Blue Oyster Cult-Fire Of Unknown Origin (1981)

After the mediocre album "Mirrors", Blue Oyster Cult needed to revive their career, a trajectory that had elevated them to the pantheon of rock music with superb hard rock and psychedelic albums in the first half of the 70s. To this end, they set to work and decided that their next projects would feature Martin Birch, who would take the reins of production and push them back to the level they deserved. "Cultosaurus Erectus", released in 1980, recaptured some of that essence with an impeccable sound where the instrumental passages once again became the band's main attraction. But it was with their next album, "Fire Of Unknown Origin", that they would definitively rise from the ashes with a masterful record, where keyboards take center stage to create a dark yet highly effective atmosphere. Fans received this album with great enthusiasm thanks to tracks like the melodic "Burnin' For You" or "Joan Crawford", the rhythmic "Veteran of Psychic Wars", the frenetic "After Dark", the hard rock "Heavy Metal: The Black and Silver" or the old-school "Sole Survivor", songs with which they returned to the sounds they left behind with the album "Spectre" and expressed their intentions about the path to follow.

Vangelis-Voices (1995)

In the 1990s, Vangelis finally abandoned the experimentation he had displayed in his work during the 1970s and 80s, years in which his symphonic avant-garde style permeated most of his compositions. At this point, the Greek musician based his style on ethereal music, built on more grandiose chords, with superb orchestral arrangements and lyrical choirs, which, far from being pretentious, are simply the result of his many years of continuous experimentation. With his twenty-seventh album, Vangelis takes a further step, giving the human voice a prominence never before seen. Navigating between melodic sounds and soothing new-age music, Vangelis presents a series of atmospheric and fluid pieces, with beautifully haunting lines and an omnipresent mysticism. This time, he enlists the collaboration of various voices, including Caroline Lavelle, Stina Nordenstam, the Athens Opera Chorus, and singer Paul Young. Pompous pieces like "Voices" contrast with the ethereal atmospheres of the Celtic "Come To Me", the beautiful melody of "Ask The Mountains", the evocative "Losing Sleep (Still My Heart)", the paradisiacal "Prelude", and the spacey "Dream In An Open Place".

Screaming Trees-Sweet Oblivion (1992)

Rooted in the grunge sound of the late eighties, Screaming Trees had a difficult start. Their musical vision wasn't always understood by a large part of the general public, and it wasn't until well into the following decade that they began to gain recognition from both the public and specialized critics. "Sweet Oblivion" was their definitive breakthrough, where they definitively left behind their dense, dark rock with psychedelic touches and garage sound, moving towards a hard rock typical of the seventies. This album contains a very attractive collection of tracks such as the superb "Shadow Of The Season", "More Or Less", "No One Knows", "Nearly Lost You", and "Butterfly", together forming their best work, which paved the way for them on the North American charts, reaching a surprising fourth place on the Billboard charts and selling over three hundred thousand copies in the American market alone.

Unicorn-Blue Pine Trees (1974)

With a harmonious blend of folk and country rock, Unicorn was an excellent band that, in 1974, gained the approval of guitarist David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), who went on to produce their second album and even play sporadically on it and their next recording. This British group had been performing for several years under different names (The Senders, The Pink Bears, and The Late Edition) before settling on Unicorn. Signed to Transatlantic Records, they released their debut album, "Uphill All the Way", showcasing their distinctive style, which drew influences from American bands like America, Poco, and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. A style heavily influenced by American musical roots, blended with the pastoral sounds of British folk, and complemented by harmonious vocals and refined melodies, made "Blue Pine Trees" and its follow-up, "Too Many Crooks", two little gems of the American country/folk rock genre that sadly went unnoticed. This second album features beautiful folk melodies such as "Autumn Wine," "Just Wanna Hold You", "The Farmer", "The Ballad of John and Julie", and "Blue Pine Trees", tracks that perfectly counterpoint the rhythmic country rock songs "Holland", "Nightingale Crescent", "In The Gym", "Volcano" and "Rat Race".

Odin-Odin (1972)

Odin were another of those fantastic, short-lived bands that, with only one album released, have become cult progressive rock acts. Founded in the early seventies, these Brits created an admirable work on their sole album, focused on progressive hard rock with influences from the late sixties psychedelic movement. However, since their base of operations was in Germany, they were categorized within the krautrock movement, also due to their avant-garde style driven by heavy guitars and the prominent Hammond organ. The band consisted of keyboardist and vocalist Jeff Beer, guitarist and vocalist Rob Terstall, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Stuart Fordham. Signed to Vertigo Records, they released their only album in 1972, revealing a style closer to the progressive hard rock of British bands like Deep Purple and Quatermass. The masterful organ and guitar lines predominate in songs like "Life Is Only", while the jazzy "Tribute to Frank", an ode to Frank Zappa, becomes the most hypnotic track on the album. This vein is further enhanced by the atmospheric "Eucalyptus", which leads into a thrilling, progressive cover of Quatermass's "Gemini". The album concludes with the serene folk "Be The Man You Are" and the heavy, dark, psychedelic "Clown". Without a doubt, this album is one of the lesser-known gems of British progressive rock, mistakenly categorized within the German krautrock movement.

3 - ... To the power of three (1988)

