Alan Parsons-Try Anything Once (1993)

With Eric Woolfson's departure after the 1987 album "Gaudi", The Alan Parsons Project's successful eleven-year run, which had yielded ten albums, came to an end. Consequently, the producer, engineer, composer, and musician Alan Parsons dropped the "Project" moniker from his next recording. Six years later came this first album by Alan Parsons, which, as with all the project's previous releases, featured a wide array of collaborating musicians, including Chris Thompson, Eric Stewart, Ian Bairnson, David Pack, Andrew Powell, and Stuart Elliott, among others virtually the same musicians who had participated in all the previous albums. This time, Parsons allowed some of the musicians to contribute to the songwriting, particularly Powell and Bairnson. Powell set aside his role as an orchestral arranger to showcase his keyboard skills, while Bairnson contributed his talent as a composer. "Try Anything Once" is composed of rich melodies of sophisticated pop with certain progressive elements such as the opening "The Three of Me", art rock is present in the splendid "Turn It Up", "I'm Talkin' to You" and "Mr. Time", while the hard rock "Back Against the Wall" or the grandiose symphonic "Oh Life", make up a very worthy work from one of the best and most iconic sound engineers in the history of rock music.

Deep Purple-Deep Purple (1969)

Deep Purple's third album is by far the best of their early period with the Mark I lineup, which consisted of Rod Evans (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (electric and acoustic guitars), Jon Lord (keyboards and string and wind arrangements), Nick Simper (bass), and Ian Paice (drums). Here, the band finally developed their own songs, abandoning the covers from their previous work, with the exception of Donovan's excellent psychedelic ballad "Lalena". From the energetic hard rock opener "Chansing Shadows" to the symphonic orchestral piece that closes the album, "April", the British quintet showcases its own identity with a diverse and challenging album, even though many psychedelic elements are still mixed with jazz and proto-avant-garde, all underpinned by hard rock. Other tracks, such as the psychedelic progressive "Blind", one of the album's highlights, the bluesy boogie "Why Didn't Rosemary", and the frenetic "The Painter", lead us to one of the best works of early progressive hard rock. After this album, Evans and Simper would be replaced by Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, thus forming their classic and most successful lineup.

Black Sabbath-Dehumanizer (1992)

"Dehumanizer" marked the return of Black Sabbath's Mark III lineup, consisting of Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Vinnie Appice, Geoff Nicholls, and Geezer Butler. With this lineup, Black Sabbath had already released the powerful album "Mob Rules" eleven years prior, a record that followed the monumental and legendary "Heaven and Hell". With a heavier and darker sound than their previous three albums "Eternal Idol", "Headless Cross", and "Tyr" this new release definitively transformed their signature doom metal and sinister heavy metal into a hard-hitting, standard hard rock sound. The dark atmospheres, the accelerated rhythms, or the crushing poise of the guitar riffs and the pounding rhythm section are present in songs like "Computer God", "After All (The Dead)", "Master of Insanity" or "Too Late", resulting in an album that was very well received by the heavy metal community in general and by its millions of loyal followers around the world.

Marsupilami-Arena (1971)

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

Alvin Lee-Zoom (1992)

A powerful, fantastic, and energetic album is what the late Alvin Lee left us in 1994. Titled "Zoom", it continued the stylistic vein of his band Ten Years After's album "About Time", released a few years earlier (1989). In this release, the tenth of his solo career, Alvin Lee continues to demonstrate his blistering speed on the six strings and his tremendous blues essence, crafting a truly intense and powerful blues-rock album that is also very balanced and highly addictive. Powerful hard blues-rock songs like "Remember Me", "It Don't Come Easy", "Jenny Jenny", "Use That Power", "Little Bit Of Love", "Real Life Blues", and "Lost In Love" bear witness to the enormous genius of one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

Gracious-This Is...Gracious (1971)

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

The Tubes-What Do You Want From Live (1978)

If there's one thing The Tubes far surpassed their contemporaries in, it was their bizarre concerts, brimming with simulated sadomasochism, humorous skits, choreography involving dancers and acrobats, and an impressive, surreal, theatrical, and circus-like stage production. In 1978, this eccentric band released the live album "What Do You Want From Live", which, despite not showcasing all those visual stimuli, demonstrated that, in addition to their stage presence, they were instrumentally incredibly talented, exciting, energetic, and vibrant. On this double live album, the group comprised of lead singers Fee Waybill and Re Styles, guitarists Bill Spooner and Roger Steen, bassist Rick Anderson, keyboardist Michael Cotten, and percussionists Prairie Prince and Mingo Lewis left behind an impressive collection of songs that, surrounded by a playful visual chaos, is simultaneously a mind-blowing and wild sonic journey. Songs like the frenetic medley "Overture" composed of dizzying rock passages with progressive elements, the ingenious jazz-flavored "The From Peter Gunn" or "Theme From Dragnet" or the visceral "Mondo Bondage" and "I Was A Punk Before You Were a Punk", make up an album that leaves the listener with the strange feeling that they are only witnessing a small part of something apotheotic and delirious.

