The John Butler Trio-Grand National (2007)

“Grand National” is the fourth album by The John Butler Trio, a phenomenal Australian roots rock trio comprised of John Butler, Shannon Birchall, and Michael Barker. Featuring a diverse repertoire brimming with harmonicas, banjos, and acoustic and electric guitars, all under a blanket of southern rock, blues, country, rock and roll, and bluegrass, this power trio delves into the roots of American rock with an accessible and catchy sound. Songs brimming with energetic vocals and captivating guitar lines, such as “Used To Get High”, blend with swampy tracks like “Better Than”, the deep-South Louisiana feel of “Daniella”, infectious melodies in “Funky Tonight”, appealing country rock in “Nowhere Man”, quirky reggae in “Groovin’ Slowly”, and funky southern rock in “Gov Did Nothin’ ”, this is what this band offers on this excellent album.

Howlin Rain-Magnificent Fiend (2008)

Another of the new roots rock bands is the American group Howlin Rain, a band from San Francisco, California, that keeps the flame of 70s rock alive. Formed in 2004 by Ethan Miller, their lineup has undergone countless changes, a constant throughout the group's career. Their first album, released in 2006, is a kind of revival of sounds that draw from the psychedelia of the Grateful Dead, the dusty rock of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the instrumental developments of The Allman Brothers Band. Two years later they returned with "Magnificent Fiend", a harder-edged work, incorporating more hard rock guitars and a greater prominence of the Hammond organ. In this second effort, Howlin Rain give us everything from strange interludes, a prelude to the cathartic and psychedelic "Dancers At The End Of Time", to moving and melodic cuts (at least in comparison with their intense improvisations), "Nomads" and "El Rey", passing through electric folk canvases "Riverboat", southern rock "Calling Lightning Pt.2" or hypnotism in abundance with "Lord Have Mercy".

Øresund Space Collective-The Black Tomato (2007)

Øresund Space Collective is a multinational Danish-Swedish project formed in Copenhagen in 2004. Since their music is essentially a free and improvisational style of space rock with multiple influences ranging from hard rock and krautrock to jazz and psychedelic music, their recordings are as diverse as they are varied. With over 30 albums released, most of them have been recorded with different lineups in a kind of band-association of musicians that has earned them considerable prestige in the European progressive and avant-garde rock scene. Albums such as their self-titled debut (2006), "The Black Tomato" (2007), "Good Planets Are Hard To Find" (2009), "Music for Pogonologists" (2014) or "West, Space & Love Vol II" (2016), are unique and exciting experiences of galactic sounds, impeccable hypnotic rhythms, spacey guitars and predominant and driving organ and synthesizer sounds.

Steve Miller Band-Let Your Hair Down (2011)

Just as with their acclaimed previous album, "Bingo", the Steve Miller Band's seventeenth album delves deeper into the blues; in fact, both albums were recorded simultaneously. For this recording, Steve Miller's band included vocalist Sonny Charles, harmonica player Norton Buffalo, and guitarist Kenny Lee Lewis, who, along with Miller himself, co-wrote the riffs and solos on this album. Composed of covers of blues greats, Miller manages to make each version his own while respecting the original's essence. Robert Johnson's classic "Sweet Home Chicago", John Lee Hooker's "No More Doggin' ", Willie Dixon's "Pretty Thing", Jimmy McCracklin's "The Walk", and Muddy Waters' "Can't Be Satisfied", sound so fresh and revitalized that their original composers would surely be pleased with the final result.

Von Hertzen Brothers-New Day Rising (2015)

The story of this Finnish band is certainly intriguing. Formed by the Von Hertzen brothers (Mikko, vocals and guitar; Kie, guitar; and Jonne, bass), each of whom played in different bands, their father Hasse Von Hertzen was also a well-known guitarist in a 1970s band called The Roosters, and to top it all off, their uncle Lasse Von Hertzen was a member of the renowned folk-rock band Cumulus. With such a background, it's no wonder these young men have music in their blood. In 2000, the three brothers founded Von Hertzen Brothers, a band that fused progressive rock, folk, and classic rock. "New Day Rising" is the band's sixth release, an album where they expand their musical palette, adding more accessible and melodic compositions to their established style. Hard rock guitar riffs ("New Day Rising"), melodic cuts ("Trouble" and "Black Rain"), approaches to mainstream rock ("Hold Me Up"), folk ("Dreams") or thrilling rock ("You Don't Know My Name"), are what these Finns offer in this brilliant release.