Talking about this work in relation to the work of EL&P is a bit difficult. The project was the idea of ​​Emerson who wanted to continue maintaining the usual structure and try to get a new success despite the disappointment, especially for Greg Lake, the album published with Cozy Powell in 1986. Emerson is not frightened by the march Greg and decides to join his lifelong drummer Carl Palmer and completing the trio with Robert Berry.
It is fair to dedicate some lines to Berry since the life of the other two we already know. His professional start was in San Francisco with the band Hush that allowed him to open people like Peter Gabriel or Rush. After two solo albums, "Back to back" and "Out of bounds" joins the GTR group after the departure of Steve Hackett, but the fear that he would end up supplanting vocalist Max Bacon, did not define the thing. It should be noted that before this there was already a group project between Palmer and Berry that did not finish working.
Berry is a leading vocalist and guitarist, but also a composer and producer, he has composed some soundtrack and has participated with groups such as Magellan (in his album “hundred year flood” where musicians such as Tony Levin or Ian Anderson also appeared) of being an active part of the different progressive tributes-tributes that the magna carta seal publishes.
Berry was not only a kind of substitute for Greg Lake but was actively involved in the composition of the album, composing songs that Emerson later arranged in his own way. The album also featured the voices of Suzie O'list, Kim Liatt J. Edwards and Lana Williams.
There is also a live show of this formation with themes of E, L & P called “live in the city”.
The album is a clear example of music made in the 80s, digital keyboards, guitars with very clean sounds and loaded with reverb with direct rhythms, as always in this type of compositions, that the simple appearance does not mean that the content is not something more complex and in this album there is a bit of everything: The album begins with “talkin´ about”, signed by Berry who initially wrote it for GTR, a dynamic song with a classic refrain of the time. Follow "Lover to lover" signed by the trio, the song is not bad but the chorus seems a bit scary ... well, rather I would say very trite, it has an instrumental bridge that briefly reminds the seventies EL&P, but this bridge barely lasts a few seconds, no one gets illusions. "Chains" is a song "too much AOR" and therefore of those chosen to click on the radios. "From life" is the song that this album is worth, divided into three parts: I. The view, II. The border and III. Sangre de toro, a piece of authentic progressive pop is created, with instrumental fragments that can be remembered on the one hand to the tangerine dream of the eighties, but it also serves as a relief to Palmer's drums or Emerson's piano. In "Eight miles high" we continue with the AOR sonorities (this actually happens throughout the album), however, the keyboard and guitar flourishes that are marked by Berry and Emerson stand out on a continuous rhythm of Palmer. "Runaway" ... every time I find it more difficult to highlight something of each song, since almost all of them follow a similar pattern and production, of this I will say that it seems the weakest of the album. “You do or you don´t” is the typical ballad that we can find in almost any Hollywood movie of the time, although here Emerson's keyboard arrangements are very remarkable. The album ends with “On my way home” signed by Emerson and well, it does not leave a bad taste, possibly the songs that are closer to the classic EL&P style with production of the time, even highlights the fact that at times it seems even that Robert Berry wants to emulate Greg Lake.
Two things are clear at the end of the listening, that the album connects with what other fellow musicians of the same fifth were doing: Genesis with “invisible touch”, Yes and “big generator”, Pink Floyd with “a momentary lapse of reason” , etc ... and formations such as Asia or GTR, here that each one judges who did it best, since there is no doubt that they are great musicians trying to adapt to the times ...
On the other hand it is clear that the album is not progressive rock, so I think that judging it from this perspective is unfair, it is a nice album, superbly produced and competently composed, ideal for listening when you do not feel like complications but of things well made.

Blind Faith-Blind Faith (1969)

This is the first and only studio production of the group formed by Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Rich Grech and Ginger Baker. Historically, this album represents the varied currents that would converge in the development, although ephemeral, of one of the first supergroups in the History of Rock. A halo of excellent creativity, dynamics and virtuosity surrounded the quartet in the rocky world of that time. The group left an imperfect mark with this magnificent album, a true treasure for the reliable connoisseur.
Recorded between February and June 1969, the album begins with ¨Had to cry today´, a splendid melodic proposal in which the Blues-Rock chords dominate the basic structure of the interpretation, It is a melodic proposal, a bridge between Cream and Traffic Almost at the end, we heard 2 electric guitars in arpeggio game. ´Can´t find my way home´, is a commendable, beautiful, nostalgic acoustic manifestation, (great work on the guitar by Clapton), reminding us of what was the rock feeling in the late 60´s and that for some time we had heard with traffic. This piece is sublime, with the voice of Winwood, at times scratchy and others leading us to the falseto. A true seventies experience. ´Well all rigth´, is the classic of Buddy Holly, interpreted in a cheerful, rhythmic way and with an excellent synchrony of the group. Winwood's magnificent work on the piano. Presence of the Lord´, is a masterful, enveloping melody, perhaps the best piece of the album, a work of art, a wonderful Blues, Winwood stands out with that vocal tone so own along with a beautiful piano performance,. ´Sea of ​​Joy´, is, surely, the best known piece of the group, since it was very programmed by the world broadcasters in the 70´s. His melodic livelihood is a Blues-Rock, Steve's vocal performance prints a very particular feeling, the acoustic guitar is excellently executed with an active and attractive participation of Grech in the violin, (does anyone remember Family?). It is precisely here that we notice the magnificent Proto-Progressive dyes of the group. A piece perhaps commercial but very well crafted. ´Do what you like´, is a long Jazz-Rock passage, the most elaborate track of the album, finely interpreted that accommodates the individual showcases of musicians with their respective solos, highlighting that of Baker on drums. Winwood also looks on keyboards.
Although with a short life, the quartet forged a unique image, transcendent, very influential a posteriori and as a logical consequence, the album just discussed is an essential elementary Work of Art within the Proto-Progressive genre.

Yes-Tales From Topographic Oceans (1973)

Even if "Close to the Edge" was a perfect progressive rock album and Yes had stopped making music right then and there, they would still be one of the greatest bands in history and could claim some of the best albums ever to come out of rock music. But what truly cemented Yes's status as one of the greatest bands of all time were the two albums that followed, two unsurpassed records: "Tales from Topographic Oceans" and "Relayer". Both are exponentially deeper than "Close to the Edge" in terms of scope and musical mastery, despite the reservations many fans and even some band members had, especially regarding the former. "Tales from Topographic Oceans" is one of the most magical, powerful, and iconic recordings of all time, and empty criticism born of musical ignorance will never be able to touch it. Musically speaking, this double album offers nearly an hour and a half of Yes's most daring and sophisticated explorations to date: extended solos, legendary vocal harmonies, meticulously arranged instrumental sequences, oceanic soundscapes, and acoustic performances worthy of a true classic. It goes without saying that this is not an album to be enjoyed in a single listen, becoming a unique musical experience each time it is heard. On the other hand, it is controversial. While millions of fans adore it, just as many detest it (starting with keyboardist Rick Wakeman), who has publicly ridiculed it on more than one occasion, leading to the infamous curry incident. Unlike the aforementioned "Close to the Edge", in this case, each track (one on each of the four sides of the album) is a complete piece, not composed of subdivisions with individual titles. The story behind this concept album is suitably dark and indulgent, inspired by a footnote on page 83 of Paramhansa Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi." The album opens with "The Reveling Science of God (Dance of the Dawn)", where Rick Wakeman's keyboards are prominent and Jon Anderson showcases his vocal prowess, accompanied by a wide array of instrumental developments from the rest of the band. The following track, "The Remembering (High The Memory)", has a structure quite similar to the first, with Wakeman's keyboards once again taking center stage. However, the overall composition isn't as powerful as the previous track, resulting in a more uplifting piece. The second disc opens with "Things Ancient (Giants Under the Sun)", where Steve Howe delivers the highlights, developing countless scales on his guitar and creating arabesque sounds, leading into a much more moving and accessible second half. The final track, "Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)", is the most purely rock song, featuring exuberant and dynamic percussion by Alan White, and is particularly impressive live. In short, this is an album where Yes manages to weave grand, dynamic soundscapes from melodic allusions. With the exception of Chris Squire, who is generally rather subdued and has less instrumental weight than usual, the album is perfectly balanced, a work as immeasurable as it is unique, and considered one of the masterpieces in the history of progressive rock.

Camel-Rajaz (1999)

We continue with this Camel album quadrilogy of the last two decades (Dust and Dreams, Harbors of Tears, Rajaz and A nod and Wink)

After his two previous works of conceptual type "Dust and Dreams" and "Harbor of tears" predominantly instrumental albums, Rajaz comes to light in 1999, a magnificent album that is one of his greatest achievements in the musical career of Camel.

