A half-century ago, rock musicians released work that managed to harken back to the 1960s while looking to the future. The ’70s began with soul music, hard rock, jazz-rock and singer-songwriters, and ended with the ascendency of disco, yacht rock, punk — and singer-songwriters. In 1971, David Bowie released what is arguably his best full-length, Hunky Dory, a record that still sounds fresh today. Meanwhile, singer Harry Nilsson made one of the best post-Beatles Beatles albums, Nilsson Schmilsson, a record that proves the Fab Four’s 1970 breakup was in name only — the ’70s just kept recycling their innovations. Delve into those classics, and don’t forget Miles Davis’ jazz-rock masterpiece Jack Johnson — one of the greatest albums of any decade. The Flamin’ Groovies’ Teenage Head anticipates punk, while the female-led California band Joy of Cooking made a superbly nuanced feminist statement on its eponymous debut album. It could be that Funkadelic’s 1971 envoi to the ’60s, “Can You Get to That,” stands as the greatest three minutes of the decade. If you want more, read about the year in David Hepworth’s fine 2016 book Never a Dull Moment: 1971, the Year That Rock Exploded, which covers the era with style — it’s available via Parnassus Books. EDD HURT
Delve Into the Music of 1971