Blackberry Smoke-Holding All The Roses (2015)

Blackberry Smoke's music is steeped in country rock, southern rock, bluegrass, and classic rock, making them one of the hottest acts in modern American rock. Since their beginnings back in 2001, the Atlanta band has given us some monumental albums like "Bad Luck Ain't No Crime" (2003), "The Whippoorwill" (2012), "Holding All The Roses" (2015), and "Like An Arrow" (2016). Focusing on "Holding All The Roses", the band showcases everything they offered in their previous work, but composed and performed in a more judicious and restrained manner. The energetic rhythms of classic rock are even more prominent, as demonstrated by tracks like "Let Me Help You (Find The Door)" and "Living In The Song". However, they also continue to produce their usual American roots sounds such as the southern "Holding All The Roses", "Wish In One Hand", "Payback's A Bitch" and "Fire In The Hole", or the delightful country "No Way Back to Eden", "Too High" and "Lay It All On Me".

The Rolling Stones-Blue And Lonesome (2016)

"Blue and Lonesome" is the only Rolling Stones album composed entirely of covers by artists other than themselves. This release, the band's twenty-third studio album, features twelve iconic blues tracks by legendary artists such as Memphis Slim, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Johnson, Little Walter, Magic Slim, Willie Dixon, Otis Hicks, Jimmy Reed, and Eddie Taylor. In this compilation, the Stones strive to remain faithful to the original versions, while maintaining their characteristic flair and signature Stones sound. Eric Clapton's contribution is particularly noteworthy; he is sublime on slide guitar in the blues track "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing". With "Blue and Lonesome", the Stones wanted to pay a well-deserved tribute to their blues influences and roots throughout a long career spanning well over sixty years.

Lita Ford-Living Like A Runaway (2012)

Lita Ford rose to fame in the late seventies as a member of the American hard rock band The Runaways, an all-female group comprised entirely of teenage girls, which also featured guitarist Joan Jett, who would later form the iconic band Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. After The Runaways, Lita Ford embarked on her own solo career, a career with some ups and downs but equally successful, releasing great albums like "Lita", a veritable handbook of American hard rock and heavy metal. In 2012, the guitarist and singer released her eighth studio album, "Living Like A Runaway", offering a repertoire full of exciting songs, energetic guitars, and her masterful vocals. Songs like "The Mask", "A Song Your Wrist By", "Mother", "Branded", and "Devil In My Head", are excellent examples of the power of this brilliant Lita Ford album.

Patti Smith-Twelve (2007)

After nearly four decades in the business, in 2007 Patti Smith, the punk rock muse, feminist icon, and staunch human rights advocate, returned to delight us with a new album after several years of silence. This time, Smith boldly opted for a covers album, which, far from overshadowing the original versions, showcases the singer's remarkable flair in choosing an arsenal of iconic songs by artists such as Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Neil Young, Tears for Fears, The Allman Brothers, The Doors, and Nirvana. With the invaluable collaboration of guitarist Lenny Kaye, drummer Jay Dee Daugherty, and bassist Tony Shanahan, Smith brilliantly unfolds each song, imbuing it with her distinctive vocal style and indomitable spirit. Thus songs like "White Rabbit", "Soul Kitchen", "Smells Like Teen Spirit", "Changing Of The Guards", "Midnight Rider" or "Everybody Wants to Rule The World", offer an excellent different and peculiar musical approach.

Leslie West-Blue Me (2006)

Considered one of the greatest guitarists in American rock, Leslie West showcased his immense talent and genius for five uninterrupted decades, from his beginnings in the 1960s with the Vagrants, through his time leading the legendary Mountain in the 1970s and the iconic trio West, Bruce and Laing. In addition to all this, he had an extensive solo career, releasing a dozen albums, many of them veritable explosions of the best American blues rock. In 2006, West paid tribute to some of the blues classics with his album "Blue Me", featuring ten contemporary classics such as "Four Day Creep" by Humble Pie, "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles, "Sinner's Prayer" by B.B. King, "Standing Around Crying" by Muddy Waters, and "Green River" by Creedence Clearwater Revival. In all of them, West demonstrates that so many years later he is still in enviable shape, with his peculiar and unique sound that he knew how to get out of his Gibson Les Paul and his tremendous voice that seems to have been born for the blues.