The original idea of ​​the album is based on a guide about world music that he gave to Andy Latimer, his good friend and colleague Colin Bass. In the section on Arabic music, there was talk about the "Rajaz", a canteen that the Bedouins murmured during the desert crossings, based on the rhythmic pace of the passage of the camels. This gave rise to one of Camel's best albums, a work full of sensitivity, oriental rhythms (impressive the song “The last encore”), guitar solo as in no other Camel album (“Sahara”, “Lawrence”) , which evokes those monotonous landscapes, but at the same time of impressive beauty, those red sunsets, and those cold nights (listen loudly “Sahara”, think of a sunset with a landscape of reddish sands, close your eyes and travel). 

Andy Latimer himself is responsible for putting the voice to the issues, and this time he sings with a special sensitivity. Predominantly guitar player, who has his old colleagues Colin Bass on bass, an impressive Dave Stewart who on songs like "Three Wishes" or "Sahara" seems to be Andy Ward himself behind the drumsticks, and another regular the band that is the Dutchman of Kayak Ton Scherpenzeel, who for the recording of this album, sent the parts of the keyboards recorded in his studio in Holland, via internet to the USA for Latimer to mix them. And the good thing about Ton has a real phobia to travel by plane. It also has the collaboration of Barri Phillips al cello, which gives a touch of serenity to the album and even sadness (listen to the introduction of the song "Rajaz"). 

The album cover perfectly expresses what we are going to find inside, a world of sensations, poetry, oriental rhythms, smells and warm flavors, in short, a journey through the burning sands of the desert, but that finally reaches its destination, leaving us the feeling that it should never end. 

The production of the disc is perfect. The sound of the impressive album, and the compositions, with their oriental rhythms, with a slight jazz touch at times, are pure anthology. 

Rajaz supposed the return to the old spirit Camel, and it is an album that at first listen makes us vibrate as they did not do it from “Moonmadness” or Rain Dances and to a lesser extent with “Nude”, another album of the majestic band. 

And when we thought it would be very difficult to match or overcome this album, the surprise jumped when some time later they published another jewel: "A node and a winck". Wonderful!.

Camel-Dust And Dreams (1991)

After several years arguing with Decca about the rights of the group and a contract not yet expired, Andy Latimer manages to terminate the contract and, even more importantly, get all the rights over Camel's previous albums. He sells his house in London and goes to the United States where he settled permanently in California and uses his savings to found his own record company, Camel Productions, the idea is to record and distribute his future works and reissue all the previous ones. The latter that might seem less important is not if we consider that we are in 1988 and that a new support for music has just appeared, the CD. All the albums that Camel had sold to date (with Decca) were on vinyl, this means that almost all the Camel CDs that we have at home, all in their remastered versions, are already edited by Camel Productions.

Dust and Dream is a concept album based on John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath book that deals with the first emigrants to the United States. He calls Colin Bass again, who will become “the other” fixed member of the band and Tom Scherpenzel, keyboardist of Kayak and meets with musicians. 

The sound of Camel varies completely to what they had offered in their last works, finally abandoning the failed Alan Parsons sound for FM and returning in part to its origins, a very melodic disc and in some of its parts even atmospheric. The first feeling I had when I heard it (live) was as if it had been composed to support images or even some kind of documentary. The sound of Camel until now had been quite cohesive and homogeneous, despite the undoubted prominence of the Latimer-Bardens duo, especially the latter. The first albums of Camel are the work of a whole group and despite the almost permanent presence of the guitar of Latimer were the keyboards of Peter Bardens who moved the group and gave, especially based on the hammond organ a peculiar duality between Rock aggressiveness and calm and Symphonic developments. 

Dust and Dream is a work thought, composed, developed and executed by Andy Latimer. His guitar acquires an absolute prominence from beginning to end and reaches the point of reinventing his own sound, both that of the band and his own. It is, without a doubt, a work much more symphonic than progressive, calmer than aggressive and that is winning in successive auditions. As for Latimer, his guitar covers the entire album; open, develop and close the themes and its sound also evolves. It continues to extend the notes like no other, in what is already its hallmark, but in general, in many places it is inevitable that names like David Gilmour come to mind. 

The album opens with Dust Bowl, a simple melody of keyboards that gives way to Go West, one of the four songs sung on the album, the "old" voice of Latimer we are reeling the first stanzas on a base of keyboards which finally The guitar is joined by introducing us to the following Dusted Out theme, where keyboards once again star in the theme although this time not only as a mattress but also providing melody with the piano. Follow Mother Road that opens with the unmistakable sound of the guitar of Latimer, is another song sung and one of my favorites on the album, a song that is quickly hummed both in the sung part and the beautiful guitar melody, (classic Latimer sound ) both parts merge at the end of the theme to give way to Needless where atmospheric and ambient sound returns, in fact it is interpreted live with three keyboards (Scherpenzel-Bass-Latimer) and serves to introduce us to the next theme. 

Rose of Sharon is a beautiful song and that may have become the most characteristic of the album due above all to something very unusual in Camel such as vocal games, performed here with great success, both in the contrast between female voices and masculine as in the different melodic developments that overlap. A beautiful and undoubtedly romantic theme. Then they repeat the formula that they had previously made, so Milk n 'Honey is another short theme in atmospheric or environmental line that serves to give way to End of the line, the fourth and last song sung of the album and, which in my It may seem to be one of the weakest parts of the album since neither the vocal melody nor the way of singing it by Latimer seems to me the most successful, as well as the drums that sound very flat and percussioned by very poorly played dishes. 

From here would come what we could call the B side of the disc, the following eight themes are all instrumental and without cuts between them and as a whole they return to the environmental line, perhaps sometimes too much. So Storm Clouds is simply Latimer's guitar on a synthesizer beat that gives way to Cotton Camps. Here we have Camel in its purest form again, the unmistakable guitar, with very few notes in its initial part, to build a melody that will be repeated until the end of the song. It is followed by Broken Banks, which in its scarce 35 seconds develops another short tune of the house to merge with Sheet Rain, where the only thing that stands out is the slight appearance of the flute to link with Whispers that rescues an earlier melody with the keys. Little Rivers and little Rose returns to the previous ambient sound and prepares us for Hopeless Anger, where Camel finally gets disheveled. It is a theme that breaks abruptly with the sound of the previous songs, much more aggressive, and obviously progressive, one of the best songs on the album with a wonderful melody by the Latimer guitar that will remain in our heads during a time and that also includes the melody of the final part of Rose of Sharon, an excellent theme. To finish we would have only the beautiful ending by Whisper in the Rain, a beautiful epilogue for a great album.

Dust and Dream is one of the albums to which I have a special affection for several reasons. They are Camel (and just for that reason it is already a compelling reason), and they are after several years of silence and in which I thought the band had disappeared. For many years it was my favorite album of Camel of the 90s (along with Harbor of Tears) and even today it is / are two of the albums that most commonly sound on my stereo. This is why the easiest thing is that if I want to listen to music without masks or reproaches with this album I have it very easy.

