Mott the Hoople (1974) Trudi's Song

One of many excellent ballads from the heavily underrated English rock group, too often pidgeon-holed as one hit wonders of the Glam Rock age when in actual fact they started as very talented dark blues rock outfit, heavy with great songwriting before transforming with the times with the help of the Bowie penned hit All the Young dudes. After that track they became adept at laidback acoustic ballads ala the Eagles with a deep maudlin atmosphere, powered by the guitar licks of Mick Ralphs and the Dylanesque confessional songwriting of the enigmatic Ian Hunter. This belongs to those songs along the lines of The Angel of Eighth Avenue, I Wish I was Your Mother with it's dark, unhurried bass drum beat and lyrical content.From the Ralphs'less The Hoople album, the ballads shine stronger than the rockers with their intimate feel as the band entered a more ponderous, nostalgic period. The finger picked guitars and their signature use of organ add a fatalistic feel to their music echoing the solemn sentiment of All The Young Dudes, the best being the glum "Woooah ho" vocal refrains. 

Manassas (1972) Anyway

Anyway is definitley the best track on this double album full of rock, folk, country, jazz all wrapped in heavy soul, rock n roll and latin influences. It's like a gospel folk big band version of CSN. While the harmonies are good its mainly a Still's focused album of his laidback folk rock and more heavier tracks which don't work when compared to the effortless and inventive melodies of the folk songs. Song of Love along with nice moments in other songs such as the synth in Move Around and select moments in the last side appropriately labelled Rock N Roll is here to stay are the best of this collections heavier music. Anyway with it's calypso beat mixing with fuzzed out guitars and it's circular melodies captures the band's upbeat fusions. Also check out the folky soft soul of Colorado and Johnny's Garden.

Rose Royce (1976) I Wanna Get Next To You

From the Car Wash hitmakers this song carries some Motown vibes in it's atmospheric organ and piano drenched sound with an indelible melody and a classic Temptations style progression. The singer's pleading vocals are also a delight with the classic soul baking chorus.

Jackson Five (1973) Get it Together

From the namesake album, its a forgettable set but it is this title track that really carries Sly Stone styled rebellious funk in the verses with the horns and the strutting reggae guitars with MJ's typically supreme vocals that manage to be smooth yet rough. As the Jacksons matured they pursued the harder rocking sound they were looking for since their first album's cover of Stand!

PS only the single version is worth it for its clearer mix and focus on Michael's vocals and teh backing guitars.

The Band (1972) Get Up Jake

From the Rock of Ages live album, it started as a B side but has the melodic, hook-laden memorability of a A side, this is more funky and has more colourful organ work; hmm sounds like purple! The hook is so ridiculously catchy they start humming it at the end, while the lyrics feature some great downbeat subject matter about a perennial loser called Jake. The mix of funk rock with the rootsy part of the equation would lead to some great music with the Bee Gees and the Doobies discovered the mix of country and funk is ridiculously successful.

Byrds (1970) Just Like a Woman

Roger McGuinn's Dylan esque vocals are far more melodic and emotive than the counterculture' poet laureate and so delivers an exquisite crystal clear folk guitar version powered by a organ and rock rhythm section of Skip Battin and the frenetic groove of Gene Parsons. Here the tender vocals bring the human warmth and romance to the fore lacking from Dylan original that lead to the foolish misinterpretation of the song as some sort of  misogynist put down, which it clearly is not.

Otis Clay (1972) Holding on to a Dying Love

 From his Trying to Life My Life Without You LP a classic in Memphis soul this is a near perfect song. The lyrics are crystallise the feeling,  delivered with lean without overdoing it nailing the situation accurately; when a love affair loses its sparkle. The great Stax horns play a dirge pattern over some bittersweet strings weep, it creates a yearning feel as this song eulogises the relationship. The usual organ and backing choir work well with the melancholic subject while Clay's aching vocals hit it home.

Ringo Starr (1971) It Don't Come Easy

A glam rock song complete with horns, a slight power pop feel possibly from the contributions of Badfinger and George Harrison's production roughly around the time they worked on the seminal Straight Up album. It's got a catchy melody and a solid beat with star studded help from Gary Wright and his former bandmate Harrison's playing .

Jim Croce (1973) Operator

The tragic singer songwriters more commercial effort has a great soft rock melodicism emerging from some truly wonderful finger picked guitar playing. While the idea of addressing a telephone operator may sound corny and dated, Croce's heartfelt lyrics and cool delivery make this an exceptional pop song.

Little Feat (1972) Trouble‏

From their countrified reboot of an album Sailin Shoes, while known for the Trucker anthem Willin with its strong southern gospel feel with a folk backing this nice ballad has a similar vibe of upbeat resilience with most of the same elements with the wonderful addition of Bill Payne's accordion.

T Rex (1972) Life's a Gas

A mordant strum that sounds more like Bowie's playing on Space Oddity than his early acoustic work in the 60s in the duo Tyrannosauras rex, the hippie precursor to Bolan' full glam rock n roll band. The refrain of 'it really don't matter at all' is excellent mixing with Bolans' fanciful lyrics at always undercut the serious tone of the instrument backing.

Sweet (1979) Big Apple Waltz

A rousing soft rocker with a passing country feel to the plush guitar keyboards ensemble and lyrical linked to the Eagles Hollywood Waltz. It's another terrific song from their late 70s era when they embarked on diverse progressive and ballad heavy material.  It saw their songwriting at its peak away from the glam rock and bubblegum novelty of their commercial successful days. In fact front man Brian Connolly had quit the band before they recorded the Cut Above the Rest (1979) this comes from tellingly revealing the amount of talent still left in this group even after losing their main singer and creating a multi layered sound as a three piece.

Randy Meisner (1978) I Really Want You Here Tonight

 From the Former Eagles bassist's streamlined solo debut, the one with the great cover of him in the seat of a vintage car, the album captures a lot of his diverse talent as well as what he lacked. However this track with its strong 80s vibe mixing with atmospheric though dated mellow Moog its still a free fallin pop rocker, the kind that wouldn't have worked on an Eagles album but shows his feel for good grooves and solid song writing material. It mixes odd panning of keyboards, backing vocals and an odd sounding guitar that sounds like it was played under water to create a memorable track. The hearty passion still in his voice, always more raw than the slicker vocals of Eagles leaders Frey and Henley.