The White Stripes-Elephant (2003)

Spearheading the revival of 1960s garage rock in the late 20th century, the White Stripes established themselves as one of the leading alternative rock bands throughout much of the late 1990s and the first half of the 2000s. Their original musical approach encompassed genres as diverse as blues, hard rock, folk, country, punk, and rock and roll, with a style heavily influenced by the classic sound of the legendary Led Zeppelin, one of the band's main influences. Furthermore, their recordings were characterized by the simplicity of their arrangements and their effective, albeit rudimentary, songs. Formed by the duo Jack White (guitarist, vocalist, and keyboardist) and Meg White (drummer and vocalist), they were active for just over ten years, from 1999 to 2011, when they officially disbanded. During this time, they released six studio albums and several live albums, selling over ten million copies. “Elephant” was the title of their fourth album, released in early 2003, becoming one of their biggest commercial and critical successes. As was typical of their previous albums, the band opted for the analog sounds characteristic of the 1960s, using recording equipment from that era. Musically, with this new album, the White Stripes succeeded in rediscovering for new generations the primal, rootsy sounds of blues and rock, with a series of addictive tracks such as the generational anthem "Seven Nation Army", which would become a classic at sporting events worldwide. In addition to this now-universal track, there's the psychedelic "There's No Home For You Here", the powerful blues-rock "Ball and Biscuit", the dark hard rock "The Hardest Button", and the garage rockers "Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine" and "Black Math". Meanwhile, the folk, country, and American rock influences are present in tracks like "In The Cold, Cold Night", "I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart", and "You´ve Got Her In Your Pocket".

Porcupine Tree-In Absentia (2002)

With Porcupine Tree's seventh album, "In Absentia," the band led by Steven Wilson not only achieved their best work but also the pinnacle of the brilliant composer, singer, and guitarist's creativity undoubtedly one of the most brilliant musicians of the last two decades. While throughout much of the nineties the band built a strong reputation within the progressive rock community with such monumental albums as "The Sky Moves Sideways", "Signify", and "Stupid Dreams", in which they maintained their characteristic progressive sound but fused it with different nuances and more commercial sounds, in "In Absentia" they rationally managed to fuse psychedelic and prog elements with the power of heavy metal, as demonstrated in the opening track, "Blackest Eyes". The rest of the album moves eclectically through various styles, with complex compositions alongside simpler but incredibly addictive ones, as demonstrated in tracks like “Trains”, “Prodigal”, and “Strip The Soul”. Meanwhile, the progressive hard rock vein is very much present in cuts like “Gravity Eyelids” and “Weeding Nails”, in dark and powerful exercises like “The Creator Has A Mastertape”, and in exquisite pieces like “Heartattack In A Layby” and “Collapse The Light Into Earth”. “In Absentia” has become one of the essential works of the new century, not only for its memorable compositions but also for the superb instrumental performance of each band member, as well as the impeccable production by Steven Wilson himself.

Lou Reed-Rock´n´Roll Animal (1974)

In 1972, David Bowie entered Lou Reed's career and became one of his greatest influences. The British singer encouraged Reed to emphasize the ambiguous and provocative nature of his lyrics and performances, characteristics typical of the Andy Warhol factory, from which Reed himself emerged. If, until then, the New York musician had been one of the pioneers in highlighting the negative and unsettling aspects of youth subculture, with Bowie's arrival, he gradually transformed into an androgynous figure, appearing on stage with black eye and lip paint and wearing black velvet suits adorned with faux sequins. Already on his album "Transformer" (1972), he deliberately introduced the themes of homosexuality and cross-dressing, with which Reed had previously maintained a distance through irony and theatricality, but which he suddenly seemed to embrace. Bowie and Mick Ronson's collaboration on production, in addition to their participation in the album's recording, gave a great boost, coherence, and balance to a work that contained captivating songs like "Walk On The Wild Side", "Vicious", "Make Up", and "Satellite Of Love". Thanks to this LP, Lou Reed finally became a rock star; however, his consolidation at the top was cut short by his next work, "Berlin" (1973), which was produced by Bob Ezrin and featured an anthology of musicians, including Steve Winwood, Michael Brecker, Aynsley Dunbar, Steve Hunter, Dick Wagner, and Jack Bruce, among others. However, this album was scorned by the press and lost public interest, undoubtedly due to its strange music, which alternated intense orchestral passages with uneven acoustic guitar and rock sounds, prompting comparisons to the Velvet Underground's first album. Disgusted by that poor reception, Lou Reed formed a powerful and forceful rock band, which included guitarists Wagner and Hunter, plus bassist Prakash John, drummer Pentti Glan, and keyboardist Ray Colcord, and would release the vigorous and immersive live albums “Rock´n´Roll Animal” (1974) and “Lou Reed Live” (1975) in which he reviewed his classic songs in an almost hard rock style; “Sweet Jane”, “Heroin”, “Lady Day”, “Vicious” or “Walk On The Wild Side”, both albums, memorable sonic documents of the best period, at the same time the most turbulent of the American musician.

Allan Holdsworth-Metal Fatigue (1985)

Allan Holdsworth is considered one of the greatest guitarists in history, yet at the same time, he remains unjustly unknown to much of the rock community. His beginnings in the 1970s led him to participate as a member of such iconic bands as Tempest, U.K., Gong, Soft Machine, and Jean-Luc Ponty's band, in addition to numerous collaborations on albums by renowned artists like Stanley Clarke, Jack Bruce, Carl Verheyen, and John Wetton, among many others. In 1976, he released his first solo album, "Velvet Darkness", which already showcased his technique in the service of progressive jazz. With his second album, "I.O.U.", released a few years later, Holdsworth created a work with an unpredictable and surprising sound, replete with a vast array of complex progressions, chords, and atypical tonal scales. In 1983 came "Metal Fatigue", considered one of the best jazz-rock albums of the 1980s, where he demonstrated his exceptional guitar mastery. With this album, he pushed the boundaries of genres and styles, blending an instrumental-oriented sound with vocals in some of the songs. "Metal Fatigue" contains six excellent compositions that straddle the line between rock and jazz, brilliantly performed not only by the brilliant guitarist but also by the musicians who accompanied him on this recording, including drummer Chad Wackerman, bassists Jimmy Johnson and Gary Willis, vocalists Paul Williams and Paul Korda, and keyboardist Alan Pasqua. Impeccably performed tracks such as the superb jazz rock “Devil Take The Hindmost”, “Home” and “Metal Fatigue” or virtuoso exercises like “The Un-Merry Go Round” or the more accessible “Panic Station” and “In The Mystery”, make up a truly excellent jazz rock album, with absolutely fantastic musicality and impeccable instrumental execution.

Blind Guardian-Nightfall In Middle-Earth (1998)

The eighth album by the German band Blind Guardian marked the pinnacle of their creativity, while simultaneously being their least accessible and most progressive record. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Silmarillion", Blind Guardian embarked on their most ambitious work, replete with vocal harmonies and multiple layers of guitars with dense and complex sounds. By the time they recorded this album, the band had gone three years without releasing any new material, years in which they had embarked on several highly successful world tours, performing complex songs from their albums "Somewhere Far Beyond" and "Imaginations From The Other Side". These albums, while not explicitly concept albums, followed a similar pattern with progressive leanings, if not so much musically, then certainly stylistically. “Nightfall In Meddle-Earth” is an exciting album from beginning to end, with great intros, outstanding epic compositions and a clear taste towards rock opera, with narrated parts, countless choirs and sublime instrumentation made up of 22 tracks, half of which are songs and the rest narrated or instrumental interludes.

