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.

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.

Frank Zappa-You Are What You Is (1981)

With "You Are What You Is", Frank Zappa manages to satirize a segment of American society with his biting lyrics and sarcastic humor. However, while in his previous album, "Sheik Yerbouti", the guitarist offered a burlesque and social critique, this release showcases greater musical and lyrical refinement. Televangelists, groupies, the draft, disco music, and drug-addicted teenagers all become targets of his humor and biting satire. Musically, on this double album, Zappa explores a wide variety of styles, ranging from the doo-wop soul of "Doreen" to the hard rock exercises of "Charlie's Enormous Mouth" and the guitar-pyrotechnics of "The From the 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear", passing through the reggae of "Goblin Girl", the catchy tunes of "Teenage Wind", the country of "Harder Than Your Husband", the funk of "Society Pages", the gospel of "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing", and virulent pieces like "Dumb All Over". In all of them, Zappa manages to capture the music's intelligent integration with the lyrics, achieving a satirical and edgy style that is nonetheless highly appealing. Despite this great variety of styles and sounds, the music becomes very accessible, far from the demands of many of his previous works, which makes this (his twenty-fourth album) one of the most accessible to the general public and another masterpiece from one of the greatest geniuses that rock music has ever produced.

Paul McCartney & Wings-Venus And Mars (1975)

In 1975, Paul McCartney continued to unleash his immense creativity, releasing his fourth album with his band Wings. The former Beatle even allowed himself the luxury of giving more prominence in the songwriting to some of his bandmates, such as Jimmy McCulloch and arranger Tony Hatch. In addition to the usual Wings members Denny Laine, his wife Linda McCartney, Jimmy McCulloch, and Geoff Britton (the latter replaced mid-session by Joe English) Allen Toussaint, Dave Mason, and Tom Scott also contributed to these recordings. "Venus and Mars" is one of their most energetic works, clearly focused on rock, as demonstrated by the powerful "Medicine Jar", the energetic "Magneto and Titanium Man" and "Rock Show" and the bluesy "Spirits of Ancient Egypt", However, the melodic side remains very present in m,any moments of the album, such as the beautiful title track, the tender "Love In Song", the rhythmic "Letting Go", the exquisite "Listen To What The Man Said", and the melancholic "Treat Her Gently". As with their previous releases, this album once again reached number one on the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, achieving triple platinum status.

Rainbow-Ritchie Blackmore´s Rainbow (1975)

We've discussed before the reasons that led Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore to leave the legendary band and found his own, where he did as he pleased, but also created monumental works like the enormous "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll" and "Rising", not to mention the magnificent double live album "On Stage". However, his first serious work, "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow", still showed a certain creative disarray compared to the aforementioned albums. For this first release, the ill-tempered guitarist had assembled a band that included himself, Ronnie James Dio, with whom he had forged a close friendship since the early 1970s when the diminutive singer was in the band Elf; bassist Craig Gruber; drummer Gary Driscoll; and keyboardist Mickey Lee Soule. All of them, except Dio, would be dismissed shortly after the album's recording, demonstrating the guitarist's volatile temper and Solomon-like decision-making. Recorded during the first months of 1975 in Munich, it was co-produced by Martin Birch, Ritchie Blackmore, and Ronnie James Dio, and released by Polydor Records in the middle of that year. This debut album, with its clear medieval and epic fantasy themes, clearly demonstrated the direction Rainbow's sound was taking. It features three of the most emblematic tracks of the band's entire career: the colossal "Man On The Silver Mountain" with its mythical riff backed by Dio's splendid vocals, the nostalgic and epic ballad "Catch The Rainbow", and the classic "Sixteenth Century Greenslaves". While the remaining tracks, though not achieving widespread recognition or significant impact, are still worth mentioning, such as the epic "The Temple Of The King", the hard rock anthem "Snake Charmer", and the instrumental version of The Yardbirds' "Stills I'm Said". This debut has always been overshadowed by its subsequent, superb successors, and has therefore consistently been considered a transitional and minor album in Blackmore and his band's career. However, it possesses enough merit to be considered a fundamental work in 1970s hard rock.

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.

