Sweet-Level Headed (1978)

In 1974, Sweet, one of the leading glam rock bands, underwent its first major shift, changing production teams and deciding to focus on the North American market, which, despite countless successes in Great Britain and Europe, had still eluded them. This change paid off with the hit "Fox On The Run", which reached number 2 in Great Britain and a surprising number 5 in the United States. After a long tour of America, they decided to relocate there and record their most musically ambitious album, "Off The Record". Fueled by their worldwide popularity, the band embarked on numerous tours of Europe, Japan, and even the Far East, achieving unprecedented box office success in the London band's career. Amidst this whirlwind of success, in 1978 they released their sixth album, "Level Headed", where they demonstrated their complete departure from the aggressive sounds of their glam and heavy rock, definitively embracing a melodic and eclectic rock style. Tracks like "Love Is Like Oxygen", with its distinctly pomp rock feel, which conquered charts worldwide, contrasted with others closer to the Californian sound, such as "Silverbird" and "California Nights", the funk rock of "Strong Love", the addictive ballads of "Dream On", and forays into avant-garde rock with the surprising "Air On A Tape Loop". Despite this stylistic diversity, the album received a modest reception on the charts, which precipitated the departure of their vocalist, Brian Connolly, thus ending Sweet's golden era and becoming one of the most cherished memories in rock music.

Al Kooper with Shuggie Otis-Kooper Session (1970)

Two years after the album "Super Session", Al Kooper set out to record another jam session, this time with guitarist Shuggie Otis, the son of the legendary Johnny Otis, who was only 15 years old at the time. For this occasion, bassist Stu Woods, drummer Wells Kelly, and pianist Mark Klingman formed the backing band for Kooper and Shuggie. The gospel and soul duo "The Hilda Harris & Albertine Robinson Singers" also participated. In this new release, Al Kooper expanded his sound, incorporating not only blues but also subtle soul and gospel influences, as in the opening track "Bury My Body". "Shuggie's Shuffle" showcases the instrumental duality of the two musicians, while "12:15 Goonbash Blues" is an extended jam of hypnotic blues rock where Otis demonstrates his enormous talent on the six-string.

Werwolf-Creation (1982)

Continuing our series on lesser-known bands, this time we feature the German group Werwolf, founded in Sauerland in 1970 by drummer and vocalist Peter Besting, guitarist Hartwig Kugoth, and bassist Peter Lorenz. For a time, they were a trio, until 1972 when keyboardist Jürgen Göckle, saxophonist and flute player Michael Schlimm, and vocalist Ellen Wiederstein joined the band. With this lineup, Werwolf recorded a demo to distribute to various record labels in hopes of securing a contract, but without success. During those years, the band focused on live performances, touring with bands like Birth Control and Eloy. It wasn't until 1982 that they released their first album, "Creation", which featured only Peter Besting from the original lineup. On this debut album, Wearwolf leans towards progressive folk sounds with pleasing acoustic guitars and the enchanting voice of singer Gitta Loewenstein, which bears a certain resemblance to British singer Annie Haslam of Renaissance. Besides Loewenstein's vocals, the album's highlights come from the excellent work of guitarist Gerd Heuel and the symphonic keyboards of Wolfgang Unthan. Extended tracks with substantial developments and constant tempo changes give it a certain feel of music made in the seventies rather than the eighties, which is understandable given that the compositions were written long before they were recorded. "The Journey To The Land Of The Flying Pigs" and "Daydream" are clear examples of this, while "The Eighth Day", "The Song", and the opening track "Höhenflug" are complex progressive compositions with a sound more in keeping with the decade in which they were recorded.

Elvis Presley-From Elvis in Memphis (1969)

In 1969, Elvis Presley returned to conventional studio albums with "From Elvis in Memphis", after a few years focused on film soundtracks. Considered one of his most intense albums, it contains some of the finest soul music ever recorded by a white artist. However, Elvis also brilliantly navigates other styles such as gospel, country, R&B, and pop. Recorded at American Studios in Memphis with the backing of an impressive and extensive band including Reggie Young, Bobby Wood, Gene Chrisman, John Hughey, Bobby Emmons, and The Memphis Horn, among many others, Elvis thrillingly delivers each song on the album with his captivating voice, showcasing great maturity and commitment, rebelling against the decline and loss of popularity he was experiencing at the time. With a dreamlike repertoire, gems like "True Love Travels On a Gravel Road", "Only The Strong Survive", "In The Ghetto", "Long Black Limousine", and "Wearin' That Loved On Look", appear, making it one of the greatest albums of all time.