John Mayall-USA Union (1970)

In the late 1960s, John Mayall moved to the United States, settling in the idyllic Laurel Canyon, California. His album "Blues From Laurel Canyon" expressed his fascination with the place. Influenced by American music, he soon formed a new band composed entirely of American musicians. Among them were former members of the blues-rock band Canned Heat: Harvey Mandel (guitar) and Larry Taylor (bass). Taylor had previously made a brief guest appearance on Mayall's album "Empty Rooms". Also joining the band was violinist Don "Sugarcane" Harris, who had recently played with Frank Zappa. Earlier, on his live album "Turning Point" (1969), recorded at the legendary Fillmore East in New York, Mayall had dispensed with the drums, a decision that would mark a turning point in his career. This shift towards a low-volume blues style, devoid of the heavy guitars and drums that were so popular at the time, seemed like commercial suicide, to say the least. However, with this album and its predecessor, "Empty Rooms" (1970), Mayall created a clever fusion of Latin rhythms, blues, jazz, and boogie, featuring musicians like guitarist John Mark, saxophonist Johnny Almond, and bassist Stephen Thompson, who complemented Mayall's vocals and harmonies. "USA Union", recorded with the Mayall-Mandel-Taylor-Harris quartet, recaptured the solid sound of jazz-rock with freer, ensemble-driven compositions, where Taylor and Mandel made significant instrumental contributions. Mandel added a rich color to the music with his electric guitar solos, which had a more subtle sound than those played by the band's previous incarnations (Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Mick Taylor). However, the formula of "Empty Rooms" isn't repeated here. Although the original idea is quite similar, the instruments are slightly different (the violin and the electric guitar taking a more prominent role, replaced by the saxophone and flute), significantly altering the character of the music. Another important point is that all the compositions are highly expressive and interwoven. The typically rhythmic blues track "Crying" is one of the album's most memorable songs, with the violin taking center stage and sounding unlike anything Mayall has ever composed. Meanwhile, the jazzy "The Jazz Off The Road", despite its short duration, is a pleasant, relaxed, and easygoing musical journey. In "Nature's Disappearing", Mayall showcases his harmonica skills, complemented by the equally talented performances of the other instrumentalists. The rest of the tracks maintain an acceptable level within this experiment, which, due to the atypical instrumentation of the lack of drums and wind instruments, created a unique and exciting version of the best blues that John Mayall has ever made, something that is very difficult to affirm after so many great works by the so-called father of white blues.

Black Widow-Sacrifice (1970)

Often compared to Black Sabbath due to their name and the satanic lyrics on their first album, Black Widow had released an album under the name Pesky Gee in 1969 before changing their name. However, that comparison was rather unfair, because their style, unlike the gloomy and dark sounds of the band led by Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne, was more boisterous, cheerful, and with proto-progressive elements, albeit with undeniably demonic lyrics. This trend would change on their next two albums, which wouldn't go in that direction, as their style remained within the confines of hard rock and more conventional progressive rock. Hailing from Leicester in the east of England, this band was founded by vocalist Kip Trevor, guitarist Jim Gannon, and keyboardist Zoot Taylor, with drummer Clive Box, bassist Bon Bond, and flautist/saxophonist Clive Jones completing the lineup. Even with their previous band, Pesky Gee, they had garnered considerable attention for their satanic concerts, where they simulated the sacrifice of a naked woman on stage. In 1970, they left Pye Records and signed with CBS, with whom they released their first album under the new name Black Widow. Musically, this debut release is not a funeral dirge despite its controversial lyrics; the melodies are uplifting, with hints of prog folk and some jazz elements, all filtered through the lens of progressive hard rock. The album opens with the progressive track "In Ancient Days", brimming with Hammond organ sounds, Mellotrons, and string instruments. The commercially oriented "Come To The Sabbat" was a surprising hit due to its sinister and diabolical lyrics. On the other hand, the pleasant and more earthy "Seduction" and the extensive and complex "Sacrifice" completed a superb work of the best proto-progressive metal of the early 70s. But from this point on, due to pressure from their own record label and certain very powerful and influential fundamentalist Christian groups, the band stopped including satanic lyrics in their subsequent works.

Black Hole-Land Of Mystery (1985)

Black Hole was an obscure Italian heavy metal band that released one of the gems of the so-called Doom Metal subgenre in 1985. Their lineup consisted of vocalist Robert Measles, who also played organ and synthesizers, guitarist Nicholas Murray, and drummer Luther Gordon. Their origins trace back to the city of Verona in the early 1980s. "Land of Mystery" was the third album by this Italian band, a raw recording with dark synthesizer and atmospheric organ sounds in the purest style of the early 1970s, haunting vocals sung in English, and powerful, hypnotic, and gloomy guitar riffs. Here, connotations of classic heavy metal appear, such as "Demoniac City", while "Land Of Mystery" is close to heavy and energetic stoner rock. The twisted and eccentric "All My Evil" gives way to the grim "Bells Of Death", which at the same time welcomes the most atmospheric and sinister moments with "Blind Men And Occult Forces", the psychedelic "Spectral World", or the heavy instrumental rock "Obscurity In The Ethereal House", which brings to a close a lapidary and chilling album of surreal and hypnotic heavy metal.

Tramp-Tramp (1969)

Tramp was a blues band comprised of musicians from other groups who worked on this project in parallel, united by their love for the most basic sounds of British rock and blues. Founded by siblings Dave Kelly and Jo Ann Kelly, guitarist and singer respectively, in 1969 they convinced Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood (drums), Bob Brunning (bass), and Danny Kirwan (guitar), along with pianist Bob Hall (formerly of the Groundhogs), percussionist Ian Morton, vocalist Memphis Lil, and saxophonist Dave Brooks, to record an album, which was released at the end of 1969. This debut album features a repertoire of solid blues and rock tracks, such as the galloping opening track "Own Up", while the instrumental "Hard Work" also follows that rock trend, contrasting with the bluesy and leisurely "Street Walking Blues", the melancholic "Baby What You Want Me To Do", and the funk. The light and catchy “Oh The Scene” is a highlight. The rest of the album leans towards a more eclectic sound, navigating between jazz and R&B, and features dynamic tracks like “Same Old Thing”, the effective “What You Gonna Do When The Road Comes Through”, the boogie-jazz “Somebody Watching Me”, and the elaborate “Another Day”. In short, a fine blues and rock album recorded by excellent musicians, with Danny Kirwan delivering an immeasurable guitar performance that would become the pinnacle of the group's bluesy sound, while also making him the most outstanding of the former Fleetwood Mac members.