Europe-Europe (1983)

Three years before they rose to global fame with their acclaimed pop-metal-oriented album "The Final Countdown", the Swedish band Europe began their powerful awakening with their self-titled debut album released in 1983. Fueled by the jovial enthusiasm of singer Joey Tempest, the metallic riffs of guitarist John Norum, and the driving rhythm section comprised of John Leven and Tony Reno, on this first record, the group showcased a heavier side with a powerful repertoire of conventional heavy metal songs with neoclassical influences. Although still showing some compositional immaturity, this album already features some of their best tracks, such as the heavy metal anthems "In The Future To Come", "Farewell", "Children of This Time", and "Seven Doors Hotel". The latter brought them their first major success outside of Europe, becoming a massive hit in countries like Japan, while the hard blues track "The King Will Return", the exhilarating "Boyazont", and the powerful ballad "Words of Wisdom" completed one of the best European heavy metal debuts of the 1980s.

Dokken-Under Look And Key (1985)

Dokken were one of the pioneering glam metal bands, a genre that became one of the most successful and mainstream in the world during the 1980s. Formed in Los Angeles in 1976, the band was founded by vocalist Don Dokken, guitarist George Lynch, bassist Johan Croucier, and drummer Mick Brown. While their first album was a commercial failure, it was with their second release that the band began a meteoric rise, accumulating numerous hits worldwide and selling millions of records. However, while that second album, "Tooth and Nail", had paved the way for their success in Europe, they still had to break through in their own country, at a time when the glam metal movement was all the rage. And it was with "Under Lock and Key" that they finally achieved massive success and worldwide recognition, thanks to a spectacular album packed with pop-metal and hard-rock hooks like "The Hunter" and "In My Dreams", tear-jerking ballads like "Jaded Heart" and "Slippin' Away", and powerful heavy-metal tracks like "Lightnin' Strikes Again", "It's Not Love", and "Till the Livin' End". With this third album, Dokken's well-oiled machine continued to produce a steady stream of gems that would pave the way for their absolute success throughout the rest of the 1980s.

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).

Isaac Hayes-Shaft (1971)

As a composer, producer, arranger, singer, and keyboardist, Isaac Hayes was the primary architect of the signature sound of Memphis-based Stax Records. However, few foresaw his rise to global stardom, which began in 1969 with his album "Hot Buttered Soul". In this work, Hayes combined jazz with hypnotic sounds and extended passages, blending funk, soul, and psychedelia, all underpinned by dark, fuzzy guitars and his deep, sharp voice. Following this album came two more works in a similar vein, featuring expansive tracks, meticulous arrangements, and intricate orchestrations. In 1971, Isaac Hayes released two double albums: the soundtrack to the film "Shaft" and "Black Moses". With his first album, Isaac Hayes achieved his most successful work, earning an Oscar for Best Original Score and a Grammy Award, catapulting him to global stardom, thanks in part to the album's title track. On "Shaft", Hayes masterfully combined exuberant and powerful funk with smooth and delicate instrumental pieces, all infused with laconic and subtle jazz influences. Hayes's infallible melodic sense shone through in evocative and atmospheric tracks like "Bimpy's Lament", the smooth and vibrant "Elliés Love Theme", the upbeat "Cafe Regios", which evoked the sound of West Montgomery, the bold and powerful "No Namen Bar", and the Burt Bacharach-esque "Early Sunday Morning", all featuring sophisticated string and wind arrangements that complemented Hayes's melodic contours and the style demanded by Hollywood. Months later Hayes would reach his creative peak, releasing another colossal work, "Black Moses", where he would base his sound on the style of "Hot Buttered Soul", but adding more eclectic fusions and thus expanding his enormous musical canvas.

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.

Rainbow-Bent Out Of Shape (1983)

This was Rainbow's last album released in the 1980s, and also their most commercially successful. Despite this, it still boasts excellent musicianship, a well-chosen collection of songs that perfectly complement Joe Lynn Turner's powerful voice, which delivers an exceptional vocal performance. Meanwhile, the impetuous guitar work of Rainbow's leader and undisputed mastermind, Ritchie Blackmore, continues to inspire awe with its sublime riffs, intricate solos, and immeasurable melodies on the six strings. Catchy AOR-oriented tracks like "Can't Let You Go", "Street of Dreams", and "Fool for the Night" stand in stark contrast to hard rock anthems such as the solid "Fire Dance", the emotive instrumental "Anybody There", the ambient "Snowman", and the rocking "Drinking with the Devil". "Bent Out Of Shape" is definitely a great epilogue to Rainbow's golden age, an elegantly arranged album with a magnificent repertoire that highlights the great talent of Joe Lynn Turner and the genius of Ritchie Blackmore.

