Robin Trower-Twice Removed From Yesterday (1973)

In the early 1970s, Robin Trower left Procol Harum and founded the band Jude, which had little media impact. After its dissolution, he decided to pursue a solo career, surrounding himself with drummer Reg Isidore and singer/bassist James Dewar to record his first and impressive album, "Twice Removed From Yesterday", released in 1973 on the British label Chrysalis. Replete with energetic blues-rock tracks showcasing Trower's powerful guitar work he was considered the "white Hendrix" at the time this album is a succession of masterful compositions, including the rock anthem "I Can't Stand It", the refined and tranquil "Daydream", the hypnotic and powerful "I Can't Wait Much Longer", the psychedelic blues "Hannah", the boogie-rock "Rock Me Baby", and the tender "Ballerina".

Jefferson Starship-Freedom At Point Zero (1979)

Jefferson Starship's fifth album, "Freedom At Point Zero", was released with numerous changes compared to its predecessor, "Earth". Singers Grace Slick and Marty Balin had left the band, the former temporarily, along with drummer John Barbata, and were replaced by singer Mickey Thomas and former Journey drummer Aynsley Dunbar. Furthermore, the band entrusted studio production to an outside producer, foregoing their usual collaborator Larry Cox and hiring the prestigious Ron Nevison, who had already worked with major artists such as Kiss, Thin Lizzy, Meat Loaf, Grand Funk, and Led Zeppelin, among many others. All these changes were clearly reflected in this new album. To begin with, their sound shifted towards a blatantly AOR style, where Thomas's prodigious vocals and Paul Kantner's addictive vocals were reinforced by doubling the backing vocals, resulting in an outstanding album. In addition, the prominence of guitarists Kantner and Chaquico becomes much more relevant, as demonstrated in exuberant songs such as the opening track "Jane", the epic and spectacular "Awakening", the AOR "Things To Come", or the powerful "Girl With The Hungry Eyes", while the irresistible "Rock Music" and "Freedom At Point Zero", or the delicate and superb "Fading Lady Light", showed that the band could continue to produce great albums apart from its mainstays, Slick and Balin.

The Beatles-Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

Magical Mystery Tour came at a critical time in the history of The Beatles. A few months before his manager, mentor and friend Brian Epstein was found dead of an overdose of amphetamines. Brian still alive The Beatles could afford to ignore the organizational and administrative aspects of his empire to concentrate solely on music; by Brian them ever had the concerns of other bands (mismanagement, losses, compromising contracts with clauses, accounting thieves, etc.), but without it the front first felt helpless and confused. We now playing the tough task of directing themselves vast multi-million dollar ship, as it is said, immersed in work is the best cure for pain, Paul took over and planned the next project of the Beatles: A film made , directed and produced by themselves with their respective soundtrack. While the film was a resounding fiasco (you have to deeply love the Beatles to be lenient with her) the soundtrack was confirmation of the grace period the quartet lived as innovative performers and authors. In its original form Magical Mystery Tour was a double EP (Extended Play) with the 6 themes of the film, but since this format was not popular in the US, Capitol made an LP by adding 5 pieces single released in the same year and that eventually become the definitive version of Magical Mystery Tour. The tracks on the EP are inspired by the original concept of the previous album, only the spectacle of Sgt. Pepper's is transformed here on a tour where the audience is led by the Beatles to places beyond imagination. While the issues Magical Mystery Tour and Your Mother Should Know are derivative of Sgt. Pepper's and When I'm 64 respectively, the other 4 are simply masterful, delving deeper into psychedelia but within a dreamlike atmosphere markedly doing its job support to the images of the film: the Fool on The Hill is one of the greatest creations of Paul with the contrast between an easily assimilable melody and arrangement intricately worked; Flying is a short instrumental and often overlooked but it seems to me superb, the way it blends into the images described in the film is a magical moment; Blue Jay Way George first used the resource to establish analogy between the material world and the spiritual through a seemingly simple letter and a surreal and menacing array; The Walrus I'm John is one of the highlights of this acid stage of the quartet, the letter touches the roof of the thematic non-sense of the author and arrangement characterized by various sound effects, voices insane and brilliant string section written by George Martin gives a touch delirious genius, a premonitory piece of 'orchestral rock' that would end later date after years in bands like the Electric Light Orchestra. The rest of the album is completed with the wonderful creative explosion of single Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane, the single post-Pepper All You Need Is Love / Baby You're A Rich Man and beyond nice Hello Goodbye (face b R 'm The Walrus). An album that is often seen as an appendix of Sgt. Pepper's but that is a fundamental part of that colorful sound collage that marked the career of the Beatles throughout 1967.

Grand Funk Railroad-Grand Funk (1969)

“Grand Funk” is the second album from the visceral and powerful Grand Funk Railroad, released six months after their debut, “On Time”. This second release contains an anthology of energetic hard rock tracks featuring an exuberant and confident Mark Farner on guitar, as well as his excellent songwriting skills. It also showcases the solid and vigorous rhythm section of the powerful drummer Don Brewer and the crushing bass sound of Mel Schacher, which perfectly complement Farner's powerful guitar and vocals. Tracks like the furious “Got This Thing On The Movie”, a hard rock song with psychedelic undertones, the psychedelic heavy metal “Paranoid”, the powerful instrumental “In Need”, the acid blues “Winter And My Soul”, the addictive “Looking Out” or the rhythmic and heavy “High Falootin’ Woman”, make up an essential album, which would soon be hailed as a classic of hard rock, and which, with this or their subsequent works, would place them on par with their contemporaries Led Zeppelin, Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience or Black Sabbath.

Glencoe-Glencoe (1972)

Glencoe was a band that rose from the ashes of Forever More, a Scottish progressive rock band that had released two albums in 1971. Those musicians were drummer Stuart Francis and guitarist Mick Strode. In 1972, they were joined by Graham Maitland (keyboards) and Norman Watt-Roy (bass). With the lineup complete, they toured the UK and caught the attention of Grand Western Gramaphone, a subsidiary of Epic Records. That same year, they entered the studio and recorded their first album, which no longer featured Mick Strode, who was replaced by guitarist John Turnbull. This debut album consisted of a series of tracks with a very varied style, ranging from progressive sounds with elements of country rock and pop, highlighting gentle melodies such as "Airport", "Look Me In The Eye", and "Lifeline", all of which featured extensive arrangements and progressive organ and guitar elements. In "Sinking (Down A Well)", the band showcases its bluesy side, while "It's" is the most commercial track, closer to the pop melodies of that era. "Hay Fever" demonstrates the group's vocal and instrumental prowess with an addictive rock sound tinged with progressive elements. Incredibly, despite the album's immense quality, it went largely unnoticed. As we've mentioned before, with so many talented bands dominating the market at the time, they were perhaps too conventional and polished for hard rock fans, too complex for country music fans, and too commercial for progressive rock enthusiasts. To promote this release, the band toured the UK with Deep Purple and the US with Steve Miller and Roxy Music. A year later they released their second album "The Spirit Of Glencoe", where they followed a very similar line to the previous one but with more predominance of orchestral sounds and a more commercial musical style as demonstrated in "Strange Circumstance" or in the irresistible "Two On An Island", but also showing their most forceful side with the powerful rock "Roll On Bliss".