Praying Mantis-Time Tells No Lies (1981)

Praying Mantis is considered one of the leading bands of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) scene; however, unlike their contemporaries, they followed a much more melodic and commercial musical direction. Their origins date back several years before the NWOBHM genre was officially established, specifically to the mid-seventies. Founded by brothers Chris and Tyler Toy, on bass and guitar respectively, along with drummer Dave Potts and guitarist Steve Carroll, they released the EP "Soundhouse Tapes" in 1979. The following year, due to their growing reputation, they opened for Iron Maiden and Ronnie Montrose in the UK. Their spectacular concerts opened the doors to Arista Records, with whom they released their first album and, ultimately, their most commercially successful work, "Time Tells No Lies", in 1981. Featuring a spectacular cover by the renowned illustrator Rodney Matthews (a trend that would become a hallmark of all their work), this debut album contained an explosive mix of epic and powerful heavy metal with soaring melodies and intricate instrumentation, as demonstrated in the opening track "Cheated". Their epic side is showcased in the sensational "Lovers to the Grave", and their energetic melodic heavy metal tracks include "Children of the Earth" and "Beads of Ebony". Meanwhile, their furious cover of The Kinks' "All Day and All Out of the Night" adds a touch of commercial appeal. However, the band's instability and poor promotion by Arista hindered their ability to achieve greater success. The following year, the band changed labels, signing with Jet Records and releasing several singles that met with little success, leading to their eventual breakup until their reunion in 1987. However, during those early years, Praying Mantis had amassed a large following in Japan, a country where they were revered and their work enjoyed great success. In recognition of their thousands of Japanese fans, the band reformed in 1990, with former Iron Maiden members Dennis Stratton and Paul Di'Anno joining the lineup for a nostalgic tour of Japan. The Japanese audience responded enthusiastically, which motivated them to release the album "Live At Last" and a new studio album, "Predator In Disguise" (1991), achieving overwhelming sales and critical acclaim. From this point on, the band continued releasing a series of well-received and highly successful albums such as “A Cry For The New World” (1993), “To The Power Of Ten” (1995), and “Forever In Time” (1998), all sharing a common thread: frequent lineup changes. Despite these changes, the quality of their work never diminished. In 2007, they released one of their most celebrated albums, “Sanctuary”, which garnered widespread acclaim and achieved phenomenal sales. The same success followed with their subsequent albums, “Legacy” (2015) and “Gravity” (2018), which garnered them thousands of fans worldwide. Currently, Praying Mantis is one of the few remaining active bands from the NWOBHM movement, having sold over 30 million albums globally after a 40-year career.

Black Sheep-Black Sheep (1975)

Black Sheep was a short-lived American hard rock and blues rock band from the mid-1970s, based in Rochester, near New York City. They are known for being one of the first bands to feature vocalist Lou Gramm, who would later front one of the greatest melodic rock bands, Foreigner, for the next two decades. But before that, Black Sheep had already released the hit single "Stick Around" in 1974, and a year later their self-titled album, "Black Sheep". They then released the band's epilogue, "Encouraging Words", in late 1975. Lou Gramm did not appear on this last album, having left after being recruited by guitarist Mick Jones to join Foreigner in mid-1976. At that time, Black Sheep consisted of Donald Mancuso (guitar), Larry Crozie (keyboards), Ron Rocco (drums), and Bruce Turgon (bass), in addition to Lou Gramm on vocals. It was in this band that Lou Gramm honed the impressive vocal skills that would later make him one of the greatest vocalists in AOR, as demonstrated on Foreigner's first two multi-platinum albums. In this debut with Black Sheep, Gramm displays evident and impeccable vocal mastery on tracks like "Piano Interlude / Let Me Stay", which helped Black Sheep begin to gain some notoriety in the clubs of Rochester and New York. But in addition to this magnificent piece, the band showcases its talent with high-caliber tracks such as the blues-rock anthems "Payin' Yer Dues", "A Little or a Lot", and "Freight Train", or the melodic "Broken Promises" and "Far Side of the Sun", while the sublime "Woman" is a nod to the powerful sound of the enduring Free. After their second album, Black Sheep disbanded, with Don Mancuso and Ron Rocco joining Cheater, an obscure local hard rock band. Cheater released an album titled "Ten Cent Love Affair" in 1980, which received little media attention. Later, bassist Bruce Turgon played on Lou Gramm's solo albums, "Ready Or Not" (1987), which also featured Don Mancuso, and "Long Hard Look" (1989). In the mid-1990s, Turgon officially joined Foreigner, replacing bassist Rick Willis, and recorded the band's eighth album, "Mr. Moonlight".

The Mick Abrahams Band-A Musical Evening With Mick Abrahams (1971)

Mick Abrahams is best known as one of the founders of the British band Jethro Tull in 1967, with whom he released the album "This Was" in 1968. However, Abrahams's musical career had its roots some time before, participating in various R&B bands such as The Hustlers, The Toggerty Five, and Screaming Lord Sutch. By 1968, Jethro Tull had already earned a huge reputation based on Abrahams's distinctive blues guitar and the captivating flute and fierce stage presence of Ian Anderson. Jethro Tull's original blend of blues, jazz, and rock was reflected in the aforementioned "This Was", which achieved almost immediate success on the UK charts. However, the strong charisma of its two leaders and a different musical approach led to Abrahams' departure at the end of 1968. Some time later, Mick Abrahams founded a band of his own making called Blodwyn Pig, where he gave free rein to his passion for authentic blues, leaving behind the forays into folk and jazz sounds of his previous band. With this band, the excellent albums "Ahead Rings Out" (1969) and "Getting To This" (1970) were released. But, as fate would have it, both albums went unnoticed, despite containing an exquisite repertoire of great songs focused on blues, rock, and R&B. After this venture ended, Abrahams founded The Mick Abrahams Band, recruiting drummer Ritchie Dharma, keyboardist Bob Sargeant, and bassist Walt Monaghan. With this new band, he released two more excellent albums, "A Musical Evening With Mick Abrahams" and "At Last", which enjoyed some success on the blues-rock circuit throughout Europe. However, this time, the lack of support from his record label, Chrysalis, hampered his ability to achieve sufficient promotion to secure success in England and the United States. Disillusioned, Mick Abrahams decided to leave the music business in the mid-1970s. Focusing on his album "A Musical Evening With", Abrahams showcased his considerable skills on the guitar, along with brilliant and effective compositions such as the opening track, "Greyhound Bus". In this track, the infectious rhythm of funky sounds, accompanied by soaring guitar riffs, shines alongside Bob Sargeant's dense keyboard work. In "Awake" progressive sounds are faintly foreshadowed by its dark atmosphere, a subdued voice, and the instrumental prowess of the entire band. Meanwhile, the acoustic "Wind Of Change" approaches the folk sounds of CSN with some good vocal melodies. Blues rock peeks through in "Why Do You Do Me This Way" and in the accelerated "Big Queen", to end with the extensive "Seasons", a progressive blues rock where the keyboards, the sharp guitars, and the hypnotic sounds make it the best track on the album.

