Moraina-Loners & Lovers (1974)

This Danish band, formed in the early seventies, released only one excellent album, which is considered among the best musical productions to come out of Denmark. Composed of musicians from other prominent Danish bands such as Culpeper's Orchard and Day of Phoenix, the lineup consisted of vocalist Hans Lauridsen, guitarist and keyboardist Nils Henriksen, guitarist and harmonica player Ole Prehn, and drummer Ken Gudman, with bassist Thorkild Nielsen completing the band. During their early years, the band earned a strong reputation in their home country by releasing a series of singles that garnered considerable attention. Then, in 1974, they released their only full-length album, "Loners & Lovers," a superb record where warm vocal harmonies, reminiscent of American bands like Crosby, Stills & Nash and America, were complemented by beautiful folk-rock melodies. In contrast to these sounds, we also find highly inspired moments closer to energetic rock and even blues rock, such as the opening track "Late Night Woman Blues," the vigorous "Rock 'n' Man," and the bluesy boogie "Fortunate & Fame," while the aforementioned folk/country vein is present in the captivating "Break It Up," "Since You've Been Gone," and the melancholic "Alone." There's even room for AOR tracks like the catchy mid-tempo "Deep Within The Storm" and "City Rambling Boy." Some time later, the band would definitively disband, leaving behind this magnificent work of folk, blues, and rock, which has earned its well-deserved recognition among fans of 1970s rock music. 

Mariah-Mariah (1975)

A short-lived band originally from Chicago, formed in the late 1960s, which enjoyed considerable popularity in the Michigan club and concert hall scene for a few years. During the early 1970s, under the name The Jamestown Massacre, they recorded a series of singles released by Warner Bros., which received some airplay on local Chicago radio stations. After several lineup changes, in 1974 the band, now definitively renamed Mariah, reformed with keyboardist Mark Ayers, bassist Ed Burek, singer Comforte, drummer Wayne DiVarko, and guitarists Len Fogerty and Frankie Sullivan. After signing with United Artists, they moved to Los Angeles where they recorded their self-titled debut and only album, "Mariah." On this debut album, the band drew influences from a wide range of groups, from the vocal melodies of The Doobie Brothers to the progressive style of Styx, and the heavy sounds of American hard rock from Mountain. "Mariah" consists of nine uniformly enjoyable tracks such as "Reunion," "Broadway," "Rock and Roll Band," "I Was Born," and "Hey Mama," all brimming with catchy melodies aimed at North American FM radio. Despite the album's high quality, it went largely unnoticed, which led to the band's breakup some time later. Frankie Sullivan would later found the band Survivor, with whom he achieved massive success throughout much of the 1980s.

Tantor-Tantor (1978)

Tantor is one of Argentina's quintessential cult bands and, at the same time, considered one of the country's greatest. This mostly instrumental power trio, playing progressive jazz-rock, lacked wider commercial success, primarily due to the presence of instrumental tracks on their albums. Nevertheless, they garnered a large following and received significant critical acclaim in Argentina and internationally. The band consists of drummer Rodolfo García, bassist Carlos Alberto Rufino, and guitarist Héctor Starc. These three virtuoso musicians brought extensive experience from other important Argentine bands such as Aquelarre and Invisible. Formed in 1977, they released their debut album just a year later, featuring keyboardists Lito Vítale and Leo Sujatovich. This debut album is the perfect example of jazz-rock with progressive leanings, technically superb, with a frenetic and energetic rhythm, driven by incredible guitar work, electric piano and synthesizer sounds, and a powerful and punchy rhythm section. Released at a time when the progressive rock era was in decline worldwide and jazz-rock wasn't at its peak of popularity, this legendary band managed to create one of the best jazz-rock and progressive rock albums ever made. From the opening, energetic jazz-rock track "Guerreras Club" to the epilogue with the vigorous "Carrera de Chanchos," the album unfolds with excellent musical ideas that are as exciting as they are captivating. The serene "Niedernwohren," the funky "Llama siempre," the jazzy, Latin-tinged "Halitos," and the enthusiastic jazz-fusion "Oreja y vuelta al ruedo" complete an anthological and essential work for all fans of progressive rock and rock music in general. 

Neuschwanstein-Alice in Wonderland (1976)

Neuschwanstein was a German progressive rock band formed in the early 1970s in the town of Volklingen, near Saarbrücken. Their name comes from the famous castle of the same name, commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in honor of Richard Wagner. In their early years, this band, led by Thomas Neuroth and Klaus Mayer, focused on performing covers of progressive rock classics by artists such as Rick Wakeman, Yes, and King Crimson. By 1974, the band had begun to gain some recognition in their home country, opening for other German rock bands like Lucifer's Friends and Novalis. Two years later, they recorded their first album, "Alice in Wonderland," a conceptual and instrumental album with narrated interludes. The lineup that recorded this album included Neuroth and Mayer (both on synthesizers, keyboards, and flute), drummer Hans-Peter Schwarz, bassist Rainer Zimmer, and guitarist and narrator Roger Weiler. Echoes of Camel, Rick Wakeman or Genesis are interwoven with grand atmospheric passages, symphonic music and dreamy melodies that leave us with an album with a carefully and brilliantly executed classical background.

Toad-Tomorrow Blue (1972)

“Tomorrow Blue” was the second album by the Swiss band Toad, a superb and successful blend of hard rock, blues rock, and progressive rock. Led by the brilliant guitarist Vic Vergeat, and supported by bassist Werner Fronlich and drummer Cosimo Lampis, this popular Swiss band, in this new release, moves away from the psychedelic and proto-rock of their debut album to delve into progressive sounds, incorporating elements of the most energetic blues rock. The album is brimming with sharp, searing guitar sounds, a precise and incredibly complex bass line, and powerful drumming, as demonstrated in tracks like the blistering “Vampires,” the epic “Change In Time,” the heavy rock tracks “Thoughts,” “Tomorrow Blue,” and “No Need,” and the progressive folk “Blind Chapman’s Tale.”