Sweet: Sweet Fanny Adams (LP)

Originally regarded as a glam rock band, The Sweet surprised us with this 1974 album of banging hard rock. Right at the beginning of the record, the Brits make it clear with Set Me Free that they can do more than just glittery costumes and pop songs: Drummer Mick Tucker almost tears his drum kit apart, bassist Steve Priest provides the earthy foundation, Andy Scott shoots around with razor-sharp riffs and singer Brian Conolly proves that his voice is capable of much more than easily digestible melodies for the charts. Anyone interested in the origins of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal will find part of the root here.