Ashbury-Endless Skies (1983)

Ashbury are another of those forgotten bands, buried in time, who released a legendary debut album in 1983, a true gem for fans of classic 70s hard rock. Related to the epic sound of Wishbone Ash, the vocal melodies of the Eagles or CSN, and the prog-folk mysticism of Jethro Tull, this band was actually a duo founded in Tucson, Arizona by brothers Randy and Rob Davies, both guitarists and singers. They founded Ashbury (not to be confused with the alternative rock band of the same name formed in 2005) after the breakup of the southern rock band Rigid Spur, in which Randy Davies played, in the late seventies. Once Rigid Spur disbanded, some of its members founded Ashbury South, where Rob Davies served as lighting technician. In the following years, the band gained a strong reputation in Arizona, performing in clubs and concert venues, and even winning a prestigious award from a Phoenix radio station for best live band in the entire state. By 1980, the Davis brothers decided to go solo and planned to record an album, using material they had been writing together over the past few years while with Ashbury South. The album that would finally be released in 1983, titled "Endless Skies", earned them another important award. This time, a famous Phoenix radio station proclaimed it the best rock album of 1983. "Endless Skies" is composed of a clever blend of southern rock, hard rock, and sounds very close to heavy metal with slight progressive touches, as demonstrated in "The Warning", where they show their inclination towards the heavier side of Jethro Tull, while in the melodic "Take Your Love Away", the epic, guitar-driven sounds of Wishbone Ash emerge. The heavy rock track "Vengeance", the country rock song "Madman", the epic and progressive "Hard Fight", and the southern-tinged "Mystery Man" make up an album as brilliant as it is classic. Special mention must be made of the title track of the album, a magnificent exercise in progressive and dynamic hard rock, where disparate influences are accommodated, with great vocal harmonies, delicate and melodic moments and the heavy heavy rock of the late 70s.

The Dirty Blues Band-Stone Dirt (1968)

The Dirty Blues Band was a blues rock band founded in Riverside, California, in early 1967 by vocalist and harmonica player Rod Piazza. They released two superb albums, "Dirty Blues Band" (1967) and "Stone Dirt" (1968), which were highly acclaimed by fans of the genre. This legendary band consisted of guitarist Glenn Roos Campbell, organist Pat Malone, drummer John Milliken, bassist Less Morrison, and steel guitarist Robert Sandell, in addition to the aforementioned Rod Piazza. In 1967, under the Bluesway label, they released their first album, which fused blues with jazz elements and sounds of funk and soul, all underpinned by Piazza's energetic vocals and harmonica playing. That first album featured the blues-funk track "Checkin' Up On My Baby", the jazzy "New Orleans Woman", and magnificent covers of Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" and Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don't Start Me To Talkin' ". A year later came "Stone Dirt", released by the same record label, which contained an irresistible repertoire including the boogie-blues "Bring It On Home" and "My Baby", the lilting blues (a John Lee Hooker cover) "It's My Own Fault", the rhythm and blues "I Can't Quit You Baby" and "Tell Me", the rock and roll "She's The One", and the hypnotic "Sittin' Down Wonderin' ". After this album, Piazza definitively disbanded the group and formed another similar one called Bacon Fat, with whom he released the monumental "Tough Dude" in 1971, another outstanding example of electric blues, which was duly reviewed some time ago on this blog.

Pot Liquor-Levee Blues (1971)

Pot Liquor was a short-lived band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who released several albums with a distinct boogie blues and southern rock sound during the early 1970s. Their initial lineup consisted of George Ratzlaff on keyboards and vocals, guitarist Les Wallace, drummer Jerry Amoroso, and bassist Guy Shaeffer. After their debut album, "First Taste", released in 1970, which was well-received in the southern states, they released "Levee Blues" a year later. Considered their best work, this album expanded their characteristic southern rock sound with elements of country, blues, and gospel. Ratzlaff's vocals and organ, along with the inclusion of a group of female backing vocalists, lend a unique gospel touch to the album's closing tracks. The lively tracks “Cheer”, “River Jordan”, “The Train”, and “Chattanooga”, along with the heavy, hypnotic blues of “Rooster Blues” and the magnificent covers of The Beatles’ “Lady Madonna” and Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good”, are the highlights of an interesting but forgotten album of the best Southern rock. However, despite its quality and exquisite production, it failed to achieve the desired commercial success. Nevertheless, the band continued to perform concerts for quite some time throughout Louisiana, enjoying a good reception from the public, something that didn't do much to ensure the band's continuation, and Pot Liquor finally disbanded a few years later.

Wild Turkey-Battle Hymn (1971)

In 1970, bassist Glenn Cornick left Jethro Tull, with whom he had recorded the formidable albums "This Was", "Stand Up", "Benefit", and "Living in the Past", and with whom he had played from 1968 to 1971, being considered the best bassist to have ever been part of the legendary British band. In early 1971, he formed his own band, Wild Turkey, in which he moved away from the blues and progressive folk style of the group led by Ian Anderson. For this new venture, Cornick recruited vocalist Gary Pickford-Hopkins, drummer John Weathers, and guitarist Jon Blackmore. However, in the middle of recording their first album, Jeff Jones replaced Weathers on drums, who left to join Gentle Giant. Wild Turkey would go on to release two interesting albums that achieved little commercial success, but their debut was nonetheless a good example of the hard rock being made in the British Isles at the time of its release. "Battle Hymn", as this first album is titled, is a work geared towards the powerful sound of hard rock with certain progressive elements, as demonstrated in tracks like the biting "Twelve Streets of Cobbled Back" and "One Sole Survivor", the passionate "Sentinel", the commendable "Butterfly", the bucolic "To The Stars", and the melodic "Sanctuary" and "Gentle Rain". After this first album, the band released the modest "Turkey", which marked the end of the group's run. Later, some of its members went their separate ways, such as Cornick himself, who would end up joining the German band Karthago, while Gary Pickford-Hopkins would actively participate as a vocalist in Rick Wakeman's albums "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" and "The Myths and Legends Of King Arthur and the Knights of The Round Table", among other collaborations, and finally Jeff Jones would end up joining the psychedelic and avant-garde rock group, Man.

Orang-Utan-Orang-Utan (1970)

Orang-Utan is another of those obscure British bands from the early 70s with a story as bizarre as it is unheard of. Originally called Hunter, this band had built a considerable reputation on the pub and gig circuit in North London in the late 60s. Their lineup consisted of Terry Clark (vocals), Mick Clarke (guitar), Sid Fairman (guitar), Paul Roberts (bass), and Jeff Seopardie (drums). With a style that straddled acid rock and heavy rock, tinged with the prevailing psychedelia of the time, following in the footsteps of leading bands like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, and Cream, they soon attracted attention for their undeniable talent and skill. In 1970, they managed to record a self-financed album, produced by Roy Thomas Baker, a seasoned producer who would later become famous as the sound engineer for albums by Queen, Journey, and Hawkwind, among many others. Once the album was completed, and while waiting for a record deal, the original master tapes were stored in the recording studios for later official release. However, shortly afterward, the original tapes were stolen from the studios where they were stored and ended up in the hands of a man named Adrian Miller, who claimed credit for the album's production and sold the rights to Bell Records for release. Before doing so, he even changed the band's name to Orang-Utan and designed a cover that, frankly, looks like the work of an elementary school child. Shortly after, the band accidentally discovered that their album had been released without their consent and, to make matters worse, under a different name. This strange episode precipitated the group's dissolution shortly afterward, as they received no royalties from the released album and were financially driven to bankruptcy after investing all their money in its recording. This unique and unusual album was released only in the German and American markets, another misfortune for the group, as they couldn't even see it released in their home country. This fact also hampered their attempts to claim the rights to the released material. Musically, this obscure and lost album showcases the great talent of vocalist Clarke, fabulous guitar riffs, and brilliant and effective compositions, as demonstrated in the powerful "I Can See Inside Your Head", with its late-60s psychedelic flavor, the hard blues rock of "Slipping Away", the Zeppelin-esque "Chocolate Piano", the dusty, Southern-rooted "Fly Me High" and "Country Hike", and the experimental "Magic Playground".

