Patti Smith Group, Radio Ethiopia (side A)

The Patti Smith Group is of course remembered as something of a radical innovator in mid-70s New York. In retrospect, 1976's Radio Ethiopia sounds weird and out-of-time/place, but far less radical than it did when it was new. The poetic vocal layering and odd structure of "Poppies", for example, is juxtaposed against a classic-rock foundation that overtly grounds the song. The classic singles like "Pissing in a River" and "Pumping (My Heart)" still sound timeless, but more as rock songs that genre-stretching oddities. Jack Douglas and Jay Messina's production has some overtly 70s elements, like the tight drum sounds and recognizably direct bass, but it somehow sounds quite unlike hit records of its era. The full dynamic range is quite impressive when compared to today's highly-compressed idea of rock music. The front cover photo is particularly beautiful, even if the rest of the layout is a bit primitive (again, this contrast closely matches the music).