Paul McCartney-Tug Of War (1982)

Paul McCartney's fifth solo album marked another of his great works, following several releases of undeniable quality but equally conventional and predictable soft pop and commercial rock songs, such as "London Town", "Back to the Egg", and "McCartney II". With "Tug of War", Paul not only returned to the top of the charts but also crafted a work featuring some of the best songs of his entire solo career. Moreover, the collaborations with renowned musicians like George Martin, Steve Gadd, Eric Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Stanley Clarke, Carl Perkins, Ringo Starr, and Denny Laine added the perfect extra layer of appeal for a wider audience. Songs like "Ebony and Ivory" sung as a duet with Stevie Wonder, "Take it Away", "Somebody Who Cares", "Tug Of War", "Get It" or "Here Today", strengthened a work full of unforgettable melodies, under numerous musical styles that would reach the top of the charts in numerous countries around the world.

The Climax Chicago Blues Band-A Lot Of Bottle (1970)

The Climax Chicago Blues Band was one of the greatest bands of the so-called British white blues scene, rivaling contenders like Savoy Brown, The Keff Hartley Band, Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack, and John Mayall and The Heartbreakers, among many others, throughout the late sixties and much of the seventies. By 1970, this legendary band had released two immense albums focused on avant-garde blues rock, pushing their style towards exploration and the creation of new sonic heights. That same year, the band underwent its first lineup changes, with Arthur Word joining on keyboards and drummer George Newsome. These new members, along with founding members Peter Haycock (guitarist), Colin Cooper (saxophonist and guitarist), and Derek Holt (bassist), recorded two spectacular albums that definitively established them in the public eye, demonstrating their formidable talent and exceptional creative and instrumental intelligence. The first of these was "A Lot Of Bottle", where, in addition to their ingenious blues rock, they spiced it up with a touch of commercial appeal. From catchy bluesy tracks like "Brief Case" and "Morning Noon and Night", to conventional country blues like "Alright Blue", "Country Hat", and "Louisiana Blues", and including rhythmic and energetic blues rock like "Cut You Loose". A year later, they released their fourth masterpiece, "Tightly Knit", an album on which they shortened their name, becoming known from then on as Climax Blues Band.

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.

Paul McCartney-Ram (1971)

Paul McCartney's second album sparked some controversy among his most devoted fans, mainly because it was officially credited to Paul & Linda McCartney. This led many to initially wonder why a photographer with no musical background (Linda's profession, in addition to being the heiress to the Kodak fortune) was involved in recording an album with Paul. Many were immediately reminded of the disastrous recordings of his former bandmate John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono. But nothing could be further from the truth. On this album, the former Beatle demonstrated why he was the driving force behind the Liverpool group, creating a record that is a clear influence on many subsequent musical styles. For the recording, McCartney enlisted the help of prestigious session musicians such as guitarists Hugh McCracken and David Spinozza, and drummer Denny Seiwell, while Paul himself handled bass, vocals, keyboards, and rhythm guitars. For many, this release is clearly related to the sound of the album "Abbey Road", as is evident in the epic "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", while the reminiscences of 1950s rock and roll are present in tracks like "Legs" and "Smile Away". On the other hand, the folk-infused "Ram On", the energetic "Monkberry Moon Delight", and the exquisite "The Back Seat of My Car" evoke the spirit of his main band's "White Album". Ultimately, with "Ram", Paul McCartney created a work that was both groundbreaking and influential, achieving multiple platinum records and considerable sales worldwide.

U.K.-U.K. (1978)

This short-lived supergroup was one of the last of the golden age of progressive rock in the 1970s, born from the dissolution of an original idea by John Wetton, Bill Bruford, and Rick Wakeman. However, Wakeman ultimately left the project, and his replacement was former Roxy Music keyboardist and violinist Eddie Jobson, with former Soft Machine and Gong guitarist Allan Holdsworth completing the lineup. With the definitive band in place, they entered the studio and recorded their self-titled debut album, "U.K." (1978), released on the E.G. label. This first album showcased a group of highly skilled musicians who fully lived up to the expectations of the time, displaying superb precision, great compositional inspiration, and an exceptionally high level of technical prowess. Tracks like the sweeping and Crimson-esque “In the Dead of Night”, the grandiose “Presto Vivace and Reprise”, the atmospheric “Thirty Years”, the brilliant progressive hard rock “Alaska” and the progressive jazz “Mental Medication”, made up a work that would go down in history as one of the most important of the progressive style of the late 70s.

