Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention-Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970)

This is one of Frank Zappa's most accessible albums, or at least by Zappa's own standards. This release features elements of jazz, avant-garde, classical, doo-wop, and rock, in what could be described as a collage brimming with easily digestible instrumental sounds (always within Zappa's peculiar and original style). The expansive "The Little House I Used To Live In" is, however, the most hypnotic and captivating moment on the entire album, thanks to its continuous, disparate rhythms and melodies which, despite their enormous complexity, make it as alluring as it is suggestive. Another standout is the saxophone, piano, and guitar showcase of "Holiday In Berlin, Full Blown", while "Igor's Boogie, Phase One" is a tribute to one of Zappa's most acclaimed musicians, Igor Stravinsky. With "Theme From Burnt Weeny Sandwich", Zappa attempts to emphasize guitar-driven rock over a frenetic percussion, which contrasts sharply with "WPLJ" and "Valarie", two short, catchy pieces of pure doo-wop and rhythm and blues. Ultimately, with this album, Frank Zappa succeeded in creating a heterogeneous collection of songs that appeal to both purists of his usual style and those skeptical of his eccentric music.

Fantasy-Fantasy (1970)

Throughout history, there have been quite a few bands called Fantasy. In fact, this blog features a British band that released a superb album in the early 70s, oriented towards progressive pop. But today we'll talk about another "Fantasy." This one, like the previous one, is from the late 60s, but they were American, more specifically from Florida, and would be the first to officially adopt that name. Emerging amidst the effervescent hippie and flower power era, this band consisted of Billy Robbins (lead vocals), his twin brother Bob Robbins (bass), Jim DeMeo (guitar), Mario Russo (keyboards), and Greg Kimple (drums). Initially, their style was related to what leading bands like Jefferson Airplane were doing at the time. However, this band gradually refined their style, moving towards more avant-garde sounds without abandoning their psychedelic spirit. Their enormous reputation led them to open for Iron Butterfly, Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, Grateful Dead, and The Doors. But in 1970, their lead singer suddenly disappeared, his body later found in the Everglades. The rest of the band had to quickly reinvent themselves to fulfill their contracts and began the arduous task of replacing such a charismatic singer as Robbins—something seemingly impossible—until a young woman of just 16, named Lydia James Miller, managed to convince them and landed the lead singer position. Despite her young age, this singer performed and sang like a seasoned professional with a vocal range very similar to that of Grace Slick of Airplane!, and even to Janis Joplin herself. Miller's vocal abilities allowed the rest of the band to explore a wider range of musical ideas, and conventional psychedelic rock transformed into something more progressive, just as the simplicity of the 1960s was being replaced by sophistication and musical ambition. This development quickly caught the attention of Liberty United Artists, with whom they signed a contract and recorded their self-titled album. The album contained hints of folk rock, psychedelic pop, jazzy textures, and even sounds very close to what many years later would be called new wave. Tracks like the epic "What's Next," the psychedelic "Circus of Invisible Men," the bluesy "Understand," and the catchy "The Stoned Cowboy" led Fantasy to enjoy a successful but ephemeral period of glory that didn't last much longer than this phenomenal album, now lost in the mists of time. 

Absolute Elsewhere-Playground (2024)

It took almost 50 years for the British group Absolute Elsewhere to release their second album. The reason this album wasn't released in the late 70s was due to new musical trends, which led Warner Records to abandon the project, shelving its release despite it having already been recorded. The lineup for this second album was the same as the one for their ambient and progressive debut, "In Search of Ancient Gods", which was discussed on this blog years ago, with the exception of drummer Bill Bruford, who was replaced by former Greenslade member Andy McCulloch. The rest of the band consisted of keyboardist Paul Fishman, bassist Jon Astrop, and guitarist Phil Saatchi, who also contributed vocals, along with guest saxophonist John Savannah. Unlike their debut album, the compositions on this second release moved away from atmospheric electronic sounds, developing a style that fused progressive rock with elements of jazz rock and hard rock. Recorded at CTS Wembley Studios in London during 1977 and 1978, the album utilized cutting-edge recording technologies such as the Neve automated console, resulting in a structured and innovative sound. Tracks like the captivating "Relax", the jazz-rock/fusion "Time to Change", the catchy "Talk to Me", the semi-progressive "The 7 Year Itch", and the ethereal "Tides" are filled with soaring keyboards, dynamic instrumental textures, and a sense of both immense complexity and accessibility, culminating in an album that is both technically flawless and exhilarating.

Nightnoise-The Parting Tide (1990)

When discussing traditional Celtic music, one cannot overlook Nightnoise, an innovative Oregon-based group comprised of Irish, Scottish, and American musicians, considered the spearhead of the Irish folk revival in the 1980s. However, Nightnoise's style wasn't solely rooted in Celtic folk; it also incorporated elements of jazz and chamber music. Their origins trace back to the early 1980s when American violinist Billy Oskay, bassist Tommy Thompson, and Irish guitarist Michael Ó Domhnaill released their self-titled debut album, "Nightnoise," on the prestigious Windham Hill label. This first release showcased a style that fused the relaxed atmosphere of classical music with jazz, all within a distinctly Irish framework. Some time later, the band expanded with the addition of Irish vocalist Triona Ní Dhomhnaill and American flautist Brian Dunning, thus completing the group's most stable and renowned lineup. In the following years came other works that are considered fundamental to new age music, such as "Something Of Time" (1987), "At The End Of The Evening" (1988), "The Parting Tide" (1990), "Shadow Of Time" (1993), and "A Different Shore" (1995). All of these were very well received in new music circles and garnered favorable reviews from the specialized press. In each and every one of them, Nightnoise managed to perfectly blend traditional Celtic music, ambient music, and jazz.