Camel-Harbours Of Tears (1996)

With their twelfth album, “Harbour of Tears”, Camel (and consequently, their frontman Andy Latimer) continued their commitment to creating concept albums, this time focusing on the experiences of Irish immigrants to North America in the mid-nineteenth century, during the dark period known as the Great Famine. Following the narrative thread of a story centered on an Irish family, the album's title refers to the deep-water port located in the town of Cobh, on the south coast of Ireland. While virtually all the lyrics were written by Susan Hoover, Latimer's wife, drawing inspiration from the experiences of her ancestors a detail that adds an emotional dimension to the work the music is clearly influenced by Irish folk and Celtic sounds, which, blended with the band's unmistakable progressive rock style, create hypnotic and emotive atmospheres. The band that recorded this album consisted of Andy Latimer (guitars, vocals, flutes, and keyboards), Colin Bass (bass), David Patton (bass), Mae MacKenna (vocals), John Xepoleas (drums), and string and wind instrumentalists Anita Stoneham, Karen Bentley, Barry Phillips, John Burton, and Neil Panton. Celtic influences permeate most of the album's tracks, from the opening "Irish Air" to the emotive "Harbours of Tears", passing through the idyllic "Eyes of Ireland", the nostalgic "End of the Day", and the exquisite "Running From Paradise". On the more progressive side are the vibrant "Send Home The Slates", the complex "Watching The Bobbins", the orchestral "Coming Of Age", and the extraordinary and exuberant "The Hour Candle (A Song For My Father)". With "Harbours Of Tears", Camel not only pays homage to a fundamental part of human history, but also vindicates the human capacity to endure in the face of enormous difficulties, a powerful reminder that in the most terrible moments, there is always a glimmer of hope for better times to come.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer -Brain Salad Surgery (1973)

1973 would be the year of the great works of progressive rock; it was undoubtedly its golden age, a time when the genre's greatest classics were created. Among many others, Pink Floyd released their masterpiece, "The Dark Side of the Moon", while Jethro Tull launched their monumental "A Passion Play", Genesis achieved their perfect work with "Selling England by the Pound", and other bands like King Crimson with "Lark's Tongues in Aspic", Camel with their debut album, Caravan with their enormous "For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night", and Mike Oldfield with his extraordinary "Tubular Bells" cemented the progressive genre's place at the pinnacle of rock music.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer, for their part, wouldn't be left behind and released their spectacular "Brain Salad Surgery", the first album they released under their own label, Manticore Records. It was initially going to be titled "Whip Some Skull On Ya", but the name was ultimately changed to the one famously known worldwide. "Brain Salad Surgery" is perhaps the band's most powerful work, where the trio achieves total mastery of their musical coherence and, at the same time, the culmination of their creativity. Emerson demonstrates his mastery of the Hammond organ and his outstanding command of the piano and polyphonic synthesizers. Carl Palmer delivers a solid, fast, and highly complex performance, proving that he was at his peak at that time. Greg Lake enhances the overall sound with his excellent voice, thanks to its subtle and fresh echo, as well as his bass playing, which, with its complexity, perfectly supports the demanding keyboards and drums. "Brain Salad Surgery" is perhaps the band's most powerful work. “Brain Salad Surgery” has an obvious jazz influence, as revealed by the more frenetic and complex piano and drum sections. Interestingly, despite the outstanding technical performance of the three virtuoso musicians, all the tracks are remarkably accessible, melodic, and perfectly structured. Unlike their previous album, “Tarkus”, it is not as experimental or inaccessible. The album also boasts a splendid cover, the work of the renowned artist H.R. Giger, designed in his famous surrealist style, celebrated for its futuristic drawings and dark environments. Giger would later gain worldwide recognition for his work on the film Alien, depicting the fateful eighth passenger of the famous spaceship Nostromo. 

The progressive suite “Karn Evil” is the standout track on this album, with its constant tempo changes and instrumental complexity. The grandiose “Toccatta” is an astonishing exercise in technological experimentation, courtesy of Keith Emerson's keyboards, and the epic “Jerusalem” is a superb re-arrangement, as remarkable as it is legendary. Meanwhile, on the jazzy “Benny The Bouncer”, Carl Palmer showcases his immense drumming skills. On the more melancholic and subdued side, we find the accessible and acoustic “Still...You Turn Me On”, one of the few moments of peace and tranquility on this otherwise aggressive and powerful album. With this work, ELP definitively ascended to the Olympus of the Gods of progressive rock, a work cataloged as one of the greatest contributions to the genre, which would rise among the best and best-selling records on the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and which has been constantly reissued since then with great acceptance by the progressive community and rock fans in general.

Deep Purple-Made in Japan (1972)

In August of 1972 Deep Purple landed in the Country of the Rising Sun to fulfill the commitment made with his Japanese record label, Warner Pioneer, to record three concerts, from which the tracks would be extracted to make a live album that would serve as a claim for the Japanese market, as they intended to relaunch the group's catalog in the country.
Although at the time the direct ones were not very valued, the group accepted with three conditions: the first was to be able to decide on its publication; the second used his own sound engineer, Martin Birch (Fleetwood Mac, Wishbone Ash, Jeff Beck and later Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and a long etc.), who had been working with them from "Concerto for Group and Orchestra"; and the third, to give approval to the team to use in the concerts.
The dates chosen were August 15 and 16 in Osaka, and August 17 in Tokyo.
Roger Glover himself recalls that first visit to Japan as the zenith of his group career. He was proud to belong to it and to be able to travel to another side of the world to do what he liked most in front of 12,000 people in Budokan himself, an enclosure that usually hosted sumo competitions. Then I was 27 years old.
Only "Smoke on the Water" was saved from the first concert because the group was tired on the first day (which was reflected in their performance). In addition, inexplicably, Ritchie Blackmore made mistakes in introducing the song performed the other two days.
On the third day, in Tokyo, even being his best performance, only “Lazy” and “The Mule” were saved because the acoustics were not good (it is worth saying here that more than once it has been said that Budokan is not a appropriate venue for music, although there have been many artists who have recorded their performances in it). As a curious note of this day, say that Ritchie threw his guitar to the public up to three times, since the security of the enclosure returned the instrument twice before not understanding that it was a gift from the musician to the fans.
Therefore, most of the material used to release the album was extracted from the second day, completing the "Highway Star", "Child in Time", "Strage Kind of Woman" and "Space Truckin" septet. Nor Ian Gillan not even Ritchie Blackmore wanted to participate in the mixes, since they were against the idea of ​​a live album. Even the first one told everyone that his would not be a good interpretation because he was affected by bronchitis. It took many years to hear the album to realize how wrong he was.
I literally copy what is said in the book A Purple World by José Galván, which has helped me to write all of the above and whose reading makes me increasingly satisfied to have acquired it. The recordings, published in a double LP under the title "Made in Japan", show along its four faces the skill of the five musicians in seven great pieces that would make this the best-selling live album in history. Without a doubt, this was the group's greatest contribution to the history of Rock music. "
To conclude, say that as I write I am listening to the album again and I feel again the emotion I felt the first times I heard it in that cassette. My hair is on end every time I hear Ritchie Blackmore's guitar solo on "Highway Star," Ian Gillan's falsettos on "Child in Time," Ian Paice's drum solo on "The Mule," introduction of "Lazy" by the hand of the master Jon Lord (DEP) and the bass of Roger Glover, which involves everything. An authentic prodigy of about 75 minutes highly recommended that turns 40 years old.

