Barclay James Harvest-XII (1978)

Barclay James Harvest's ninth album was the last to feature their main keyboardist and one of the band's founders, Wolly Wolstenholme, who left due to musical differences with the rest of the lineup. It was also the last album on which they used the Mellotron, replacing it thereafter with more cutting-edge synthesizers. While "XII" is a more harmonious and balanced album than its predecessor, "Gone To Earth", it lacks tracks as popular and catchy as "Hymn", "Love Is Like A Violin", "Poor Man's Moody Blues", and "Sea Of Tranquility", which appeared on the previous release. The most emotional moment is undoubtedly the song "Berlin", a clear ode to the German city divided at that time by the Berlin Wall, a tremendous success in Germany and the rest of Europe. On the other hand, the solid rock of "Fantasy: Loving Is Easy" becomes the only counterpoint to an album full of beautiful soft rock melodies such as "Classics: A Tale of Two Sixties", "Turning In Circles" or "Sip Of Wine", while the progressive vein appears in the majestic "Science Fiction: Nova Lepidoptera" and "In Search Of England", to end with the pleasant "Fiction: The Streets Of San Francisco", inspired by the famous American police series of the 70s. As in all the previous records, this would once again flood the charts in Germany and central and northern Europe, places where the band gathered a very large legion of fans.

Electric Light Orchestra-Secret Messages (1983)

The successor to the futuristic and seminal "Time" was Electric Light Orchestra's tenth album, "Secret Messages", which became another splendid work brimming with the sophistication and class characteristic of leader Jeff Lynne's compositions. Recorded with the same lineup as their previous albums (Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy, Bev Bevan, and Kelly Groucutt), plus the addition of Louis Clark, Dave Morgan, and Mik Kaminski, Lynne chose recording studios in the Netherlands, specifically in the city of Hilversum, in the north of the country. Unlike the previous album, which was saturated with synthesizer sounds that underpinned its conceptual story, this release features guitar-driven pop-rock melodies under excellent production, where the elegantly executed music becomes captivating and evocative. There they are to corroborate it, from beautiful ballads like "Take Me On and On", "Stranger" or "Letter From Spain", to galloping rock pieces like "Danger Ahead", "Four Little Diamonds" or "Rock 'n' Roll is King", passing through captivating songs like "Train Of God" or "Loser Gone Wild".

Skagarack-Hungry For A Game (1988)

Heirs to the best melodic rock created in Northern Europe, the Danish band Skagarack established themselves as the perfect alternative to other Scandinavian bands of the genre such as Europe, Alien, and Treat. Formed in the mid-eighties, their core consisted of Alvin Otto (drums), Torben Schmidt (vocals), Jan Petersen (guitar), Tommy Rasmussen (keyboards), and Morten Munch (bass). Their debut album was a clear statement of intent, in which harmonious vocals, captivating melodies, and powerful guitar riffs opened the doors to the pantheon of Scandinavian melodic metal. Two years later, they released their second album, "Hungry For A Game", which, under the Polydor label, once again delivered an excellent work of great melodies, powerful hard rock tracks, and emotive songs with unforgettable choruses. From the brilliant title track, an irresistible song with great vocal choruses, to the infectious "Joanna", the Danish band shows their incredible ability to create potential melodic rock hits, as also shown by the overwhelming "Somewhere In France", "Boys" or "Always In a Line", not forgetting the precious ballad "This World".

The Don Harrison Band-The Don Harrison Band (1976)

The Don Harrison Band was a short-lived group popularly known in North America for featuring two of Creedence Clearwater Revival's most famous members: bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford. Along with guitarist Don Harrison and fellow guitarist Russell DaShiell, they formed The Don Harrison Band in 1975, releasing the albums "The Don Harrison Band" in 1976 and "Red Hot" the following year, both on Atlantic Records. Their self-titled debut is undoubtedly their best recording, an album that subtly evokes the country rock, swamp rock, and rhythm and blues influences of Creedence Clearwater Revival. On this first album, standout tracks include the swamp rock anthem "Sixteen Tons," undoubtedly the most tangible example of the Creedence sound, along with the fun "Romance," the southern-tinged "Who I Really Am," the rock and roll "Rock and Roll Records," the folky "Fame and Fortune," the blues rock "Sometimes Loving You," and the melodic "Living Another Day." The album's strong commercial reception led to them opening for The Rolling Stones at the 1976 Knebworth Festival. After the second album, the band definitively broke up, with Cook and Clifford joining Southern Pacific, before later reforming their old band as Creedence Clearwater Revisited, but without brothers John and Tom Fogerty.

Nova-Blink (1975)

Fondly remembered by European fans of 1970s progressive jazz-rock, Nova was an Italian band formed by members of other Italian groups such as Osanna and Cervello. These included guitarists Corrado and Danilo Rustici, who, along with saxophonist Elio D'Anna, formed the band in London in the mid-seventies. Between 1975 and 1978, they released four superb albums focused on expansive, jazz-oriented progressive improvisations. Given the instrumental prowess of its members and their growing reputation, they soon secured a deal with Arista Records to finance their debut album, released in 1975 under the title "Blink". This first release featured, in addition to Rustici and D'Anna, bassist Luciano Milanese, drummer Franco Lo Previte, and Morris Pert, percussionist for Brand X. Composed of an eclectic fusion of styles ranging from jazz rock to sumptuous funk rhythms and intense blues rock, all underpinned by grand instrumental passages. From the powerful jazz rock with a blues undercurrent of "Tailor Made", to solid exercises in classic and heavy rock such as "Something Inside Keeps You Down", spirited jazz fusion with funky rhythms like "Nova" and "Toy", and dizzying blues rock like "Stroll On", this album, while lacking the consistency of their later releases, showcases the diverse guitar styles of its two leaders and the driving force of the rhythm section. These elements, combined with creative musical lines, make Nova's debut album a truly remarkable listening experience of high-level progressive jazz rock.