The Eagles-On The Border (1974)

With their third album, The Eagles wanted to move away from their well-known folk and country influences and delve into more rock-oriented territory; however, the final result was a hybrid of all those styles. While their previous, heavily country-influenced album, "Desperado", showcased their more acoustic side with tracks like the title track, "Twenty-One", "Tequila Sunrise", and "Saturday Night", they also began to show glimpses of their rock side with "Out of Control" and the melodic "Certain Kind of Fool" and "Outlaw Man". For this third album, "On the Border", the band opted for a new producer, replacing the more refined and melodic Glyn Johns with the energetic Bill Szymczyk, although Johns also contributed to the production in a secondary capacity. All of this is evident from the start with the powerful country-rock tracks “Already Gone”, “On The Border”, “James Dean”, and “Good Day in Hell”, which provide the perfect counterpoint and balance to the more melodic and acoustic “Midnight Flyer”, “My Man”, “Ol '55”, and “The Best of My Love”, or the mid-tempo “Is It True” and “You Never Cry Like a Lover”. This progression toward a more rock-oriented sound was further solidified when the album surpassed its predecessor, “Desperado”, on the charts, matching its sales with over two million copies sold in the United States alone.

Eloy-Ocean (1977)

Eloy is perhaps the best band of German progressive rock, whose musical style includes symphonic rock and space rock, the latter with a higher prevalence in previous albums. Despite their nationality and period of activity, the band is not generally considered krautrock due to their sound, which has much more in common with English progressive rock bands like Pink Floyd, King Crimson and Yes. Moreover, the band that was always considered by the world music critics as the "German Floyd" because of its sound parallel to that of the British in many moments. It is true that sometimes sound similar, but the Germans have their unique sound, mixing rock with symphonic air space memorable.
"Ocean" is the sixth album released by the Germans. It was launched in 1977 and is considered by many their best album, a classic of the genre in Germany. 200,000 copies were sold, making it better than Genesis or Queen in the German charts at that time.

Beckett-Beckett (1974)

This is one of the holy grails of progressive rock, an album as fascinating as it is monumental, from one of the most underrated and unknown bands in the rock music scene, and progressive rock in particular. We've mentioned before that almost everything has already been invented, and that somehow, at some point in history, someone conceived and created (obviously in a more rudimentary way and depending on the technological advancements of the time) something that seems novel today and is attributed to people many years later. This is precisely what happened with Beckett, a formidable band whose spectacular music a hybrid of the progressive pop of The Alan Parsons Project, with its spectacular orchestral arrangements and the dynamic heavy rock riffs that Iron Maiden would later exploit made them ahead of their time and one of the quintessential cult bands. To give a little background, this band was formed in Newcastle in the mid-70s by former Yellow guitarist Ken Mountain, guitarist Ian Murray (brother of Dave Murray of Iron Maiden), bassist Frankie Gibbon, the fantastic vocalist Terry Wilson-Slesser, and drummer Keith Fisher. However, just before recording this single album, Ian Murray left and was replaced by guitarist Arthur Ramm. The album was produced by none other than Family frontman Roger Chapman and released by Island Records, the British label specializing in avant-garde sounds. This self-titled solo album is one of the greatest and most unjustly overlooked records on any official rock music website today, yet it is highly valued by music lovers and collectors of rarities from 1970s progressive rock. This masterpiece begins with the epic intro "Once Upon A Time…The End", which leads into the following track, "Rolling Thunder", where the complex arrangements are reminiscent of what The Alan Parsons Project would later create. The beautiful "Rainclouds" is the prelude to "Life's Shadow", a superb track that Iron Maiden would later borrow musical passages from in "The Number of the Beast", something they would also do with "A Rainbow's Gold" in their song "2 Minutes to Midnight" from their 1984 album "Powerslave". The rest of the album maintains an irresistible blend of complex and sophisticated rock, captivating melodies with rich guitar and mellotron instrumentation, and Wilson-Slesser's immeasurable vocals. Despite its enormous quality, the album went unnoticed, selling little more than a hundred copies. Given the commercial failure, the band dissolved shortly afterwards, with different professional paths for its members. Terry Wilson-Slesser had a more fruitful career, playing alongside Paul Kossoff in the band Back Street Crawler, as an occasional singer in the Michael Schenker Group, and was even a candidate to replace the deceased Bon Scott in AC/DC in the late seventies.

Pat Metheny Group-Pat Metheny Group (1978)

In 1978, Pat Metheny released his first album with his band, simply titled "Pat Metheny Group". On this debut, the excellent American guitarist simply plays guitar in the old-fashioned way, without the technological flourishes that would later appear, such as synthesized guitars, 15-string harps, or the distortion of pure rock riffs, not to mention the Latin percussion and those soft, whispering vocals. Some of the tracks on this first album display a clear symphonic architecture, as is the case with "San Lorenzo" and "Phade Dance", two of the greatest compositions of Pat Metheny's entire career. Besides Metheny's guitar, Mark Egan's languid bass, Dan Gottlieb's subtle drumming, and Lyle Mays' sublime synthesizers and grand piano are also particularly noteworthy. The subtle melodies of jazz fusion tracks like "Jaco", "Aprilwind", and "April Joy" also showcase the melodic and intimate sound that permeates this album. As a counterpoint to these, "Lone Jack" emerges as the most rhythmic and energetic track on the entire album. A well-deserved fifth place on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart would be the prelude to a series of memorable albums that would follow in subsequent years, such as "American Garage" (1979), "Offramp" (1982), "First Circle" (1984), "Still Life (Talking)" (1987), and "Letter From Home" (1989).

Pat Metheny Group-Speaking Of Now (2002)

"Speaking Of Now" contains all the ingredients that have made Pat Metheny one of the great avant-garde musicians of jazz. Here we find everything from futuristic tales of space travel to his haunting pastoral music, along with a fusion of a wide variety of styles blended and embellished with his warm jazz sound. Featuring some of his most iconic band members Lyle Mays (keyboards) and Steve Rodby (bass) Metheny enlisted bassist Richard Bona and percussionist Antonio Sánchez, as well as trumpeter Cuong Vu and renowned percussionist Dave Samuels. Every groove of this release is filled with a wealth of exquisitely structured, memorable melodies, where Metheny's breathtaking guitar solos and Mays's keyboard work leave the listener speechless. Cuts of pure bebop jazz like "As It Is", romantic distant canvases like "Proof", the vocal interludes of Gregorian chant in "Another Life", classic pieces of contemporary jazz like "A Place in the World", and delicate and discreet epics of refined and elegant jazz like "Wherever You Go", are the perfect synthesis of what this, the twenty-sixth album by the American musician, has created during the last 40 years of an exceptional professional career, leaving for posterity some of the most emblematic albums of jazz fusion.