Neil Young-Living With War (2006)

With his twenty-ninth album, Canadian Neil Young continued his politically charged themes, this time focusing, as the title suggests, on the wars waged by the American administration. This time, his target was the foreign policies of George W. Bush and his crusade in the Iraq War. Lyrically, it's very close to the protest folk that reigned during the 1960s, while musically it showcases Young's most furious and raw side. Distorted guitars, powerful rhythms, plenty of spontaneity, and a stark, honest rock sound are what we find here. Great vocal melodies, rhythmic grooves, poignant lyrics, and intense, gritty guitar riffs are present in tracks like "After The Garden", "Living With War", "Shock And Awe", "Families", "Lookin' For A Leader", and "Let's Impeach the President". Without a doubt, this is one of the most narrative and timeless albums from the brilliant Canadian musician.

Jeff Lynne´s ELO-Alone In The Universe (2015)

2015 was the year chosen for Jeff Lynne's return to recording, with the release of "Alone In The Universe", an album that was well-received by nostalgic fans of his original band, Electric Light Orchestra. With this work, Lynne's aim was simply to satisfy the cravings of his millions of fans, while also not seeking to recruit new ones; he merely wanted to release and record a series of songs he had composed in recent years. Lynne's solo career, aside from the aforementioned ELO and his numerous collaborations with other artists, has always been relatively unproductive, and one would have to go back fourteen years to the release of the album "Zoom", a more organic work that, to some extent, returned to his 70s style. This time, despite being credited as Jeff Lynne's ELO, it is actually a personal project, featuring no former members of his previous lineups, with Lynne playing all the instruments himself. Even so, songs like the title track and other cuts such as "When I Was A Boy", "Is It Alright", and "Dirty To The Bone" sound like traditional ELO, mainly due to the keyboard and guitar sounds. Others, like "Ain't It A Drag", leave us with a taste of the Travelling Wilburys, another of Lynne's projects, while the rest retain the exquisite instrumental melodies and addictive vocal harmonies so characteristic of the iconic British musician and producer.

Frost-Milliontown (2006)

Frost was a one-off project led by keyboardist and producer Jim Godfrey, who wanted to venture into the challenging world of 21st-century progressive rock, composing highly enjoyable, high-quality material. To carry out this project, Godfrey enlisted some of the most renowned musicians of the neo-progressive rock scene at the time: IQ bassist and drummer John Jowitt and Andy Edwards, and Arena guitarist John Mitchell. The resulting album, "Milliontown", is a fascinating odyssey encompassing muscular and energetic passages, a wealth of electronic elements, and relaxing, atmospheric moments. All the tracks are built upon Godfrey's keyboard work, overlaid by a simply masterful instrumental explosion. From art rock pieces like "The Other Me", to the progressive metal of "No Me No You", passing through the progressive "Black Light Machine" or the superb pyrotechnic and musical display of the enormous suite "Milliontown", this record effort is a vigorous and impeccable work of the best modern progressive rock.

Michael Thompson Band-Future Past (2012)

Michael Thompson is a renowned and prolific American session guitarist who, in addition to collaborating on hundreds of albums for other artists, has also enjoyed a brilliant solo career. His numerous collaborations include artists of the caliber of Stephen Bishop, Michael Bolton, Kenny G., Joe Cocker, Brenda Russell, Neil Diamond, Bob Seger, Michael Jackson, and Al Jarreau. His first album with his band MTB (Michael Thompson Band), titled "How Long", was released in 1989, achieving overwhelming success on the American melodic rock charts thanks to hits like "Can't Miss" and establishing himself as an absolute masterpiece of AOR and melodic rock. In 2012, he released his fifth album with the Michael Thompson Band, "Future Past", another extraordinary record of elegant and energetic melodic rock, featuring sharp hard rock guitars and excellent vocal lines courtesy of the versatile singer Larry King. Textbook AOR songs like "Gypsy Road", "High Time", "Can't Be Right", "When You Love Someone", "End Game", "Can't Miss" or "Fight For Your Life", make it another gem of melodic rock.

