Today I’m closing out the releases for December 1970. Check back tomorrow for my highly scientific subjective 1970 year-end album ranking.
December 1970: The Move – Looking On
Looking On was the third of four studio albums by The Move. It was the first one to include Jeff Lynne. Lynne and Roy Wood already had their vision for a new band, so in a way this was The Move in name only. Once contractual obligations were fulfilled after their next album, they became the Electric Light Orchestra.
December 1970: Ry Cooder – Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder released his solo debut album in December of 1970. Cooder’s talents, styles, and influence are so varied I can’t begin to write about him intelligently. As with other accomplished musicians I know little about, after seeing his name associated with movie soundtracks, the Rolling Stones, Malian multi-instrumentalist Ali Farka Toure and others, I began with a compilation.
December 1970: Eric Burdon and War – The Black-Man’s Burdon
This double album was the final release by the band to feature Eric Burdon before he left and they continued on as War. Its two suites are based on cover songs: Paint it Black and Nights in White Satin.
December 1970: Sir Lord Baltimore – Kingdom Come
The trio Sir Lord Baltimore released their debut in December. I’d honestly never heard of them until putting together my rough outline for this year. There are some interesting factoids about this album and band, who are considered highly influential on later metal bands. For one, a review for this album in Creem is unofficially where the term “heavy metal” was coined. Also, all of Kindom Come’s songs were written and arranged by Mike Appel, who would become Springsteen’s first manager. If you like Zeppelin, Sabbath, the Stooges, Hendrix, etc., give this album a listen if you aren’t already familiar with it.
December 1970: Gordon Lightfoot – Single: If You Could Read My Mind
And on a completely different wavelength from Sir Lord Baltimore, Gordon Lightfoot released the single If You Could Read My Mind this month fifty years ago. It’s one of my all-time favorite singer/songwriter tunes. It reached number one in Canada and was his first song to chart in the U.S., where it reached number five.
1970: Richie Havens – Stonehenge
The final two albums in this post have release dates simply stating “1970,” but they’re more than significant enough in my book to mention here before we move into 1971. Stonehenge isn’t Havens’ strongest album, but I like a few of its tracks including Minstrel from Gaul, Prayer, and the Bee Gees cover I Started a Joke.
1970: Brewer & Shipley – Tarkio
Tarkio was the third album by Missourians Mike Brewer and Tom Shipley. It was the most commercially successful release for the folk/country rock duo, containing the somewhat throwaway song that became a minor hit, One Toke Over the Line. (This song was hilariously covered as a “gospel” tune by Lawrence Welk duo Gail and Dale who apparently had no clue what the song was really about.) Other tasty nuggets include Tarkio Road, Song from Platte River, Don’t Want to Die in Georgia, Ruby in the Morning, Oh Mommy (on which Jerry Garcia contributed steel guitar), and – screw it, the whole album’s good. Brewer and Shipley were friends with mid-late 1960’s L.A. music luminaries such as The Association and Buffalo Springfield, but chose to move back to the Show Me State. They continue to perform today individually and as a duo, mostly across the Midwest. Brewer & Shipley goes good with: CSN, Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Gene Clark, Flying Burrito Bros., Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and you get the picture.
-Stephen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looking_On
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry_Cooder_(album)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black-Man%27s_Burdon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Come_(Sir_Lord_Baltimore_album)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_You_Could_Read_My_Mind
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge_(Richie_Havens_album)
50th Music Anniversaries and Other Musings 
Some great stuff on here, including Ry Cooder and Gordon Lightfoot. I also like some of Eric Burdon’s post Animals music, including his period with War. Though I’m not very familiar with the album you called out.
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