Why is Boston on my best 1,000 albums ever list?
I lost myself in a familiar song. I closed my eyes and I slipped away.
What does Boston mean to me? What does it make me feel? Why is it exciting or compelling?
In revisiting Boston, I keep thinking things like “now this is ‘70s guitar rock, this is arena rock, this is album rock.”
Because it’s all those things. It’s a band and an album that executes what it sets out to accomplish exceptionally well. If that comes across with a slight whiff of snobbery, I’m not meaning to at all. To say it another way: Boston is quintessential 1970s hard rock and quite simply it kicks some ass.
Cool note on the album from All Music:
[Boston guitarist] Tom Scholz, who wrote most of the songs, was a studio wizard and used self-designed equipment such as 12-track recording devices to come up with an anthemic “arena rock” sound before the term was even coined.
I’m absolutely loving “Smokin’” these days. The note above about Tom Scholz’ guitar and production work is so on point because the guitar work on this song is absolutely… well, let’s go with sizzling. And overall the song is fun and rocking as all get out. Great keyboard work as well.
Growing up on Long Island, New York in the 1980s and 1990s, I’ve listened to the iconic “More Than a Feeling” about 7,000 times on classic rock radio. But it holds up really well, even if it’s not quite my favorite song on the album.
What does turn me on more these days, frankly, is the rollicking “Peace of Mind,” which is a great showcase for Brad Delp’s vocals as well as being another blast of a guitar rock track.
The nearly eight minute long epic, “Foreplay / Long Time,” is worthwhile for its pretty insane guitar and organ solos.
Boston on Spotify
Some stats & info about Boston
- What kind of musical stylings does this album represent? Boston Bands, Rock Music, Album Rock, Arena Rock, Hard Rock
- Rolling Stone’s greatest 500 albums ranking – not ranked!
- All Music’s rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars
- When was Boston released? 1976
- My ranking, the one you’re reading right now – #675 out of 1,000
What does the “best 1,000 albums ever” mean and why are you doing this?
Yeah, I know it’s audacious, a little crazy (okay, maybe a lot cray cray), bordering on criminal nerdery.
But here’s what it’s NOT: a definitive list of the Greatest Albums of All-Time. This is 100% my own personal super biased, incredibly subjective review of what my top 1,000 albums are, ranked in painstaking order over the course of doing research for nearly a year, Rob from High Fidelity style. Find out more about why I embarked on a best 1,000 albums ever project.