The Gary Moore Band-Grinding Stone (1973)

Gary Moore is one of the greatest guitarists in history. Influenced primarily by the blues, he ventured into heavier genres like hard rock and heavy metal, and even dabbled in progressive jazz rock. Gary Moore's career began in the late 1960s when, at just 17 years old, he joined the band Skid Row (not to be confused with the American band of the same name from the 1980s). With Skid Row, Moore recorded three albums and became very popular, opening for established bands like Mountain and The Allman Brothers Band across the United States. In 1973, Moore decided to form his own band, The Gary Moore Band, with whom he recorded his first album, "Grinding Stone", where the Irish guitarist already showed glimpses of what was to come in the following years. "Grinding Stone" is a magnificent album of hard rock and psychedelic blues, featuring outstanding compositions such as the opening track "Grinding Stone", a psychedelic instrumental where Moore showcases his talent on the six-string guitar, and brilliant cuts like the epic, progressive-tinged "Spirit" and the boogie blues "Boogie My Way Back Home". From this point on, Gary Moore continued to release albums with various groups, including the progressive jazz-rock band Colosseum and the hard rock band Thin Lizzy, as well as solo albums. His solo work alternated between hard rock and metal albums and traditional blues, and on more than one occasion, he even explored the rhythms and melodies of traditional Irish music, from his homeland. In 2011, Gary Moore was found dead in a hotel room in Málaga, the victim of a heart attack in his sleep. He was 58 years old and had been a fixture in the music scene for over forty years.

Eloy-Live (1978)

Fantastic double live album official German progressive rock group Eloy. Thetopics covered by disks are as follows: From Inside Inside is included. From The Power And The Passion Of Dawn Mutiny is included there is some mess with titles,including The Sun-Song is actually the theme-Flash Memory, The Dance In DoubtAnd Fear they really are the topics Appearance Of Return Of The Voice and The Voice, and finally Gliding Into Light And Knowledge. From the Ocean includePoseidon's Creation, Incarnation Of The Logos and and the long title theme, Atlantis Agony ... etc. etc.. The interpretation of the issues that is more symphonicrock, everything is covered with mysterious atmospheres, dark, symphonic, and I can imagine that day in the room transported to another galaxy like I was stuck in ascience fiction movie. Some of the interpretations are quite faithful to the originalsbut there are some topics like Atlantis Agony ... Dawn or issues where the instrumental parts are stretched very effectively. One of the basic double live the70's progressive.

Camel-Mirage (1974)

Despite the modest commercial success, though not artistic merit, of their debut album, Camel's musical vision was further enhanced on their second full-length album, released a year later. "Mirage" reflects a consolidated band that would focus on instrumental atmospheres, supported by a solid foundation of rock and jazz fusion. Within this context, the entire second album breathes with seductive and captivating melodies, beginning with the immeasurable "Lady Fantasy", the powerful and impactful "Freefall", the atmospheric and brilliant "Nimrodel/The Procession/The White Rider", and the instrumental "Earthrise". In all of these tracks, Camel showcases great musical ideas, brimming with genuine inventiveness, beauty, aggression, and a playful ambition, featuring superb harmonies, impressive guitar and keyboard solos by Andrew Latimer and Peter Bardens, and a rhythm section comprised of Andy Ward and Doug Ferguson that fluidly underpins the repertoire throughout the entire album. "Mirage" not only became a masterpiece, but also the starting point for a career full of great works and, incidentally, for each and every one of the progressive bands that would emerge in the following years.

