Bröselmaschine-Bröselmaschine (1971)

Bröselmaschine was a German band that drew on the influences of American folk artists like Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs. Under the tutelage of acoustic guitar master Peter Bursch, the band formed in 1968 in Duisburg, Germany, with vocalist Jenni Schucker, guitarist and player of other exotic stringed instruments Willi Kismmer, bassist Lutz Ringer, and keyboardist Mike Hellbach. This quintet disbanded after their first and best album in 1971, although they later continued to release albums under the name Peter Bursch und Die Broselmaschine, though these were less impactful and strayed from the musical style of their debut. “Bröselmaschine” was the self-titled album of this band, released in 1971 under the German label Pilz. It contained a delicate and subtle blend of sounds filled with Indian oriental music, featuring instruments such as the sitar, the tabla, and the flute, mixed with traditional British and Irish folk, with progressive and psychedelic touches, and bathed in rich vocal harmonies produced by Jenni Schucker's irresistible whispering voice.

Hölderlin-Hölderlin's Traum (1972)

This band, which borrowed its name from the 19th-century German poet Friedrich Hölderlin, is one of the most underrated in the history of German rock and progressive rock in general. Founded in 1970 in the city of Wuppertal in the Rhineland state of West Germany by brothers Christian and Joachim Grumbkov, highly experienced musicians who came from the band The Beatkids, founded in 1963, the first Hölderlin lineup consisted of singer Nanny DeRuig, drummer Michael Bruchmann, and bassist Peter Kaseberg. Together with the Grumbkov brothers' guitars and mellotrons, they soon distinguished themselves with their British-influenced folk rock blended with classical music. Just three months after forming, the Pilz label signed them and produced their debut album, "Hölderlin's Traum", which was released in 1972 and became one of the biggest milestones in German rock that year. An album containing nine tracks featuring DeRuig's beautiful voice, grand Mellotrons, violins and cellos, sitar, and other instruments, which, in a clever blend of folk, rock, progressive rock, jazz elements, medieval sounds, and a touch of hippie idealism, make this record a minor masterpiece. From its opening track, "Waren Wir", to its closing track, "Traum", the music is dazzlingly beautiful. Three years later came their second album, "Hoelderling", with a more jazzy style and Crimson-esque influences. For their third album, "Clowns and Clouds", the music became much more ambitious with complex arrangements, theatrical elements, and surrealism. From then on, a series of albums focused on melodic rock and much more accessible were released well into the 1980s.

Ikarus-Ikarus (1971)

Ikarus was a short-lived German band formed in Hamburg in the late 1960s. Their roots lay in the cover band Beatique in Corporation, which specialized in versions of rock and pop classics from the 1950s and 60s. After winning an award that included them on the MCA label compilation album "Pop and Blues Festival 70," they changed their name to Ikarus and simultaneously shifted their style towards more experimental territory. Their lineup consisted of singer Lorenz Kohler, bassist Wolfgang Kracht, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Jochen Petersen, drummer Bernd Schroder, guitarist Manfred Schulz, and keyboardist Wulf Dieter Struntz. The vast majority of these musicians had classical conservatory training. Although Ikarus were German and situated amidst the emerging krautrock movement, they were more in tune with the British scene than with the German movement. Instead of the expansive psychedelic atmospheres typical of krautrock, they sought sounds more oriented towards progressive blues rock. Their only album, released in 1971, contained four long, distinct tracks, demonstrating Ikarus's eclectic musical mastery. The opening track, "Eclipse", is a progressive heavy rock song with a dominant organ, symphonic arrangements, and great guitar riffs. "Mesentery" is much more complex, with passages reminiscent of Van Der Graaf Generator and moments of intense heavy rock. Meanwhile, "Early Bell's Voice" is a more conventional progressive composition with mellotron, drums, and saxophone in a rich instrumental interplay and expansive symphonic developments.