Pat Metheny Group-Travels (1983)

In 1982, the contract between the Pat Metheny Group and the German record label ECM was about to expire; in fact, it would end two years later. However, the contract stipulated that the American musician still had three more works to deliver to his label. A year later, Metheny wanted to capture his live shows on an official recording, so it was decided to release the double live album "Travels" in 1983. This double album was recorded during the second half of 1982 on the North American tour following the album "Offramp", in the cities of Philadelphia, Sacramento, and Dallas. With this release, Pat Metheny fulfilled one of the recordings he owed to ECM, and at the same time, ensured a brilliant epilogue to his time with the German label. For this tour, Pat Metheny had expanded his band with Brazilian percussionist and singer Naná Vasconcelos, whose presence lent the songs a greater atmospheric dimension, thanks to his captivating backing vocals and subtle Latin touch in the percussion. The rest of the band consisted of his regular members, including keyboardist and Pat Metheny's right-hand man, Lyle Mays, drummer Danny Gottlieb, and bassist Steve Rodby, while Pat himself handled acoustic and electric guitars and guitar synthesizer. At that time, Pat Metheny had not yet steered his music towards rock influences, although some of his earlier work contained progressive compositions, always within a jazz framework. Tracks like “Phase Dance” and “San Lorenzo”, however, are imbued with a truly symphonic and progressive grandeur, where, as usual, Pat Metheny pours all his feeling into his memorable solos, all accompanied by passionate piano and synthesizer melodies, brilliantly executed by Mays. “Travels” is full of enchanting moments, as demonstrated by the dramatic and epic “As Falls Wichita Falls, So Falls Wichita Falls”. As a counterpoint to all of this, the closest to rock music is found in the opening track, “Are You Going With Me?”, one of Pat Metheny’s most charismatic songs, with its famous guitar synthesizer solo. With “Travels”, Pat Metheny would not achieve the number one ranking of his previous “Offramp” on the Billboard Jazz charts, achieving “only” a commendable eighth place, however he would repeat the top award for the best Jazz Fusion performance of the year in 1984 at the Grammy Awards.

Dr.John-In The Right Place (1973)

Malcolm John Rebennack, better known as Dr. John, was one of the great pioneers of the New Orleans sound, steeped in jazz, blues, and the ancestral music of Mardi Gras, the city's famous Carnival. From a young age, his passion for these genres led him to join local bands and work as part of the backing group for such prestigious musicians as Lloyd Price. For a few years, the guitar was his primary instrument, but due to an accident during a fight, he lost part of one of his fingers. From then on, he dedicated himself to playing the piano, thus beginning an extensive and fruitful career as a session musician. He also launched his solo career in the mid-1960s, right in the midst of the burgeoning psychedelic genre. It wasn't until the end of that decade that his first album, "Gris-Gris", arrived, followed by other interesting records such as "Babylon" and "The Sun", among other works brimming with Creole, R&B, and jazz sounds, all infused with rock and roll. In 1973 came one of his best works, "In The Right Place", his sixth album, which brought him his greatest commercial success, remaining on the Billboard charts for almost eight consecutive months. Recorded in Florida and produced by another giant of the New Orleans scene, Allen Toussaint, it featured collaborations with some of the most respected musicians in the American music scene, including Art Neville, Joseph Modeliste, David Spinozza, Leo Nocentelli, Ralph McDonald, and George Porter. Based on his unmistakable sound, “In The Right Place” is a journey into the realms of R&B, world music, and jazz, featuring irresistible tracks like the carnival-like “Same Old Same Old”, the driving rhythm of “Right Place, Wrong Time”, the laid-back “Just The Same”, the swampy “Traveling Mood”, the funky “Peace Brother Peace”, and the jazzy “Such A Night”. However, John also incorporates elements of other recognizable sounds within traditional American music, such as soul in “Shoo Fly Marches On” and gospel in “I Been Hoodoo”. “In The Right Place” was one of his biggest hits, though the only one to reach the top 10. Throughout his career and countless collaborations, he won an impressive six Grammy Awards. Among many others, that list of collaborations includes The Allman Brothers Band, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, The Band, Bob Seger, and B.B. King.

Heart-Greatest Hits/Live (1980)

Heart are one of the greatest American hard rock and melodic rock bands, having released a series of celebrated albums over the last five decades, some of them huge worldwide hits. From their first album, "Dreamboat Annie" (1976), this Seattle-based band showcased their raw and powerful rock sound, heavily influenced by Led Zeppelin. However, the fact that they were fronted by two women (sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson) made them different and unique at the time. The rest of the band was marked by a constant influx and departure of musicians, including guitarists Howard Leese, Roger Fisher, and Gilby Clarke, among many others. After “Dreamboat Annie”, came the more folk-rock-oriented “Little Queen” (1977), the intense “Dog & Butterfly” (1978), where they combined the raw energy of their powerful rock with acoustic sensitivity, and the experimental “Bebe Le Strange” (1980), where they attempted to blend the sounds of the new musical trends of the 1980s, but with a mediocre and rather predictable result. Towards the end of 1980, the group released “Greatest Hits/Live”, a double album composed of a combination of the greatest hits from their first five albums, with live tracks and new compositions. Comprised of energetic rock tracks like “Bebe Le Strange”, “Barracuda”, and “Mistral Wind”, along with a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll”, the album is interspersed with more melodic songs such as “Straight On”, “Even It Up”, “Crazy On You”, and “Magic Man”, as well as ballads and acoustic pieces like “Sweet Darlin’ ”, “Dreamboat Annie”, and “Dog and Butterfly”. It even includes more avant-garde and experimental tracks like “Hit Single” and “Strange Euphoria”. The band that recorded this album consisted of Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson on vocals, drummer Michael DeRosier, guitarists Howard Leese and Roger Fisher, and bassist Steve Fossen. This double album was Heart’s third biggest hit to date in the North American market, reaching number thirteen on the Billboard charts and achieving multiple platinum records for its enormous sales.

Spirogyra-Bells, Boots And Shambles (1973)

Another of the great prog-folk bands is Spirogyra (not to be confused with the American jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra). Although many categorized them as part of the Canterbury sound, they were never officially classified within that genre. Formed in 1967 in Bolton, in northwest England, their original lineup consisted of guitarist, composer, and singer Martin Cockerham, singer Barbara Gaskin, bassist Steve Borill, and violinist Julian Cusak, in addition to drummer Dave Mattacks, who would appear on all their albums as a guest musician. Their debut album, "St. Radiguns". was released in 1971 and achieved considerable success in the British folk scene. It featured a repertoire of politically conscious and spirited songs, along with a great deal of instrumental interplay and captivating vocals. A year later, "Old Bott Wine" was a continuation of their previous work and quite predictable. Despite its great folk harmonies, complex arrangements, and good balance between folk and rock elements, it was a slight step backward due to its predictable sound, offering nothing new compared to its predecessor. After this album, the band was reduced to just two permanent members, Cockerham and Gaskin, while collaborators and guest musicians included flautist Stan Sulzman, bassist Steve Borrill, drummer Dave Mattacks, and other musicians such as Steve Ashley, Henry Lowther, Julian Cusack, and Dolly Collins. With this lineup, Spirogyra recorded their third and final album, "Bells, Boots and Shambles", released in 1973. On this album, Spirogyra perfectly blended traditional folk elements with rock and progressive sounds, featuring tracks like the solemn and atmospheric "The Furthest Point", the acid rock anthem "The Sergeant Says", the atmospheric suite "Western World" with its grand, melancholic soundscapes, the bucolic "Old Boot Wine", and the melodic "Parallel Lines Never Separate" and "Everyday Consumption".

