70s / Gold (2-CD)

by Various Artists

Liner Note Author: Mike Ragogna.

Photographers: Robert Altman; Govert de Roos; Adrian Boot; Michael Putland; Chris Walter; Barrie Wentzell; Claude Van Heye; Harry Goodwin.

More than anything, the '70s opened up worlds of experimentation and exploration in music without the constraints of modern music rules. There was literally something that appealed to the ears of everyone, regardless of what style you were into, and it became the definitive soundtrack of a lifetime. This two-disc set covers disco, funk, new wave, folk, Southern rock, prog rock, blue-eyed soul, soft rock, quiet storm, arena rock, and everything else in between that made the music so wonderfully diverse. There's nary a trace of filler here, as every single one of the 40 songs was an important moment in the evolution of popular music in one respect or another. Gold is an excellent survey for anyone wanting to explore the breadth of the treasures that the decade had to offer. ~ Rob Theakston