Pink Floyd- Animals ( 1977)

After the album "Wish You Were Here", brimming with sweet, atmospheric, and ethereal passages, where Richard Wright's keyboards and synthesizers take center stage, came "Animals", a concept album based on George Orwell's "Animal's Farm", in which various groups in society are represented as animals. Dogs represent the law, pigs represent the leaders, and sheep represent the people. Throughout the album, Waters equates humans with each of these three animal species. Although Orwell's novel focuses on Stalinist communism, the album is a critique of the worst aspects of capitalism. With "Animals", Pink Floyd entered their third phase, that of "songwriter rock," where Roger Waters is the band's leader, a group where the lyrics matter as much as, or even more than, the music. "Animals" also represents a shift into a much darker territory than the previously explored, spacey themes that Pink Floyd had rarely touched upon. Whether this was a response to the punk movement or a reflection on English society at the time and the allegorical and sociopolitical/philosophical meaning that Waters was trying to convey, Pink Floyd would once again astonish the world, achieving another masterpiece after two previous albums that were equally impressive and absolute magnum opuses of contemporary music. Composed of three epic, somber, and mysterious tracks "Dogs", "Pigs (Three Different Ones)", and "Sheep" where energetic and heavy rock guitars take center stage, plus two acoustic ballads, "Pigs on the Wing, Part 1" and "Pigs on the Wing, Part 2", Pink Floyd would once again create a masterpiece, following two previous albums that were equally impressive and absolute magnum opuses of contemporary music.

Genesis - Selling England by the pound (1973)

"Selling England by the Pound" is a masterpiece of progressive rock, featuring some of the most perfect compositions of the 1970s. With impeccable production, it showcased Genesis at their creative peak. Here, the band brilliantly combined their pastoral style with rock, creating delicate moments of great beauty interwoven with aggressive and vigorous sections. From the opening track, "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight," whose flute and medieval-sounding guitars make it a symphonic classic, to the catchier and more commercially viable "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)," and including the epic and eccentric "The Battle of Epping Forest," the memorable "Firth of Fifth," and the monumental and evocative "The Cinema Show," the band displays a high level of virtuosity and instrumental complexity throughout the album.

U.K.-Night After Night (1979)

UK ephemeral was a progressive rock band, which for various reasons they left halfway, and I can influence not duly appreciated, although attending three fantastic albums, two studio and one live

The origin of Bill Bruford (former Yes, King Crimson, and he finished touring with Genesis), John Wetton (ex-King Crimson) and Rick Wakeman (ex-Yes), who also began to summarize his solo work... 'm even the possibility that Robert Fripp himself was interested in this project, which completely wasted almost immediately. This formation came to rehearse a few months until the abandonment of Wakeman, and there are the violinist and keyboardist Eddie Jobson (Frank Zappa) and Allan Holdsworth, famed guitarist in sound "Canterbury" group Soft Machine, Gong and Tempest.

The first was called "UK" (1978) and is a good summary of symphonic rock with jazzy idea of ​​Bruford and Holdsworth, who just left the band after that album...

This makes clear that the prevailing trend of more direct and rocking Jobson and Wetton, which resulted in "Danger Money" (1979), and with Terry Bozzio (also ex-Zappa) on drums, and no guitarist to impersonate Holdsworth. In a good balance in the topics "Caesar's Palace Blues" and "Nothing To Lose" especially, it is anticipated that more direct wave would Wetton in Asia, although not so commercial yet...

It records the trio live here at hand "Night After Night" where are "In The Dead Of Night", "Alaska" and "Time To Kill" from their first album with the new format, a release that gives title track, and very good versions of songs from "Danger Money", especially "Rendezvous 6-02", creating an overwhelming and very progressive direct.

The added difficulty was resolved to move to live in a trio format a disc on topics under study quartet which contained lots of overdubs and effects with a very impressive

In 1999 and 2007 live albums out of the first training-with-Hollsworth Bruford and that repair is a big hole and better rounded story.

Jethro Tull-Stormwatch (1979)

1979 was hardly the best year for progressive rock. Many of the iconic bands were in the midst of readjusting their sound and style, often flirting with easy pop to compete lucratively with the disco and new wave sounds that were booming at the end of the decade.

However, some bands persevered with their original vision, with varying degrees of creativity and some sonic shifts, but maintaining their core philosophy without taking the suicidal leap towards simple, commercial sounds. One of those bands was Jethro Tull, who in the second half of the seventies had released albums of rich folk rock, dominated by acoustic guitars and Ian Anderson's melodious, classical flute, returning to their roots where blues and folk were their defining style.

These albums included the folk-rock album "Minstrel in the Gallery", the medieval-tinged "Songs from the Wood", and the melodic folk album "Heavy Horses". However, for their twelfth album, "Stormwatch", the band took a step forward, moving towards a harder sound, at times bordering on hard rock a style they had abandoned since the early seventies with "Aqualung".

 Lyrically, it also represented a radical shift. In contrast to the more cheerful and optimistic "Songs From The Wood" and the darker "Heavy Horses", "Stormwatch" showcases the band's concern for the environment and the pessimism stemming from excessive and uncontrolled economic growth, all delivered with Ian Anderson's characteristic sarcastic style. Also noteworthy, after his absence on previous albums, is the return of Martin Barre, who takes center stage with his powerful riffs and a harder guitar sound, as demonstrated in the opening and aggressive "North Sea Oil", followed by the dynamic and dark "Orion", and "Home," on the other hand, is a step back towards a more folk-oriented sound, where the string arrangements of an inspired David Palmer stand out. 

Meanwhile, "Dark Ages" is one of the few tracks that maintains a progressive structure, due to its length of almost ten minutes, in which a kind of short epic unfolds with a certain dramatic flair. The martial “Warm Sporran” gives way to one of the heavier tracks, “Something’s On The Move”, followed by the nostalgic “Old Ghosts”, the acoustic “Dun Ringill”, and the elaborate “Flying Dutchman”, before concluding with the instrumental “Elegy”, a track that serves as the perfect ending to an album as dark as it is pleasing.

“Stormwatch” remains to this day one of Jethro Tull’s most underrated works, and this would, in a way, mark the end of an era. It would also be the last album to feature their longtime bassist John Glascock, who died during its recording after open-heart surgery. From this point on, the band embraced more electronic sounds without ever losing their original essence, as would be demonstrated on the following albums: “A,” “The Broadsword and the Beast,” and “Under Wraps.”