John Mayall-Blues From Laurel Canyon (1968)

After leaving the Bluesbreakers project, John Mayall traveled to the United States, specifically to Laurel Canyon in California. Initially, Mayall went there as a guest of Bob Hite, singer of Canned Heat, but soon after, captivated by the place, he decided to settle permanently in those remote and inhospitable lands. After living alone for a while in that environment, Mayall found inspiration and composed a series of songs that would become his first album without the Bluesbreakers, the seventh in his extensive discography, titled "Blues From Laurel Canyon". To record it, he went to Decca Studios in London, where, along with producer Mike Vernon and a small group of musicians including a very young Mick Taylor on guitar, drummer Colin Allen, guitarist Peter Green, and bassist Steve Thompson, they recorded a collection of great songs that would go down in history as one of the fundamental works of blues rock. Vibrant blues rock tracks like “Vacation”, “Ready To Ride” or “2401”, the lilting ballad “Laurel Canyon Home”, the experimental “Medicine Man” or the superb “The Bear” in memory of his friend Bob Hite, make up an extraordinary and passionate album of the best blues, from the one considered the most important and fundamental musician of the British rhythm & blues scene.

May Blitz-May Blitz (1970)

May Blitz were, for a brief and impactful time, a fundamental part of the British underground psychedelic hard rock scene. Formed in 1969 by Canadians James Black (guitar and vocals) and Reid Hudson (bass and vocals), they were joined by former Jeff Beck Group drummer Tony Newman. Power trios in the style of Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Groundhogs were proliferating at the time, so it was common for many bands to take this lineup as a model. Their first and brilliant album was released by Vertigo Records in 1970, featuring arguably one of the most horrendous album covers ever seen. Despite containing excellent music with great sound and production, it had little commercial impact. On it we find tracks like the opening, heavy hard rock song “Sleeping The Day Away”, the bluesy “I Don’t Know”, the laid-back “Dreaming”, the boogie jam “Skeet”, the exhilarating “Fire Queen”, and the brilliant “Virgin Waters”. After a second and commendable album, “The 2nd Of May” (1971), the band dissolved like so many others, with Hudson and Black returning to Canada, while Newman was recruited by the Gurvitz brothers to join the band Three Man Army.

Three Man Army-A Third Of A Lifetime (1971)

Three Man Army was a powerful British hard rock trio who released three albums in the early 1970s. The band consisted of brothers Adrian Gurvitz (guitars, keyboards, and vocals) and Paul Gurvitz (bass and vocals), both former members of the band Gun. Their debut album, "A Third of a Lifetime", was released on Pegasus Records. This early work was a potent exercise in vigorous hard rock in the purest Cream style, featuring exuberant guitars and melodic vocals. For this debut, they were joined by drummers Buddy Miles and Tom Kellie. "A Third of a Lifetime" featured standout instrumentals such as "Nice One", "Three Man Army", "Agent Man", and "See What I Took", as well as the epic "Together" and the powerful "Another Day" and "Butler Queen". Some of these tracks even hinted at progressive rock sounds, demonstrating the musical versatility of the two brothers. The following year saw the release of "Mahesha", for which they hired drummer Tony Newman. This album showcased a more melodic approach than its predecessor. With "Two", released two years later, the band's run came to an end due to the album's limited success, despite containing standout tracks like the melodic "Today" and "Space Is The Place", and the powerful rock anthems "In My Eyes", "Polecat Woman", and "Flying". Following this, the two brothers formed Baker Gurvitz Army with former Cream drummer Ginger Baker, releasing three highly acclaimed albums: "Baker Gurvitz Army" (1974), "Elysian Encounter" (1975), and "Hearts of Fire" (1976).

Donald Byrd-Ethiopian Knights (1972)

Donald Byrd was one of the most accomplished trumpet players of hard bop, with a prolific career spanning the 1950s and well into the 21st century. With a discography exceeding thirty albums, in addition to collaborating on over a hundred projects and albums for other artists, Byrd compensated for his lack of creative freedom in composition and his limited innovation with works characterized by grand instrumentations and an effective, dynamic jazz sound. At the height of his career, Byrd recorded a series of groove jazz albums now considered classics of the genre. "Ethiopian Knights" was one of them, an album whose enduring popularity has led to countless reissues since its release. Released on the prestigious Blue Note label, this album is divided into two extended jams, quite far removed from the conventions of structured jazz, both exceeding sixteen minutes in length. The band featured Donald Byrd on trumpet, Harold Land on tenor saxophone, and Thurman Green on tenor saxophone. Trombone, Bobby Hutcherson; vibraphone, William Henderson; Fender Rhodes, Joe Sample; organ, Ed Greene; drums, Wilton Felder; bass and guitars Don Peake, David T. Walker and Greg Poree, demonstrate the prodigy of each of them, the versatility, a great cohesion and an irresistible jazz rhythm making this album an essential work of the hard bop genre.

Supertramp-Crime of the Century (1974)

Supertramp formed in 1969 based on the talents of two great musicians Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, supported by the Dutch millionaire Stanley August Miesegaes. In 1972 after the commercial failure of the first two albums and followed the abandonment of most of its members and the sponsor of the group, which looked like the end of the dream Supertramp, Davies and Hodgson pressed to meet the commitments of the contract with A & M Records , the group reassembled with new musicians and making classical quintet that lasted until 1982. 
Under financial pressures and contract record "Crime Of The Century", his third album and mythical absolute masterpiece that marked the beginning of the creative era of the band with his unique sound influenced by Davies and Hodgson, fusing styles Rock, Pop, Blues, Jazz, and orchestral sounds. This album marked the resurrection of the group and placed in major league music. The album was produced by the band with Ken Scott, known for his work with The Beatles, Procol Harum, Jeff Beck, Pink Floyd and David Bowie and recorded in the famous studies of Trident and Ramport latter owned by The Who . The album eventually rivaled in sales with The Dark Side and The Moody Blues. 
The album was recorded in various studios including Ramport Studios, owned by The Who, Trident Studios and Scorpio Sound (London); between February and June 1974 Many of the songs had previously been included in group shows such as "School", "Bloody Well Right", "Rudy" and the album's title track. Almost the entire album contained in the 1980 live album "Paris", although the orchestration of the songs on the original album were replaced by synthesizers played by John Helliwell with the help of Roger Hodgson. 
"Crime of the Century" marked the first Supertramp album to enter the top forty positions in the American charts. Following the release of "Even in the Quietest Moments" in 1977, "Crime of the Century" was certified gold by the RIAA. 
The album would be remastered and reissued on June 11, 2002 by A & M Records.