Black Pearl-Black Pearl (1969)

Another obscure band from the late 1960s was Black Pearl. Originally from Boston, they had to relocate to the sunny shores of San Francisco, where they achieved moderate success in late 1969 and early 1970, releasing several albums that are now highly sought after by collectors. This band, with its three guitarists, was one of the first to explore psychedelic hard rock, with strong roots in R&B and substances like LSD. Part of their lineup came from another Boston band called The Barbarians, and included the energetic and visceral singer B.B. Fieldings, drummer Oak O'Connor, guitarists Tom Mulcahy, Jeff Mackay, and Bruce Benson, and bassist Geoffrey Morris. Once settled in San Francisco, they managed to record an album under the Atlantic label that cracked the Billboard Top 100. They then recorded their epitaph, "Black Pearl Live", which marked the end of their musical journey, returning to Boston and disappearing into the vastness of time. This first album contained nine tracks, including the lysergic rock songs "Crazy Chicken" and "Thinkin' 'Bout the Good Times", the R&B track "White Devil", the psychedelic "Mr. Soul Satisfaction", and the rhythmic "Climbing Up the Walls". All of them shared a clear common denominator: the interplay of the three guitarists with energetic and heavy riffs and guitar solos, and Fieldings' powerful vocals. Later, Rolling Stone History of Rock and Roll magazine would categorize them as one of the first bands of early American lysergic hard rock.

Queen-Queen II (1974)

Not entirely satisfied with their somewhat promising debut album, which lacked clear cohesion and a defined style, Queen returned a year later with their second album, a superb and masterful record that ranks among the best of the 1970s. Divided into two distinct parts, it is, in a way, conceived as a concept album, with one side called "Side White", written almost entirely by Brian May, and a second, "Side Black", composed entirely by Freddie Mercury. From the majestic intro "Procession" to the final song that concludes with the astonishing "Seven Seas of Rhye", this "Queen II" has hardly a single track that falls short of any other in their extensive and rich discography. The wonderful hard rock melody of “Father To Son” and the poignant “White Queen (As It Began),” with its heart-wrenching guitar passages, are counterbalanced by the enchanting “Some Day One Day” and the surprising “Loser In The End”. This last contribution, by Roger Taylor, represents an atypical genre in the album's overall direction and closes an exciting and beautiful first side. With the second side, “Side Black”, Mercury goes a step further, delivering some of Queen's best songs, beginning with the metallic “Ogre Battle”, which leaves us breathless, driven by incredible vocals and powerful guitar riffs. It is followed by the innovative “The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke”, with its complex and progressive structure. The brief ballad “Nevermore” is capped off by the epic “The March Of The Black Queen”, featuring outstanding harmonies and great instrumental dynamism. While “Funny How Love Is” provides a respite amidst so much grandiose music before the glorious “Seven Seas Of Rhye” culminates one of the album's highlights.

Alan Parsons-Try Anything Once (1993)

With Eric Woolfson's departure after the 1987 album "Gaudi", The Alan Parsons Project's successful eleven-year run, which had yielded ten albums, came to an end. Consequently, the producer, engineer, composer, and musician Alan Parsons dropped the "Project" moniker from his next recording. Six years later came this first album by Alan Parsons, which, as with all the project's previous releases, featured a wide array of collaborating musicians, including Chris Thompson, Eric Stewart, Ian Bairnson, David Pack, Andrew Powell, and Stuart Elliott, among others virtually the same musicians who had participated in all the previous albums. This time, Parsons allowed some of the musicians to contribute to the songwriting, particularly Powell and Bairnson. Powell set aside his role as an orchestral arranger to showcase his keyboard skills, while Bairnson contributed his talent as a composer. "Try Anything Once" is composed of rich melodies of sophisticated pop with certain progressive elements such as the opening "The Three of Me", art rock is present in the splendid "Turn It Up", "I'm Talkin' to You" and "Mr. Time", while the hard rock "Back Against the Wall" or the grandiose symphonic "Oh Life", make up a very worthy work from one of the best and most iconic sound engineers in the history of rock music.

