The album marked a successful coda in terms of a catalog that’s forever inscribed in the annals of radio-ready music and mainstream Americana.
Author: Lee Zimmerman
It’s difficult to discern any one Seger album that stands out overall. Yet even now, this 1980 release still ranks as one of Bob’s best.
The singer-songwriter’s second LP found him at the cusp of a career that would lead to greater glories, while ensuring his stature on the singles charts.
The combination of high concept, grandiose execution and ELP’s usual artistic ambition made ‘Brain Salad Surgery’ a mind-blowing effort.
His most successful solo record, it allowed him to stand apart from the earlier work he had spawned with Traffic, Blind Faith and the Spencer Davis Group.
Whereas their earlier albums were bathed in day-glo tones, imagery, Mellotrons and mystique, their eighth release was decidedly down-to-earth in comparison.
The 1974 LP features a star-studded cast of musicians, chief among them Joe Walsh, who not only oversaw its production, but also played guitar on 10 of its tracks
The 1969 debut album set a standard for all prog-rock that followed and raised the bar in terms of expectation and achievement.
Other triumphs would follow, but clearly this 1975 best-seller marked a turning point in both their tapestry and trajectory
The album could be considered a greatest hits, given the fact that several of the songs are still considered essential Joel standards.