Dies Irae-First (1971)

Dies Irae was a German band formed in 1968 that built a strong reputation through their wild concerts throughout southern Germany and countries like Switzerland and France in the late 1960s and early 1970s, until the prestigious German label PILZ offered them a contract and released their first and only album in 1971. Their lineup consisted of Rainer Wahlman on lead vocals and harmonica, Harald Thoma on guitar and vocals, Joachim Shiff on bass, and Andreas Cornelius on drums. Dies Irae's style was a strange mix of progressive and psychedelic heavy metal with strong influences from dark, heavy blues. Their only album, "First", is a hallucinogenic musical journey with a heavy emphasis on acid guitars and trance-like states, a result of the band members' LSD use. This debut album contained some truly interesting moments, such as the opening heavy rock track "Lucifer", the psychedelic jam "Witches Meeting", the intense heavy rock of "Another Room", and the acid rock of "Trip". After its release, the band gained considerable notoriety, even though most German radio stations refused to play the record due to its connotations of drug use and its links to religious rituals. However, a music video was broadcast on a German television network, providing them with enough publicity to achieve underground and cult status a connotation that persists to this day.

McChurch Soundroom-Delusion (1971)

McChurch Soundroom was an unusual Swiss progressive folk-blues band that released only one album in 1971 (with a rather sinister and unfortunate cover, by the way), before vanishing without a trace. The only information about the band is on the album's back cover, which, aside from the track listing, lists the members: vocalist and flautist Sandy McChurch, keyboardist Alain Veltin, bassist Kurt Hafen, guitarist Heiner Althaus, and drummer Norbert Jud. Their music showcased a heterogeneous sound that drew on German krautrock with elements of jazz and progressive hard rock, fused with British folk and blues. This album, titled "Delusion", was released by the underground label Pilz and showcases the musical eclecticism of McChurch Soundroom. It ranges from sounds reminiscent of early Jethro Tull in the opening track, which lends its name to the album, to complex compositions like "Time Is Flying", superb forays into progressive jazz such as "Trouble", and typical 70s hard rock like "Dream of Drummer". While not an exceptional or particularly original work, its music is nonetheless captivating and features excellent instrumental performances from all its members, especially the flute, guitar, and Hammond organ.

Freedom-Is More Than A Word (1972)

During much of the second half of the 1960s and the early 1970s, countless great bands emerged, barely managing to release one or two albums at most. These anonymous bands are often considered cult classics, boasting legions of collectors and fans today. They poured their hearts and souls into the few works they managed to release, only to vanish without a trace in most cases, but leaving behind recordings that are a fundamental part of rock music history. Freedom is one such band, formed by former Procol Harum members Bobby Harrison (drums and vocals) and Ray Royer (guitar), who, along with Peter Dennis (bass, keyboards, and vocals), Steve Jolly (guitar), and Roger Saunders (vocals, guitar, and keyboards), released three superb albums. "Is More Than A Word", their last and finest work, was released in 1972 on the Vertigo label. An album that boasts memorable moments like the blues-rock with a funk edge "Sweaty Feet", the expansive funky rock "Brainbox Jam", the powerful cover of Don Nix's "Going Down", the pastoral "Direction", and the complex "Ladybird". Freedom didn't achieve massive success at the time, but they offered psychedelic hard rock, and their first two albums garnered favorable reviews and comparisons to leading bands like Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Cream. However, their style for this third album shifted towards funkier and blues-rock sounds, gaining depth with rich nuances and greater musical versatility, at the expense of their original sound, but with too much competition surrounding them in those magical musical years.

Jackal-Awake (1973)

Jackal was a short-lived Canadian progressive rock band that released only one album in 1973, reminiscent of bands like Kansas, Warhorse, and even their compatriots Rush. Formed in the late 1960s in Toronto by brothers Chris and James Kellesis (keyboards and drums), along with singer Charlie Shannon and guitarist Dave Bernard, their sole recording was "Awake", released by the Periwinkle label in 1973, although it appears to have been recorded two years earlier in 1971. This album showcases a wide range of influences, from American progressive rock to early 1970s British symphonic rock, with elements of Southern rock and hints of American hard rock. These influences are perfectly reflected in the opening track of this album, "At The Station", a memorable exercise in progressive rock fused with southern hard rock, while "New Day Has Arisen" is a progressive hard rock track very much in the vein of what their British contemporaries Uriah Heep or Deep Purple were doing, or in "Awake", the most progressive piece with great interactions of the Hammond organ and Bernard's powerful guitars, supported by Shannon's excellent voice.

Kansas-Two for the Show (1978)

