Peter Frampton-Frampton Comes Alive! II (1995)

Nineteen years after the multi-platinum "Frampton Comes Alive!" (1976), Peter Frampton released his second live album, a clear sequel to that historic event, and, fittingly, titled "Frampton Comes Alive II". In those nearly 20 years, Peter Frampton had released seven albums, from the successful "I'm In You" to his latest release, "Peter Frampton", which came out a year before this live album. Recorded almost entirely at the Fillmore in San Francisco, Frampton was joined by his longtime collaborator Bob Mayo on keyboards and vocals, as well as John Regan on bass and J.R. Robinson on drums. For the setlist, the blond guitarist opted to steer clear of the original album's greatest hits, including only material from his later albums. However, a subsequent reissue did include several tracks such as "Show Me The Way", "Lines On My Face", and "Do You Feel Like We Do". While it's true that his music has shifted towards a melodic rock and soft rock style, losing the raw power of the 70s sound, the spirit of that era remains very much alive thanks to his obvious skill with the six strings and his muscular, melodic style. Tracks as captivating as "Day in the Sun", "Most of All", "Hang On To a Dream", and "Can't Take That Away", clearly demonstrate that "Frampton Comes Alive II" is a sequel almost as entertaining as its original work, showcasing the great abilities of this legendary guitarist upon which he built a solid and successful career.

V.S.O.P.-Tempest in The Colosseum (1977)

"Tempest in the Colosseum" is a landmark jazz recording by one of the most legendary groups in the genre's history: V.S.O.P., named after a high-quality cognac brandy. This iconic lineup consisted of Herbie Hancock (piano and synthesizers), Wayne Shorter (tenor and soprano saxophones), Ron Carter (bass), Tony Williams (drums), and Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), all former members of Miles Davis's band. This all-star ensemble was primarily a live band, releasing a series of live albums: "The Quintet" (1977), "Tempest in the Colosseum" (1977), and "Live Under the Sky" (1979), as well as one studio album, "Five Stars" (1979). Recorded on July 23, 1977 at the Tokyo Den-En Coliseum, it showcases the excellence of five talented musicians as demonstrated in a repertoire full of jazz emotion, with the enviable instrumental technique of each musician, producing a dense, complex jazz rich in hundreds of nuances, but which at the same time has an amazing accessibility both for connoisseurs of the jazz genre, and for the general public.

Aerosmith-Draw The Line (1977)

Amidst strained relationships within the band due to drug use, Aerosmith released the last great album of their early period. While it lacked the power, swagger, and brilliance of their earlier work, it still possessed considerable quality. Recorded in an old New York convent that was converted for the recording sessions between June and October of 1977, it was produced by Jack Douglas, who had also helmed the previous albums. Highlights of this fifth album include the playful rock and roll title track, the boogie-rock anthem "Critical Mass", the powerful "Get It Up", the heavy hard rock track "Kings and Queens", and the boogie-blues number "Milk Cow Blues". Although it didn't achieve the commercial success of its predecessor, "Rocks", "Draw the Line", reached a respectable number eleven on the Billboard charts and earned several platinum records for its sales in the North American market.

Ash Ra Tempel-Ash Ra Tempel (1971)

The debut album from German band Ash Ra Tempel is a true classic of space rock and krautrock, driven by the exhilarating and experimental onslaught of guitarist Manuel Gottsching and the raw percussion of a very young Klaus Schulze. This first album has a unique, divided personality, featuring two extensive and very different tracks, from the epic opening 20 minutes of "Amboss" to the soaring and serene "Traummaschine". However, both seem to stem from the same cosmic journey that permeates the album's mysticism. "Amboss" is a heavy, acid-tinged space voyage that draws the listener in with a heavy dose of energy, replete with bursts of energy, frenetic guitar sounds, and frenetic percussion accompanied by electronic elements. In contrast to this is "Traummaschine", based on a profoundly spatial climax, with many eerie moments, clearly in tune with the electronic meditation that transports us, with moments of very relaxing calm, to another sonic dimension. For many, this work is the quintessential Krautrock, even though other legendary works from many top-tier German bands arrived in the following years, but none surpass this superb debut from the mythical Ash Ra Tempel in experimentation and originality.

Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit-Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit (1972)

Towards the end of 1971, Free, one of the greatest British bands of all time, succumbed amidst internal disputes and drug addiction, the latter primarily due to guitarist Paul Kossoff. Although initially this separation was for a brief period, its members soon embarked on side projects or solo endeavors. Vocalist Paul Rodgers formed the band Peace, bassist Andy Fraser formed another group called Toby, and the remaining members, Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke, joined bassist Tetsu Yamauchi and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick. All of these projects shared a common denominator: their short lifespans. This last project resulted in the recording of a single album titled "Kossoff Kirke Tetsu Rabbit", on which the four musicians delivered an outstanding album of the best British heavy blues rock of the decade, which, to some extent, followed a similar vein to Free's. Heavy rock tracks like “Just For the Box” and “Blue Grass” alternate with catchier songs such as “Sammy’s Alright” and “Anna”, funk-rock forays like “Fool’s Life” and energetic blues-rock numbers like “Dying Fire”, “Hold On”, and “I’m On the Run”. Shortly after this release, Free reformed, releasing the decent albums “Free At Last” (1972) and “Heartbreaker” (1973), which marked the end of their run and the band’s history. From their ashes rose another legendary hard rock band of the seventies: the indomitable Bad Company.