I would be painting an incomplete portrait of the music scene of the mid-seventies without including something by Joan Armatrading. When she appeared, her style and voice were so original that she almost warranted her own genre – confessional singer/songwriter acoustic jazz-funk, perhaps.

At the time, nobody wrote songs like hers, and the caliber of the writing was often stunning. To this day, the hairs on my arms stand up whenever I hear “Love and Affection.” Like so much of her material, the song opens slowly and unfolds in layers, with each new layer altering the tonal palette, rendering it unpredictable and yet inevitable. Not every song had such emotional strength, but “Love and Affection” sounded like it could move mountains, and it still does. I’m certain this is due in no small part to the excellent production work of English legend Glyn Johns, but great production only matters when there is great material to hone. Johns, who worked with Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, and a host of other superstars has stated that “Joan Armatrading” is the best album he’d ever been associated with.

One of the best characteristics of Armatrading’s songwriting is its ability to sound deeply personal, and yet relatable for just about any listener. This is mostly due to her penchant for writing an extensive catalog of love songs, but draping the words in a melodic style that sounds like nobody else. Whether the lyrics are autobiographical or not is moot. What matters is that the songs’ characters are often vulnerable, but with a confident sense of self-centered optimism that carries the listener above anything that could be interpreted as morose. “Down to Zero,” “Help Yourself,” “Save Me” and “Tall in the Saddle” all discuss awkward moments in a relationship, but without a trace of self-pity. The lyrics express self-empowerment and the music adds to the sense of confidence, with no outward sign of trying too hard, which makes it easy for the listener to empathize with the protagonist.

Armatrading had been releasing records since 1972, when she immediately garnered praise for her unique style. Of course, it never hurt that she always surrounded herself with some of the best session musicians in England, including bandmembers for Cat Stevens, Fairport Convention, Faces and Elton John (including the man himself!), and even a young Andy Summers (soon to be a member of the Police). While critics embraced her immediately, her ascendancy to stardom in Britain was slow, and even slower here in the States. This is the album that broke her open in England, and got enough airplay here in the States to put her on the radar. Her next few albums were similar in quality and style, until the new wave movement inspired her to new heights with a stylistic change of her own. Before the punk eruption, though, “Joan Armatrading” signified a high water mark for a feminine perspective in pop music.

Featured tracks:

Down to Zero

Help Yourself

Water with the Wine

Love and Affection

Save Me

Join the Boys

People

Somebody Who Loves You

Like Fire

Tall in the Saddle"

September 1976 - Billboard Charted #67