The Jam-Sound Affects (1980)

As the 1970s drew to a close, many artists emerged in the UK who, influenced by 1960s sounds such as British mod, American garage rock, new-generation synthesizers, rock and roll, and street rock (punk rock), proposed a style that would soon be called new wave. Among a multitude of bands, about a hundred stood out, such as The Jam, who considered The Who one of their biggest influences, with a simple musical approach and a basic lineup of guitar, bass, and drums. Led by guitarist Paul Weller, they released several albums in the late 1970s, including the seminal "In The City" (1977), and the still somewhat inconsistent and immature "This Is The Modern World" (1977) and "All Mod Cons" (1978). The more developed "Setting Sons" (1979) showcased greater creativity and quality in its compositions, as well as improved instrumental refinement. This musical evolution would be rewarded with their fifth album, "Sound Affects" (1980), where both Weller's lyrics and the trio's instrumental growth are truly remarkable. Tracks like the powerful "Set the House Ablaze", the pessimistic "That's Entertainment", the rhythmic "Pretty Green", the ominous "Scrape Away", and the frenetic "But I'm Different Now" would bring The Jam the recognition and popularity they deserved, creating a magnificent album and the crowning achievement of the British trio.

Ange-Au-Delá Du Délire (1974)

Ange are one of the most important and emblematic bands in French rock history. From the early 1970s until almost the present day, they have released around thirty albums, most of them focused on avant-garde rock. Formed in the late 1960s by brothers Christian and Francis Décamps, their first two albums showcased a subtle blend of psychedelic and experimental sounds, all underpinned by humorous and sarcastic lyrics. With their third release, "Au-Delà Du Délire", they reached their artistic pinnacle, crafting a work brimming with allusions to the darker side of early King Crimson and the theatricality of Peter Gabriel's Genesis. This album is built around Christian Décamps's dark and theatrical vocals, where exuberant orchestrations and ingenuity are subject to poetic narratives, constructing evocative canvases that oscillate between the pastoral and frenetic delirium. Terrifying tracks like the lyrically scandalous "Godevin Le Vilain" or the unsettling and aggressive "Les Longues Nuits d'Isaac" transport us to the musical journeys of the Crimson King. On the other hand, "Si J'Etis Le Messie", with its demonic lyrics, reveals his anticlerical thoughts, while the sweet "Exode" provides the album's most poignant moment. In all of them, the biting lyrics written by Christian Decamps blended sarcasm, irony, anger, and obvious insinuations against the Church establishment, a fact that would lead to heavy criticism from a large segment of the wealthy and conservative French society of the time. However, all this controversy only served to increase Ange's popularity, granting them significant artistic, media, and commercial credibility.

Uriah Heep-Firefly (1977)

By 1977, Uriah Heep had nine albums under their belt, having reached the pinnacle of success and fame. These nine albums spanned everything from hard rock to progressive rock, including more mainstream FM-oriented rock. After the underrated "High and Mighty", released a year earlier, Uriah Heep underwent its first lineup changes. First, their legendary vocalist David Byron was replaced by former Lucifer's Friend singer John Lawton, and second, John Wetton was replaced by bassist Trevor Bolder. While the change in bassist didn't represent a substantial shift, the change in vocalist did, as Bolder possessed a bluesier vocal range than his predecessor. The rest of the lineup remained comprised of the band's fundamental pillars: Ken Hensley (keyboards), Mick Box (guitars), and Lee Kerslake (drums). This restructuring would be reflected in a series of songs with a clear accent to less complex classic rock as demonstrated in the classic rock songs "Who Needs Me" and "Do You Know", the attractive blues "Rolling' On", the heavy hard rock of "The Hanging Tree" and "Been Away Too Long", the catchy melodies of "Wise Man" or the nods to the past with the more progressive "Sympathy" and "Firefly".

Canned Heat-Human Condition (1978)

Canned Heat experienced their golden age in the late 1960s and early 1970s, years in which they were one of the most formidable blues and boogie-rock bands in the world, leaving behind gems of the genre such as "Boogie With Canned Heat", "Living The Blues", "Hallelujah", "Future Blues" and "Historical Figures and Ancient Heads". Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Canned Heat suffered the consequences of the public's changing musical tastes, becoming unfairly relegated to the status of blues and rock revival legends. "Human Condition", released in 1978, is the tenth album by the Los Angeles band and would be Bob "The Bear" Hite's last major contribution as the frontman of Canned Heat, as he would die several years later from an overdose of a fatal combination of heroin and cocaine. On this album, guitarist Harvey Mandel appears as a guest musician, who, along with guitarists Mark Skyer and Chris Morgan, bassist Richard Hite, and legendary drummer Adolfo de la Parra, plus the powerful vocal skills of Bob Hite, created a repertoire full of biting blues and harmonic boogie rock; "Hot Money", "House Of Blue Lights", "Just Got to be There", "You Just Got to Rock", "Human Condition" or "Open Up Your Back Door".

Talking Heads-Remain In Light (1980)

Talking Heads were one of the most avant-garde and experimental bands of the late 70s and much of the 80s. Led by guitarist David Byrne and with the essential and invaluable collaboration of Brian Eno, they created some of the most acclaimed and defining albums of the 20th century. Hailing from Long Island, New York, Talking Heads completed their lineup with drummer Chris Frantz and bassist Tina Weymouth. Along with The Ramones, B-52's, and Blondie, they were the leading lights of punk and art pop in 1970s New York. After releasing several albums focused on extravagant sounds, avant-garde art pop, and punk, such as "Talking Heads" (1977), "More Songs About Buildings and Food" (1978), and "Fear of Music" (1979), the band began the 1980s with their fourth album, "Remains in Light", This album featured an expanded lineup with guitarist Adrian Belew, and once again was produced by Brian Eno (who also handled synthesizers and other instruments). The album also included trumpeter Jon Hassell and percussionists Robert Palmer, Jose Rossy, and Nona Hendrix. In "Remain In Light", the compositions showcase a blend of African rhythms, art rock, electronic sounds related to new wave, and the frenetic energy of punk, all with subtle progressive touches, evidenced in the delicate arrangements and fascinating structures of all their songs.

Chirco-Visitation (1972)

There's no doubt that for every album reviewed from the obscure and forgotten bands of the '60s and '70s, there are hundreds upon hundreds (if not thousands) of albums and groups lost in the depths of time. This is one of those strange and obscure bands about which we can offer little information today. Hailing from Westchester, near New York, it was led by drummer Tony Chirco and backed by a dozen musicians, including vocalist Anvil Roth, guitarist John Naylor, drummer Ted MacKenzie, bassist Bruce Taylor, and keyboardist Steve Foote. Their only recording, made in a New York studio, is an ambitious and complex album, featuring a dynamic rhythm section with a touch of spirituality, fuzz guitar riffs, interesting arrangements, and a clever blend of rock passages and avant-garde sounds. However, despite the music containing characteristics of progressive rock, with its well-structured and conceptual themes, it never becomes pretentious, incorporating wind instruments that lend it certain jazzy textures and complexities. Ultimately, it's another one of those little gems lost in the vastness of rock music.