At the time, "Two for the Show" appeared on the summit of the band both artistically and commercially, with two previous studio albums ("Leftoverture" and "Point of Know Return") that had been put in the big time business leagues and a fan base that seemed to extend to infinity. The multisport playing fields, stadiums and great theaters since early 1977 eventually led them in 1978 to give mega-concert that lasted 2 ½ hours and more. This album draws from several concerts of his tour tripartite developed from 1977 to 1978, but it shows a very fluid feeling in listening. 
KANSAS shown here all facets of their musical offerings with full brightness equally distributed in all of them: the predominant symphonic pomposity, heavy moments full of sophistication, elements blues-country-bluegrass to call the homeland, quirky moments which emerge solo acoustic guitar, piano or drum set ... everything is there embodied with vigor. The booklet contains copious photos (including a Steve Walsh dancing to Jim Morrison to woo the girls wildly public, and also to a Robby Steinhardt staring at nothing while mentally in their internal line impredibles images violin ... !) and historical comments, apart from the transcription of the dedication to the young fan who lost his sight in a serious car accident after a concert of this tour. The fact that the dual guitars and keyboards (depending on the role of Livgren in the given time) are split in different audio channels helps enjoy and understand the intelligence poured instrumental band interactions. Of course, it also helps to enhance the work of Steinhardt, who starred on numerous occasions since his role as violinist. 
The CD1 contains the definitive versions of 'Icarus', 'Portrait (He Knew)', 'Mysteries and Mayhem' (more frenetic than usual), 'Journey from Mariabronn' and 'Magnum Opus'; very loyal to study 'Paradox' and 'The Wall' versions; forcibly cut a version of 'Song for America'; and finally, the omission of 'Closet Chronicles', one of the most impressive pieces of "Point of Know Return" and one of the absolute peaks of "Two for the Show" on vinyl. But this specific omission is resolved gloriously on CD2, which contains a total of 11 bonus tracks. But not with the recovered 'Closet Chronicles' which begins on CD2, but with 'Hopelessly Human', which opened the concert portion of the first half of this hyper-tour. This expanded version begins with a brief ethereal prelude, followed by the first 16 bars of 'Incomudro', then give way to the song itself. 'Child of Innocence' and 'Belexes' transport us to times of commercial glory KANSAS: 'Child' is preceded by a great jam in key R'n'B, while 'Belexes' is executed "a mile a minute "so the extra speed being subtracted drama but it compensates with more explosiveness. "Cheyenne Anthem" has the peculiarity that filled more spaces dual violin and synthesizers in playful interlude, which translates into an exciting enhancement orchestral dimension. 'Lonely Street', 'Down the Road' and 'Bringing It Back' show us openly or excuses, the provincial facet KANSAS: 'Lonely Street' shows us a brilliantly Walsh thanatic immersed in the pain of the protagonist and destructive (a cowboy who longs seedy with his own hands to avenge the death of his prostitute girlfriend), while 'Bringing It Home' keeps drawing Steinhardt Arabian silhouettes with his violin, sometimes accompanied by the powerful guitar Williams. With this version I prefer definitely convinced that this song is more in the group that the original author JJ Cale (as with Hendrix and "All Along the Watchtower 'composed by Dylan). 
'Miracles Out of Nowhere' is certainly one of the most beautiful and immersive compositions Livgren: This version includes an organ solo by Walsh, where stylized baroque-ploys and pieces hard rock blues type alternating Jon Lord. Demos also mention the new arrangements of multiple keyboards that recall the colorful contrapuntal interlude to take advantage of the constraints themselves alive.And what a tremendous drummer Phil Ehart is! - The only 5 ½ minutes produced here shows bare the influences of Barriemore Barlow and Carl Palmer, alongside their particular dynamism. This only leads to an electrifying version of 'The Spider', one of the most labyrinthine compositions that were never conceived in the world of KANSAS. Notice that the fade-out edition was heading towards emergency bass riff for 'Portrait': this should not have been re-edited it to better advantage following sequence Jerk? Quite possibly ... but it is what it is and what there is already great.

Yes-Relayer (1974)

"Relayer", along with "Tales From Topographic Oceans", is one of Yes's most difficult, inaccessible, and intricate albums, but by no means a lesser work. On the contrary, both are masterpieces of progressive rock, which, despite having less commercial impact, owed it to their complexity and, at the same time, their less harmonious and accessible side. In a way, "Relayer" follows the trend of the aforementioned "Tales From Topographic Oceans", released a year earlier. But the musical epic of almost biblical proportions that was "Tales From..." claimed its first victim in Rick Wakeman, who came to loathe the complex compositions based on Eastern philosophies that singer Jon Anderson and Steve Howe composed during countless hours between concerts on the "Close To The Edge Tour". Finally, after the tour following "Tales From...", Rick Wakeman left the band to pursue his solo career, which had already begun in 1973 with his album "The Six Wives of Henry VIII". Therefore, they had to find a replacement with the ideal qualities for the position. While Vangelis was initially considered, it was ultimately the Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz who was chosen. Patrick Moraz already had an impressive career with the bands Mainhorse and Refugee, the latter a progressive rock band in the purest ELP style, so his integration was quick and seamless, with no one missing the blond keyboardist with long hair and colorful layers. "Relayer" structurally consists of three extensive tracks, beginning with the jazzy and progressive "The Gates of Delirium", a prodigious 23-minute piece inspired by Tolstoy's "War and Peace", which is one of Yes's compositional and instrumental peaks. On the second side, we find the brutal “Sound Chaser”, which blends elements of free jazz and visceral rock with tons of progressive sounds, featuring an immeasurable and sublime Steve Howe on guitar. The album closes with “To Be Over”, a track brimming with moments of peace and solemnity, where Jon Anderson delivers an absolutely masterful performance. “Relayer” confirmed the band's shift away from accessible and melodic sounds, towards riskier and more experimental approaches, a direction that would keep them from releasing new albums for almost three years.

Blue Goose-Blue Goose (1974)

Blue Goose was a British band that rose from the ashes of a group called Zeus, which included keyboardist Nicky Hogarth and drummer Chris Perry. Along with guitarists Allan Callan and Eddie Clarke (the latter later joining Motörhead), they formed the initial core of the band. Later, before recording their first and only album, guitarist Mike Todman replaced Clarke, and together with vocalist Joey Molland, they recorded the self-titled debut, "Blue Goose", under the Anchor Records label in 1974. Although not officially a member of the band, Clarke briefly participated in the recording of the album, playing on the instrumental track "Over the Top", a song he composed himself. Musicians Alexis Corner and Steve Marriott also contributed to the album. With a strong influence from boogie rock and British hard rock blues, and a heavy emphasis on powerful twin-guitar riffs, slide guitars, and Hammond organ sounds, this debut album was an interesting record, highly praised by critics at the time. Right from the start, Blue Goose's style is evident in the jam-rock blues track "Stuffin' Stuff", featuring the entire band's participation. In "The Chorus", the band showcases their impressive vocal and melodic talents, as does the acoustic "Call On Me". Meanwhile, "Loretta" and "Snowman" display their more powerful side with two excellent hard blues tracks. The rest of the album is equally commendable, including the laid-back "Inside Yourself," the aforementioned instrumental "Over The Top", and the powerful "Let Me Know". Although the subsequent live album was quite well received, the studio album did not achieve the expected success, so all its members decided to pursue independent careers, thus ending the short career of this interesting band.

Headstone-Still Looking (1974)

Headstone was an American band from Indiana that released only one album in 1974, "Still Looking", in addition to several singles the following year. Formed by the Flynn brothers Bruce on guitar, Barry on bass and lead vocals, and David on drums along with keyboardist Tom Applegate, their sole release had such a limited run that it quickly became a collector's item for fans of dark, heavy prog from the 1970s. This single album is notable for its enormous, powerful, and heavy guitar riffs, a smoky organ, and catchy vocals, playing a hard rock style with progressive and psychedelic elements a style closer to that of the late 1960s than to the mid-1970s when it was recorded. Among the highlights of this album are the title track, a visceral and powerful psychedelic hard rock song, the melodic and dark "Those Days", the progressive blues "I Like It", and the psychedelic "Misery". Years later, the original tapes were discovered, and the album was reissued on CD with additional tracks by Starr Records.