Chris Duarte & Bluestone Company-396 (2009)

Another memorable album of high-voltage, gritty blues rock, this is the eighth release from Texas-born guitarist Chris Duarte, who, along with the Bluestone Co., has produced one of those essential albums of the best modern Southern blues. Here, his backing band is the Japanese Bluestone Company, a tight and precise instrumentation that doesn't let up for a single moment throughout the entire album. From the dusty Southern rock of "Chattahoochee Side" and "396", to the blues rock of "Mad As I Can Be", and including more conventional tracks like the bluesy rock and roll of "Put Up or Shut", the funk rock of "Funky Mama", the frenetic "Give It Back to Me", and the powerful "Angelina".

Larry Carlton-Plays The Sound Of Philadelphia (2010)

In 2010, legendary jazz and blues guitarist Larry Carlton left his commitments with the fusion band Fourplay, resuming his solo career and releasing his twenty-eighth album. This time, Carlton ventures into a style less explored in his long career: soul. He covers songs by one of the most famous songwriting duos in history, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. This duo earned over 100 Gold and Platinum records over the years, in addition to more than 70 number-one hits worldwide. Carlton, with his distinctive blend of jazz, blues, and rock, has played on hundreds of recordings, from pop stars like Barbra Streisand, Kim Carnes, Albert Hammond, and Leo Sayer, to rock bands and artists such as Steely Dan, Peter Gabriel, Peter Frampton, and Christopher Cross, as well as blues and jazz greats like T-Bone Walker, Al Jarreau, James Ingram, Eumir Deodato, and Herb Alpert. In this tribute, Larry Carlton is accompanied by the velvety voice of Bill LaBounty, organist Paul Shaffer, pianist Tony DeSare, bassist Christopher LiNard Jackson, saxophonist Max Douthit, and drummer Andrea Valentini. Adapting many of the iconic songs to his characteristic style, highlights include “Could It Be I'm Falling in Love”, “You Make Me Feel Brand New”, and “I'll Be Around”, all with a fusion twist, while in “Back Stabbers”, the guitarist transforms it into a great blues number. Even more brilliant is “If You Don't Know Me By Now”, which retains the fluidity of the popular original but incorporates Carlton at his best, with a rockier sound.

The Spacelords-Liquid Sun (2016)

The Spacelords are a German band that, in the 2000s, paved the way for krautrock, a genre that was the natural evolution of progressive and psychedelic rock in Germany during the late 1960s and much of the following decade. Founded in 2008 by Marcus Schnitzler (percussion), Matthias Wettstein (guitars), and Klaus Werz (bass), the band released their debut album two years later with the addition of flautist Reinhold Pape. In that first release, the group already displayed their predilection for spacey sounds in the purest Hawkwind style. With their subsequent albums, the band went a step further, introducing strange and experimental ethnic and Eastern sonic elements. "Liquid Sun", their fourth release, featured three extensive and musically complex pieces. By the time this new album was recorded, keyboardist Didi Holzner and bassist Akee Kazmaier had joined the band, the latter replacing original bassist Klaus Werz. "Liquid Sun" is a hypnotic adventure that navigates between the sounds of 1960s American psychedelic rock/pop and 1970s German rock. 

Ben Poole-Let's Go Upstairs (2012)

Ben Poole is a cutting-edge British blues guitarist who began his career at the dawn of the 21st century. His passion for rock and blues started in childhood, learning to play guitar with songs by Jimi Hendrix and other electric guitar greats. He initially played in a heavy metal band and later founded his first blues-rock band. Long before launching his solo career or releasing any official recordings, he was already making waves in professional guitar circles, appearing in publications such as "Total Guitar" magazine and receiving nominations in several categories at the British Blues Awards. In 2012, he finally released his self-funded debut album. On this first album, Ben Poole showcases his appealing blues style with touches of melodic rock. Songs like the melodic, AOR-influenced "Hanging in the Balance", "Love Nobody No More", "Holding Onto Love", and "Over It Now" contrast with the bluesier, rock-tinged tracks like "I'm Gonna Not Have To Be That Way", the funk-rock "Let's Go Upstairs", and the blues numbers "Play On, Play On", "After All This Time", and "Let The Rain Come Down". This debut album by Ben Poole is an excellent showcase of his guitar talent, which, without excessive flashiness or pyrotechnic displays, seeks the perfect musical cohesion between blues and melodic rock.