10cc-How Dare You! (1976)

In 1976, the British band 10cc faced the daunting task of surpassing, or at least creatively matching, their previous album, "Original Soundtrack", the work that would definitively catapult them to fame. Amidst some disagreements between the band's two songwriting duos, Stewart-Gouldman and Creme-Godley, they pulled off another phenomenal album, which for many was 10cc's swan song. Musical differences aside, the four musicians achieved the best possible musical continuation of its predecessor with a work containing gems of melodic art-pop, featuring multiple vocal and instrumental textures, superbly balanced, and with exquisite production. From the melodic and prodigious “I’m Mandy, Flye Me” or “Art For Art’s Sake”, to progressive approaches like the instrumental “How Dare You!”, passing through the operatic with a Beatles flavor “Iceberg” and “Don’t Hang Up”, the bluesy “Rock’n’Roll Lubally” or the playful pop “Head Room”.

Lynyrd Skynyrd-Street Survivors (1977)

In 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the quintessential southern rock band, recaptured the feeling and charm of southern rock with their fifth album, "Street Survivors", following the commendable but repetitive "Gimme Back My Bullets" the previous year. On this release, the band comprised of vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarists Steve Gaines, Ed Kings, Allen Collins, and Gary Rossington, bassist Leon Wilkeson, drummer Artimus Pyle, and keyboardist Billy Powell, along with backing vocalists Jojo Billingsley, Cassie Gaines, and Leslie Hawkins crafted a formidable southern rock album featuring the catchy anthem "What's Your Name", the epic "That Smell", the psychedelic southern "One More Time", the blues-rock "I Know a Little", the country-rock "I Never Dreamed", and the hypnotic blues "Ain't No Good Life". But just three days after the album's official release, the plane carrying them from Greenville, South Carolina, where they had performed that night, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, crashed near Gillsburg, Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Gaines, Steve Gaines, the band's second manager Dean Kilpatrick, and the two pilots of the twin-engine Convair CV300 were killed. The rest of the band, including the numerous tour crew members, survived but suffered serious injuries. Shortly afterward, the legendary original cover, depicting the band engulfed in flames, was withdrawn and replaced with an alternative one featuring a black background. Several months later, "Street Survivors" reached number five on the Billboard charts and went double platinum, becoming one of the greatest albums in Southern rock. However, the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd would be buried forever, even though they continued to release new albums and tour continuously to this day, but without the glory of their heyday.

Alexis Korner´s Blues Incorporated-R&B From The Marquee (1962)

Alexis Korner is one of the musicians who most influenced the generations of English bluesmen of the first half of the 1960s. Unfortunately, his work has not been as widely disseminated outside the United Kingdom and North America, unlike the work of the many musicians who were directly influenced by him, such as Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker (Cream), Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones), Long John Baldry, a singer of impressive talent, Dick Heckstall-Smith (Colosseum), and the aforementioned Graham Bond, or who indirectly influenced musicians like John Mayall and Al Kooper, among many others. However, Korner's career had begun a decade earlier when he formed a blues and jazz duo with Cyril Davies, performing frequently on the London club circuit. Later, the two musicians opened their own club, the "London Blues and Barrelhouse", where they regularly invited young British and American jazz and blues musicians to play. It was then that they met Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, and Long John Bladry, which encouraged them to form their own band, Blues Incorporated (1961), which became England's first amplified blues band. With the addition of saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith, the band built a strong reputation throughout England thanks to their famous concerts, and it was common to see promising musicians like Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, and Keith Richards (Rolling Stones), Jimmy Page and Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, and John Mayall, among many others, in their audience. Blues Incorporated focused primarily on live performances rather than recording albums, and the group only released two singles on Parlophone: "I Need Your Loving" (1964) and "Little Baby" (1965). That same year, Graham Bond decided to leave and form his own band, recruiting all his former Blues Incorporated bandmates. In 1964, Alexis Korner, with a new version of his Blues Incorporated, released the albums "At The Cavern" and "Red Hot From Alex", featuring American singer Herbie Goins and Danny Thompson, later a member of the folk group Pentangle, on bass. After the third and final album for the group, "Sky High", released in 1965 with a new singer, Duffy Power, Alexis Korner definitively disbanded the group a year later in 1966. In 1967, Korner founded the short-lived band Free At Last with former Bluesbreakers drummer Hughie Flint and bassist Binky McKenzie, which received little media attention. It wasn't until 1971 that Alexis Korner returned to the spotlight, joining the large jazz, rock, and blues band C.C.S., modeled after the American jazz-rock bands Chicago Transit Authority and Blood, Sweat & Tears. With this band, Korner achieved some notable success on the British charts, primarily with jazz-rock covers such as Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and Donovan's "Walking". In 1973, after C.C.S. disbanded, Korner founded another supergroup with Mel Collins, Boz Burrell, and Ian Wallace, all former members of King Crimson. With this group, he released two albums, launched his own solo career, and worked in radio fusion on the BBC, hosting highly popular blues, soul, and jazz programs. In 1978, a massive concert was held to celebrate his 50th anniversary, featuring a lineup of superstars including Eric Clapton, Chris Farlowe, Zoot Money, and Paul Jones, among others. In 1981, Korner joined Rocket 88, led by Ian Stewart, where he reunited with old bandmates like Jack Bruce and Colin Hodgkinson. Three years later, Korner passed away at the age of 55 in London, leaving behind one of the most intense and influential careers in the history of rock music.

Chicago Transit Authority - Chicago Transit Authority (1968)

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