Dog Soldier-Dog Soldier (1975)

Another of those hundreds of bands with a dark past was Dog Soldier, formed by the legendary drummer Keef Hartley in 1975 along with other talented musicians from the British blues and rock scene. It's certainly not easy to find a group with more collective experience than this band, which, in addition to Hartley, included singer and guitarist Miller Anderson (Jon Lord Blues Band, Savoy Brown, Keef Hartley Band, and Spencer Davis Group), bassist Paul Bliss (The Bliss Band and The David Essex Band), keyboardist Mel Simpson (Gerald Wilson & His Orchestra), and guitarist Derek Griffiths (Argent and Chuck Berry Band). However, despite the undeniable quality of the group, such collective talent resulted in a fleeting feeling that they could have achieved something far more brilliant with more continuity. All five members contributed to the compositions of this single album, which in some ways lent the group considerable musical diversity. Tracks of great blues rock such as the opening "Pillar To Post", the restrained rock songs "Several People" and "You Are My Spark", the tender country ballad "Long and Lonely Night", the catchy "Giving As Good You Get", the excellent and melodic "Thieves and Robbers" or the progressive blues "Looks Like Rain", surprise with their enormous quality, but unfortunately it did not serve to allow this band to continue exploring the talent of all its members with new releases and ended up falling into the immense obscurity of the short-lived groups of the late 60s and early 70s.

Flower Travellin´Band-Anywhere (1970)

In 1970, the Japanese band Flower Travellin' Band released their first album, "Anywhere", although they had previously released the album "Challenge", a collaboration with Yuya Uchida, in 1969. For this debut, the band opted for a more forceful and raw sound, infused with the prevailing psychedelia of the time and featuring a great deal of improvisation. Their style was heavily influenced by the hard rock of British bands of the era, such as Cream, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. The entire album consists of a series of covers, including the Birmingham group's "Black Sabbath", an acoustic version of The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun", Muddy Waters' lysergic "Louisiana Blues", and a visceral version of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man". As with the cover of the aforementioned "Challenge", the group once again scandalized the puritanical Japanese society by appearing completely naked, this time on top of Harley Davidson motorcycles, something that transgressed the established norms in their country, making this cover an obscenity and a lack of respect for the vast majority of Japanese society, demonstrating with this fact that this radical group brazenly disregarded, without any ethics or shame, the established norms in Japanese culture.

Paul Rodgers-Now (1997)

Paul Rodgers' third solo album, "Now", comes from one of rock's greatest vocalists, who fronted legendary groups like Free and Bad Company and co-wrote the songwriting credits with Jimmy Page for the supergroup The Firm. Released in 1997, it followed Rodgers' tribute albums to Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix, "Muddy Waters Blues" and "The Hendrix Set", both released in 1993. After a period of extensive world tours, Rodgers had written enough material and assembled a solid band to record a new album, ironically titled "Now". The band consisted of guitarist Geoff Whitehorn, drummer Jim Copley, and bassist Jaz Lochrie. The first thing that strikes you about Paul Rodgers' third album is his excellent form. Vocally rejuvenated, he showcases his distinctive voice as it was in his golden era. Tracks like the powerful opening "Soul of Love" already demonstrate Eddie Kramer's superb production and the band's perfect cohesion. The rest of the album includes the bluesy "Overloaded", the vintage "Heart of Fire" (a nod to his past with Bad Company), the catchy "Saving Grace", the soulful blues "Love Is All I Need", and the sublime blues "I Lost It All". Together, they form an elegant album, expertly crafted with great feeling for the vocal excellence and superb instrumental performances, confirming the immense talent of one of the greatest voices in rock history.

Lady Lake-No Pictures (1977)

This Dutch group was founded in 1973 in Daventer, at the height of the progressive rock movement. The band consisted of Leendert Korstanje on keyboards, Eddie Bakker on bass, Joop Van Leeuwen on drums, and guitarist Fred Rosenkramp. In late 1977, they recorded their debut album, "No Pictures", in a limited run of 1500 copies, many of which ended up in other northern European countries such as Sweden, Norway, and even Germany, which is why they are now considered a cult band in those countries. On this debut album, Lady Lake showcases a wide range of influences, from prog rock with jazzy touches and psychedelic hints, to the more bucolic and melodic British progressive rock of bands like Camel and Genesis. Their original style features pleasant and melodic atmospheres that at times recall the Canterbury sound. "No Pictures" is a masterfully executed and perfectly crafted album with exquisite arrangements. After this release, the band disbanded until several decades later when they reunited sporadically. During one of these reunions (2005), they recorded their second album, "Supercleandreammachine", which received very positive reviews in European progressive rock circles.

Nazareth-Malice In Wonderland (1980)

In 1980, Nazareth were overwhelmingly immersed in the typical sounds of melodic rock, a fact confirmed by their eleventh album, "Malice in Wonderland". For this new record, the lineup remained unchanged since the previous album, "No Mean City", consisting of Dan McCafferty, Zal Cleminson, Darrell Sweet, Manny Charlton, and Pete Agnew. They had solidified their quintet configuration with the addition of guitarist Cleminson a year earlier. Despite being categorized as one of their AOR-focused works, "Malice in Wonderland" actually deviated significantly from the prevailing style of the time. They were characterized by an original sound with diverse musical nuances, which they fused with their distinctive hard rock, resulting in a highly appealing and high-quality sound. From the initial and tremendously commercial “Holiday”, through the powerful “Turning a New Leaf” or “Showdown At The Border”, the addictive “Talkin’ on One of The Boys” or “Fats Cars” and the melodic and attractive “Ship Of Dreams”, “Heart’s Grown Cold” or “Fallen Angel”, the Scots left an album with which they continued to remain at the top of hard rock and their status as a great band intact.

Triumph-Rock & Roll Machine (1977)

Perennial runners-up to their compatriots Rush, this Canadian band has left behind a series of superb and surprising albums of vibrant and powerful hard rock with some progressive influences. While they never reached the magnitude and excellence of Rush, they certainly occupy a place of honor in rock history. This power trio consisted of guitarist and vocalist Rick Emmett, drummer Gil Moore, and bassist and keyboardist Michael Leviney. Their beginnings date back to 1975 in Toronto, where they started performing in clubs and venues until late 1976 when they released their first album, "Triumph", on the Attic Records label. On this debut, the band still displayed an undefined sound; however, their influences from iconic British bands like Led Zeppelin were more than evident, thanks to powerful tracks like "Let Me Get Next To You". In 1977 came their second work “Rock and Roll Machine”, where they began to show an interest in progressive sounds that are reflected in the suite “The City” or in “New York City Streets”, while on the other hand the trio continues to show their more forceful side with the powerful “Rock and Roll Machine”, “Little Texas Shaker” or “Takes Times”, and they even dared to do the excellent version of Joe Walsh's song “Rocky Mountain Way”, masterfully executed with a sound close to blues rock.

