Brianna Corley

Arts and Living Editor

Music has the unique ability to give off a sense of timeliness while still amplifying and representing the time of its release. Inspired by those golden oldies that paved the way for today’s music, these picks of the week are a look back at three of my favorite albums that ruled the 70s.

“Physical Graffiti” – Led Zeppelin

For every time a band has attempted to cover and ultimately botched “Stairway to Heaven,” another good Led Zeppelin song goes underappreciated. Led Zeppelin falls under the category of definitely heard of them before with hits such “Immigrant Song” and “Black Dog” constantly featured in television and movies

For any fan who is looking to try out more of their music, “Physical Graffiti” is the perfect place to start. Released in 1975, “Physical Graffiti” encompasses the scope of Led Zeppelin’s range and their uncanny ability to cultivate an entirely different feeling and atmosphere in each individual song. Highlights of the album include the rock rooted “Custard Pie,” the uniquely funk rhythmed “Trampled Under Foot” and the versatile ballad “Ten Years Gone.”

“Animals” – Pink Floyd

Much like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd has retained incredible popularity throughout recent years. There is rarely a time you venture out into public and don’t come across some wayward rocker wearing a “Dark Side of the Moon”T-shirt.

While I considered discussing the just as important and popular album “The Wall,” Pink Floyd’s 1977 release “Animals” accentuates the band’s tendency to theme their discography.

With the overall concept hailing from George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” each song’s animal name is dictated to represent a different class in society. From the electric shrieking of “Pigs,” to “Sheep’s” careful message, “Animals” is the perfect album to let play uninterrupted on a long night drive.

“You Don’t Mess Around with Jim” – Jim Croce

Released only a year before Jim Croce’s death, “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim” hits particularly close to home. Jim Croce tragically passed away hours after giving his final performance at Prather Coliseum to a crowd of ecstatic Northwestern State University students.

Croce’s thoughtful songwriting and inventive characters are sure to be enticing to any lover of music. Aside from the titular track “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” the album offers the dreamy chorded “Time in a Bottle,” the grounded “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)” and the soft rock classic “Hard Time Losin’ Man.”