Electric Sun-Earthquake (1979)

After his time with the German band Scorpions ended, lead guitarist Uli Jon Roth formed the project Electric Sun, with whom he recorded three albums between 1979 and 1985. The first of these, "Earthquake," was released in 1979 and featured Roth on guitar and vocals, along with bassist Ule Ritgen and drummer Clive Edwards. It was followed by "Fire Wind" in 1981, which introduced a new drummer, Sidhatta Gautama. With this lineup, the band toured extensively around the world, achieving modest success. For their third album, "Beyond the Astral Skies" (1985), they enlisted former Jethro Tull drummer Clive Bunker, as well as vocalists Michael Flexig and Nicky Moore. The style of this project was far removed from what Scorpions were doing at the time, veering towards a psychedelic hard rock created in the image of what Jimi Hendrix had done ten years earlier. However, hippie trends were already quite outdated by the late 70s, so despite Roth's prodigious talent on the six-string and the undeniable quality of the other band members, the project was doomed to commercial failure. Another contributing factor was Roth's limited vocal range, which significantly diminished the final result of their debut album. Even so, on this first album, the instrumental work is in many cases breathtaking, where the epic, neoclassical style and hard rock are brilliantly and heroically executed by the power trio, as demonstrated in tracks like "Electric Sun," "Burning Wheels Turning," "Sundown," and the magnificent epic "Earthquake."

Pacific Eardrum-Pacific Eardrum (1977)

We continue expanding our musical palette with another forgotten band from the 70s, this time traveling to New Zealand, the home of Pacific Eardrum. This jazz-rock/funk and soul band released two albums on the British label Charisma in 1977 and 1978, followed by a third on CBS in 1980. The original lineup consisted of three New Zealanders (Dave MacRae, keyboards; Joy ​​Yates, vocals; and Bill Kristian, bass), two Britons (Jeff Seopardie, drums; and Isaac Guillory, guitar), and one American (Jim Cuomo, saxophone). Dave MacRae was the most experienced, having played in bands like Matching Mole, Nucleus, and The Walker Brothers, followed by Yates, who had contributed to albums by Cat Stevens, Chris De Burgh, and Chris Youlden. Their first album, which isn't discussed here, was produced by Laurie Latham at London's Workhouse Studios during the first months of 1977 and released in the middle of the same year. Joy Yates's vocals, along with the magnificent instrumental structures created by McRae and flawlessly performed by the band, are undoubtedly the highlights of an album that showcased great compositional talent and musical originality. Tracks like "All Around Us" and "Sun and Sand and Samba" are just a small sample of the enormous quality that, incomprehensibly, didn't achieve much success beyond a few thousand copies sold and the enthusiasm of a large legion of devoted fans.

Tears For Fears-Songs From The Big Chair (1985)

Formed under the guidance of two of the finest musicians of the 1980s new wave, progressive pop, and synth-pop scenes, Tears For Fears achieved meteoric success with their debut album, "The Hurting," released in 1983. This duo, composed of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, debuted with an album brimming with controversial themes such as childhood trauma, the treatment by oppressive parents, and the emotional struggles of adolescence. The album featured standout tracks like the catchy "Mad World." But on their next full-length album, the duo showcased a more mature and reflective side with refined pieces like the poignant "Head Over Heels" and the incredibly infectious "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Shout," two of the most famous songs of the 1980s. Other songs, such as the complex "The Working Hour," the dark "Broken," and the nostalgic "Listen," cemented Tears For Fears as one of the most eclectic and talented bands of the 1980s. With its subsequent commercial success, this album reached number two in the UK and number one in the US, becoming a multi-platinum record with over ten million copies sold worldwide.

Wanka-The Orange Album (1977)

Wanka was a forgotten Canadian band that followed in the footsteps of the progressive hard rock of other bands from their country like Rush and Triumph, but they didn't achieve the same success, despite releasing an interesting album that ultimately went completely unnoticed commercially. Formed in the mid-seventies in Toronto by Britons Chris Gibb (bass) and Mark Pickett (guitar) and Canadians Howard Samuel (guitar and vocals), Mike McConnell (drums), and Doug Paul Smith (keyboards), the band spent several years building a strong reputation as a local act in the pub and concert venue circuit of Toronto and the surrounding area. The enormous talent of these five boys did not go unnoticed by Rush and Max Webster's producer, Terry Brown, who offered them the opportunity to record an album produced by himself and released in mid-1977. Published by the independent label Axe Records, this album, titled "The Orange Album," contained an exciting collection of tracks that ranged from pure hard rock to AOR with progressive touches, as demonstrated by tracks such as "Make Up Your Mind," "Wrong Door," "Get Ahead," and "Say No More."