Taste Of Blues-Schizofrenia (1969)

Taste of Blues was a Swedish band formed in the late 1960s in Malmö. Their style, a blend of the psychedelic sound of the era with elements of German krautrock and subtle Eastern influences, earned them a strong reputation within the European progressive rock scene. The original lineup consisted of vocalist Anders Stridsberg, guitarist Fred Rolf Berg, bassist Robert Moller, drummer Patrick Erixson, and keyboardist Claes Ericsson. In 1969, they recorded their only album, "Schizofrenia", which featured the departure of Stridsberg, who was replaced by African-American singer Don Washington. This album is considered a cult classic of 1960s psychedelia, and its title track, "Schizofrenia", is an epic seventeen-minute journey through cosmic sounds, brass, frenetic grooves, and hypnotic, apocalyptic music. The rest are more conventional exercises based on psychedelic blues, including a cover of John Mayall's "Another Kinda Love". After recording this album, some members left to form the hard rock band Asoka and the rock group Lotus, thus ending the adventure of this magnificent Swedish band.

From-0611 Cat Quarter (1971)

From were an obscure progressive jazz-rock band that emerged in Germany in the early 1970s, influenced by the eclectic sounds of Miles Davis, fused with the Canterbury School of British jazz. The band consisted of bassist Dieter Von Goetze, drummer Kurt Bong, saxophonist and wind instrument player Gustl Mayr, and keyboardist Klaus Göbel. They caused a sensation at the 1970 Frankfurt Jazz Festival, leading to the release of their debut album, "0611 Cat Quarter", a year later, followed by "Power On!" the next year on CBS. Both albums are considered hidden gems of early fusion rock with progressive elements. Their style is a progressive jazz, very lively and pleasant to listen to, and their instrumental developments demonstrate the virtuosity of all its members, from Mayr who sets parameters very much in the vein of the aforementioned Miles Davis, to the organist Göbel, with a spectacular use of the electric piano and the Hammond organ, while the drummer Bong extracts sounds very close to classic jazz.

Renaissance-Scheherazade and other stories (1975)

This concept album is part of the glory of Renaissance stage , ( and partly unknown to new generations addicted to progressive rock ) and is truly extraordinary from start to finish . The dumbbell who managed John TOUT (keyboards, vocals), Annie Haslam (lead vocals ), Jon CAMP (bass, pedals, vocals), Terrence Sullivan (drums , percussion, vocals) and Michael DUNFORD (acoustic guitar , vocals), managed to this one of those that are unique and essential discs, valued for their fabulous design and implementation . Instead of using electric guitar or electric keyboard , this work goes down the more symphonic side and also with the participation of the London Symphony Orchestra , giving much originality and great instrumentation. There are very good orchestral arrangements that are perfectly matched with the smooth voice of Annie Haslam feature in fact goes far beyond the common progressive rock , standing even among the albums of the 70's that were the golden age of the genre.
An album where you can hear tales beautifully told Scheherezade King Shahriar , supposedly compiled by the Arab writer Abu abd -Allah Muhammed el- Gahshigar became the Western tradition in the early eighteenth century , with all her adulteries and murders properly filtered by European translators .
Definitely an album of delicate melodies , tender arrangements, perfect voices, harmonious music and amazing ... a legend epic prog rock .

Tropea-Short Trip To Space (1977)

Largely unknown in Europe, John Tropea is one of the most important guitarists of 1970s American jazz fusion. His career has been marked both by his own solo work, with over a dozen albums released, and by his work as a session musician in some fifty collaborations with artists such as Van Morrison, Deodato, Michael Franks, and Eric Clapton. "Short Trip To Space" (1977), his second solo album, showcases his jazz fusion style with funk sounds influenced by psychedelia, resulting in a dazzling work of sophisticated, elegant, and dynamic jazz. Without reaching the complexities of progressive jazz, Tropea approaches jazz fusion with spacious atmospheres and expansive instrumental developments featuring piano, guitar, winds, and percussion, performed with an addictive, unpretentious style that appeals to both purists and fans of mainstream jazz. For this second album, Tropea would have several top collaborators such as Larry Fast, Michael Brecker, Lou Marini or Randy Brecker among other musicians from the nascent North American jazz scene of the time.

Bliss Band-Dinner With Raoul (1978)

Bliss Band was a British band from the late 1970s that released two albums before disbanding in 1980. The band was formed by vocalist and keyboardist Paul Bliss in 1976 after leaving Dog Soldier, with whom he had released an album in 1975 and had also contributed to several Moody Blues projects. For the production of their first album, "Dinner With Raoul," released in 1978, Paul Bliss enlisted Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers guitarist Jeff Baxter, along with Michael McDonald on vocals, Andy Brown on bass, Alan Park on keyboards, Phil Palmer on guitar, and Nigel Elliott on drums. This debut album is brimming with great compositions in the purest West Coast style, venturing into more jazzy moments, all overflowing with catchy and pleasant melodies. The melodic sections are combined thanks to the vocal prowess of Bliss and McDonald, along with the keyboard elements that make this an excellent example of late-seventies Californian rock. The final result is astonishing, and it's no surprise given the production by Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and the outstanding contributions of Michael McDonald ("Slipaway" and "Stay A Little Longer"), which evoke the sound of early Steely Dan and The Doobies Brothers, making it a hidden gem of West Coast melodic rock. Tracks like "Over The Hill", "Don't Do Me Any Favors", "Right Place, Right Time", and "Here Goes" only need Donald Fagen's involvement to transform "Dinner With Raoul" into a lost "Katy Lied", with that smooth, striking, and subtle music contained within its grooves. Inexplicably, as happened to so many others, this album was lost in the abyss, perhaps because there were simply too many similar releases at the time (which there undoubtedly were), which is why many of these works inevitably went unnoticed.

Agitation Free-Malesch (1972)

Agitation Free were a classic of the German krautrock genre, creating a highly original style with sounds that combined repetitive electronic music, elements of world music and the European avant-garde with soaring guitar solos, spacey sounds, and breathtaking atmospheric improvisations. Formed in 1967 in Berlin by Jörg Schwenke (guitar), Lutz Ulbrich (guitars, 12-string guitar, and Hammond organ), Michael Hoenig (synthesizers, steel guitar, and electronics), Michael Günther (bass), and Burghard Rausch (drums, percussion, and vocals), they released their debut album, "Malesch", in 1972. Its style was rooted in Middle Eastern ethnic sounds, a product of the band's extensive travels over the years to countries like Egypt and Libya, all infused with British and American psychedelia, featuring guitar solos and hypnotic sounds. A year later came "Second" (1973), their second album, which, unlike its predecessor, featured a more "Western" sound, predominantly space rock with multiple keyboard elements and acid guitars reminiscent of Ash Ra Tempel. Following these two eloquent and terrifying albums, the live album "Last" was released in 1976, a much more experimental record that marked the end of this magnificent band's first adventure until almost 25 years later when they reunited to record a series of albums that were well-received by the progressive rock community.

