Coney Hatch-Friction (1985)

This Canadian band made rock for discerning tastes. Coney Hatch emerged in the early eighties within the burgeoning melodic rock scene of the time, and with their self-titled debut album (1982), they quickly made a name for themselves thanks to tracks like "Devil's Deck", "Hey Operator", and "Monkey Bars". They were characterized by their multiple riffs, immersive keyboards, catchy melodies, and the distinctive voice of their singer, Carl Dixon. In 1985 came their third and ultimately final album, "Friction", a collection of superb melodic rock tracks, beginning with the sublime ballad "Fantasy". However, it's the opening track, "This Ain't Love", a hard rock blast, that kicks off the album, followed by other gems like "Wrong Side of Town" and "State Line", alongside superb AOR tracks such as "She's Gone", "Girl From Last Night's Dream", and the powerful "He's a Champion". As has so often happened, quality doesn't guarantee success, and they soon faded into complete obscurity, until 2013 when they returned with the album "Four", which finally restored them to the recognition they had been denied in those years.

Golden Earring-Switch (1975)

The Dutch band Golden Earring's tenth album faced the difficult task of following their previous and highly successful "Moontan", which featured the timeless rock classic "Radar Love". However, the band, led by guitarist George Kooymans, didn't attempt to repeat the same musical clichés of that album, instead steering their progressive hard rock towards more diverse musical directions. Here, Golden Earring delivers a melodic and catchy sound, with a more mainstream and accessible repertoire that is nonetheless of enormous quality, though without reaching the instrumental complexities of their earlier work. This is all demonstrated in a series of addictive tracks such as the funky rock of "Love Is A Rodeo", the upbeat "Tons Of Time", the atmospheric "Intro: Plus Minus Absurdio", the hard rock of "Troubles and Hassles", the hypnotic "The Lonesome D.J.", and the energetic "Kill Me (Ce Soir)". Despite the setback of its commercial failure compared to "Moontan", this album would achieve more than acceptable sales in the European and North American markets and an absolute number one in its country of origin.

Kayak-Kayak (1974)

Another renowned Dutch progressive rock band is Kayak, dubbed "the new Dutch supergroup" by the Dutch press, and whose immense popularity was primarily in Central European countries. Founded by keyboardist Ton Scherpenzeel, guitarist Johan Slager, drummer Pim Koopman, bassist Kristoffer Gildenlöw, and vocalist Max Werner in Hilversum, in the north of the Netherlands. In 1973, they released their first album, "See See The Sun", which spawned three highly successful singles, followed by "Ruthless Queen", both of which reached the top of the charts. In 1974, they released their self-titled second album, maintaining a style similar to their debut. However, on this album, Johan Slager's guitars took center stage over Tom Scherpenzeel's keyboards, although Scherpenzeel also contributed to the more melodic tracks. An album where the progressive tracks “They Get To Know Me”, “Mireille” and “Trust In The Machine” stand out, as well as the melodic “Woe And Alas” and “Mountain Too Rough”, while “Alibi” and “Serenades” showcase the more commercial side, with addictive and catchy rock songs.

Ten Years After-Ssssh (1969)

Ten Years After's third album would be the work that paved their way to stardom, not only for its exciting collection of great songs, but also because it was released the same month the band performed at the legendary Woodstock festival, where they delivered one of the most memorable performances ever seen before thousands of people. On "Ssssh", the band, led by Alvin Lee, left behind their forays into psychedelia to fully embrace what they did best: the blues rock that would become Ten Years After's signature sound. The frenetic boogie-blues "Bad Scene" opens side one of the album, followed by brilliant and effective compositions such as the hypnotic country track "Two Time Mama", the powerful "Stoned Woman", and the sensual "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", an excellent cover of the well-known bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson, which closes out side one of the vinyl, brimming with intensity and energy. Side two, while not reaching the same level of enthusiasm, contains tracks like the folk song "I Don't Know That You Don't Know My Name", the hesitant bluesy "The Stomp", and the blues-rock "I Woke Up This Morning". Their acclaimed performance at Woodstock and the subsequent publicity earned them high positions on the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and the band's first gold record.

George Duke-I Love The Blues, She Heard My Cry (1975)

George Duke was one of the most prestigious and influential jazz musicians, a talented keyboardist considered one of the leading figures of the genre. His long career saw him create some of the best albums focused on funk, soul-jazz, electronic jazz, and jazz fusion. His solo career began in the mid-1960s, a period in which he actively participated in numerous projects for Frank Zappa, Cannonball Adderley, Stanley Clarke, Don Ellis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Jean-Luc Ponty. In 1975, he released his sixth album, "I Love The Blues, She Heard My Cry", which followed the monumental "Feel", an album featuring Frank Zappa. It boasted a large ensemble of prestigious musicians, including Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Lee Ritenour, Daryl Stuermer, Airto Moreira, and Flora Purim. On this sixth album, Duke managed to capture the spirit of Frank Zappa's jazz style in tracks like "Giantchild Within Us - Ego," which features several members of Zappa's own group, including Ruth Underwood and Bruce Fowler. Similarly, the American guitarist's complex rock fusion is present in "That's What She Said", while the soul-funk "Someday", the humorous jazz-rock "Rokkinrowl", and the blues-jazz "I Don't Know" make this album a classic of the fusion subgenre.

Solution-...It´s Only Just Begun..(1980)

Another great band from the Netherlands is Solution, originally formed in the early 1970s, who were active until 1983, releasing six studio albums highly regarded in the progressive rock, jazz-rock, and symphonic pop scenes. From their very first album, this band demonstrated great songwriting talent and impressive instrumentation. This debut album consisted mainly of instrumental tracks, complex jazz-rock arrangements with prog influences, clearly influenced by bands like Soft Machine, Frank Zappa, and the jazz of John Coltrane. In 1975, Elton John's label, The Rocket Record Company, released their albums "Cordon Bleu" and "Fully Interlocking" (1977), where, thanks to John Gus Dudgeon's production, their sound became much sharper and more concise, featuring a sophisticated blend of soul and jazz-rock. From this point on, the band shifted its style towards a more commercial yet highly complex sound, where expansive instrumental passages blended with melodic rock and soul/jazz themes of great compositional creativity. Thus, the albums "...It's Only Just Begun..." and the subsequent "Runaway" are considered their best works. "It's Only Just Begun" is where the band best showcases its diverse influences, from Steely Dan-esque soft jazz with standout tracks like "On My Own", "It Happened In September", and "It's Only Just Begun", to progressive explorations like "Captain Willie" and genuinely jazz-fusion pieces like "Logic".