Top 10 - 1978

#1
Artist: Van Halen
Title: Van Halen

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#2
Artist: Nazareth
Title: No Mean City

An incredibly underrated release that doesn't get a lot of hype as an album in general or even as part of the Nazareth catalog. This is my favorite offering from Nazareth.

Things open up hot and heavy with the fast paced rocker "Just To Get Into It".



#3
Artist: Rolling Stones
Title: Some Girls

After putting out several likable though not fantastic releases, Mick and the boys bounce back with what many consider to be The Stones' last great album.

There isn't a lot of filler material to be found here, and "Some Girls" impresses the listener in ways not seen since 1972's "Exile On Main Street".

Casual listeners will recognize such hits as "Miss You", "Beast Of Burden" and "Shattered" from the radio airplay they received. But there is much more to be found here. Further listening will show the title track in its raw and blunt form as well as the country/blues jangle of "Far Away Eyes" to be standouts as well both of which harkens back to something they would have recorded in the late 60's or early 70's.

#4
Artist: Kiss
Title: Ace Frehley

If you asked anyone who followed KISS in the 70's, you would probably find that they had a favorite member of the band. Of the four members, lead guitarist Ace Frehley would probably win honors as the most popular.

I remember people thinking that he was one of the greatest guitar players in rock. Of course, hindsight proves this to not be the case, but that doesn't diminish his work on this solo album in any way. Whether he was the most popular member of the band among fans is moot. This is by far the best solo title any of the four members released during 1978.

His self-titled solo album is filled with quality material, and the radio airplay of the track "New York Groove" didn't hurt in exposing this release to the public. I'm sure the success seen by the sales of his solo album gave him the confidence to soon depart the band for good and explore a career as the leader of his own band.

It's too bad the other three solo albums couldn't approach the material found here. It might have caused unity within the band instead of the increased dissintion among the group which ultimately lead to the dissolve of the original lineup.

#5
Artist: Foreigner
Title: Double Vision

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#6
Artist: Boston
Title: Don't Look Back

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#7
Artist: Billy Joel
Title: 52nd Street

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#8
Artist: Queen
Title: Jazz

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#9
Artist: Jackson Browne
Title: Running On Empty

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#10
Artist: Cheap Trick
Title: Heaven Tonight

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