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.

U2-The Joshua Tree (1987)

In 1987, the Irish band U2 released their fifth album, "The Joshua Tree", considered their masterpiece and their commercial peak, with over 14 million copies sold worldwide. While their previous album, "War", showcased their most energetic side and sharpened their lyrics, denouncing social and political issues, as evidenced in the well-known "Sunday Bloody Sunday", here they presented a repertoire of more refined and elegant songs, simultaneously darker and more accessible, incorporating subtle influences of American country and blues without losing sight of their unmistakable style. The entire album is immensely enjoyable; however, the first three songs are the record's high point. “Where The Streets Have No Name”, “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “With or Without You”, which somehow overshadow other very high-level songs such as “Bullet The Blue Sky” or “In God’s Country”.

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.

Genesis-We Can´t Dance (1991)

Strictly speaking, this was Genesis's last album, and the last with Phil Collins at the helm, even though six years later they released the unforgettable "Calling All Stations" under the band's name essentially a solo project by Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks with singer Ray Wilson. Released during the height of Phil Collins's solo career, it serves as a fitting epitaph for what is considered one of the most iconic progressive rock bands of all time. Much more focused on progressive sounds than the previous, more commercially oriented "Invisible Touch", this new recording saw the trio (Collins, Rutherford, and Banks) concentrate on songs with more socially conscious lyrics (social commentary and existentialism, among other recurring themes, are addressed here, with some sarcastic and humorous songs on very hot topics of the time) and more complex instrumentation. However, tracks like "Jesus He Knows Me", "Tell Me Why", and "Hold On My Heart" were clearly written for radio, yet they retained their excellent musicianship. On the other hand, the funk-rock track "I Can't Dance" is the kind of song that would fit perfectly on any of Phil Collins' albums due to its simplicity and infectious rhythm. On the more complex side, there are tracks like "Driving The Last Spike", "Dreaming While You Sleep", "No Son Of Mine", "Way Of The World", and "Fading Lights," all of which showcase their brilliant progressive side.

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.

Gentle Giant-Civilian (1980)

"Civilian", released in early 1980, was the last album recorded by the legendary Gentle Giant, a work that shows little trace of the band's glorious progressive past. On this release, the quintet of Derek Shulman (vocals), Gary Green (guitars), Kerry Minnear (keyboards), Ray Shulman (bass, guitars, and vocals), and John Weathers (drums and vocals) aimed for a lighter, more accessible sound, with a conventional American rock style. While not as challenging as their previous releases, the band remained in a comfortable zone, creating catchy melodies within an atmosphere reminiscent of 1980s new wave and melodic rock, as demonstrated by songs like "Convenience (Clean and Easy)", "Shadows on the Streets," and "Inside Out," and the classic arena rock of "Number One," "I Am a Camera", and "All Through the Night". With this eleventh release, Gentle Giant brought their brilliant career to a close, producing an epitaph in the form of a commendable and solid classic rock album.

Roy Harper-HQ (1975)

With his album "HQ", singer-songwriter Roy Harper almost completely abandoned his folk roots to fully embrace progressive rock. For this project, Harper enlisted heavyweights such as Bill Bruford (Yes and King Crimson), David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), and David Bedford (Mike Oldfield), as well as renowned session musicians like Chris Spedding, Dave Cochran, and Steve Broughton. This shift towards more experimental sounds is evident in tracks like the epic "The Game" and the reflective "When An Old Cricketer Leaves The Crease", while mainstream rock peeks through in the energy of "The Spirits Lives" and the lighthearted "Grown Ups Are Just Silly Children", two tracks that contrast with the acoustic "Referendum (Legend)" and "Hallucinating Light", the only two pieces that still retain the vintage flavor of his more recent folk past.

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.

