The Road to Ruin cover

The Road to Ruin

Released

The same year as Stormbringer!, this one recorded in London, rather than New York, and it’s like a different planet. 1970 has become 1974 and it’s smooth sailing, oddly more American sounding than its predecessor. It’s calm but sort of threatening in its mastery, and Beverley sounds remarkably strong and bright here. Hard to believe she has recorded only two albums in the forty years since. “Here I Am Now” sounds more than a little like Patti Smith years before she hits the studio. “Sorry To Be So Long” is kinda shagadelic and “Auntie Aviator” could be the menacing theme for an unexpectedly affecting Kelly Reichardt movie about a small town pilot.

Sasha Frere-Jones

Recommended by

Suggestions
Solid Air cover

Solid Air

John Martyn
No Burden cover

No Burden

Lucy Dacus
Warm Chris cover

Warm Chris

Aldous Harding
The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter cover

The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter

The Incredible String Band
Oar cover

Oar

Alexander Spence
The Basement Tapes cover

The Basement Tapes

Bob Dylan, The Band
Shoot Out the Lights cover

Shoot Out the Lights

Linda Thompson, Richard Thompson
Push the Sky Away cover

Push the Sky Away

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds