Peter Gabriel- III (1980)

By 1973/74, Peter Gabriel acted disguised Roman, flower, elder or bulbous creature, and songs dedicated to the plant Ambrosia. In 1980 he edited his third solo album, Genesis sound was a distant memory, and posed for the cover with the agonizing face casting process effects a kind of acid. From fantasy to reality.
In his two previous albums had shown signs of his new musical personality. However, the shadow of the symphonic sound of his former band still hung over them, especially in the first. In "Peter Gabriel III" took a giant step, reinforced his status as creator edgy, and gave his best collection of songs to date, abracando urban styles like rock, experimental music and even the new age.
In London, Marillion were in their infancy and offered audiences a magic similar to that in the masterpieces of early Genesis. Gabriel, meanwhile, no longer spoke of the characters from Alice in Wonderland. His new topics treated schizophrenia, harassment, isolation and lack of communication. Even with discrete outcome was entering international commitments.
The third album from Surrey (England) is a kaleidoscope-dose risk, innovation, and most influential capacity that has been recognized. The first track, "Intruder", is a topic of nightmare. The intruder who enters your life and you know it will not bring anything good. The text uses striking phrases ("I like it when you know I'm there / Your bated breath charging the air"), to create that sense of danger lurking. The victim in the bedroom without venturing out into the hall, and into that bathroom whose light is kindled. The bastards Gabriel whistles of a more smug than ever surprise the listener at the end of this haunting song, which includes sounds of creaking doors, or steps on a creaking wooden floor. In the nineties, Primus recorded a version of this theme.
"No Self Control", the following also contains a novel structure. At first you hear about "soundscapes", those progressive touches so characteristic of Robert Fripp's guitar, Gabriel friend and regular at that first stage. It also is worth listening to that last part, when the singer repeats the phrase that titles the topic a battery and a drawing of compulsively twisting guitar, keyboards and suddenly the song abruptly cut.
"Start" is a delicious and very brief interlude played the saxophone, a note of outstanding quality, which leads to the next, the move "I Do not Remember", the most accessible song to date, which speaks of loss memory.
Follow what is, from my point of view, the best song this man has made throughout his solo career, "Family Snapshot". This theme, the "Instant Family", may go unnoticed at first listen, but it's those pieces that, in four minutes, build a character and gives it emotions, describe their actions and their consequences and conveys a world sensations. And this is due to the awesome vocal of Mr. Gabriel.
The theme has a symmetrical construction, slow entry - crescendo - why slow end, the way traditional narrative approach - knot - deselance many novels and movies. Peter Gabriel is the loner, the style of Travis Bickle, the protagonist of "Taxi Driver" to interpret Robert de Niro, who dreams of reaching his fifteen minutes of fame shooting a politician. The song describes the type of position from a rooftop sniper, awaiting the arrival of the procession to fire
Delirium in song, the injustice of being rejected that chooses insane way to become someone. At the end of the topic, this moron is seen only with the consequences of their actions. The song slows down, and the tone of Gabriel explaining what acts have been this crazy conveys a sense of sadness and loneliness hard to describe. The art made music. In a recent collection was edited by Peter Gabriel does not appear this issue. Now they better. At least the artist himself was aware of the greatness of this classic unknown, and included it in the "Peter Gabriel Plays Live", their live album 83.
The following "And Through the Wire" is much lighter, is another good song with hummable chorus.
We arrived at the most unfortunate moment of the album, in my opinion: "Games Without Frontiers", as well as the final, "Biko", a South African activist dedicated defender of the rights of black citizens in the country of Nelson Mandela. For me is that the rock is defined as Brian Setzer, the Stray Cats leader: "Songs that you arrive on beautiful women and tough guys called Johnny Cool and Jim Dynamite". I know it is very simplistic, but when I listen to music vibrate or excited, as I do with that described "Family Snapshot" I come with no political gibberish by well intended.
And the two songs are heard Gabriel, but for example "Games Without Frontier" is more like a congregation of "Boy Scouts" singing Ring Around the Rosy than a rock song.
"Lead a Normal Life", by contrast, is an almost instrumental piece, with suggestive environments created with synthesizers, and where Gabriel sings only one verse. It's music like he did David Bowie in his Berlin trilogy, and Trent Reznor certainly had in mind when he composed this song many instrumental pieces that are in "The Fragile".
"Not one of us", the issue remains to comment, is another interesting piece that addresses the issue of rejection, as is clearly stated in the first sentence: "There is only water in the tears of a stranger."
On the back of this magnificent Lp Gabriel could see, with the same hairstyle and the same shirt on the cover melted by acid apparently totally normal, with childish features intact. But looking good photo of Gabriel perceive the expression, that look at this incipient smile empty and emotionless, and will alter rather than the gimmicky cover. The man on the cover is the sniper "Family Snapshot" an image that reminds me of the last shot of Norman Bates in "Psycho".
Pure art, progressive rock, avant-garde yet assimilated is what gave us Peter Gabriel's third LP.

Dire Straits-Making Movies (1980)

A guitarist who today is everything in the music world, a myth of rock and roll. His fingers have written one of the most beautiful pages in the field of music of the twentieth century. His style, reposado, cadent, yet intense and always has been able to reach harmonious society all together: From those exceeding half a century to reach youth not thirty. Almost forty years of successful full endorse him, he got it all, and most importantly, has achieved everything he proposed. He has been able to move from the majority who packed stadiums to take refuge in a comfortable ostracism from where he grows his next musical wisdom of old musicians, idols all in their teens (Chet Atkins, JJCale, Everly Brothers, Eric Clapton ...) has just been outstanding to work with the King. Today Mark Knopfler talk means talking about prestige, quality, a something unparalleled, unrepeatable.
After the release of their self-titled album and "Communiqué", the Straits are declared the best band of 1978 in Australia. "Sultans of Swing" is one of the songs radiated and sold worldwide. The band is ecstatic. It has been two years without break. From late 1977 until the end of 1979 more than 300 concerts around the world, promotions on radio and television programs, recordings ... The rest is necessary and advisable.
We had to get our strength to continue climbing one of the most promising and acclaimed rock bands. Dire Straits had spent two years as a group of four friends "starving", if I may use the expression, to be a group with a hearth and an amazing future. Knopfler actually saw made many dreams, the hardest he had done, had his own band r'n'r, and had thousands of fans all over the world. His music had reached all corners of the planet and its recognition was becoming a fact, so much so that Bob Dylan himself Mark Knopfler does claim to be the lead guitarist of his album "Slow train comming", which even escaped Mark's dreams. Your participation is palpable in the nine tracks on the album of Dylan, highlighting moments of the song "Precious Angel" and his own "Slow train comming". But not everything will be joys. The band is not as compact as before, and not so united, and emerge the first disagreement. David Knopfler not take it anymore and left the band. Their motives are official policy concerts conducted, the intense work which were subjected, and the consequent lack of creativity of the band, which according to David, had lost its way, the roots, and was sold.
The unofficial reasons would be a lack of leadership from David in the band, Mark it captures everything, and David has not only made an issue in Dire Straits. David Goliath ate this time 980 will mean gestation of the third album of Dire Straits "Making Movies". For this album are hired to replace Hal Lindes David on rhythm guitar work, and Alan Clark on keyboards. or many, Dire Straits won the Olympian with Brothers In Arms, well, for me Dire Straits Olympus earned my staff with this album, one of the most beautiful and attractive discs that have been made in the history of Rock N Roll . It is said that Mark invited enough people recording the album and concert promotion in ordering the sound engineers that have a moderate level instruments for the public to talk to each other. Mark Knopfler was something of an outsider by temperament humble, unpretentious and its only knew the arrogance converted into a duty to yourself to get better, never put limits, harshly criticized members of his band and criticizing himself. She did not care to say it was the best guitarist in the world, Dire Straits were the actual feeling, he always suspicious of the concept of the rock star as a hero, he would not be a David Bowie or Towshend Pete, is felt more comfortable with his role as a worker of Rock. When you were making this record, told his colleagues he wanted to do things his way, he wanted to do the hard work, that peculiar character caused several band members leave, but I knew I had to. wanted the group together and waterproofed from any external influence, authoritarianism was reflected in the songs.
Making Movies was defined as the album Mark own most sad, blue, and in turn, more ironic the group. These conflicting ideas endowed a number of nuances to the group staggering, Knopfler was made clear that hurtful sensitivity with which could destroy anyone, and it is on this record when Mark evolves, becomes a novelist, a troubadour, intervenes in the scene, he was the Athanor of the songs, I like to use such other to talk about their feelings for storytelling. He discovered that despite not being a great singer, could suggest and express a lot with his voice, and his peculiar way of singing one of the engines of this disc, and hurtful laconic voice that sings, tells stories, as if one Waits, Dylan or Brassens it were, with that peculiar tone of a crooner not hurt Gilda seduces her in a bar one night, and Mark sounds on this album, Dylan he envied the rich amount of worlds could create without being practically a virtuoso, that was what I wanted Mark: create their own worlds, their hopes and desires transform into celestial music, and made it.
Making Movies is the record of undying love or otherwise, of broken love. A message of gloom and despair, the modernization of Latin Horacio topic of Carpe Diem: enjoy the splendor of things, do not lose the love of your life, there are mistakes that hinder corrected despite a lifetime and affect your performance ratio, Mark urges you not to happen. In an interview, said he was very shy, linking not ever, and that a girl he liked, and knew he could not be with her because she was worthless to say anything, he imagined, when he slept, a world devised by him in which he said that girl did want to be with him, imagining a happy life with her, replacing her real world without hope, for a fictional world where he triumphed, narrative element to add to the songs of this paper. Because obviously, it emerges the first song on the album that is nothing more and nothing less than Tunnel Of Love one can not but marvel. may be the best composition of Mark and one of the Pharaohs and Babylonian songs of rock history, eight minutes full of evocative instrumental passages, rhythm changes, catchy melodies and agile and Mark's voice envelops you, away a winter cold and covers you with a blanket that the echo of his voice makes every sentence. The song is very catchy and easy to hear, but with much irony, Dire Straits issues at first glance seem not say much, but those are the good ones, leading to the exploration and interpretation of the songs, there are silences that often say more than a word, Mark knows that better than anyone. So Tunnel Of Love is a song that tells the phases of love, this time focusing on the passions and the obsession with that cloud vision to humans, the known phases you desire love and passion come together to then appear the regrets of those who have done something wrong. There is a moment of the song that is just great, when instruments are silenced and only appears on the scene Mark, his voice and his guitar, flooding a song of melancholy already hurtful. The monstrous moment of the song comes at the end when Mark trealiza sidereal cosmic-tap which looks set slowly pulling the pins that fill your heart, it's as if everything that had silent throughout his life, take him out in that one, then a keypad appears beautiful with emotional melody that makes you want to hear a thousand times and incontestable closes the issue.
Romeo And Juliet The next we know it all, many magazines agree that it is probably the most beautiful ballad in history, the most beautiful I do not know, but it is impossible not to be captivated by the fragility and innocence of Romeo And Juliet, because it was born to illuminate hearts or turn them off. A music journalist said that this song you can tell what a person is wanting, solemn bullshit, but may not go off track. Mark plucking is ethereal and sweet, it's amazing what this man can do with his thumb, how can trace, like an oil paint with a fine brush, the outlines of a broken heart, because this song, despite being coated of an outstanding beauty, is another manifestation of the gentle irony of Mark, with a sensational letter: smart, honest and without boasting dramatic of any kind, just a feeling that arises and dwells in your soul to stay and not return.
The lyrics are great, but the video of the song has been a success, I can not help a smile when Mark is heart issues ironically, with the idealized Romeo, handsome and with the marked packet, confident same, symbolizing the arrogance and selfishness of many of us do when we are in a gala relationship. Juliet is represented by a tearful woman, who suffers and feels helpless, sees his Romeo and farther than ever is heartbroken. The example of what I said before: reading the letters of the group and watching your videos, you'll notice the ambiguity of the group often.
Skateaway progresses slowly with a mysterious keyboard intro, the riffs are heard Mark distant, as if he stopped for a moment the spotlight on drums, the bass and keyboard. Mark sounds here less gloomy, with a slight, very slight voice distortion, with a much more catchy chorus without double interpretations or anything like that, a song more direct, to reduce the emotional charge of the first two. Expresso Love is one of the great themes of the album and discography of the Straits, with that sticky keyboard melody and catchy riff that sticks to dry, simple and Mark prevailing throughout the song, making it an experience for crystalline ears.
Hand To Hand After we reached another major plastic compositions, Solid Rock is great, where Mark and the band leave their characteristic British phlegm and parsimony to download a powerful electrical issue, of those who are born to fill stadiums, with a stellar battery performance. And is that even though the Dire Straits Mark Knopfler are mostly, the talent behind the leading musicians are especially good, know their secondary role and accept it without question and without any pretensions. The air Rockabilly theme is important, with again the presence of the keyboard and its sheer melody and playful forms a classic and training.
Les Boys brings you back to Mark quiet and melancholy, catalyst of emotions with his voice, and here ends the disc for my taste most intimate of Dire Straits, which was a new shift in how to address the compositions and where the romantic plot is very important, as you may have read, is not a new issue and the debt issues of the heart, but perhaps are the most painful. Yes, that is the love and put Romeo And Juliet, you'll feel like floating. I love, a beautiful and sweet disc,

Genesis-Foxtrot (1972)

Genesis truly impressive levels elevate his bombast, complexity and expressiveness with this album, pulling the sleeve of one of the best albums of all time, only surpassed by his successor "Selling England by the Pound". The Lp was really significant and instrumental progressive rock as a genre, is also one of the greatest landmarks. The final maturity as musicians did not reach it without further with "Selling England By The Pound", reaffirms for me and with this album, which serves as a harbinger for the next. Like its predecessor, this is a disc with halftime and stops, but the difference is that here everything is clean and memorable, the amazing star complex issues contrasts perfectly with the irresistible short pieces and delicate in their path in half.
The band further increases its share of theatricality and leads to a level that goes beyond the music, translating this into his live, because with the launch of this board Peter Gabriel was starting out on stage dressed facing numerous multifaceted characters and interspersed even within the same subject in one of the cases, such as in "Supper's Ready", as if the deployment of mastery and brilliance that transmitted aurally with that court was not already too dazzling alone.
The curtain rises the wonderful "Watcher of the Skies", a topic with a lot of potential, announcing the opening of the play with a mellotron gives supreme airs. The song is the most robust and accurate, with bitter dark overtones, but sublime.
"Time Table" is even better, a love song for his pace and excellent and outstanding performance of Peter Gabriel, showing off and excelling in a dramatic and poignant at the same time. The chorus is the best and it's hard not to try to corearlo. The passages of Tony Banks on keyboards shine.
The thing going to become more intense with "Get Em Out by Friday", curious song that allows Gabriel exhibit their wild and crazy side. Abrupt changes considerably with advancing the theme and instrumental arrangements more complex than capable of misleading anyone in this magnificent piece without waste.
Returns the delicacy and beauty in the melodies with "Can-Utility and the Coastliners", a knot of instruments that together form an impenetrable fortress, recreating an atmosphere masterful. Tony Banks returns to capture bright and moderate rhythms Steve Hackett has its fleeting moments.
There comes a time more intimate, delicate disc: "Horizons", a tune that was unlikely to Genesis and a considerable simplicity and brevity yet achieved its goal: Wrap and make the listener to travel to the state of deep relaxation. Fulfilling a role Fluff basically the same as in the "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", this issue is a real pleasure to hear, as if the music we coined.
The end is evident and to close the masterpiece we have which is nothing more and nothing less than the best song of Genesis, the vast, unique and brilliant "Supper's Ready", an epic piece tinged apocalyptic reflected concerns love and that nothing else can do justice to itself and its grandeur. Praise fall short for this 23-minute suite of enormous complexity where the band reaches the summit and take off in a true journey of sensations and feelings crossed that allows all members of the band shine on his own. The impressive and legendary number moves us restless, makes us laugh, feel euphoria and excitement and even gets to hypnotize all in a flurry of greatness stamped rhythms deployed in a few less than half an hour. Peter Gabriel gets us more than ever and recites some of his most memorable and iconic verses: And it's hello babe with your guardian eyes so blue, Hey my babe do not you know our love is true, A FLOWER?. The issue is so complex and has so much to make juice that is almost impossible to adequately summarize its contents, you can only say that it is extremely emotional, intense, outrageous, energetic and magical.
This is one of the greatest songs of all time, no more.
"Foxtrot" is one of the largest samples of progressive rock, and its closure can always leave the stamp of quality. This was truly committed Genesis music and with intentions of passing something really big. A timeless gem but simply unrepeatable.

Anyone´s Daughter-Adonis (1979)

Anyone's Daughter is an excellent German band that was still active well into the 21st century. Founded in 1972 in Stuttgart, their early period was defined by the progressive sounds of the 1970s, with complex music, intricate arrangements featuring melodic guitars, powerful drums, and sophisticated bass lines. Their lineup consisted of bassist and vocalist Harald Bareth, guitarist Uwe Karpa, keyboardist Matthias Ulmer, and drummer Kono Konopick. In 1979, they released their first album, "Adonis", on the German progressive label Brain. On it, the band showcased a melancholic progressive rock sound similar to that of the British band Camel. The four-part suite "Adonis" features a delightful symphonic style with soaring guitar solos, rich keyboard textures, and intricate arrangements. The rest of the album is a perfect combination of Moog solos and guitars, such as "The Blue House" or the sophisticated and fast-paced "Anyone Daughter's". During the following years, they continued to release very interesting works such as "Piktors Verwandlungen" (1981), "In Blau" (1982), and "Neue Sterne" (1983).

East Of Eden-Snafu (1970)

East of Eden was a fascinating progressive rock band worthy of mention, boasting a long career spanning almost two decades. Formed in Bristol, UK in 1967, the lineup consisted of Dave Arbus (electric violin, flute, saxophone), Ron Caines (alto saxophone), Geoff Nicholson (guitar and vocals), Steve York (bass), and Dave Dufont (drums). In 1969, they signed with Decca Records, releasing their first albums, "Mercator Projected" (1969) and "Snafu" (1970). Both are excellent works, showcasing a powerful sound of electric violin, flute, and saxophone combined with Béla Bartók and other classical, Eastern, and even Gypsy melodies, all set against a hard rock foundation. "Snafu" continued the musical direction begun with their debut album, featuring a more solid sound that blended blues rock, psychedelic music, and fusion. Although labeled proto-prog like other contemporary bands, they showed less interest in sophistication and classicism, focusing instead on rougher, more complex sounds. This is evident in tracks like the catchy blues-rock "Have To Whack It Up", the exotic "Leaping Beauties For Rudy/Marcus Junior", the complex "Xhorkhom" and "Ramadhan", both with Arabic influences, and the jazz-blues "In The Snow For A Blow". The band continued releasing albums until 1978 when they disbanded, only to reunite in 1996.

Triode-On N´A Pas Fini D´Avoir Tout Vu (1971)

Triode was a French band about which very little information is available. Formed in the early 1970s, they managed to record only one album under the Futura Red label, which is now highly sought after by progressive rock fans. This sole album, released in 1971, is "On N'A Pas Fini D'Avoir Tout Vu", composed entirely of instrumental tracks and dominated by the excellent flute playing of Michel Edelin, with a style very close to Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and indebted to the Canterbury sound. The flute interludes and the instrumental progressive elements lean more towards jazz with psychedelic guitar tones. It's a very rhythmic and versatile album where none of the tracks are filler, featuring lively instrumentations that demonstrate the full potential of a talented band with great musical ideas. Their version of The Beatles' "Come Together" is simply original and perfectly executed with a high-level psychedelic and progressive sound.

Quatermass-Quatermass (1970)

For fans of progressive rock is a must have album Quatermass unique, especially for those who like where the keyboard is the dominating style that thrived in the early 70s. Although the band had only three members, their stories are as colorful as the music they produced. Pete Robinson (keyboards) and Johnny Gustafson (bass) joined Mick Underwood (drums) and founded Episode Six, a band that included Ian Gillan who later became the voice of Deep Purple. Underwood was also involved with The Outlaws and The Herd, only a few years before Peter Frampton arrived. When the band finally formed Quatermass in 1970, they had set eyes on a format where the energy used in their Robinson keyboard would give them the sound. Both issues, "Black Sheep" and "One Blind Mice", were released as singles, but fell on deaf ears, but the sound of the band was equally moved as the repertoire of The Nice. The Quatermass sound is far from being a hollow sound isolated and without direction. After this album the band split, with Gustafson later doing session work for Kevin Ayers, Steve Hackett, and Ian Hunter and others, while Robinson found new life in the progressive jazz band Brand.

Five Day Rain-Five Day Rain (1970)

Five Day Rain was a British psychedelic and prog rock band that emerged during the transition of those sounds in the late sixties and early seventies. Formed by guitarist Rick Sharpe, bassist Clive Shepherd, and drummer Dick Hawkes, who were already performing as Iron Prophet, they recruited organist Graham Maitland and named this new group Five Day Rain. Their only album, recorded and released in 1970, featured additional guitarist John Holbrook, as well as singer Sharon Tandy and members of the band America, who contributed vocals and backing vocals on the folk-influenced tracks "Goodyear" and "Sea Song". The album is notable for the powerful and psychedelic sounds of "Mariés A Woman" and the expansive instrumental "Rough Cut Marmalade", with its abrasive, distorted guitars and sharp, stellar Hammond organ sounds. Originally released as a limited edition, it wasn't until almost 20 years later that the original pressing of the album was discovered and bootleg editions began appearing, targeting the collector's market. Years later, the Italian label Nightwings released a remastered edition with the participation of the band's original members.

XII Alfonso-Charles Darwin (2012)

For two years, the musical project ALFONSO XII were composing, arranging, recording and mixing their new album. Composed of 3 CDs of one hour each, devoted to the life and work of historical biologist and researcher Charles Darwin, eternal curious, who loved life in all its forms and who tried, until the day he died, to decode the mysteries of it. These 3 CD's recount, in chronological order, the most important events of his life. With 22 songs and 30 instrumental pieces, XII ALFONSO try to illustrate his biography with different notes and styles, tones, sounds, rhythms, atmospheres and words. All topics we talk about their beginnings, youth, home, dreams and doubts. The instrumental pieces are an attempt to reflect the most important concepts of his thoughts: 'The coral of life', 'Descent with modification' Struggle for Existence ',' On the origin of species' ...
In this album, besides paticipating a lot of great musicians like John Helliwell, Supertramp saxophonist, Maggie Reilly, singer Mike Oldfield, Tim Renwick, Pink Floyd guitarist, Mickey Simmonds (keyboards), Terry Oldfield and John Hackett (flute ), Raphael Ravenscroft (sax), Robin BOULT FISH guitarist, guitarist Ian Bairnson Alan Parsons and Kate Bush, David Paton, bassist Alan Parsons Project, FISH and Kate BUSH, Francis Dunnery, It Bites guitarist, Elliott Murphy (voice ), Huong Thanh (vocals), her husband Hong NGUYEN (zither), Ronnie Caryl (guitar, vocals), Amy Keys, Alistair Gordon, Jayney Klimek, Gerard Lenorman and Freegh (vocals) and Ton KAYAK SCHERPENZEEL more keyboards. This is the sixth official studio album of French XII ALFONSO, group led by brothers Philippe (bass, guitars) and François CLAERHOUT (keyboards), who joined Thierry Moreno (drums) and Stéphane Ducasse (flutes), achieving between them, the musicians mentioned above and a few other less known but proven worth, an ambitious album inspired by the life and work of Charles Darwin.
For 15 years, XII ALFONSO unclassifiable has composed music that is not jazz or rock, progressive or classical, traditional nor This group has been characterized from the beginning by his imaginative musical approach (progressive symphonic as one of the best references to what do), and on this record homered. His musical style is everything they say it is not very varied thanks to the intervention of different musicians and singers in every song and every issue, but mostly thanks to a supplementary instrumentation deviates frankly than usual. A acoustic and electric guitars are added mandolins, bouzouki and Vietnamese instruments like koto or give bao (string lute), Madagascar instruments as vali (zither-bagpipe) or kraar Ethiopia, balafon, xylophone, harp Burkina Faso straw, drums, ptithécophone (monkey skull) and dolphinophone, (dolphin bones), theremin, E-Bow, rain stick, etc.

Eminently romantic life and legacy of revolutionary scientific DARWIN told in the style that has always distinguished humanist aesthetics ALFONSO XII, a melting pot of cultural influences and traditions from around the world

Metamorfosis-Papallones I Elefants (1982)

This Spanish band was founded in Tarragona in 1979, though they were originally called Companyia Oliva Negra, later changing their name to Metamorfosis (there are two other bands with the same name, one Czech and one Swiss). The lineup consisted of keyboardist and main composer Jaume Montcusi, guitarist Luis García, guitarist and percussionist Joan Ramos, bassist Jordi Papaseit, and drummer Joan Grimau. Metamorfosis released only one album in 1982, titled “Papallones i Elefants” (Butterflies and Elephants), which was entirely instrumental. Their style was an interesting hybrid of jazz-rock and jazz fusion with progressive elements, featuring competent and well-executed instrumentation, with Montcusi's keyboard work being particularly noteworthy. After this album the band broke up and Montcusi himself would dedicate himself to producing other bands throughout Catalonia, participating in albums by regional groups, while guitarist Joan Ramos would go on to join the band UCCAT.

Osiris-Osiris (1981)

There are things that, if someone had told me 40 years ago, I would have dismissed the person telling them as fanciful or a liar. This brings me to one of the bands that emerged in the Middle East (there are quite a few more, however strange that may seem to us today) in the 1970s. Well, one of them is Osiris, formed in Bahrain in the late 70s and composed of a group of young people open to Western musical culture, mainly British and European. Their initial lineup consisted of Mohamed Al-Sadequi on guitar and vocals, Mohamed Abdul Razak-Aryan on keyboards, Nabil Alsedeqi on drums, Sabah Alsedqi as lead vocalist, Abdul Razzak Arian on keyboards, Nader Sharif on keyboards, and Ali Knonji on bass. It's striking that this band had three keyboardists in its lineup, something that, on the other hand, somehow gave their progressive style a solid sound. Their output isn't exactly top-notch, but we can't expect much more considering their origins. Musically, it's clear that Camel records were readily available in their country, given that their influences were largely from the legendary British band. Their debut album was released in 1981, and on it, the group alternates excellent guitar solos and fast, exciting keyboards with complex and striking organ and synthesizer arrangements. It's remarkable how a band from that remote part of the world at that time could create such incredible and superbly composed music.

Canamii-Concept (1980)

This project was inspired by the musical "theme" of The Alan Parsons Project, where, together with session musicians, they created an album of exceptional musicianship. Canamii was founded in South Africa by British descendants Phil Nel (keyboards) and Claire Whitaker (vocals), who, along with guitarist Paul Woodley, created their first and only album. Released in 1980, while the overall concept is symphonic progressive rock, they are actually better suited to a crossover sound. The music could be categorized as a hybrid of baroque and symphonic sounds, with a strong classical influence. The power of this group lies in Whittaker's voice (with a timbre very similar to Annie Haslam's of Renaissance), featuring pleasing and excellent vocal layering, as can be heard in the track "The Jester". Other tracks like "Spiral" evoke a prog jazz feel, "Afrok" is the epitome of the group's sound, while the melancholic and hypnotic "Rain" and "Feelings" showcase the rich keyboard sound and the singer's melodious voice. Their more progressive side is evident in the tracks "And The Moon Be As Bright", "Children" and "Tri".

Try-Just A Try (1980)

Try emerged from the collaboration of German musicians Amadeus Reineck (guitars and strings) and Michael Lapp (keyboards and guitars), who became friends in 1976 and, along with bassist Dieter Bauer, formed the short-lived folk-rock band Marzipan. In 1980, they tried again with Try, this time with a more progressive approach, fusing acoustic and electronic elements, a clear example of what artists like former Genesis member Anthony Phillips and Cluster were doing at the time. Their only album is one of the lesser-known gems of pastoral progressive rock, particularly for its more bucolic sounds and powerful electric guitar moments. It's a fine blend of symphonic, folk, and electronic elements. Both Reineck and Lapp had extensive experience in studio engineering in Berlin, which resulted in an exquisite production that still sounds amazing today. Compositions like the lengthy "Wreck On The Wire", with the enchanting voice of singer Carolyne McCombs and aggressive guitars, demonstrate the quality of this band that after this album would definitively dissolve, leaving behind a career that could have been much more promising and interesting.

Manuel Göttsching-Inventions For Electric Guitar (1975)

Manuel Göttsching is one of the great musicians of krautrock and a pioneer of electronic music, influencing generations of musicians with emblematic pieces like "Inventions for Electric Guitar". Founder of the legendary bands Ash Ra Tempel and Ashra, he began his career alongside Klaus Schulze and Harmut Enke, creating psychedelic and cosmic sounds within the krautrock genre. "Inventions for Electric Guitar" was his second solo album, though he credited it to Ash Ra Tempel as the band's sixth album. In this ambitious work, Manuel Göttsching conducted a minimalist experiment with the guitar, highly advanced for its time. Released in 1975, it's a work in which the musician explores all the possibilities of the instrument, employing countless effects such as echoes, double speeds, and loops, achieving hypnotic and immersive sounds with an astonishing and even majestic result. An album that is undoubtedly a work that is still totally relevant today due to its originality and its importance as a historical document.

Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes-Live At The Greek (2000)

“Live At The Greek” is a double live album released in 2000, featuring the American hard rock/blues band The Black Crowes, joined by Jimmy Page, as a tribute to Led Zeppelin and other blues greats. In 1999, The Black Crowes and Jimmy Page embarked on a months-long tour, performing not only Led Zeppelin songs but also blues and rock classics, interspersed with their own material. However, Columbia Records, The Black Crowes' label, was not happy about their songs sharing the same stage time as Led Zeppelin's, and this led to The Black Crowes' songs being removed from the setlists of the recorded concerts. This displeased the Georgia band, who nevertheless continued to fulfill their contractual obligations for the tour. This “Live At The Greek” was recorded at the legendary Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on October 19th and 20th, 1999. The repertoire consists of covers of Led Zeppelin and blues greats such as B.B. King, Peter Green, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elmore James, Willie Dixon, and Jimmy Rogers, as well as The Yardbirds' classic “Shapes of Things”. On this double album, the Robinson brothers' band managed to make the covers their own, imbuing the music with their unmistakable style of hard rock and blues, adding their unique nuances while still respecting the original spirit of each song. Jimmy Page, for his part, demonstrates peak form, rejuvenated and incredibly energetic, proving why he is one of the guitar greats, especially in his musical heaven. “Live At The Greek” would once again bring them glory and millions of copies sold. A double album of the best rock performed by a group of talented musicians who know how to perceive the color and smell of the best rock music.

Holding Pattern-Holding Pattern (1981)

Holding Pattern was a progressive symphonic rock band founded in 1981 in Connecticut, USA, under the guidance of guitarist Tony Spada. Alongside Spada were the expert drummer Robert Hutchinson, a veteran of the North American progressive scene who had played in bands like Elysin Field, bassist Jerry Lalancette, and keyboardist Mark Tannenbaum. This band showcased a strong symphonic progressive sound, a powerful melodic quality in their compositions, and high-energy live performances. Spada was the driving force, writing virtually all the compositions. However, although his guitar was always present, the sound was based on the interplay of keyboards and guitars, strongly supported by a solid rhythm section. Their melodic approach was influenced by groups like Camel, post-Gabriel Genesis, and bands like Happy the Man. Their only album was released in 1981, although it was actually an EP with four extended tracks. On this album, the instrumental prowess is excellent, with crisp, polished touches, but it suffers from a lack of quality production. The powerful "Another Point Of View" is a song with a complex structure. The haunting, melancholic "Honor Before Glory" possesses the characteristic sound that Steve Hackett presented on his albums from the late 70s. The agile "Jigsaw Dream" moves between funk cadences and highly dynamic symphonic developments. Meanwhile, in the closing epitaph, "Out Of The Tunnels", we find subtle Crimson-esque sounds as well as Holding Pattern's rockier side.

Lethe-Lethe (1981)

After the one-album adventure of the band Mirror and an extensive tour of the Netherlands, they disbanded, and three of its members founded Lethe in 1978. These musicians were Philip De Goey (piano, flute, and oboe), Johan Saanen (bass), and Kees Walravens (guitar), who were later joined by drummer Hans Lambers and keyboardist Thuur Feyen. Like Mirror, Lethe also had a short career of barely a year, just enough time to release the album "Lethe" in 1981. This album consists of four extended instrumental pieces, beginning with the title track, a folk piece featuring elegant acoustic guitars subtly accompanied by delicate piano and oboe, and some ambient and synthesizer sounds a beginning reminiscent of the unmistakable style of the American band Oregon. The following track, “Avbury Circle”, begins with a similar musical structure and builds to a vibrant finale with hints of jazz, a brilliant Hammond organ, and pure rock guitars. The second side of the vinyl opens with the infectious and lively “Cold In Fingers” and concludes with the progressive “Le Tombeau”, brimming with glorious organ sounds, a great guitar line, and jazzy underpinnings supported by a powerful rhythm section.

Meat Loaf-Dead Ringer (1981)

Meat Loaf's career is well known to all. This singer and actor is not only famous for the "Ball Out of Hell" trilogy of albums, which has sold nearly fifty million copies, but also for a career filled with other enormous works focused on pompous and epic rock. Born in 1947 in Dallas, this singer has released nearly thirty albums, including studio, live, and compilation albums, and has appeared in over a hundred films and television shows. In 1981, he released his second album, "Dead Ringer", which, even before its release, was already overshadowed by its predecessor, the monumental "Ball Out of Hell", considered one of the masterpieces of rock music of all time. For this second album, the singer no longer worked with producer Todd Rundgren, one of the main architects of the previous album's success. However, this didn't prevent Meat Loaf from creating another great album, though admittedly not reaching the heights of its predecessor, it was still undoubtedly outstanding. His right-hand man, songwriter Jim Steinman, once again played a fundamental role on this album, steering the sound in a more commercial and less epic direction. For this new release, Loaf surrounded himself with a select group of musicians, including guitarists Mick Ronson and Davey Johnstone, keyboardists Roy Bittan, Larry Fast, and Nicky Hopkins, drummers Max Weinberg and Liberty DeVito, and singer Cher. Less complex than the previous work, “Dead Ringer” showcases another superb album where vocal duets like “Dead Ringer For Love” or “Peel Out” stand out, as well as powerful rock songs with majestic choruses such as “I’m Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us”, “I’ll Kill You If You Don’t Come Back”, or the beautiful crescendo “Everything Is Permitted”.

Appaloosa-Appaloosa (1969)

Appaloosa's only album was one of the most understated examples of baroque folk from the late 1960s, a style that was widespread at the time and perfectly described a fusion of folk and symphonic classical music. Emerging from the Boston folk scene, the group consisted of guitarist and vocalist John Parker, who was also the main songwriter, bassist David Raiser, and string players Robin Batteau and Eugene Rosov. For a time, the band focused on small gigs at Cambridge University in Boston and even opened for Tim Hardin on occasion before moving to New York. There, they connected with Al Kooper, who, after hearing them, offered them a contract with Columbia Records to record an LP. Released in 1969, the self-titled album was produced by Kooper himself, who also played several instruments on the recording, along with other session musicians from Columbia's New York studios. The eleven songs included epitomize the folk-rock of the Boston area, with certain similarities to the work of Earth Opera or James Taylor. The opening track, "Tulu Rogers", is a delightful piece of country folk with Bach influences; "Pascal's Paradox" follows in the same vein, while the nostalgic "Yesterday's Road" and the jazzy "Thoughts of Polly", "Billy-Weekly", and "Now That I Want You" bear the unmistakable stamp of Al Kooper. "Rosalie", for its part, is a folk song with hints of country. Despite the incredible quality of this album, it went largely unnoticed, although its legacy would remain as a model for some later baroque folk artists.

The Outlaws Blues Band-The Outlaws Blues Band And The People (1968)

The Outlaws Blues Band (not to be confused with the Southern rock band The Outlaws) were another leading blues-rock band of the late 1960s, direct rivals of contemporaries like Canned Heat. Despite this, they were forgotten for decades and are now being rediscovered by blues and jazz fans. Formed in Los Angeles in the early 1960s by drummer Victor Alemán, bassist Joe Francis Gonzalez, and guitarist Phillip John Diaz, they were influenced by blues, R&B, and soul greats like Sam Cooke and Muddy Waters, to which they added sounds from the British Invasion. Later, as they began to build a solid reputation thanks to their dynamic live performances, the band signed a contract with Bluesway Records, a subsidiary of ABC, and recorded the albums "The Outlaw Blues Band and The People" in 1968 and "Breaking In" in 1969, both with legendary producer Bob Thiele. Their debut album opened with a particularly funky version of the greasy blues track "Tobacco Road", followed by a bluesier side with "Tried To Be A Good Boy", featuring jazzy sounds thanks to tenor flute by Joe Whiteman. Meanwhile, the band showcased their eclectic style with the soulful blues of "How Bad Love Can Be", the scorching "Lost In The Blues", and the chaotic eight-minute instrumental "Death Dog Of Doom", where they perfectly blended blues, rock, jazz, funk, and soul with Latin influences and a wild edge. A silky, smoky version of B.B. King's "Sweet Sixteen" and the cacophonous "Two Trains Running" closed out a memorable album a vibrant and unique mix of blues, rock, jazz, and soul, with multiracial compositions and a profound influence from the sounds of Electric Flag, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Santana, and The Allman Brothers Band.

Black Cat Bones-Barbed Wire Sandwich (1970)

"Barbed Wire Sandwich" was the only recording by Black Cat Bones, a British band formed in 1966. For a time, they served as the backing band for several veteran American bluesmen who experienced a resurgence in England thanks to the blues revival, particularly Champion Jack Dupree. The original Black Cat Bones lineup included guitarist Paul Kossoff, drummer Terry Sims, vocalist Paul Tiller, bassist Stuart Brooks, and his brother, guitarist Derek Brooks. Some time later, drummer Simon Kirke replaced Sims. Thanks to Blues Horizon label owner Mike Vernon, they secured a role as the backing band for Champion Jack Dupree on a UK tour. After the tour, Simon Kirke and Paul Kossoff left the band to join Paul Rodgers and Andy Fraser in forming the core of Free. With a new lineup featuring Brian Short on vocals, Rod Price on guitar, drummer Phil Lenoir, Stu Books on bass, and rhythm guitarist Derek Brooks, Black Cat Bones entered the studio to record their debut album, which would be released by Deram Records, the progressive rock division of Decca Records. "Barbed Wire Sandwich", released in 1970, is an album built on a series of compositions with simple yet effective and irresistible structures. Price's guitar work is commendable, with a sound that is simultaneously refined, sharp, raw, and saturated, featuring heavy and powerful riffs. From the opening track, "Chaffeur", a robust heavy blues number, followed by the superb "Death Valley Blues" and the dense "Save My Love" and "Good Lookin' Woman", Black Cat Bones displays enviable consistency and a solid synergy among all its members. However, the psychedelic "Four Women" and the acoustic blues "Sylverrster's Blues" differ considerably from the rest of the album, detracting somewhat from the coherence and balance of the final result. Even so, "Barbed Wire Sandwich" is one of the most interesting British heavy blues albums of the late 60s, and despite its horrendous cover (one of the ugliest ever made), its legacy has endured as the seed for many subsequent bands and those nostalgic for an era they never experienced.

Pretty Maids-Future World (1987)

"Future World" was the second album by the Danish band Pretty Maids, the work that opened the American market for them and, along with their debut "Red, Hot and Heavy", is considered their two best contributions to hard rock and heavy metal, as well as their most successful albums. Released in 1987, three years after their debut, Pretty Maids steered their style towards an Americanized sound with catchy choruses, powerful and sharp guitars, which, along with the interplay of keyboards, placed them among the best heavy metal albums of the late eighties. Tracks like the superb "Needles in the Dark" and "Loud 'n' Proud" alternate with more melodic songs such as "Eye of the Storm" and "Long Way Go", clear AOR tracks like "Rodeo", and epic heavy ballads like "Yellow Rain". From here the band would release great albums such as the following "Jump The Gun" (1990), where they had the collaboration of Roger Glover in the production, which would be a massive success in Japan or the laborious "Pandemonium" (2010), with which they managed to make a truly enviable album of great heavy metal.

Duncan Mackay-Chimera (1974)

Unjustly and sadly forgotten, Duncan Mackay is a British keyboardist who recorded several high-quality symphonic progressive rock albums and also participated in significant works by Camel and Steve Harley & Cockney Rabel. His origins lie in 1967 when he finished his studies at Shrewsbury School in Shropshire, in the west of England. There he graduated in violin and was soon nominated as the most promising violinist in the UK. However, he soon switched from that instrument to keyboards, with which he also achieved great renown. In 1970, he was invited to join the band of Brazilian jazz pianist Sergio Mendes. In 1974, Mackay secured a contract with Vertigo Records for his first and best work, "Chimera", a debut album that showcased his most notable influences: the sounds of ELP and The Nice, with outstanding Hammond organ playing that permeated his music. Composed of three extensive suites, "Chimera" began with the epic "Morpheus", in which the keyboardist showcases his impressive vocal abilities in a cheerful and rhythmic piece with harsher, more visceral moments, featuring passages that lean towards jazz and even pop. The progressive "12 Tone Nostalgia" is a brilliant composition dominated by muscular Hammond organ sounds, while the mammoth "Song For Witches" is a memorable suite of progressive passages in the purest style of early ELP works, with psychedelic and enigmatic sounds. Three years later, Mackay released his next work, "Score", another formidable exercise in progressive rock, but from then on his subsequent releases were of lesser scope, dedicating his later career to collaborating with groups such as The Alan Parsons Project, Budgie, and Camel, where he contributed his extraordinary keyboard sounds to the legendary album "Nude". "Chimera" is one of the hidden gems of progressive rock that has gone completely unnoticed amidst so many masterpieces from more media-savvy and established contemporary groups and artists.

Pink Floyd-The Division Bell (1994)

Made in 1994, would be the last work of the band in studio and possibly the best album of the post-Waters, with a huge and complex guitar work and trying to emulate the style of the '70 set, but traces of psychedelia and the oppressive feeling that time and much less on experimentation. Still, this is a very atmospheric album, with more instrumentation than usual, where the name of Rick Wright becomes an integral part of the band and his figure takes center stage lost from The Wall. Recall that disappeared in The Final Cut was a musician and collaborator on A Momentary Lapse of Reason and Delicate Sound of Thunder.
How could it be otherwise, Pink Floyd created a concept album where communication is the protagonist and the importance of communicating with others, the argument, especially Roger Waters communication with current members of the band. According to David Gilmour, and put it diplomatically, the album's title refers to the bell used in the British Parliament to vote to call the two factions divided. The album puts the names of those factions Waters and current members of Pink Floyd.
The concept revolves sadly in a "Roger, You should contact us at the time and you should do it now", contradicting statements made by leaders of the group. In many ways, the album sounds like a tribute to Waters and the war he established. 
The album overall was really superb but maybe sticking out the Floydian Cluster One with the atmosphere so peculiar that so masterfully created the group, the jazz Wearing the Inside Out, half progressive blues Coming Back to Life, Keep Talking rhythm or the huge and High Hopes complex progressive

Werwolf-Creation (1982)

Continuing our series on lesser-known bands, this time we feature the German group Werwolf, founded in Sauerland in 1970 by drummer and vocalist Peter Besting, guitarist Hartwig Kugoth, and bassist Peter Lorenz. For a time, they were a trio, until 1972 when keyboardist Jürgen Göckle, saxophonist and flute player Michael Schlimm, and vocalist Ellen Wiederstein joined the band. With this lineup, Werwolf recorded a demo to distribute to various record labels in hopes of securing a contract, but without success. During those years, the band focused on live performances, touring with bands like Birth Control and Eloy. It wasn't until 1982 that they released their first album, "Creation", which featured only Peter Besting from the original lineup. On this debut album, Wearwolf leans towards progressive folk sounds with pleasing acoustic guitars and the enchanting voice of singer Gitta Loewenstein, which bears a certain resemblance to British singer Annie Haslam of Renaissance. Besides Loewenstein's vocals, the album's highlights come from the excellent work of guitarist Gerd Heuel and the symphonic keyboards of Wolfgang Unthan. Extended tracks with substantial developments and constant tempo changes give it a certain feel of music made in the seventies rather than the eighties, which is understandable given that the compositions were written long before they were recorded. "The Journey To The Land Of The Flying Pigs" and "Daydream" are clear examples of this, while "The Eighth Day", "The Song", and the opening track "Höhenflug" are complex progressive compositions with a sound more in keeping with the decade in which they were recorded.

The Gary Moore Band-Grinding Stone (1973)

Gary Moore is one of the greatest guitarists in history. Influenced primarily by the blues, he ventured into heavier genres like hard rock and heavy metal, and even dabbled in progressive jazz rock. Gary Moore's career began in the late 1960s when, at just 17 years old, he joined the band Skid Row (not to be confused with the American band of the same name from the 1980s). With Skid Row, Moore recorded three albums and became very popular, opening for established bands like Mountain and The Allman Brothers Band across the United States. In 1973, Moore decided to form his own band, The Gary Moore Band, with whom he recorded his first album, "Grinding Stone", where the Irish guitarist already showed glimpses of what was to come in the following years. "Grinding Stone" is a magnificent album of hard rock and psychedelic blues, featuring outstanding compositions such as the opening track "Grinding Stone", a psychedelic instrumental where Moore showcases his talent on the six-string guitar, and brilliant cuts like the epic, progressive-tinged "Spirit" and the boogie blues "Boogie My Way Back Home". From this point on, Gary Moore continued to release albums with various groups, including the progressive jazz-rock band Colosseum and the hard rock band Thin Lizzy, as well as solo albums. His solo work alternated between hard rock and metal albums and traditional blues, and on more than one occasion, he even explored the rhythms and melodies of traditional Irish music, from his homeland. In 2011, Gary Moore was found dead in a hotel room in Málaga, the victim of a heart attack in his sleep. He was 58 years old and had been a fixture in the music scene for over forty years.

Eloy-Live (1978)

Fantastic double live album official German progressive rock group Eloy. Thetopics covered by disks are as follows: From Inside Inside is included. From The Power And The Passion Of Dawn Mutiny is included there is some mess with titles,including The Sun-Song is actually the theme-Flash Memory, The Dance In DoubtAnd Fear they really are the topics Appearance Of Return Of The Voice and The Voice, and finally Gliding Into Light And Knowledge. From the Ocean includePoseidon's Creation, Incarnation Of The Logos and and the long title theme, Atlantis Agony ... etc. etc.. The interpretation of the issues that is more symphonicrock, everything is covered with mysterious atmospheres, dark, symphonic, and I can imagine that day in the room transported to another galaxy like I was stuck in ascience fiction movie. Some of the interpretations are quite faithful to the originalsbut there are some topics like Atlantis Agony ... Dawn or issues where the instrumental parts are stretched very effectively. One of the basic double live the70's progressive.

Marsupilami-Arena (1971)

Pioneers of the sounds that bands like King Crimson and Yes would later achieve, Marsupilami were one of the seminal groups of progressive rock. They had their moment of glory when they replaced King Crimson at the opening of the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. Formed in the late 1960s, this band released two albums between 1970 and 1971, "Marsupilami" and "Arena", showcasing great musical complexity with elements of blues, experimental jazz, and British folk influences. Their base was in the Netherlands from 1970 onward, where they recorded and released their albums. The lineup consisted of Fred Hasson on vocals and percussion, Dave Laverock on guitar, Leary Hasson on keyboards, Jessica Stanley-Clarke on flute and vocals, Richard Hicks on bass, and Mike Fouracre on drums. Their second release, "Arena", is a concept album based on ancient Roman culture, depicting the scenes that unfolded in the Roman Colosseum, life and death on the sand of this iconic venue. Produced by Pete Bardens, along with several other musicians who collaborated on the recording, the band showcased unusual melodies and harmonies, featuring numerous keyboards, dense sounds, and electric guitars that, together with flute and powerful drums, resulted in a dark and intricate progressive rock sound. The album's compositions are quite complex, with sounds influenced by jazz, Eastern music, and a certain Canterbury scene.

Gracious-This Is...Gracious (1971)

A band from the nascent British progressive rock movement, founded in 1967 in the London suburbs, they initially played pop music, which evolved into more complex and ambitious territory after discovering the potential of the Mellotron sound. After several lineup changes, their first stable formation consisted of Alan Cowderoy (guitar), Paul Davis (vocals and 12-string guitar), Martin Kitcat (keyboards), Robert Lipson (drums), and Tim Wheatley (bass). From their debut album, "Gracious" (1970), the band displayed an interest in imbuing their style with risky and complex compositions, though with little musical coherence. In 1971 came "This Is...Gracious", featuring a more polished production and a more cohesive and committed band. Here Gracious shows impressive progress compared to his debut album, with the Mellotron taking center stage in the music, complemented by guitar interactions as demonstrated in the suite "Super Nova" which occupies one side of the album. The rest are shorter tracks with a more eclectic style and pleasant sounds that accommodate pop alongside influences of blues, rock, and symphonic textures.

Chicago Transit Authority - Chicago Transit Authority (1968)

Few debut albums can boast as consistently solid an effort as the self-titledChicago Transit Authority (1969). Even fewer can claim to have enough material to fill out a double-disc affair. Although this long- player was ultimately the septet's first national exposure, the group was far from the proverbial "overnight sensation." Under the guise of the Big thing, the group soon to be known as CTA had been honing its eclectic blend of jazz, classical, and straight-ahead rock & roll in and around the Windy City for several years. Their initial non-musical meeting occurred during a mid-February 1967 confab between the original combo at Walter Parazaider´s apartment on the north side of Chi Town. Over a year later, Columbia Records staff producer James Guercio became a key supporter of the group, which he rechristened Chicago Transit Authority. In fairly short order the band relocated to the West Coast and began woodshedding the material that would comprise this title. In April of 1969, the dozen sides of Chicago Transit Authority unleashed a formidable and ultimately American musical experience. This included an unheralded synthesis of electric guitar wailin' rock & roll to more deeply rooted jazz influences and arrangements. This approach economized the finest of what the band had to offer — actually two highly stylized units that coexisted with remarkable singularity. On the one hand, listeners were presented with an incendiary rock & roll quartet of Terry Kath (lead guitar/vocals), Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals), Peter Cetera (bass/vocals), and Danny Seraphine (drums). They were augmented by the equally aggressive power brass trio that included Lee Loughnane (trumpet/vocals), James Pankow (trombone), and the aforementioned Parazaider (woodwind/vocals). This fusion of rock with jazz would also yield some memorable pop sides and enthusiasts' favorites as well. Most notably, a quarter of the material on the double album — "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?," "Beginnings," "Questions 67 and 68," and the only cover on the project, Steve Winwood´s "I'm a Man" — also scored as respective entries on the singles chart. The tight, infectious, and decidedly pop arrangements contrast with the piledriving blues-based rock of "Introduction" and "South California Purples" as well as the 15-plus minute extemporaneous free for all "Liberation." Even farther left of center are the experimental avant-garde "Free Form Guitar" and the politically intoned and emotive "Prologue, August 29, 1968" and "Someday (August 29, 1968)." The 2003 remastered edition ofChicago Transit Authority offers a marked sonic improvement over all previous pressings — including the pricey gold disc incarnation

Jethro Tull-Minstrel in the Gallery (1975)

In 1975, Jethro Tull rebounded from the uneven Warchild with the great Minstrel in the Gallery. Minstrel is the band's eighth studio album and, in marked divergence with the fortunes of most of theother first-generation English progressive bands, heralded for Tull the onset of a creative second wind that propelled them through the years 1975-1978 in (mostly) superlative form. If I was to make a list of what I thought were Jethro Tull's three best albums, it would include Minstrel in the Gallery. Minstrel presents a refinement of the musical advances that the band had been making since around the time of A Passion Play, resulting in an album that has a foot in Tull's past while also portending future successes.

If Warchild tended toward sonic excess, Minstrel is all about economy and wastes nothing. It was Tull's most acoustic album to date, and remains one of Ian Anderson's most lyrically personal. Vastly diminishing the prominence of electric keyboards (most of what you'll hear from John Evan is on a piano) and perfecting the usage of David Palmer's strings, Ian Anderson created in Minstrel an atmosphere that is both intimate and organic, and which skillfully accomodates each dynamic extreme, sometimes within the same track. The album finds lead guitarist Martin Barre with plenty to do, as the first three songs have blazing guitar solos; yet, both "Cold Wind To Valhalla" and "Black Satin Dancer" also feature some of the album's most graceful, unobtrusive string passages. "Requiem" is a very pretty acoustic song that reminds me a bit of the shorter pieces on Aqualung — in fact, a good deal of Minstrel sounds like a more logical successor to Aqualung than Thick as a Brick, even if the music is often much more sophisticated.

That sophistication comes in the form of Tull's increasingly complex harmonic language. For all of the keyboards, the classically-inspired motifs and the big concepts in Jethro Tull's recent past, the band's music on Minstrel in the Gallery (and 1977's Songs From the Wood) is more original, complex and "progressive" than Thick As A Brick or A Passion Play. One of Jethro Tull's most important formalistic contributions to their genre was their pioneering usage of additive rhythms and beats (a technique discussed at length in Allan Moore's excellent book Rock: The Primary Text and referenced in Paul Stump's The Music's All That Matters: A History of Progressive Rock). The style is fully matured on Minstrel's ensemble pieces, distinguishing Tull's rhythm section (drummer Barrie Barlow, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond and, later, bassist John Glascock) as among the most creative in all of progressive rock. Additionally, Anderson continued to rely less and less on riffs as musical foundations and instead built his songs by weaving together different melodic lines, which increased the compositional potential for harmonic creativity and was conducive to unorthodox verse/chorus structures. It also opened the door for more contrapuntal activity, a trait that Anderson is said to have admired in the music of Gentle Giant.

The second half of Minstrel is taken up mostly by the multi-part "Baker Street Muse," a 17-minute piece that, in retrospect, was the final song approaching this length that Jethro Tull would record. "Baker Street Muse" is evidence that Ian Anderson never did quite master long-form composition, as it is more a sequence of collages than a unified piece. Because I find each of the sections to be melodically appealing and musically interesting, however, I must consider "Baker Street Muse" to be a success; at least, until the various themes are all hurriedly reprised in succession at the song's conclusion.

In my opinion, much of Minstrel In the Gallery displays Jethro Tull at the top of their game. I would recommend it to anyone. The album was remastered in 2002 and now contains a few bonus tracks. While the three studio recordings are all very good — particularly "Summerday Sands" — the two live tracks are irritating: if you're only going to include the intros to "Minstrel in the Gallery" and "Cold Wind to Valhalla," why bother at all?

King Crimson-Lizard (1970)

Lizard is very consciously jazz-oriented -- the influence of Miles Davis (particularly Sketches of Spain) being especially prominent -- and very progressive, even compared with the two preceding albums. The pieces are longer and have extensive developmental sections, reminiscent of classical music, and the lyrics are more ornate, while the subject matter is more exotic and rarified -- epic, Ragnarok-like battles between good and evil that run cyclically. The doom-laden mood of the first two albums is just as strong, except that the music is prettier; the only thing missing is a sense of humor. Jon Anderson of Yes guests on one key number, "Prince Rupert Awakes" (which vocalist/bassist Gordon Haskell never completed), and the album is stronger for his presence. At the time of its release, some critics praised Lizard for finally breaking with the formula and structure that shaped the two preceding albums, but overall it's an acquired taste

Todd Rundgren´s Utopia (1974)

After very great albums, of course, I dedicate an article to each gradually Rundgren in 1974 gives us one of the best works of American progressive rock. I am referring to Utopia. That same year he founded a band TR with the same name Utopia, That first training would lead to the great progressive rock album. With a futuristic cover, which was in line with the group's image, inside we found a very elaborate music of the highest quality. The opening track on the album Utopia Theme is a quality exercise brutal. Maybe now your listening to us is complicated by the constant changes of pace. Combined with slow passages attacks lightning fast guitar solos TR answered by keyboard locked in grueling talks between guitars and keyboards.