Heavy Jelly-Heavy Jelly (1970)

Jackie Lomax was a British singer, songwriter, and guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s as one of the first artists to sign with The Beatles' label, Apple Corps Ltd., which had been founded in 1968 as a parallel record label to EMI Records. However, Lomax's career had begun much earlier with various projects as a member of some of the leading bands on the British pop-rock scene of the 1960s, such as Dee and The Dynamites. He later moved to the United States and joined The Undertakers, but without achieving the desired fame or fortune. Once back in the UK, thanks to The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, he signed with CBS, with whom he recorded several singles and an album that had little impact. His friendship with Epstein opened many doors and great opportunities for him, including collaborations with artists of the caliber of George Harrison and Eric Clapton, among many others. After leaving The Beatles' label, Lomax joined forces with former members of the band Aynsley Dunbar, John Morshead, and Alex Dmochowski, along with former Animals drummer Barry Jenkins, to form Heavy Jelly. In 1970, the band recorded their first and only album, which also featured Tom Evans and Pete Ham, both members of Badfinger, another Apple Records band, and the Rolling Stones' horn section, Bobby Keys and Jim Price. This debut album is essentially composed of an interesting repertoire of powerful rock tracks with psychedelic sounds, as demonstrated in "Take Me Down to the Water," while the group's melodic side is showcased in "You Better Let Me Know" and "Too Complicated". The Beatles-esque sound can be found in "Born For Something", along with darker hard blues-rock sounds in "Just Don't Feel So Good" and "F-F-F-Females", classic blues-rock tracks like "Bio-Blues", and another song with a Beatlesque flavor, "If You'd Like To". However, because the album featured artists signed to Apple Records, the label boycotted its release, preventing its official publication beyond a few promotional copies. Some of these copies served as master tapes for bootleg releases, which became highly sought after by collectors for decades. More than forty years later, after Jackie Lomax's death, his family was able to resolve the contractual issues with Apple, and the album was officially released in 2013, thus recovering one of the most famous lost albums in rock music history.

Body-The Body Album (1981)

Body was an interesting British progressive rock band formed in the early 1970s. However, it wasn't until 1981 that they released their only album, "The Body Album". This album is now acclaimed as an impressive and essential work within neo-progressive rock, space rock, and late psychedelic sounds. Hailing from Liverpool, the band consisted of brothers Gary and Tony Allison (drums and guitars respectively, as well as vocals), bassist Ronny Nelson, and keyboardist John Bleasdale. In the early 1980s, the group traveled to London to try their luck in search of a record deal, but after some frustrating results, they decided to self-finance their debut album. On this single album, the references to the more psychedelic sounds of Pink Floyd and the long, spacey explorations reminiscent of Hawkwind are more than evident, but framed within a very defined synth-pop sound, making them one of the seminal bands of the so-called Neo-Progressive movement, alongside Twelfth Night. The 15-minute progressive and spacey suite "Andromeda" is the standout track, while the shorter "Cheater", "Lights Out", and "Brave New World" are more commercially oriented, with a musical structure somewhere between Neo-Progressive and Symphonic Rock and electronic elements akin to the synth-pop of the era.

Marillion-Seasons End (1989)

Fish vs. Hogarth: this is undoubtedly one of the biggest catalysts for any discussion among Marillion fans, to the point that some online forums about the band categorically forbid even mentioning a comparison between these two singers, for fear of an electronic war that will clog up servers and computers. Beyond this exaggerated claim, it's relevant to the departure of the towering Fish and the arrival of Steve Hogarth as his replacement, and what Hogarth brought to Marillion, which was immense (and still is). Although the band's purists blame Hogarth for the group's musical shift towards a more pop-oriented sound, at the expense of the progressive grandeur of their early albums, the truth is that if there's one thing both sides agree on, it's his powerful voice, with its excellent range, and his talent as a great lyricist who invites reflection. All of this is clearly demonstrated on much of Marillion's first album after Fish and their first with Hogarth in the band, "Seasons End" from 1989. This was the first real testament to what the singer accomplished with Marillion as a band, and having said all that, "Seasons End" sounds brilliant and is undoubtedly an excellent and worthy successor to the superb album that preceded it with Fish in the lineup, "Clutching At Straws", released several years earlier. Right from its opening track, the incredible "King Of Sunset Town", it demonstrates the peak at which Marillion burst onto the scene and rise triumphantly, ready to begin another chapter, thus dispelling the doubts of those who predicted their downfall and eventual demise. The beautiful "Easter" is the singer's first major contribution to the group's repertoire, a track featuring one of Steve Rothery's best solos of his entire career and a rhythm as captivating as it is brilliant. The slow and mysterious “Seasons End” concludes with an epic and hypnotic finale that showcases the band's instrumental prowess. In “The Uninvited Guest”, we can already sense the direction of their new venture, a track that leans towards rock and commercial sounds with powerful guitar and bass lines. The melodic and heartfelt “Holloway Girl” is one of the album's lesser moments, while the nostalgic “Berlin” is a palpable demonstration of Hogarth's vocal excellence, a song as melancholic as it is dark, which, as it progresses, transforms into a powerful track with a stunning ending. After the short, acoustic “After Me”, comes the powerful, commercially oriented rock track “Hooks In You”, before concluding with the exquisite and progressive “The Space”, one of the album's most memorable moments and a fitting finale to Steve Hogarth's first major contribution to the Marillion universe.

Nicholas Greenwood-Cold Cuts (1972)

Nicholas Greenwood was a member of legendary bands such as Crazy World of Arthur Brown, alongside keyboardist Vincent Crane, and Khan, with whom he released the seminal album "Space Shanty" in 1972. Following this latter venture, Greenwood formed a band and recorded the album "Cold Cuts," considered one of the hidden gems of 1970s progressive rock. This band consisted of drummer Eric Peachy, also from Khan; keyboardist Dick Henningham; guitarists Bryn Howarth and Chris Pritchard; and Frank Zappa's former Mother of Invention member Bunk Gardner on wind instruments. Greenwood himself played bass and sang lead vocals. The rest of the lineup included violinists Janet Lakatos, Margaret Immerman, and Margaret Shipman; cellist Nils Oliver; and the vocal group The Teardrops. "Cold Cuts" is composed of a diverse amalgamation of sounds, which, without quite reaching the level of strict progressive rock, incorporates elements of psychedelic rock with passages of progressive jazz and blues rock. The album begins brilliantly with "A Sea Of Holy Pleasure Parts I, II, III", a three-part composition with superb arrangements that showcase the excellence of its talented musicians: a heavy Hammond organ, a delightful flute, effective bass lines, and exquisite drumming, all bathed in addictive vocals. The overall sound is further enhanced by subtle string and brass arrangements, which amplify the dynamism and diversity of the track and add progressive depth to its three segments. Other highlights include the bluesy "Big Machine" and "Melancholy", or the psychedelic "Hope / Ambitions" which coexist with more accessible and catchy pieces like "Lead Me On", and "Close The Doors", or the dark "Promised Land", which contrast totally with the deep and introspective "Corruption", the ambient jazz rock "Images" and the dramatic "Realisation And Death".