Deep Purple-Deep Purple (1969)

Deep Purple's third album is by far the best of their early period with the Mark I lineup, which consisted of Rod Evans (vocals), Ritchie Blackmore (electric and acoustic guitars), Jon Lord (keyboards and string and wind arrangements), Nick Simper (bass), and Ian Paice (drums). Here, the band finally developed their own songs, abandoning the covers from their previous work, with the exception of Donovan's excellent psychedelic ballad "Lalena". From the energetic hard rock opener "Chansing Shadows" to the symphonic orchestral piece that closes the album, "April", the British quintet showcases its own identity with a diverse and challenging album, even though many psychedelic elements are still mixed with jazz and proto-avant-garde, all underpinned by hard rock. Other tracks, such as the psychedelic progressive "Blind", one of the album's highlights, the bluesy boogie "Why Didn't Rosemary", and the frenetic "The Painter", lead us to one of the best works of early progressive hard rock. After this album, Evans and Simper would be replaced by Ian Gillan and Roger Glover, thus forming their classic and most successful lineup.

Black Sabbath-Dehumanizer (1992)

"Dehumanizer" marked the return of Black Sabbath's Mark III lineup, consisting of Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Vinnie Appice, Geoff Nicholls, and Geezer Butler. With this lineup, Black Sabbath had already released the powerful album "Mob Rules" eleven years prior, a record that followed the monumental and legendary "Heaven and Hell". With a heavier and darker sound than their previous three albums "Eternal Idol", "Headless Cross", and "Tyr" this new release definitively transformed their signature doom metal and sinister heavy metal into a hard-hitting, standard hard rock sound. The dark atmospheres, the accelerated rhythms, or the crushing poise of the guitar riffs and the pounding rhythm section are present in songs like "Computer God", "After All (The Dead)", "Master of Insanity" or "Too Late", resulting in an album that was very well received by the heavy metal community in general and by its millions of loyal followers around the world.

Marsupilami-Arena (1971)

Pioneers of the sounds that bands like King Crimson and Yes would later achieve, Marsupilami were one of the seminal groups of progressive rock. They had their moment of glory when they replaced King Crimson at the opening of the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970. Formed in the late 1960s, this band released two albums between 1970 and 1971, "Marsupilami" and "Arena", showcasing great musical complexity with elements of blues, experimental jazz, and British folk influences. Their base was in the Netherlands from 1970 onward, where they recorded and released their albums. The lineup consisted of Fred Hasson on vocals and percussion, Dave Laverock on guitar, Leary Hasson on keyboards, Jessica Stanley-Clarke on flute and vocals, Richard Hicks on bass, and Mike Fouracre on drums. Their second release, "Arena", is a concept album based on ancient Roman culture, depicting the scenes that unfolded in the Roman Colosseum, life and death on the sand of this iconic venue. Produced by Pete Bardens, along with several other musicians who collaborated on the recording, the band showcased unusual melodies and harmonies, featuring numerous keyboards, dense sounds, and electric guitars that, together with flute and powerful drums, resulted in a dark and intricate progressive rock sound. The album's compositions are quite complex, with sounds influenced by jazz, Eastern music, and a certain Canterbury scene.

Alvin Lee-Zoom (1992)

A powerful, fantastic, and energetic album is what the late Alvin Lee left us in 1994. Titled "Zoom", it continued the stylistic vein of his band Ten Years After's album "About Time", released a few years earlier (1989). In this release, the tenth of his solo career, Alvin Lee continues to demonstrate his blistering speed on the six strings and his tremendous blues essence, crafting a truly intense and powerful blues-rock album that is also very balanced and highly addictive. Powerful hard blues-rock songs like "Remember Me", "It Don't Come Easy", "Jenny Jenny", "Use That Power", "Little Bit Of Love", "Real Life Blues", and "Lost In Love" bear witness to the enormous genius of one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

Gracious-This Is...Gracious (1971)

A band from the nascent British progressive rock movement, founded in 1967 in the London suburbs, they initially played pop music, which evolved into more complex and ambitious territory after discovering the potential of the Mellotron sound. After several lineup changes, their first stable formation consisted of Alan Cowderoy (guitar), Paul Davis (vocals and 12-string guitar), Martin Kitcat (keyboards), Robert Lipson (drums), and Tim Wheatley (bass). From their debut album, "Gracious" (1970), the band displayed an interest in imbuing their style with risky and complex compositions, though with little musical coherence. In 1971 came "This Is...Gracious", featuring a more polished production and a more cohesive and committed band. Here Gracious shows impressive progress compared to his debut album, with the Mellotron taking center stage in the music, complemented by guitar interactions as demonstrated in the suite "Super Nova" which occupies one side of the album. The rest are shorter tracks with a more eclectic style and pleasant sounds that accommodate pop alongside influences of blues, rock, and symphonic textures.