Lana Lane-Lady Macbeth (2005)

Lana Lane is considered the "Queen of Progressive Rock", although this singer has also explored different genres such as heavy metal and melodic rock. It was in the late 1980s that this California native met progressive metal musician Erik Norlander, whom she would later marry. For a time, Lana worked as a backing vocalist in her husband's band, Rocket Scientist. In the mid-1990s, the singer focused on her solo career, releasing her first album, "Love Is an Illusion" (1995), followed the next year by "Curious Goods", both of which achieved great media and commercial success. From then on, her career took off, releasing a dozen albums that were very well received by both the heavy metal community and prog rock fans. "Lady Macbeth", released in 2005, was her eighth album, a concept album based on the play by William Shakespeare. Among the members of her band, which is led by her husband Erik Norlander on keyboards and guitars, are several musicians from the aforementioned Rocket Scientist, including Peer Verschuren, Mark McCrite, Neil Citron, Kristoffer Gildenlöw, Don Schiff, and Ernst Van Ee. Compared to her previous work, the musical elements here are darker, combining heavy rock with progressive rock, adorned with subtle folk passages. Songs like the progressive heavy tracks "Summon The Devil", "Keeper Of The Flame", and "The Dream That Never Ends" are complemented by folk-influenced tracks such as "Shine On Golden Sun" and the enchanting melodies of "Dunsinane Walls".

Pain Of Salvation-Remedy Lane (2002)

Pain of Salvation, along with bands like Dream Theater, spearheaded progressive metal in the 1990s, constantly evolving with highly personal and unique musical approaches. With their fourth release, "Remedy Lane", this Swedish group faced the difficult task of surpassing their previous album, "The Perfect Element Part I", considered one of the best progressive metal releases of the early 2000s. With this album, the band comprised of Daniel Gildenlöw (guitars, lead vocals), Johan Hallgren (guitars), Fredrik Hermansson (keyboards), Kristoffer Gildenlöw (bass, backing vocals), and Johan Langell (drums) crafted a magnificent musical flow filled with powerful and impactful compositions, flawlessly executed. From symphonic atmospheres and superb vocals to epic narratives, thrilling melodies, and impeccable progressive rock and metal instrumentation, their repertoire is absolutely brilliant. Songs like "Rope Ends", "Waking Every God", "A Trace of Blood", "Second Love", and "Beyond the Pale" are stunning masterpieces, featuring lush and intricate acoustic string arrangements, magnificent vocals and harmonies, all underpinned by driving rock guitars and a blistering rhythm section. Without a doubt, this album perfectly embodies modern progressive rock.

Jango-Closer To Home (2000)

The second release from Californian band Jango is "Closer To Home", another exquisite example of the finest smooth jazz. Often dismissed as a modernized Steely Dan imitation, one could say that "Jango interprets Steely Dan as perfectly as Steely Dan themselves". Beyond this apt observation, the truth is that Jango managed to create a refined and versatile sound in their first two albums, brimming with funk influences, sophisticated synthesizer sounds, rich vocal harmonies, and rhythm and blues rhythms, all delivered with a vibrant and incredibly addictive style. The tenor voice of singer Steve Nieves, along with his delicate touch on saxophone and other wind instruments, the rich contribution of keyboardist Steve Le Gassick, and the brilliant work of guitarist Nick Kirgo, offer great instrumental versatility. In "Closer To Home", this American quintet once again showcases their exquisite musical taste with a repertoire of easy-listening songs at their finest. Tracks like the Steely Dan-esque "Joyful Caravan", the engaging funk jazz "Diamond Drive", the refined "Nightside Express", the consistent "Soul Casserole", the jazz fusion "The Beard" or the bittersweet "Pink Flamingos", make up a work that is as captivating as it is rewarding.

