.5) Released in May 1978, this was the third album from the power-pop quartet outta Illinois, beloved of Joey Ramone. I coul...more →
SECRETS Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson Arista AB-4189 “Lame”R n B; Disco / Funk
Jukebox picks: “Third World Revolution” (6.0) • “Angel Dust” (5.4) • “Show Bizness” (5.2) Keeping up his prolific decade, the 8th Gil Scott-Heron new music album arrived in September '78, the fifth of his long ...more →
MOTOR BOOTY AFFAIR Parliament Casablanca NBLP-7125 “Lame”Disco / Funk
Jukebox picks: “Aqua Boogie (A Psychoalphadiscobetabioaquadoloop)” (6.7) • “The Motor-Booty Affair” (4.8) • “One Of Those Funky Things” (4.6) The sixth album in five years from the pop branch of the Clinton funk empire begins with a film-esque voiceover thus: “...more →
DIRE STRAITS Dire Straits Vertigo 9102-021 “Lame”Soft Rock / A.O.R.
Jukebox picks: “Wild West End” (5.8) • “Down To The Waterline” (5.2) • “Sultans Of Swing” (5.2) It would become easy and fashionable to knock Dire Straits in the 80s, and sometimes for very good reason, but three tra...more →
ADOLESCENT SEX Japan Ariola Hansa AHAL-8004 “Terrible”New Wave
Jukebox picks: “Don't Rain On My Parade” (5.3) • “Communist China” (5.0) • “Adolescent Sex” (4.2) The debut album from this young guitar-funk 5-piece arrived in April '78, the South Londoners lining-up: David Sylvian (...more →
HUMAN CONDITION Canned Heat Takoma TAK-7066 “Terrible”Blues / Rhythm n Blues; Blues Rock / Soul Rock
Jukebox picks: “Human Condition” (5.3) • “She’s Lookin’ Good” (4.4) • “Open Up Your Back Door” (4.0) Bob Hite’s excessive drinking and drug use on stage is leading to tumultuous line-up changes behind the scenes at this t...more →
VAN HALEN Van Halen Warner Bros. Records BSK-3075 “Terrible”Rock
Jukebox picks: “Runnin' With The Devil” (4.7) • “You Really Got Me” (4.5) • “Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love” (4.3) The debut album from the Pasadena hard-rockers - named after the band's two Dutch brothers - arrived in February '78. Th...more →
NEVER SAY DIE! Black Sabbath Vertigo 9102-751 “Terrible”Rock
Jukebox picks: “Never Say Die” (5.1) • “Breakout” (4.8) • “Shock Wave” (3.6) The final Black Sabbath album to feature Ozzy Osbourne as the band’s lead singer starts promisingly with the “Boys Are B...more →
HONKY TONK MASQUERADE Joe Ely MCA Records MCA-2333 “Terrible”Country
Jukebox picks: “Boxcars” (5.6) • “Honky Tonkin'” (4.2) • “West Texas Waltz” (3.8) Joe Strummer was a massive fan. There's a slinky allure with “Boxcars”, I'll give him that, but that's about yer lot...more →
STRANGER IN TOWN Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band Capitol Records SW-11698 “Terrible”Soft Rock / A.O.R.; Rock
Jukebox picks: “Hollywood Nights” (5.0) • “We’ve Got Tonight” (4.2) • “Feel Like A Number” (3.8) The tenth album in ten years from the Detroit-born singer-songwriter-guitarist, released the day before his 33rd birthda...more →
SLEEPING ON THE JOB Fats Domino Antagon Musikgesellschaft ALP-3215 “Terrible”Pop
Jukebox picks: “After Hours / When I Lost My Baby” (5.7) • “Something About You Baby” (4.1) • “I Just Can’t Get (New Orleans Off My Mind)” (4.0) First new Fats Domino LP in 7 years. Dear oh dear, he’s gone all cod-funk in a Dr. Hook style. Only, my pants don’t wann...more →
LONDON TOWN Wings MPL PAS-10012 “Dire”Pop; Soft Rock / A.O.R.
Jukebox picks: “Famous Groupies” (4.5) • “Morse Moose And The Grey Goose” (4.5) • “I’m Carrying” (4.0) Same quintet for the third album in a row, namely Paul McCartney (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, percussion, vi...more →
HERE, MY DEAR Marvin Gaye Tamla T-364LP2 “Dire”Soul; Disco / Funk; R n B; Soul Ballad
Jukebox picks: “A Funky Space Reincarnation” (5.3) • “Anger” (4.6) • “You Can Leave, But It’s Going To Cost You” (4.0) While I was listening to this over again for the review I was so appalled by what I was hearing that I started to doubt ...more →
STARDUST Willie Nelson Columbia JC-35305 “An embarrassment”Pop Ballad; Crooner / Cabaret
Jukebox picks: “Blue Skies” (2.8) • “Stardust” (2.6) • “Moonlight In Vermont” (2.0) The whole concept and execution of his “Red Headed Stranger” LP of a few years earlier delivered some decent results for...more →
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE Genesis Charisma CDS-4010 “An embarrassment”Prog; Soft Rock / A.O.R.
Jukebox picks: “Follow You, Follow Me” (3.9) • “Down And Out” (1.8) • “Scenes From A Night’s Dream” (1.4) Disillusioned guitarist Steve Hackett had jumped ship, leaving Phil Collins (vocals, drums, percussion), Tony Banks (key...more →
FAME Grace Jones Island Records ILPS-9525 “An embarrassment”Disco / Funk
Jukebox picks: “Autumn Leaves (Les Feuilles Mortes)” (2.0) • “Do Or Die” (1.4) • “All On A Summers Night” (0.9) Apalling stuff. No character to this cabaret disco tripe. Even worse than her debut of last year and that’s saying somet...more →