History: America's Greatest Hits
Artist: America
Community Score: 7.01

Mirroring the cover art depiction of America's dual life in England and the U.S., History: Greatest Hits perfectly spotlights both the polished and layered production of British studio legend George Martin and the West Coast tones of the band's folk-pop style. Featuring the group's many chart toppers from the first half of the '70s, this... Read More

Andrew Gold
Artist: Andrew Gold

An abundance of riches can be heard in Andrew Gold's first solo album. There are great Beatlesque melodies here, as well as heartfelt love songs that are Gold's specialties. Playing nearly all of the instruments himself makes this a truly "solo" effort. ~ James Chrispell, All Music Guide Read More

Young Men Gone West
Artist: City Boy

On this album, the band focuses on the glam rock sound of the mid- to late-'70s (swirling guitars, high-pitched harmonies) on tracks like "Dear Jean (I'm Nervous)" and "The Man Who Ate His Car," but City Boy maintains its soft rock sound with light keyboard touches and soft vocals on songs such as "One After Two" and the title track. Young Men... Read More

Singles (1974-1978)
Artist: The Carpenters
Toto
Artist: Toto
Community Score: 8.92

It's as easy to see why radio listeners loved Toto as it is to see why critics hated them. Toto's rock-studio chops allowed them to play any current pop style at the drop of a hi-hat: one minute prog rock, the next hard rock, the next funky R&B. It all sounded great, but it also implied that music-making took craft rather than inspiration and... Read More

Endless Flight
Artist: Leo Sayer
Community Score: 10.00

Richard Perry's production on Endless Flight, coupled with the tremendous song selection, makes it superior to the 1977 follow-up, Thunder in My Heart (also produced by Perry, but with not as much heart), with this project remaining big through most of that same year. The two number one hits, a catchy Vini Poncia/Leo Sayer co-write, "You Make Me... Read More

Still the One
Artist: Orleans
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy
Artist: Elton John
Community Score: 9.11

Sitting atop the charts in 1975, Elton John and Bernie Taupin recalled their rise to power in Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, their first explicitly conceptual effort since Tumbleweed Connection. It's no coincidence that it's their best album since then, showcasing each at the peak of his power, as John crafts supple, elastic,... Read More

Minute by Minute
Artist: The Doobie Brothers
Community Score: 10.00

With Tom Johnston gone from the lineup because of health problems, this is where the "new" Doobie Brothers really make their debut, with a richly soulful sound throughout and emphasis on horns and Michael McDonald's piano more than on Patrick Simmons' or Jeff Baxter's guitars. Not that they were absent entirely, or weren't sometimes right up... Read More

Christmas Portrait
Artist: The Carpenters
Community Score: 10.00

An essential album for your fireside Christmas, it sold a million in 1978 and contains the classics "Merry Christmas, Darling" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." ~ David A. Milberg, All Music Guide Read More

Spirits Having Flown
Artist: The Bee Gees
Community Score: 6.38

Spirits Having Flown is regarded today as something of a letdown, representing the tail-end of the Bee Gees' period of greatest success, perhaps because it preceded a two-year layoff that, in turn, heralded a decline in their fortunes. At the time, however, no one heard anything less than what they expected -- beautiful slow dance numbers ("Too... Read More

Daryl Hall & John Oates - BONUS TRACKS
Artist: Hall & Oates
Community Score: 7.25

Switching to RCA, Hall & Oates recorded a self-titled album that fulfilled their early promise as pop-savvy blue-eyed soul craftsmen. A few of the tracks fall flat -- including the reggae-tinged "Soldering" and the pompous "Ennui on the Mountain" -- but much of the album is lush and catchy, featuring ballads and mid-tempo numbers that are nearly... Read More