Tangerine Dream-Alpha Centauri (1971)

Experimental, intriguing, and with a touch of krautrock, that's how we could describe "Alpha Centauri", the second album by Tangerine Dream. On this second recording, the German band, led by Edgar Froese and completed by Christopher Franke and Steve Schroyder, embarks on a kind of space odyssey, abandoning psychedelic guitars and much of the acoustic drumming to focus on the strange sounds of string synthesizers and the Hammond organ. These cosmic explorations are reflected in the "Alpha Centauri" suite, twenty minutes of music filled with electroacoustic structures and understated guitar lines, forming a hypnotic and meditative piece. In contrast, stormy and sinister vocals flood the end of the piece, instantly making it a true TD classic. Other tracks on the album include the tender "Sunrise In The Third System", an organ-driven piece, the ethereal "Oszillator Planet Concert", and the distant hint of krautrock in "Fly And Collision Of Comas Sola". All of this makes "Alpha Centauri" a pivotal step from their nascent krautrock sound to the style that would define this legendary German band for the rest of their career.

Aviator-Turbulence (1980) (UK)

Aviator was a short-lived British band (not to be confused with the American band of the same name) formed by three legendary musicians from iconic groups such as Manfred Mann, Jethro Tull, and Blodwyn Pig. These were saxophonist Jack Lancaster, drummer Clive Bunker, and guitarist and singer Mick Rogers, who, along with bassist John G. Perry, released two interesting albums in the late 1970s. In 1978, under the production of Brand X keyboardist Robin Lumley, they released their debut album, showcasing an eclectic style that ranged from art rock to late progressive rock. Highlights from this first release include the hypnotic "Keep Your Heart Right", the rock melodies of "Evil Eye", and the progressive hard rock track "Morning Journey". A year later, Lancaster left the band, leaving Aviator as a trio and releasing their epitaph, "Turbulence", a work more in line with the sounds of the eighties and produced by Wil Malone, a producer who would go on to work with Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Depeche Mode, and The Verve. Without completely abandoning their progressive side, the album features everything from refined pop-rock tracks like "The American" to progressive blues-rock songs like "Fallen Star" and "Strange Worlds", as well as the predictable pop sounds of the newly begun decade, such as "All Your Love Is Gone" and the appealing country-rock track "Wood Wharf Gumbo". After this second and final album, the band ended their short recording career. A few years later, another American band with the same name emerged, playing melodic rock and AOR.

Brian Auger´s Oblivion Express-Straight Ahead (1974)

Brian Auger's fifth album with his band Oblivion Express features a new lineup, with Godfrey MacLean no longer on drums, replaced by the more experienced Steve Ferrone, and the addition of percussionist Mirza Al Sharif. However, what remains largely unchanged is the frenetic jazz-rock style driven by Auger's Hammond organ, even more powerful this time around thanks to the prodigious percussion work of Lennox Laington, Steve Ferrone, and Al Sharif. This vigorous rhythm section is evident in the opening track, "Beginning Again", which, based on simple jazz-rock chords, showcases the excellence of both Auger and guitarist Jack Miles. The solid jazz fusion/rock track "Bumpin' On Sunset" represents another of the highlights, which contrasts with the funk jazz "Straight Ahead" and the long and catchy "Changes", to end with the melodic "You'll Stay In My Heart", a clear cut oriented towards radio formulas due to its attractive sound.

Birth Control-Increase (1977)

Considered the final classic of Birth Control, "Increase" (the band's seventh studio album) follows the stylistic vein of their previous works, with a krautrock style influenced by jazz rock, blues, hard rock, and progressive rock. Birth Control's music was always driven by Zeus B. Held's Hammond organ, Bruno Frenzel's sharp guitars, and the galloping rhythm of their energetic rhythm section comprised of Bern Noske, Horst Stachelhaus, and Manfred Von Bohr. Intense hard rock tracks like "Domino's Hammock", the funk-jazz "We All Thought We Knew You", the bluesy "Fight For You", and the creative semi-progressive "Seems My Bike's Riding Me" marked the end of the most glorious era of this legendary German band.

Kansas-Song For America (1975)

Kansas was a band that, in its early years, didn't receive much favor from rock critics. Some accused them of being mere hicks playing progressive rock (it's true they were from a remote town in Kansas called Topeka, hence the "hick" label), while others (the purists) accused them of leaning too heavily towards the commercial sounds of AOR, and the list of unfavorable reviews went on. However, they possessed a gift few could deny them: their remarkable ability to evolve from a simple club band in their small town into one of the greatest bands to ever emerge from North America. "Song For America" ​​was the album that finally gave them the credibility they needed to be considered on a global scale, an album brimming with complex melodies, unique time signatures, and daring harmonic counterpoints, all rooted in American rock with influences like blues and country. The energetic guitar riffs of Kerry Livgren and Rich Williams are masterfully combined with Robbie Steinhardt's extraordinary violin work, while Steve Walsh's warm vocals provide a counterpoint to this whirlwind of dazzling sounds. The album features everything from American rock classics like "Down The Road" and "The Devil Game" to the astonishing progressive piece "Lamplight Symphony", the marathon-like "Song for America", and the epic "Incomudro/Hymn To The Atman". With this second release, Kansas not only created a unique work of art, but also an album that is as essential as it is indispensable in American rock and progressive rock in general.

Rubicon-Rubicon (1978)

Composed primarily of white musicians, Rubicon was one of the most renowned bands of a distinctly Black sound and style: funk rock. Formed in late 1970s California, the band was spearheaded by Jerry Martini, formerly of the legendary Sly & The Family Stone, who recruited Brad Gillis (guitar), Dennis Marcello (saxophone), Jack Blades (bass), Greg Eckler (drums), Johnny Colla (saxophone), and Jim Pugh (keyboards). Their self-titled debut album, "Rubicon", was released in 1978 and garnered significant chart success thanks to tracks like the ballad "I'm Gonna Take Care of Everything" and the powerful funk rock anthem "Vanilla Gorilla". This first release also featured other high-caliber tracks such as the powerful and exhilarating funk numbers "That's The Way Things Are", "And The Moon's Out Tonight" and "Cheatin' ", as well as the melodic rock song "Closely". The album's positive reception opened doors for them to participate in the second edition of the legendary "California Jam" festival, held in Ontario in mid-1978. A year later, with the addition of a new drummer (Kelly Keagy), they released their second and final album, "America Dreams", which continued their funk sound but with subtle melodic rock influences. Shortly after the release of "America Dreams", the band definitively dissolved, with some members (Blades, Gillis, and Keagy) joining the AOR band Night Ranger, while saxophonist Colla joined Huey Lewis and The News.