North Star-Feel The Cold (1985)

North Star is one of the best symphonic prog bands in the United States, yet they remain somewhat underrated. This band offered a sound brimming with rich, colorful melodies, full of power and great beauty, featuring the vocals of Joe Newman and the precise keyboards of Kevin Leonard. They possess some of the best characteristics of the finest progressive rock: rapid rhythmic shifts, strange and atmospheric passages, prominent bass lines, and keyboards with solemn sounds. “Feel The Cold”, North Star's second album, released in 1985, is considered a gem within progressive rock circles. It boasts a consistent and solid symphonic sound, excellent keyboard arrangements, and the powerful drumming of the band's third member, Glenn Leonard, brother of keyboardist Kevin. Clearly inspired by the sounds of Genesis during their more baroque era; “Wind and Wuthering” or “And Then There Were Three” contains a “vintage” sound with respect to the large layers of keyboards as demonstrated in the opening “Feel The Cold” or in “Plastic Fantastic”, which followed by the longer piece “Tomorrow Never Comes” and its great instrumental arrangements or the apotheotic instrumental “Finale”, maintain the status of the band at a very high level, showing a great work of symphonic prog of the highest level despite the apparent lack of originality.

Eric Woolfson-Freudiana (1990)

This album is somewhat reminiscent of The Alan Parsons Project's side project, Keats, which was discussed some time ago on this blog. For years, Alan Parsons himself worked on a piece for his band based on the life and work of Sigmund Freud. It's worth remembering that the Alan Parsons Project has consistently been based on concept albums with a strong literary foundation, such as those inspired by Edgar Allan Poe or Isaac Asimov, as well as other concepts, far removed from the purely lyrical but not the musical. Therefore, it was originally an album attributed to The Alan Parsons Project, and it came about when Woolfson presented the idea to Parsons, and the two of them began composing both the lyrics and the music for this work. However, amidst the songwriting process and even the initial recordings, Brian Brolly, a music promoter, entered the picture and convinced Woolfson that his idea was perfect for a theatrical performance. This didn't sit well with Alan Parsons, who left the project when most of the album's songs were practically finished. Despite this, the double LP was eventually recorded and titled "Freudiana", released in 1990. All the songs were recorded with the musicians who were regulars with The Alan Parsons Project: Ian Bairnson, Andrew Powell, Stuart Elliott, and Laurie Cottle. Production was handled by Alan Parsons, with Woolfson himself playing keyboards and vocals. The album also features the voices of Leo Sayer, Eric Stewart, Chris Rainbow, and John Miles (the latter three also frequent collaborators on The Alan Parsons Project albums), among others. The album itself is a testament to The Alan Parsons Project's signature sound, featuring tracks like the epic "The Nirvana Principle", the melodic and impressive "Freudiana", the powerful rock songs "I Am a Mirror" and "You're On Your Own", the electronic pop of "Let Yourself Go", the complex "No One Can Love You Better Than Me", the Beatles-esque "Little Hans", and the vintage "Upper Me". This would be the last album recorded but not officially attributed to The Alan Parsons Project, who bid farewell with a work that wasn't even credited to its creators. Interestingly, it's one of the project's best works, and although not officially credited, it's generally given to the Parsons-Woolfson duo, or, more accurately, to The Alan Parsons Project.

Deodato-Prelude (1973)

Emuir Deodato's career has always been marked by his fantastic 1973 adaptation of Richard Strauss's classic "Also Sprach Zarathustra". But the story of this Brazilian pianist, composer, arranger, and producer, born in 1942, is much more than this splendid version; his career is full of excellent albums and collaborations with other artists. Among his achievements is having launched Milton Nascimento onto the music scene when, in 1967, three of his compositions earned him the International Song Festival prize. That same year, at the invitation of guitarist Luiz Bonfa, he moved to the United States, where he showcased his talent in the jazz scene. Signed to the CTI label, he became a key figure in recordings for artists such as Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Stanley Turrentine, in addition to working as a producer and contributing to film soundtracks. But his career truly took off when his 1973 album "Prelude" achieved massive success. Surrounded by great musicians like Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Stanley Clarke, Ray Barretto, Airto Moreira, and Marky Markowitz, Emuir Deodato left his mark on a fantastic jazz fusion album. Combined with orchestral embellishments and rock elements, it expanded a rich sonic texture, underpinned by funk arrangements and string and wind instruments, and infused his style with a delightful groove. The album's standout track is the aforementioned funk-jazz version of "Also Sprach Zarathustra", immortalized by Stanley Kubrick in the film "2001: A Space Odyssey". But this track doesn't detract at all from the rest of the album, such as "Spirit of Summer", "Carly & Carole", "September 13", and "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun", which showcased the Brazilian musician's compositional and instrumental maturity, resulting in a truly timeless work. The album would go on to win awards from various jazz magazines, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Performance, and sell over five million copies, propelling the musician's career worldwide and securing him a prominent place among the greats of jazz fusion of the era.