Christopher Cross-Another Page (1983)

Three years after his acclaimed debut album, Christopher Cross left us with his second record, an album that was overshadowed by his impactful first work, despite containing enough musical merit to once again top the charts worldwide. However, in his second release, the style that blended irresistible ballads, soft rock, and clear mainstream pop influences was criticized for its lack of stylistic evolution. As with his debut album, on this new record, the guitarist from San Antonio, Texas, surrounded himself with a stellar lineup of musicians, including Mike Porcaro, Don Henley, JD Souther, Art Garfunkel, Steve Lukather, Tom Scott, Carl Wilson, Abraham Laboriel, and Jay Griden, among many others. Recorded throughout much of 1982, on "Another Page" Cross repeats the same formula that had propelled him to global stardom with a series of understated, impeccably executed compositions that navigate between romantic and nostalgic ballads; "Baby Says No", "Nature of the Game", "What Am I Supposed to Believe", "Talking in My Sleep", "Words of Wisdom", and "Think of Laura" are nods to the recent past with appealing melodies, such as the fast-paced and catchy "All Right," or the stimulating West Coast sounds of "No Time for Talk" and "Deal 'Em Again". While not reaching the commercial or creative heights of its predecessor, the album achieved a commendable eleventh place on the Billboard charts and earned half a dozen gold records worldwide for its sales.

Carpe Diem-En Regardant Passer Le Temps (1975)

Carpe Diem was a French progressive rock band active throughout the 1970s, before disbanding until 2014, when they reunited to release a new album. Their debut, "En Regardant Passer Le Temps", was released in 1975, an album where the French band showcased their affinity for the jazz-influenced sounds of Canterbury. The lineup consisted of Gilbert Abbenanti (guitar), Christian Trucchi (keyboards and vocals), Claude-Marius David (flute, saxophone, and percussion), Alain Berg (bass), and Alain Faraut (drums). In this first recording, Carpe Diem displayed a strong emphasis on keyboards and wind instruments, giving their sound a jazz-rock feel blended with more progressive elements. Songs like "Voyage du No-Retour", "Réincarnation", "Jeux de Siècle" or "Publiphobie" are part of a great, excellently executed work that at times reminds us of the great British bands of the Canterbury sound.

Tom Jones-Spirit In The Room (2012)

Tom Jones needs no introduction; the so-called "Tiger of Wales" is one of the longest-serving singers of rhythm and blues, soul, and pop rock, who began his long career in the mid-1960s. Established as one of the greatest British singers of all time, he is also one of the most successful, with over 100 million records sold worldwide. Some of his hit songs, such as "Delilah" and "Help Yourself", have become classics of British and international pop-rock. In 2006, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to music. In 2012, this Welshman showcased his impeccable voice and musical charisma with the release of his 39th studio album, "Spirit In The Room", composed entirely of covers. In a calm and measured tone, Jones effortlessly and personally delivers each of the songs, ranging from Leonard Cohen's understated "Tower of Song" to Odetta Gordon's carefree "Hit & Miss", passing through Ethan Johns' bluesy "Traveling Shoes", Blind Willie Johnson's brilliant "Soul of a Man", Joe Henry's melancholic "All Blues Hail Mary", and The Low Anthem's emotional "Charlie Darwin". "Room" is ultimately a dense and intimate album that brought back the best Tom Jones, the one who caused a great sensation throughout the world for four consecutive decades.

Santana-Zebop (1981)

Featuring almost the same lineup as their previous album, "Marathon", Carlos Santana continued his journey through the musical wilderness of the 1980s, releasing the band's eleventh album, "Zebop". Following the AOR path of "Marathon", in this new release the Mexican guitarist delves even deeper into the sounds that flooded radio stations at the time. Bands like Boston, Styx, Toto, Journey, REO Speedwagon, and Foreigner dominated the charts worldwide with their high-quality melodic rock. In that context, Santana offered an engaging album where, as usual, their enormous skill with the six-string guitar shone through, along with highly meritorious AOR compositions such as the addictive "Changes", "Searchin' ", "Winning", "Over and Over", and "I Love You Much Too Much", while their vintage style is present in "Primera Invasion", "Tales of Kilimanjaro", "American Gypsy", "É Papa Ré", "Sensitive Kind", "Brightest Star", and "Hannibal". "Zepob" is one of Santana's works where they best managed to combine the modern sounds of melodic rock with the jazz-rock of their albums from the previous decade.

