Smash-We Come To Smash This Time (1971)

Smash were the pioneers of what would become known as Andalusian rock, and their influence on countless subsequent groups in the years following their breakup was fundamental to the development and popularization of this style. Hailing from Seville, this band was active between 1967 and 1973. After releasing two studio albums, "Glorieta de los Lotos" and "We Come to Smash This Time", as well as a dozen singles, they disbanded. However, they reunited sporadically in the following years to keep their legacy alive. Their lineup consisted of Gualberto García (guitar), Julio Matito (bass and vocals), Antonio Rodríguez (drums), Henrik Liebgott (guitar and violin), El Lebrijano (vocals), and Silvio Rodríguez (percussion). Their debut album, "Glorieta de los Lotos", released in 1970, showcased their original fusion of psychedelic music and flamenco, featuring powerful bluesy riffs and experimental elements. A year later they returned with their second full-length album "We Come To Smash This Time", a more avant-garde and experimental record, featuring classic symphonic rock tracks "First Movement", psychedelic pop "Don't Be Sad, Baby", a fusion between raga music and flamenco "Behind the Stars", folk rock "We Come To Smash This Time" or progressive hard rock "Fail Safe", making this album a true classic of Spanish rock.

Triana-Sombra y Luz (1979)

Triana's third album marked their commercial and creative peak, selling nearly half a million copies in the Spanish market, and completing the band's progressive trilogy that had begun four years earlier with their impressive debut album, "El Patio". In this new release, "Sombra y Luz" (Shadow and Light), the band achieved better production than their previous two albums, making the content shine with catchy melodies and an ever-growing commitment to their original musical philosophy. However, it's also true that they began to lose some of their initial progressive drive, showcasing a less grounded and more conventional sound. Even so, this doesn't mean they abandoned progressive sounds, as there is still plenty of impressive material here, brimming with enormous instrumental complexity, genuine passion, and that special magic that only flamenco can bring to the final product, making it sound truly progressive. The main reason for all this is Jesús de la Rosa's less forceful and more restrained use of synthesizers, as a counterpoint to the sounds of the electric and acoustic guitars. This allows the latter to steal the spotlight and, at many points on the album, lead to more aggressive and purely rock sounds. All of this is clearly manifested in the opening track, "Un Historia", a clear rock song with blues influences, full of melancholic serenity. As a counterpoint, there's "Quiero Contarte", a cheerful piece featuring excellent electric guitar work by Pepe Roca, one of the guest guitarists, along with Antonio Pérez and Enrique Carmona, who demonstrate their undeniable talent throughout the album. With the following track, "Sombra y Luz", Triana once again demonstrates its experimental style with a tour de force that includes touches of jazz-rock and psychedelic sounds. It's here that Jesús De La Rosa's synthesizers recapture the essence of their previous albums in a brilliant and memorable piece. Following this comes the epic “Hasta Volver”, a ten-minute epic track that, along with the previous one, is the album's highlight. The beautiful “Tiempo sin saber” showcases the group's flamenco side, while “Vuelta a La sombra y a la Luz” maintains the same musical structure as its namesake, “Sombra y Luz”, but with a much shorter and more restrained duration.

Alameda-Alameda (1979)

Alameda were another of the key bands that formed part of the Andalusian rock movement of the 1970s in Spain. Hailing from Seville, they were led by the Marinelli brothers, keyboardists Rafael and Manuel, along with guitarist and singer José Roca, bassist Manuel Rosa, and drummer Luis Moreno. In 1978, with a demo in hand, they sought a record deal, finally signing with CBS and releasing their self-titled debut in 1979 on their subsidiary label, Epic Records. Their sound was more akin to Andalusian romantic rock with jazz fusion influences, based on pleasing vocal harmonies and the Marinelli brothers' dual keyboard work, than to the progressive rock of Triana. The songs are characterized by catchy, flamenco-tinged melodies, featuring pianos and Rosa's guitars, partially blended with powerful Moog synthesizers and supported by a tight rhythm section. There's a very calm and positive atmosphere throughout the album; however, it lacks the intensity of their contemporary Triana, although at times their sound is quite comparable. Tracks imbued with clear jazz-rock influences (“Aires de la Alameda”, “A la vera del Jueves”), melancholic and intense Andalusian rock cuts (“La Pila del Patio”, “Ojos de Triste Llanto”, and “Amanecer en el Puerto”), and nods to progressive jazz (“Hacia el Alba” and “Matices”), make up an energetic and thrilling album of Andalusian rock fusion, instrumentally performed with enviable skill by one of the best Spanish rock bands of all time.

Bloque-Hombre, Tierra y Alma (1979)

Bloque was a Spanish progressive rock band that released four studio albums, some of which are considered among the best in Spanish progressive rock. Founded in Cantabria in 1973, the band consisted of keyboardist Juan Carlos Gutiérrez, bassist Luis Pastor, drummer Paco Baños, and guitarists Juan José Respuela and Sixto Ruiz. In 1978, they released their self-titled debut album, "Bloque", which already showcased their talent but was nonetheless hampered by a certain immaturity in their compositions. A year later, they captured the attention of fans with their excellent "Hombre, Tierra y Alma" (Man, Earth and Soul), a concept album featuring more elaborate compositions and more complex instrumentation. Long instrumental passages are the common thread throughout this outstanding work. From the opening and atmospheric "Humanidad indefensa" (Defenseless Humanity), to the folk-tinged instrumental "Por fin he vuelto a ti" (Finally I've Returned to You), and including rock exercises like the powerful "En infierno está aquí" (Hell Is Here), or the melodic progressive "Meditación parte I" (Meditation Part I). This album showcases the band's perfect balance between the hypnotic and ethereal sounds of the keyboards and the electric guitar riffs combined with acoustic guitars. In a similar vein, the band released "Hijo del Alba" (Son of Dawn) in 1980, which, despite its immense quality, was released in the midst of the Spanish post-punk era and went somewhat unnoticed by the public, who were more interested in the music of the Movida Madrileña (Madrid Scene). Today, Bloque is considered a cult band in the history of Spanish rock, having created music that was in no way different from its more renowned European contemporaries.