Black Bonzo-Lady of the Light (2004)

Throughout much of the 1990s and 2000s, a wide variety of bands emerged, offering an exciting new sound based on the rock of the 1960s and 70s, encompassing its many stylistic variations, including progressive rock, hard rock, and folk rock. These so-called retro rock bands revived these styles and introduced them to millions of new fans drawn to the sounds of rock's golden age. One such band was the Swedish group Black Bonzo, who focused on the progressive hard rock of iconic bands like Deep Purple, Atomic Rooster, Uriah Heep, Black Widow, Quatermass, Titanic, and Lucifer's Friend, among many others that dominated the scene in the 1970s. The musical style of these Swedes could be more specifically described as a fusion of early Uriah Heep and Deep Purple from their golden era, specifically the Mark II lineup. Founded in 2003, they released their first album a year later, subsequently releasing several more projects focused on a consistent musical style. The band consists of Joakim Karlsson (guitars and vocals), Nicklas Ahlund (organ, vocals, and Mellotron), Patrick Leandersson (bass and vocals), and Mike Israel (drums). On their debut album, this formidable band presents majestic soundscapes of powerful heavy rock interwoven with 70s prog rock, where fiery guitars, the potent sounds of the Hammond organ and Mellotron, rich vocal harmonies, and dynamic instrumentation permeate every groove of this first album. Heavy tracks like "Freedom", "Jailbait", and "Lady of the Light" coexist with others of a distinctly progressive heavy nature, such as "Brave Young Soldier" and "Where the River Meets the Sea".

Kevin Gilbert-The Shaming of the True (2000)

This is one of the best progressive rock albums of the modern era. Everything about this album is absolutely perfect and brilliant, from the lyrics and vocals to the musicianship, the tight production, and the incredible melodies. Much like Pink Floyd's "The Wall", released almost two decades earlier, this is a concept album about the dramatic rise and fall of a rock star. This album represented multi-instrumentalist Kevin Gilbert's lifelong dream: to record a rock opera. Working closely with Nick D'Virgilio, Kevin dedicated himself wholeheartedly to this project. Unfortunately, he never got to see his dream realized. Kevin Gilbert died on May 17, 1996, from accidental asphyxiation, leaving the project unfinished. After his death, Jon Rubin and Nick D'Virgilio worked on the album for years, picking up where Kevin left off, and finished it with a vast array of collaborating musicians in late 1999. It was officially released in 2000. The album itself is a complete work, from the dissonant and haunting keyboard notes that open and close it. It features 14 flawless songs, most of them of a high compositional and instrumental standard, where there is room for introspection and serenity; "From There to Here", with its bitterness and sarcasm directed at the music industry; "Certifiable #1 Smash"; the charmingly conventional pop-rock of "Imagemaker" and "The Best Laid Plains"; the symphonic pop of "Water Under the Bridge"; and even a cappella pieces like "Suit Fugue (Dance of the A&R Men)".

Wobbler-From Silence to Somewhere (2017)

Influenced by the sonic textures of Gentle Giant, the avant-garde of King Crimson, and the baroque sound of Genesis's more pastoral work, the Norwegian band Wobbler is another leading light of modern progressive rock. Founded in the late 20th century in the town of Hønefoss, its mentor and leader is keyboardist Lars Fredrik Frøislie, who, along with Kristian Karl Hultgren (bass), Martin Nordrum Kneppen (drums), Morten Andreas Eriksen (guitars), and Tony Johannessen (vocals), released their first album in the early 2000s with the promising "Hinterland" (2005). After several more releases where they evolved and solidified their rich and original style, they released their magnum opus, "From Silence to Somewhere", in 2017. However, by this point, the lineup had undergone several changes; guitarist Morten Eriksen and vocalist Tony Johannessen were no longer present, replaced by multi-instrumentalist Andreas Wettergreen Strømman and guitarist Marius Halleland. After 18 years in the business, Wobbler was already considered one of the best and most veteran bands on the European progressive scene, and with this release, they perfectly demonstrate that recognition, delivering a work that skillfully fuses Norwegian folk with medieval sounds, psychedelia, and symphonic rock. From their first track "From Silence to Somewhere", a brilliant journey through their diverse roots influences, with enormous instrumental dynamism, to the extensive "Foxlight", where they show different moods ranging from noisy and grandiose rhythms to dreamy acoustic sections, passing through the strident "Fermented Hours", Wobbler managed to create another of the masterpieces of modern progressive rock of the 21st century.