Savoy Brown-Looking In (1970)

At the beginning of the 1970s, the legendary blues-rock band Savoy Brown released their sixth album, "Looking In", continuing their triumphant run in both Britain and North America. Prior to this album, the British group had already left behind memorable works such as "Getting to the Point", "Blue Matter", "A Step Further", and "Raw Sienna", showcasing their magnificent blues-rock sound with tracks like the rhythmic "It's All My Fault", the memorable blues numbers "Tolling Bells" and "Black Night", and powerful covers such as "Ain't Superstitions". However, the constant changes in personnel continually undermined their stability, and this trend continued in 1970. "Looking In" did not feature their original singer, Chris Youlden, who had left after the previous album, "Raw Sienna", and was not even replaced; instead, guitarist Lonesome Dave took on the role. The rest of the lineup consisted of lead guitarist Kim Simmonds, bassist Tone Stevens, and drummer Roger Earl. On this sixth release, the remaining quartet went all out, crafting an anthological album of energetic blues rock, as demonstrated by an exciting repertoire featuring the lysergic "Poor Girl", the understated bluesy "Money Can't Save Your Soul", the jazzy bluesy "Sunday Night", the boogie blues "Take It Easy", and the tour de force "Leavin' Again". Despite the album's tremendous success in North America, shortly after its release, three of its members, Stevens, Earl, and Lonesome, left Savoy Brown to found the hard rock and boogie rock band Foghat.

Automatic Man-Automatic Man (1976)

This is one of those albums that always ended up in the bargain bin at record stores, and I still don't understand why, considering its enormous quality and the lineup of musicians involved. The truth is, we barely paid any attention to it, yet everyone was drawn to its alien and seductive cover, which somehow hinted at the progressive and spacey concept of its musical themes. Automatic Man was a short-lived band from San Francisco, which only released two interesting albums in 1976 and 1977. It was formed by several former members of Stomu Yamashta Go's band: former Santana drummer Michael Shrieve, guitarist Pat Thrall, and vocalist and bassist Doni Harvey, with keyboardist Todd Cochrane completing the lineup. They had no trouble getting a record label interested in their project immediately, given the professional background of its members, and that's how Island Records signed them to release several albums. On their self-titled debut album, the band follows a similar path to Go, with progressive sounds, funk, jazz, space rock, and a commercial style close to pop rock. The album is somewhat defined as a concept album with mythological references, and features standout tracks such as the synthesizer-driven intro "Atlantis Rising Fanfare", which leads into the spectacular jazz-rock track "Comin' Through". Other equally noteworthy tracks include the psychedelic "My Pearl", the atmospheric "Newspapers", the space-rock "One and One", the hard-rock "Newspapers", and the monumental and progressive "Intersteller Tracking Devices" and "Atlantis Rising Theme". Later, with the same hypnotic cover, this time in a reddish hue instead of the bluish one of the debut album, a second album was released. Shrieve and Harvey no longer appeared on this album, replaced by drummer Glen Symmonds and bassist Jerome Rimson. This album, with its more predictable funk and pop-rock sound, and less room for avant-garde, progressive, and jazz influences, ultimately led to the band's demise. After the band's final breakup, Pat Thrall enjoyed a fruitful career, participating in numerous projects and bands such as the Pat Travers Band, Meat Loaf, Asia, Glenn Hughes, and Joe Satriani, among others. Todd Cochrane contributed to hundreds of recordings by artists such as Peter Gabriel, Brand X, Jim Capaldi, and PM, and drummer Shrieve followed a similar path, collaborating on dozens of recordings by countless artists.

Toto-XIV (2015)

Toto's thirteenth album is somewhat overshadowed by the death of former bassist Mike Porcaro, which occurred a week before the album's official release. For this recording, several members who had been absent from the group for some years returned, including singer Joseph Williams, keyboardist Steve Porcaro, and bassist David Hungate. The lineup was completed by keyboardist David Paich, guitarist Steve Lukather, and drummer Keith Carlock. In this new release, they recapture the unmistakable sound of the 1980s, a decade in which they produced some of the most spectacular melodic rock albums, such as "Toto IV" and "The Seventh One". The result is an extraordinary repertoire of refined and powerful tracks, where Lukather's driving guitar blends seamlessly with the keyboards and synthesizers of Porcaro and Paich, adorned with the harmonized vocals of all the members. Catchy tracks like "Running Out Of Time", "Holy War" and "Orphan" showcase the band's most infectious side, while the more complex "Great Expectation" and "Burn" or the bluesy "21st Century Media" result in a radiant and mature work.

The Lee Riders-The Lee Riders (1972)

The Lee Riders were a short-lived Southern rock band that spawned one of the iconic country rock groups, the enduring Pure Prairie League. Hailing from Woodstock, New York, the band was formed by singer Robert Lee, who recruited musicians with similar Southern musical tastes. These included Bill Hinds (drums), Mike Reilly (bass), Mike Connor (organ), and Matt Presby (guitar). A contract with United Artists led them to England, where they recorded their self-titled debut album. However, drummer Bill Hinds chose to remain in the United States and was replaced in Britain by Roy O'Temro. Released in mid-1972, this single album features everything from classic Western country rock to stellar Southern rock tracks like "Ruby Valentino", "Highway Queen", "The Moment", and "Pale Horse", which, despite their undeniable quality, failed to garner the widespread public attention they deserved. A promotional tour across the UK, opening for David Bowie, who was touring in support of his album "Ziggy Stardust", marked the end of The Lee Riders' time in Britain. They would eventually return to the United States some time later. Once back in their home country, Connor and Reilly, along with Bill Hinds, founded the aforementioned Pure Prairie League, thus beginning a fruitful and successful career that produced some of the best albums in American country rock, such as "Bustin' Out", "Two Lane Highway", "If the Shoe Fits", and "Firin' Up". 

Talk Talk-Spirit Of Eden (1988)

Founded in the early 1980s by multi-instrumentalist Mark Hollis, Talk Talk began exploring sounds close to avant-garde synth-pop, and within that framework, they released two interesting albums: "The Party's Over" and "It's My Life", which garnered some interest among the general public. With their third and brilliant album, "The Colour of Spring," the band evolved towards a more experimental and, to some extent, progressive sound, as demonstrated in the superb compositions "I Don't Believe In You", "Living in Another World", and "Give It Up". However, the sound that would define them was their next two albums, "Spirit of Eden" and its successor, "Laughing Stock". On both albums, the band adopted a free and abstract style, with a series of tracks that reveal themselves as delicately constructed soundscapes where every note is powerfully emotional. At this point, we could consider Talk Talk to be to pop rock what King Crimson were to progressive rock, not least because of their ever-changing, abstract musical textures throughout their career. On “Spirit of Eden”, Talk Talk showcases their eclecticism and their dark, brooding side in tracks like “The Rainbow” and “Wealth”, their avant-garde challenge in “Inheritance”, their earthy melodies in the pleasant “I Believe in You”, and their conventional rock in the memorable “Desire”. “Spirit of Eden” became an album as challenging as it was captivating, demonstrating the genius of Mark Hollis in creating a work unlike anything recorded to date.