Hiro11

What seventies singer-songwriter albums should I own? I'm talking stuff like Todd Rundgren's Something/Anything, Jackson Browne's first album, maybe even John Prine's first one. Joni Mitchell? Warren Zevon? Joe Jackson? I'm particularly interested in the Big Star/power pop/post Beatles type stuff up to Elvis Costello's debut. Anyone?

wendersfan

I'm a huge fan of Carole King's Tapestry. The first Dwight Twilley album, Sincerely, is a classic, too, and right up your alley. It's like a cross between Big Star era Alex Chilton and early Tom Petty. I can't think of more stuff in that genre, but as far a singer-songwriter albums in general, the first Zevon album, eponymously titled, is easily his best. Don't be distracted by Excitable Boy, which is terribly uneven by comparison. I'm not much of a Jackson Browne fan, but I'd say The Pretender is the one to go with. I'm assuming you are familiar with Graham Parker, but if you aren't, his first four albums are all worth owning, Howlin Wind, Heat Treatment, Stick To Me, and (his best) Squeezing Out Sparks. This first Joe Jackson album, Look Sharp! is also fantastic, but he went downhill quickly, IMO.

Is that enough to get you started? I can keep going if need be, but definitely pick up that Twilley album if you don't already have it.

Supermallet

If you're looking for something a little more off the beaten track, I would suggest looking up Sparks. Their album Kimono My House is a classic. Todd Rundgren actually produced their debut album (although they were called Halfnelson at the time).

Neil Young's Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere is fantastic (while it's technically from 1969, it's really great). And his 1970 album After The Gold Rush is just as good, although fairly different.

Can't go wrong with The Band's first three albums, Music From Big Pink, The Band, and Stage Fright.

Speaking of The Band, no 70's singer/songwriter collection is complete without Bob Dylan, specifically his 1975 album Blood On The Tracks, which happens to be his best album.

deadlax

man, where to start, one of my all time favorite genres.

you MUST own
Joni Mitchell - Blue, Ladies of the Canyon
Carole King - Tapestry
Bob Dylan - Planet Waves
Neil Young - EKTIN, After the Goldrush, Harvest
Crosby, Stills, and Nash - Deja VU
Jim Croce - 2-Disc Greatest Hits
Eric Clapton - 461 Ocean Boulevard
Cat Stevens - Tea for Tillerman, Mona Bone Jakon
Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey, His Band and Street Choir
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
George Harrison - All Things Must Pass
John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band

This should get you started. Granted some of these are late sixties, and others are quasi-rock, but they are all albums by amazing songwriters, and tend to steer closer to ballads, melodies, than rock songs.