Iron Butterfly-Heavy (1968)

Iron Butterfly is a true legend of 1960s psychedelic rock; however, their career is overshadowed by the worldwide hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", an album and single that have sold a staggering 30 million copies worldwide to date. Such a feat would overshadow any other album in their discography, something that has unfairly happened to this iconic band. Part of the West Coast psychedelic movement, they released their debut album, "Heavy" in 1968. While they are considered early pioneers of avant-garde rock and heavy metal, it's also true that at that time the term "heavy" was used for any style of heavy and dark music, not the fast-paced, frenetic, and strident style of today. On this debut album, the quintet comprised of Darryl DeLoach (vocals and percussion), Danny Weis (guitar), Doug Ingle (organ), Jerry Penrod (bass), and Ron Bushy (drums) showcases a series of psychedelic-tinged songs with hints of garage, soul, and rhythm and blues. Standout tracks include the melancholic "You Can't Win", the hypnotic "Look For The Sun", the upbeat "Gentle As It May Seem", the catchy "Possession", and the acid-tinged instrumental "Iron Butterfly Theme". Ultimately, this was an intriguing debut brimming with creative and promising ideas that would be brilliantly developed on their subsequent albums.

Mountain-Man´s World (1996)

Taking James Brown's iconic song "Man's World" as their inspiration, Mountain released their sixth album ten years after their previous release, "Go For Your Life". Led by the magnificent guitarist Leslie West, this new offering from the trio of West himself, bassist Mark Clarke, and drummer Corky Laing resulted in a tremendous album of powerful and engaging hard blues rock. Songs like the hard-hitting "In Your Face", "Crest Of A Slump", and "So Fine" are seamlessly and magnificently interwoven with the aforementioned "Man's World", a brilliant bluesy version, the blues-rock tracks "Thunder" and "Hotel Happiness", the melancholic "I'm Sorry" and "You'll Never Be Alone", and the catchy AOR track "I Look". With this sixth work, Leslie West established his enormous talent with the six strings and his undeniable compositional creativity, crafting another of his great works for posterity.

Tangerine Dream-Rubycon (1975)

Released in the 1970s, "Rubycon", along with other Tangerine Dream albums such as the superb "Phaedra" and "Ricochet", are fundamental recordings of progressive electronic music. "Rubycon" is structured as a dreamlike, surreal journey, simultaneously relaxing and oppressive, with spatial moments and a powerful emotional charge. However, compared to the band's previous album, "Phaedra", this one is more subdued, although it does contain some rhythmic moments. The dark and dissonant tone is the common denominator throughout the entire work. "Rubycon" marked a further step in the metamorphosis of TD's somber music, which would reach its creative zenith with the subsequent albums "Ricochet," "Stratosfer", "Clycone", "Force Majeure", and "Tangram". For many, this was the best lineup in the band's history, something I personally disagree with. While I don't doubt the instrumental and creative abilities of Chris Franke and Peter Baumann, and always leave no doubt about Edgar Froese, the quintessential creative mind of TD, this band has also included highly prestigious musicians such as Klaus Schulze, Conrad Schnitzler, and Johannes Schmoelling, among others. What is certain is that this lineup would be the most well-known and commercially successful worldwide, releasing what is considered TD's progressive era. “Rubycon”, a title taken from a historic Italian river from Roman times that held special importance in Roman law, as it was forbidden for any Roman general to cross it with his army, is an album that transports us to another dimension, the perfect record for an audio experience, a complete journey with vast, dizzying electronic landscapes, pulsating rhythms, deep analog hums and a Pink Floyd-esque structure, making this work one of the essential recordings of the seventies.

Cathedral-Stained Glass Stories (1978)

"Stained Glass Stories" is considered one of the landmark works of American avant-garde rock, an album created by Cathedral (not to be confused with other bands of the same name that have emerged throughout history). Hailing from Long Island, Cathedral was formed in the mid-70s from the ashes of the psychedelic band Odyssey, which included Fed Callan (bass) and Tom Doncourt (keyboards). Along with drummer Mercury Caronia, singer Paul Seal, and guitarist Rudy Perrone, they completed the lineup of Cathedral. Recorded on the independent label Syn Phonic, in 1978 they released "Stained Glass Stories", showcasing a style far removed from their psychedelic past, delving into intense sounds of excellent progressive musicianship clearly influenced by early 1970s British symphonic rock. Intricate guitar and bass riffs, a spectacular Mellotron, and masterful drumming drive this brilliant album, as demonstrated by the excellent tracks "Introspect", "Gong", "The Search", "The Crossing", and "Days and Changes". Despite being recorded in the later years of the progressive rock genre, "Stained Glass Stories" has achieved cult status and is considered essential for understanding the rich evolution of late 1970s American symphonic-progressive rock. Although the album enjoyed considerable commercial success, Cathedral would later disband until many years later, when they reappeared with their second album, "The Bridge" (2007).