Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow-Stranger In Us All (1995)

In 1995, Ritchie Blackmore revived the Rainbow brand to release a new album after a twelve-year hiatus. For this new album, the former Deep Purple guitarist assembled a new lineup with relatively unknown musicians at the time, including vocalist Doogie White, bassist Greg Smith, keyboardist Paul Morris, and drummer John O'Reilly. "Stranger In Us All" showcases the return of Rainbow's classic sound, harking back to their 1970s roots with hard rock brimming with heavy guitar riffs and a powerful yet melodic rhythm. Songs like "Wolf to the Moon" and "Cold Hearted Woman" evoke the beloved Deep Purple sound, with Doogie White's impressive vocals contributing significantly. On the other hand, Blackmore experiments in the semi-progressive "Hunting Humans (Insatiable)", while other pieces like the superb "Ariel", a successful attempt to revisit the symphonic sound of the classic "Stargazer", or others like "Stand and Fight", and "Too Late for Tears", focus on heavy blues rock with powerful hooks and raw, punchy rhythms. Despite being completely traditional to the typical Purple sound, they are very well designed and masterfully executed with a more modernized sound.

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.

Vangelis-Spiral (1977)

Following the magnificent albums "Heaven and Hell" (1975) and "Albedo 0.39" (1976), not forgetting lesser-known works like "Earth" (1973) and "L'Apocalypse Des Animaux" (1973), Vangelis created one of his masterpieces with his fifth album, "Spiral". With this album, Vangelis began one of his most fruitful periods, both in his use of electronic instruments synthesizers, sequencers, and all kinds of electronic and acoustic keyboards and in the melodic composition of his music. On this new record, he gradually moved away from the progressive and experimental sounds of his earlier work and its complex and intricate compositions, becoming more romantic and grandiose, gaining in simplicity and thereby attracting a wider audience with his accessible electronic music. All of this is demonstrated in tracks like the commercially successful "Dervish D", the addictive epic "To The Unknown Man", and the meticulously crafted "Ballad", "Spiral", and "3+3". Over the next four years, the Greek musician would release a mix of major works and others with less media impact, including the experimental "Beaubourg" (1978), the exotic and brilliant "China" (1979), and the stunning "Chariots of Fire" (1981), among half a dozen other albums.

Badge & Company-Badge & Company (1977)

Badge & Company is another of those hundreds of one-album bands with little media or commercial impact that flooded the rock scene in the 1970s. Hailing from Augusta, Badge & Company moved within the realm of American roots rock, drawing on Southern sounds like country, Southern rock, and blues. The band consisted of bassist and singer Randy E. Coven, guitarist Terry Williams, and drummer Eugene Martin. In 1977, they released their only album, featuring standout tracks such as the powerful Southern rock anthems "It's A Crying' Shame" and "What A Day The Drive", the country rock anthem "Ship On The Frisco", the rock and roll number "Rockin' n Rollin' ", the psychedelic "Why", the blues rock anthem "Slow Me Down", and the captivating "For You".

The Beatles-Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

With "Magical Mystery Tour", The Beatles' ninth album, the group returned to a slightly more accessible sound, though elements of psychedelia and avant-garde remained. With a repertoire composed primarily by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, McCartney contributed the more conventional melodies, while Lennon provided the experimental moments, balancing McCartney's commercial appeal with his signature addictive pop. The duo created an album brimming with intelligent compositions and brilliant arrangements, in which George Harrison's guitar and Ringo Starr's drums are partially overshadowed by the keyboards and wind instruments that take center stage. Songs like the melancholic "Fool on the Hill", the exotic "Blue Jay Way", the pop hit "Your Mother Should Know", the brilliant "I Am the Walrus", the iconic "Strawberry Fields Forever", and the melodic "Penny Lane" are among the highlights of another memorable album from the Fab Four.