Friday, May 5, 2017

The Year 1976 Albums Calendar and Rankings

1976, the year I was born. Also the year of the Bi-Centennial of course (per 1776).

Odd year in some ways per there was a ton of Jazz-Rock being made. I guess it was at the peak, or just after the peak of Jazz-Fusion and progressive rock. Punk, Post-Punk and New Wave were a couple of years away from taking over overall.

But the other thing is, and it may just be a product of the time and obscurity to a point, 18 albums below I cannot find a release date or month for. Kind of sucks, but I don't have time to do the research.

But as far specifics, Marscape is a favorite of mine, a masterpiece of Jazz-Rock and concept albums. And it really is a Brand X album, before they came up with their name.

Romantic Warrior also a big favorite among jazz-rock for me and many others. Rush's 2112 was a breakthrough, Jon Anderson's debut album is by many his best work.

Many great live records from Renaissance, to Rush and Led Zeppelin (which was for the film of course).. And the Billy Cobham / George Duke album is a favorite of mine as well, as the cover art I adore. Its charm, comedy, and Scifi element among other things. I even have George Duke's signature on my vinyl copy.

1. Jack Lancaster and Robin Lumley - Marscape
2. Return to Forever - Romantic Warrior
3. Rush - 2112
4. Jon Anderson - Olias of Sunhillow
5. Kansas - Leftoverture
6. Al Di  Meola - Land of the Midnight Sun
7. Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall
8. The Billy Cobham / George Duke Band - Live on tour in Europe
9. Genesis - A Trick of the Tail
10. Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
11. Styx - Crystal Ball
12. Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life
13. Rush - All the World's a Stage
14. Boston - Boston
15. Queen - A Day at the Races
16. Rainbow - Rising
17. Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same
18. Led Zeppelin - Presence
19. Genesis - Wind and Wuthering
20. The Alan Parsons Project - Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe
21. Shakti with John McLaughlin - Shakti with John McLaughlin
22. Stanley Clarke - School Days
23. Starcastle - Starcastle
24. Camel - Moonmadness
25. Jean-Luc Ponty - Aurora
26. Ken - By Request Only

Journey Look Future.jpg
Journey - Look into the Future
rel January 1, 1976


Frampton Comes Alive.jpg
Peter Frampton - Framption Comes Alive!
rel January 6, 1976


Station to Station cover.jpg
David Bowie - Station to Station
rel January 23, 1976

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10cc - How Dare You!
rel January 24, 1976

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Mahavishnu Orchestra - Inner Worlds
rel January 1976

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Genesis - A Trick of the Tail
rel February 2, 1976

Aurora Jean Luc Ponty.jpg
Jean-Luc Ponty - Aurora
rel February 26, 1976

RomanticWarrior.jpg
Return to Forever - Romantic Warrior
rel February 1976

Starcastle (album).jpg
Starcastle - Starcastle
rel February 1976

A Love Trilogy.jpg
Donna Summer - A Love Trilogy
rel March 5, 1976

Weather Report - Black Market.jpg
Weather Report - Black Market
rel March 11, 1976

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Marvin Gaye - I Want You
rel March 16, 1976

The Doobie Brothers - Takin' It to the Streets.jpg
The Doobie Brothers - Takin' it to the Streets
rel March 19, 1976

Album cover; an angel struggles amidst a flaming background
Judas Priest - Sad Wings of Destiny
rel March 23, 1976

Camel-moonmadness.jpg
Camel - Moonmadness
rel March 26, 1976

Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak.jpg
Thin Lizzy - Jailbreak
rel March 26, 1976

A photograph of a family sitting at a dinner table with a black obelisk roughly one foot tall at the centre of the table
Led Zeppelin - Presence
rel March 31, 1976

From a Radio Engine.jpg
Michael Nesmith - From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing
rel March 1976

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Rush - 2112
rel April 1, 1976

Gentle Giant - Interview.jpg
Gentle Giant - Interview
rel April 23, 1976

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Jethro Tull - Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll: Too Young to Die!
rel April 23, 1976

TAPP-TalesOfImagination.jpg
The Alan Parsons Project - Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe
rel May 1, 1976

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Van der Graaf Generator - Still Life
rel April 15, 1976

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Rainbow - Rising
rel May 17, 1976

Billy Joel - Turnstiles.jpg
Billy Joel - Turnstiles
rel May 19, 1976

The Royal Scam album cover.jpg
Steely Dan - The Royal Scam
rel May 1976

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Brand X - Unorthdox Behaviour
rel June 18, 1976

The Story of i.jpg
Patrick Moraz - The Story of I
rel June 1976

Soft Machine Softs.jpg
Soft Machine - Softs
rel June 1976

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Jon Anderson - Olias of Sunhillow
rel July 24, 1976

James Brown Get Up Offa That Thing.jpg
James Brown - Get Up Offa That Thing
rel July 1976

BostonBoston.jpg
Boston - Boston
rel August 25, 1976

Jaco Pastorius (1976).JPG
Jaco Pastorius - Jaco Pastorius
rel August 1976

ELO A New World Record.jpg
Electric Light Orchestra - A New World Record
rel September 11, 1976

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Black Sabbath - Technical Ecstasy
rel September 25, 1976

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Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
rel September 28, 1976

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Rush - All the World's a Stage
rel September 29, 1976

Styx - Crystal Ball.jpg
Styx - Crystal Ball
rel October 1, 1976

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Stanley Clarke - School Days
rel October 8, 1976

Four Seasons Of Love.jpg
Donna Summer - Four Seasons of Love
rel October 11, 1976

A drawing of a dilapidated theatre with a thick black border around it
Led Zeppelin - The Song Remains the Same
rel October 22, 1976

Cover - midnight sun.jpg
Al Di  Meola - Land of the Midnight Sun
rel October 25, 1976

folder.jpg
Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso - Come in un'ultima cena
rel October 1976

Kansas - Leftoverture.jpg
Kansas - Leftoverture
rel October 1976

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Jean-Luc Ponty - Imaginary Voyage
rel November 4, 1976

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The Eagles - Hotel California
rel December 8, 1976

A Day at the Races (Queen).jpg
Queen - A Day at the Races
rel December 10, 1976

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Genesis - Wind and Wuthering
rel December 17, 1976

Untitled
Billy Cobham - Life and Times
rel 1976

PNG
The Billy Cobham / George Duke Band - Live on tour in Europe
rel 1976

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Chick Corea - The Leprechaun
rel 1976

My Spanish Heart.jpg
Chick Corea - My Spanish Heart
rel 1976

Man in denim jacket standing in a doorway leading into a hacienda courtyard.
Paco de Lucia - Almoraima
rel 1976

Oh Yeah cover.jpg
Jan Hammer - Oh Yeah?
rel 1976


Alphonso Johnson - Moonshadows
rel 1976


Ken - By Request Only
rel 1976

untitled
Jack Lancaster and Robin Lumley - Marscape
rel 1976

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Max Webster - Max Webster
rel 1976

Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life.jpg
Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life
rel 1976

Focal Point (album).jpg
McCoy Tyner - Focal Point
rel 1976

Untitled
Oregon and Elvin Jones - Together
rel 1976

Untitled
Flora Purim - 500 Miles High at Montreux
rel 1976

RenCarnegie.jpg
Renaissance - Live at Carnegie Hall
rel 1976

ShaktiCover.jpg
Shakti with John McLaughlin - Shakti with John McLaughlin
rel 1976

Untitled
The Skatalites - The Legendary Skatalites
rel 1976

Old Loves Die Hard.jpg
Triumvirat - Old Loves Die Hard
rel 1976