Back in the 70’s, when I was growing up, everything was different. The ladies wore those real short shorts, hijinks involving the local sheriff never resulted in much trouble, and people still got into their cars through the window. Most of all, though, the music was different. Rock was huge; it was inescapable. You didn’t have to go down to some hole-in-the-wall club to find a real rock’n’roll show; chances are, there was one going on over at your local fairgrounds or speedway.

As bands like Styx and Supertramp held it down for both sides of the Atlantic, die-hard rock fans immediately snapped up and cherished each new record by their favorite bands. As a bonus, with each new album came the beautiful expanse of the LPs’ cover art, a perfect visual complement to the music. Aside from the gleaming beauty, the glorious size, and the dazzling covers, record albums had something more fundamental that today’s CD releases do not: brevity.

You see, when records were the primary format for recorded music, physical constraints limited the length of albums dramatically. With the advent of the compact disc, however, came the age of the 74-minute album. That much time, coupled with most musicians’ apparent desire to use it all, comes the inescapable reality of filler tracks. Honestly, how many skits do you need on an album? Of course, long albums existed long before the CD revolution, but the case can be made that The White Album, The Wall, and even Frampton Comes Alive made good use of the double-LP format. Today’s worthwhile extra-long players, in comparison, are few and far between. I mean, Wu-Tang Forever?

Anyhow, because of the small amount of space on a record, the albums tended to be more consistent, interesting, and listenable. In addition to that, the physical design of the record provides for an interesting division of each album into two separate sides. Since listeners will often play only one side in a sitting, it is important that each album side be individually cohesive. As a result, each side tends to have its own feel. In light of this characteristic, I would like to highlight a few of the strongest album sides I have found, in no particular order. Let’s rock.

Invisible Touch, Genesis, side one. This one is unreal, start to finish. It’s got ups, it’s got downs, it covers the whole emotional spectrum. You may scoff at Phil Collins (yes, the man is a disgrace these days), but back then, he was a pretty raw dog. The title track’s bouncy aerobic-worthy beat is pure 80’s power-pop, and Phil is right there with it. Every time I hear it, I think I’m watching a movie about somebody winning something against all odds. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" is a spaced-out, paranoid, and downright weird nine-minute trip, but Genesis had the skill to parlay it into a hit. "Land of Confusion" remains one of my all-time favorite videos, and its anti-Reagan message is all right with me, too. The kicker here, though, is "In Too Deep." This has to be in the top five love songs of all time. After playing this one at the volume it demands, you’ll be too drained to flip the record and be disappointed by side two. Clever lads, Genesis.

Boston, Boston, side one. A wise man once said, never buy Boston’s Greatest Hits, just buy their debut. That man was me, and he was right. This is an amazing album, but it seemed to be about all the boys from/of Boston had to give. "More Than a Feeling" and "Peace of Mind" are genuine classic rock gems, and radio stations like Arrow 93 are probably still keeping the boys in good booze thanks to these two. The real treasure on this side, however, is the one-two punch of "Foreplay/Long Time." Technically one track, this epic begins with the instrumental "Foreplay," which is basically a workout tape for virtuoso musicians. It’s funk, it’s rock, it’s a little bit Carmina Burana. This segues beautifully into "Long Time," a real feel-good driving jam. Guitarist Tom Scholz’s degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT (no joke) makes his sustain just that much sweeter. This album is worth owning on wax just to see drummer Sib Hashian’s whitey-fro in all its glory, and to see the cover picture of guitar-shaped spaceships approaching an exploding planet, which my friend Keith would call "trippindicular."

Slippery When Wet, Bon Jovi, side one. This album defined my childhood. Side one, clearly the stronger of the two, has all the hits: "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Livin’ on a Prayer," and "Wanted: Dead or Alive." All of these are terrific songs, as we all know, so I shan’t go into much detail here. What I will say is that the video for "Wanted: Dead or Alive" hit me pretty hard. To this day, I haven’t heard a line that rivals Jon’s declaration, "I’ve seen a million faces, and I’ve rocked ‘em all." The secret ingredient that holds this side together, though, is the in the leadoff slot. "Let it Rock" may not be as recognizable as its neighbors on this record, but it sure gets you pumping your fist. On any other album, this would have been a huge hit. On this album, unfortunately, it gets lost in the shadows.

Clearly, this is not a complete list. I invite you to dust off those LPs in dad’s basement. I bet you’ll find a few gems of your own. Good luck!