Gary Numan-The Pleasure Principle (1979)

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Gary Numan became a media phenomenon thanks to his enormous success with a predominantly teenage audience. His journey had begun years earlier when, in the mid-1970s, he founded his first band, Tubeway Army, with whom he expanded his style of punk disguised as electronic music. His album "Replicas", released in 1979, is a seminal document of Numan's experiences in the realm of synth-pop and laid the groundwork for the genre's subsequent evolution. The album achieved a surprising number one hit on the British charts thanks to tracks like "Are Friends Electric?". However, despite this meteoric success, Numan soon disbanded Tubeway Army and continued his solo career, forming a band that featured Ultravox keyboardist Billie Currie. His debut album, "The Pleasure Principle", was a monumental success thanks to its skillful, futuristic musical exaggerations, imbuing each track with a science-fantasy concept that depicted a world dominated by machines. With his next effort, "Telekon", despite its tremendous success, the first signs of an imminent creative decline were already apparent, leading to his temporary withdrawal from the music scene. Some time later, he returned with other releases that achieved a certain degree of recognition, such as "Dance", featuring Queen drummer Roger Taylor, and "Warriors", a collaboration with jazz saxophonist Dick Morrissey. Gary Numan will always be remembered as a pioneer and a pivotal figure in the synth-pop of the 1980s

Twelfth Night-Smiling At Grief (1982)

One of the quintessential early neo-progressive bands is Twelfth Night, formed in 1978. They anticipated all the other bands that revived the baroque symphonic/progressive rock that was fading away at the time. Twelfth Night actually began as a unique blend of art rock and new wave, but unlike their synth-pop and pop-rock contemporaries, they were decidedly less commercial in their pop influences, emphasizing a more complex sound that undeniably makes them progressive. Although even today few agree on what their debut album was for many it's their iconic "Fact and Fiction" and for others their cassette release "Smiling at Grief" we'll consider the latter as their supposed first official recording, which was originally self-produced and financed by the band. In this first recording, Twelfth Night consisted of Geoff Man (vocals), Andy Revell (guitar), Rick Battersby (keyboards), Clive Mitten (bass, guitars, and keyboards), and Brian Devoll (drums). Although, as we mentioned at the beginning of this post, Twelfth Night are the main forerunners of the progressive revival known as neo-progressive, this demo/cassette still shows that stylistically they are quite far removed from that subgenre. There is a wide range of influences here, from the new wave of "Three Dancers" to funk-tinged experiments like "Fur Helene Part II", and early versions of classics such as "Puppets" and "Painted By Numbers", in which their singer still seems to be searching for his distinctive vocal style, often getting lost in meaningless meanderings. Despite being oriented towards sounds close to electro pop and new wave, this is undoubtedly a good starting point to understand the musical roots of this iconic cult 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.

Genesis-Invisible Touch (1986)

"Invisible Touch" is Genesis' most commercially successful album, but at the same time, it's the most hated by their purist fans. Released during the peak of drummer and vocalist Phil Collins' career, the band somewhat follows his stylistic and musical path, veering towards pop-rock with the typical addictive clichés, yet still showcasing captivating melodies, as in "In Too Deep" and "Throwing It at All". On the other hand, Collins, Rutherford, and Banks don't completely abandon progressive numbers, as demonstrated by the sophisticated "Tonight Tonight Tonight" and the atmospheric "Domino". On the pop front, there's the title track, along with "Land of Confusion" and "Anything He Does", all featuring irresistible melodies (despite their obvious simplicity and commercial intent) that ended up doing well on radio stations around the world. In short, "Invisible Touch" is, for better or for worse, a good album with a pleasant musical flow that perfectly combines complex songs and pop, demonstrating Genesis's skillful use of the new songwriting styles of the 1980s. Numerous gold and platinum records and sales exceeding 15 million copies worldwide attest to this successful album.

Kravetz-Kravetz (1972)

A twist of fate transformed Frenchman Jean-Jacques Kravetz into one of the pioneers of German rock, or as it's commonly known, "krautrock". Having settled in Hamburg in the late 1960s at just 20 years old, this Parisian multi-instrumentalist forged a strong reputation within the burgeoning psychedelic music scene, becoming one of its leading figures. A few years later, he released his only solo album, a low-key effort with virtually no promotion, alongside legendary drummer Udo Linderberg and musicians Thomas Kretzschmer on guitar, bassist Carl Stepehan, and vocalist Inga Rumpf. On this album, Kravetz masterfully blends heavy, hazy organ sounds and synthesizers with sharp, precise electric guitars. This is demonstrated in the opening track “I’d Like To Be A Child Again” and the ethereal “Ann Toomuch”, while the experimental “Routes” adds a psychedelic and dark note to this work, which culminates in the progressive jazz “Master Of Time”, bringing to a close an album that would define one of the early sounds of krautrock. In the following years, Kravetz would become a full member of three of the greatest German rock bands: Frumpy, Kin Ping Meh, and Atlantis, producing excellent albums with all of them, including some of the classics of German rock and prog rock.

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.