Chicago-V (1972)

By 1972, Chicago had released three double albums and a quadruple live album, all of them number one on the American charts, and all this in just three years since the band's formation in 1969. For their fourth album, they decided to abandon the double LP format and focus on a single LP. In addition, they opted to shorten the long improvisational tracks and extended suites, replacing them with shorter pieces, always within Chicago's unmistakable style of jazz and rock. Here too, Robert Lamm took a much more prominent role in the songwriting, composing eight of the album's ten tracks, while Terry Kath and James Pankow shared the remaining two. Another significant change is the inclusion of tracks geared towards the more commercial sounds that would become their hallmark in subsequent years, with a soft rock style like "Dialoque (Part I)", while Pankow's "Now That You've Gone" continues the band's previous work. Other tracks in this jazz-rock vein include "A Hit By Varèse", "Saturday In The Park", and "State Of The Union". Meanwhile, the velvety "All Is Well" and "Goodbye" showcase the group's melodic side. "Alma Mater", Terry Kath's only composition, is a powerful gospel piece featuring the driving horn sounds so characteristic of their early albums. With this fourth release, Chicago returned to the top of the Billboard charts, earning several platinum records for their enormous sales.

Hunger-Strickly From Hunger (1968)

Hunger were an excellent psychedelic rock band, reminiscent of The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and Strawberry Alarm O'Clock, who had their moment of glory in the Californian scene of the late 1960s. They originated in Portland, Oregon, in the mid-sixties and moved to Los Angeles towards the end of the decade, where they began to gain a strong reputation within the burgeoning West Coast hippie psychedelic scene. During this time, they opened for Cream, Frank Zappa, and The Byrds. In 1968, they released their only album, "Strictly From Hunger", where their long instrumental breaks, driven by organ sounds and penetrating guitar lines, gave them a style very similar to Jim Morrison's band. Good examples of this influence are tracks like "She Let Him Continue", a psychedelic rock song with various sound effects, the instrumental "Portland", and the sinister "Colors". In "Strictly From Hunger", you can hear elements of almost every genre (jazz, blues, pop, rhythm & blues), interwoven in each song, though you should listen closely to savor the nuances of each one. Every song serves as an excellent example of the cross-pollination of genres. Hunger were much more than just a psychedelic rock band; they were destined for stardom had fate not intervened with a series of unfortunate events, such as the theft of all their equipment on several occasions, among other unfortunate incidents that might have made them a major band, as respected and influential as their West Coast contemporaries.

SBB-Wolanie or Brzek Szkla (1978)

Founded in the early 1970s in Poland, they were originally called the Silesian Blues Band and later shortened to the name SBB.
Its founder and leader Jósef Skrzek had a classical musical background, which undoubtedly gave him the symphonic feel of the band.
During the 70's, SBB were the most important band in Poland and today they are viewed with great respect by today's bands.
"Wolanie or Brzek Szkla" was the fourth work of this band, published in 1978, it is the most electronic album of the group, which would benefit from the experimentation that the band had done in previous years, in addition to the impressive set of synthesizers and other instruments electronics, allowing them to create intricate arrangements and intelligent atmospheres with lavish instrumentation.
The eclectic mix of symphonic and spatial influences, spiced with jazz sounds make this work one of the best of this magnificent band unknown to the general public.

Boston-Corporate America (2002)

It took eight long years for Tom Scholz to resurrect the legendary Boston with a new album, following their previous release, "Walk On". Behind them lay their spectacular first four albums, two of which, "Boston" (1976) and "Don't Look Back" (1978), are considered masterpieces of melodic rock. For this fifth album, original vocalist Brad Delp returned after his absence on "Walk On". Also featured was Fran Cosmo, vocalist on that album, who remained an official member of the band, contributing backing vocals and lead vocals on some tracks. Scholz had also added guitarist Kimberly Dahme and guitarist Anthony Cosmo, while Gary Phil (guitar and keyboards), David Sikes (bass), and Curly Smith (drums) completed the core Boston lineup. This new album, titled “Corporate America,” largely showcases Boston's unmistakable classic style, but with a sound geared towards commercial hard rock, where melodic guitars and addictive, irresistible vocals are the common denominator of the repertoire. The album opens with “I Had A Good Time”, the song that undoubtedly sounds most like classic Boston, with a style similar to “I Think I Like It” from “Third Stage”, featuring amazing guitar work that became one of their most frequently performed live tracks from then on. With the following track, “Stare Out Your Window”, the band slows things down, with an acoustic style somewhere between country rock and southern sounds. Meanwhile, “Corporate America” is the darkest and most sinister track on the album, with excellent guitar harmonies reminiscent of the magnificent “Higher Power” from years past. “With You”, on the other hand, is the counterpoint to this last track, a velvety ballad where Kimberly shows her skills as a good country-rock singer. The rest follows a similar line to the first tracks of the album, starting with the old-fashioned “Someone”, a clear nod to the past, or the spectacular “Turn It Off,” to end with the mid-tempo “Cryin’ ”, “Didn’t Mean To Fall In Love”, and “Livin’ For You”. These tracks, although maintaining a very acceptable level, detract somewhat from the final cohesion of an album that, despite this, keeps the Boston feeling very much alive, many years after their enormous and anthological debut.

