Atomic Rooster-Made In England (1972)

The fourth album from British progressive rockers Atomic Rooster marked another shift in direction, both stylistically and in terms of personnel. While Vincent Crane remained at the helm, this time the band featured a new vocalist: Chris Farlowe, a singer with a solid background in soul and R&B. Rick Parnell on drums and Steve Bolton on guitar completed the lineup for this new incarnation of the band. Musically, the group took a nearly radical turn towards funk, soul, and hard rock, while remaining true to their signature sound. "Made In England" kicks off with the brutal riffs and frenetic rhythm of the progressive "Time Take My Life", followed by other brilliant tracks such as the spacey "Space Cowboy", the soul-rock anthems "Stand By Me" and "People You Can't Trust", the heavy hard rock "Never To Loss", the southern rock "All In Satan's Name", and the soul-funk rock "Don't Know What Went Wrong". Although they moved away from the progressive influences of their first three albums, "Made In England" remains a highly enjoyable work, offering a diverse selection of songs with occasional progressive elements, but primarily focused on soul and funk rock sounds.