Red Dirt-Red Dirt (1970)

Red Dirt was a British band formed in the late 1960s in Yorkshire, northeast England. They built a strong reputation for their spectacular concerts in clubs and pubs across the north of the country during 1969 and 1970. The band consisted of guitarist Kenny Giles, drummer Steve Jackson, bassist Kenny Giles, and the powerful vocals of Dave Richardson. Thanks to their success and the popularity of these concerts, they attracted the attention of various record labels, eventually signing a contract with the independent label Morgan Bluetown. With Morgan, they recorded their only album, which was distributed nationally by Fontana Records, albeit in a rather limited way and with minimal advertising. This single album was recorded at Morgan's London studios, where they spent twelve uninterrupted hours completing the recording and mixing. Composed of a series of songs focused on blues rock with hints of The Doors and The Magic Band, as can be heard in "Death Letter", "In The Morning", and "Problems", while the more rural sounds of Mississippi Delta blues are present in "Song For Pauline". On the other hand, "Ten Seconds To Go" and "Death Of A Dream" showcase a heavy blues rock side, and this dark album ends with the Hendrix-esque "Maybe I'm Right" and the boogie-rock track "I've Been Down So Long". Some time later, after finishing a tour across Great Britain supporting Mott The Hoople, the band returned to the recording studio for a second album that was never officially released and was later included as bonus tracks in a 2010 reissue of their only album on CD and vinyl. This single release is another of those LPs coveted by collectors, some of whom have paid small fortunes for an original copy of this obscure and lost Red Dirt record.

UFO-Phenomenon (1974)

After two experimental albums brimming with psychedelic sounds infused with blues and hard rock, UFO had to reconsider their musical direction given the limited commercial success of both records. It was just after the release of their second album, "UFO 2: Flying", and while touring Germany, that vocalist Phil Moog, drummer Andy Parker, and bassist Pete Way were struck by the talent of a young guitarist named Michael Schenker. At the time, Schenker was playing with the up-and-coming band Scorpions, who had already released their debut album, "Lonesome Crow", which had established them as one of the most promising acts in the new wave of European hard rock. In a bizarre turn of events, Michael Schenker ended up joining the British group, replacing guitarist Bernie Marsden, who was temporarily filling in for Mick Bolton, who had left the band shortly before the aforementioned tour. With this new lineup, UFO recorded their third album during the final months of 1973 and the beginning of 1974 at Morgan Studios in London, produced by Ten Years After bassist Leo Lyons. It was released in March of that year by Chrysalis Records. On this third release, the band moved away from the heavy blues and space rock of their previous two albums, focusing their sound on Schenker's guitar prowess and brilliant hard rock songs. The album contains some of the tracks that would later become UFO anthems, such as the infectious "Doctor Doctor" and the powerful "Rock Bottom". In addition to these two formidable pieces, it also featured the energetic and psychedelic "Space Child", the hard-hitting rocker "Oh My", the complex "Built For Comfort", and the rhythmic "Too Young To Know". With “Phenomenon”, UFO ushered in a new era with a more carefree and intense style, as well as being more effective and dynamic, which would bring them many years of success with albums that would go on to enrich some of the golden pages of hard rock and heavy metal.

Someones Band-Someones Band (1970)

Someones Band is another of those strange bands that emerged in the late sixties with little impact beyond the release of a single album and little else. This one, however, is even stranger due to its unique and unusual history. Formed from an advertisement in Melody Marker, they recorded their only album in a single night session with an unknown independent producer and released it under the Decca Records label in a limited edition. This ephemeral group consisted of vocalist and percussionist Cecil James, drummer Woody Martin, guitarists John Coxen and Melvin Buckley, and bassist Terry Powney. Their sole album is a magnificent collection of progressive blues tracks, with hints of country and psychedelic sounds. Tracks like the opening “Country Ride”, a psychedelic blast complete with a drum solo, the progressive blues “How It Began”, the hypnotic “Blues For Brother E”, the psychedelic blues “Fourth I Wanna Go Where I Belong”, the country-tinged “Manhunt”, and the jazzy “Give It To You”, demonstrate that, despite not showcasing anything extraordinary or exceptional a common theme in many albums and groups of that era it is the sum of their entire repertoire that makes them unique and enduring. This magnificent collection of progressive blues rock from these Londoners has become another of those rare and coveted LPs for music lovers and fans of obscure bands from the 60s and 70s.

Guns´N´Roses-Your Illusion II (1991)

In 1991, Guns N' Roses made the unusual decision to release two double albums simultaneously, titled "User Your Illusion I & II", which astonished the world with their eclectic and visceral hard rock. With the same lineup as their previous albums, except for original drummer Steve Adler, who was replaced here by Matt Sorum, the rest of the band consisted of vocalist Axl Rose, guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and keyboardist Dizzy Reed. On this second volume, highlights include the inspired "Civil War", one of Guns N' Roses' classic tracks, the epic cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", the punk anthem "Shotgun Blues", the grandiose "Breakdown", the heartfelt ballad "Don't Cry" (in a different version than the one on the first volume), and the powerful rock anthem "You Could Be Mine". The subsequent commercial reception of both works resulted in much higher sales for "Use Your Illusion I", figures that currently approach thirty million, compared to the approximately twenty million of "Use Your Illusion II", but it would be the latter that reached the number one spot on both sides of the Atlantic in the charts, while volume one would not go beyond second place.

Iron Maiden-Live After Death (1985)

“Live After Death” was Iron Maiden’s first live album and would ultimately become their most representative live record and a masterpiece of heavy metal. Recorded during the tour following the 1984 album “Powerslave”, dubbed the “World Slavery Tour”, it symbolizes the peak form of a band already considered the most spectacular heavy metal band in the world, faithfully reflecting the power and force they wielded on stage. The tracks on this double album were recorded during several concerts in the United States and England and featured what is considered the band’s most stable, long-lasting, and successful lineup. In addition to bassist Steve Harris, the lineup included vocalist Bruce Dickinson, guitarists Adrian Smith and Dave Murray, and drummer Nicko McBrain. “Live After Death”, from its iconic cover art by renowned illustrator Derek Riggs, reveals a repertoire brimming with pure adrenaline, boasting an explosive arsenal of powerful tracks such as “Aces High”, “2 Minutes to Midnight”, “The Trooper”, “Revelations”, “Flight of Icarus”, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, “The Number of the Beast”, “Hallowed Be Thy Name”, “Sanctuary”, and “Phantom of the Opera”, all true anthems of Iron Maiden and heavy metal in general. The subsequent reception of this double live album was as phenomenal as its content, achieving countless number one hits worldwide and several platinum records for its multi-million sales.