Crawler-Crawler (1977)

On March 19, 1976, Paul Kossoff died of pulmonary edema on a red-eye flight in the United States. He was traveling from Los Angeles to New York to prepare for his band Back Street Crawler's tour with AC/DC, scheduled to begin on April 25. For many at the time, this event foreshadowed the end of Back Street Crawler. However, against all odds, the remaining members John "Rabbit" Bundrick, Tony Braunagel, Terry Wilson, and Terry Wilson-Slesser decided to continue without their leader, but wanted to do so under a different name. But before they could do so, they faced pressure from Ahmet Ertegun, president of Atlantic Records, with whom Back Street Crawler had a contract, to continue under his label. Ertegun even suggested guitarist Mick Taylor as Paul Kossoff's replacement. Taylor, who had left the Rolling Stones at that time, vehemently opposed the idea of ​​replacing a deceased musician. He was neither seduced nor amused by the prospect. Another who flatly refused was former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green, who argued that he wasn't ready to return to the stage after years away from the band. After several more rejections, the band unilaterally chose former If guitarist Geoff Whitehorn. However, this decision was not accepted by Atlantic Records, which abruptly terminated its agreement with the band, arguing that they were legally contracted to Paul Kossoff. Shortly afterward, thanks to an executive at Swan Song Records, owned by Led Zeppelin, they signed with Epic Records and decided to shorten the band's name to Crawler. In their early days, to gain experience, the band undertook an extensive tour of the United Kingdom, followed by the recording of their first album, "Crawler" (1977), which was very well received in the United States, thanks in part to the track "Stone Cold Sober", which had a huge impact on American FM radio stations. From then on, the band focused on the American market and released their second album, "Snake, Rattle & Roll", which was followed by an extensive tour of the United States alongside bands such as Foreigner, Cheap Trick, Kansas, and Robin Trower. At the end of the tour, the band dissolved, partly due to the departure of John "Rabbit" Bundrick, who was hired by The Who to play on their world tour promoting the album "Who Are You". Although they only released two superb albums, their first is undoubtedly their best work, a true classic of hard rock and blues rock. Highlights included the melodic "Without You Babe", the boogie "Sold On Down The Line", the dramatic "You Are My Saviour", the robust "Pastime Dreamer", and the irresistible "Stone Cold Sober", with its Latin-tinged sound reminiscent of the best of Santana. With this album, the band proved they could still make great rock without Kossoff. While the new guitarist, Whitehorn, didn't possess Kossoff's guitar prowess, he brought a great feeling to the band's style, displaying considerable talent and playing both rock and blues. This was further enhanced by Wilson-Slesser's brilliant vocals and the excellent instrumental work of the rest of the band.

Gamma-Gamma 2 (1980)

Gamma was the second band led by guitarist Ronnie Montrose, following his first project, Montrose with whom he released a series of great works such as "Paper Money" (1973), "Warner Bros. Presents…Montrose" (1975), and "Jump It" (1976). After releasing his first solo album, "Open Fire", in 1978, he formed Gamma with Davey Pattison on vocals, Jim Alcivar on keyboards, Alan Fitzgerald on bass, and Skip Gillette on drums. With this lineup, he recorded the album "Gamma 1" (1979). A year later came "Gamma 2", which featured several changes from the previous lineup, with Denny Carmassi and Glenn Letsch replacing Gillette and Fitzgerald, respectively. "Gamma 2" would become a fundamental reference point for Ronnie Montrose's sound, confirming Davey Pattison as one of the best hard rock vocalists of the 1980s and showcasing a solid and powerful rhythm section with Carmassi and Letsch. The album features the opening track, "Mean Streak", a powerful hard rock number, followed by the frenetic rock of "Four Horsemen" and the AOR track "Dirty City". The rest of the album explores bluesy territory with powerful blues-rock tracks like the atmospheric and brilliant "Voyager", the hard blues of "Cat On a Leash", and the progressive blues of "Skin and Bone", while the heavy rock track "Mayday" showcases Montrose at his peak, demonstrating his superb technique on the six-string.

Warhorse-Warhorse (1970)

In 1969, Deep Purple released their third album, and almost immediately two of its members, Nicky Simper and Rod Evans, left the band at the express invitation of Ritchie Blackmore. From then on, both musicians would go their separate ways. Evans founded the band Captain Beyond, and Simper did the same with Warhorse. While Captain Beyond focused its style on progressive sounds, Warhorse continued with a hard rock style similar to Deep Purple. To found Warhorse, Nick Simper joined forces with singer Ashley Holt, guitarist Ged Peck, keyboardist Frank Wilson, and drummer Mac Poole. In 1970, Warhorse released their self-titled album on the Vertigo label, an excellent hard rock record driven by Wilson's Hammond organ, Peck's powerful guitar riffs, and Holt's squeaky vocals, with a style quite similar to Vanilla Fudge but without abandoning the Deep Purple sound. They were soon criticized for a lack of originality and for not trying to create their own sound, relying instead on overly obvious Deep Purple influences. Even so, this debut album contains outstanding moments such as the dynamic opening track "Vulture Blood", the epic "No Chance", the powerful "Burning", the heavy "Ritual", and the progressive hard rock tracks "Solitude" and "Woman of the Devil". Two years later came Warhorse's second and final album, "Red Sea", a less balanced record, though with some very noteworthy tracks like the superb heavy prog "Back in Time", the progressive "Mouthpiece", and the hard rock title track, "Red Sea". Some time later, Warhorse disbanded due to their limited success and recognition, an unfair end for a group that certainly had the skills and talent to achieve great things. However, their constant comparisons to such an iconic band as Deep Purple took their toll, ultimately leading them to fade into obscurity.

Steve Hillage-Fish Rising (1975)

Steve Hillage released his first album when he was still belonging to the Gong band, so he surrounded himself with his colleagues to record this album, which is considered one of the best works of space rock.
In addition to Hillage, his colleagues Pierre Moerlen, Tim Blake, Mike Howlett, Miquette Giraudy and Didier Malherbe participated in the recording, in addition to the former members of National Health and Hatfield and The North; Dave Stewart and former Henry Cow member Lindsay Cooper.
In this first album Hillage develops a repertoire of long songs, most of them instrumental and complex.
In many ways and of course it sounds like the characteristic classic Gong label, like the suite "The Salmon Song", or the free jazz fusion "Fish", and there are even approaches to the King Crimson sound in the song "Meditation Of The Snake" .
"Fish Rising" is an album of exquisite musical genius and the ultimate springboard for Steve Hillage who would later leave his mother band to pursue his own solo career.

After All-After All (1969)

This Florida band is another clear example of a short-lived group about which very little information is available. Formed in 1969, it was the product of the efforts of four experienced musicians, all of whom came from different bands in the Tallahassee area music scene. These four musicians were drummer Mike Ellerbee, keyboardist Alan Oro, bassist Bill Moon, and guitarist Charles Short. This band would only record one album, the self-titled "After All", released that same year, 1969. The style of "After All" is basically jazz-rock with progressive touches, mixing a wide variety of sounds: rock, pop, blues, psychedelic heavy metal, and Latin sounds. The album contains some very good moments, somewhat risky due to the ambitious mix they bring to their music, achieving the typical post-psychedelic sound of the era, which at times gives way to more progressive sounds. That variety and eclecticism are present in the funk track "Let It Fly", the jazzy "Blues Satin" and "Nothing Left To Do", and the progressive "Intangible She". Another highlight is the superb production of this LP, with its excellent sound quality, which has not required remastering in subsequent CD editions.