Jane-Together (1972)

Jane were another of the great krautrock bands, who, along with Amon Düül II, Grobschnitt, and Guru Guru, continued to carry on the original German style of the 1970s well into the 2000s. Founded in Hanover in the late 1960s by vocalist Bernd Pulst and drummer Peter Hanka, they were later joined by guitarist Klaus Hess, organist Werner Nadolny, and bassist Charly Maucher. After signing with the German label Brain, they recorded their first album, released in 1972 under the title "Together", which showcased exuberant Hammond organ work, acid guitars, and expansive instrumental interludes. However, on this first album, Jane displayed a less symphonic style than in their subsequent works, focusing their music on progressive blues rock, as demonstrated by tracks like the psychedelic hard rock "Wind" or the blues rock "Try to Find", while the progressive "Daytime" or the epic "Spain" showcased the heavier, darker side of their progressive hard rock, with a sound closely related to their contemporaries Deep Purple or Uriah Heep. In the following years, Jane would produce a series of works more focused on symphonic rock, among which the brilliant "Here We Are" (1973), "Jane III" (1974), "Fire, Water, Earth & Air" (1976), and "Between Heaven and Hell" (1977) stand out, not forgetting their anthological double live album "Jane At Home Live" from 1977.

The Tubes-What Do You Want From Live (1978)

If there's one thing The Tubes far surpassed their contemporaries in, it was their bizarre concerts, brimming with simulated sadomasochism, humorous skits, choreography involving dancers and acrobats, and an impressive, surreal, theatrical, and circus-like stage production. In 1978, this eccentric band released the live album "What Do You Want From Live", which, despite not showcasing all those visual stimuli, demonstrated that, in addition to their stage presence, they were instrumentally incredibly talented, exciting, energetic, and vibrant. On this double live album, the group comprised of lead singers Fee Waybill and Re Styles, guitarists Bill Spooner and Roger Steen, bassist Rick Anderson, keyboardist Michael Cotten, and percussionists Prairie Prince and Mingo Lewis left behind an impressive collection of songs that, surrounded by a playful visual chaos, is simultaneously a mind-blowing and wild sonic journey. Songs like the frenetic medley "Overture" composed of dizzying rock passages with progressive elements, the ingenious jazz-flavored "The From Peter Gunn" or "Theme From Dragnet" or the visceral "Mondo Bondage" and "I Was A Punk Before You Were a Punk", make up an album that leaves the listener with the strange feeling that they are only witnessing a small part of something apotheotic and delirious.

10cc-How Dare You! (1976)

In 1976, the British band 10cc faced the daunting task of surpassing, or at least creatively matching, their previous album, "Original Soundtrack", the work that would definitively catapult them to fame. Amidst some disagreements between the band's two songwriting duos, Stewart-Gouldman and Creme-Godley, they pulled off another phenomenal album, which for many was 10cc's swan song. Musical differences aside, the four musicians achieved the best possible musical continuation of its predecessor with a work containing gems of melodic art-pop, featuring multiple vocal and instrumental textures, superbly balanced, and with exquisite production. From the melodic and prodigious “I’m Mandy, Flye Me” or “Art For Art’s Sake”, to progressive approaches like the instrumental “How Dare You!”, passing through the operatic with a Beatles flavor “Iceberg” and “Don’t Hang Up”, the bluesy “Rock’n’Roll Lubally” or the playful pop “Head Room”.

Lynyrd Skynyrd-Street Survivors (1977)

In 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the quintessential southern rock band, recaptured the feeling and charm of southern rock with their fifth album, "Street Survivors", following the commendable but repetitive "Gimme Back My Bullets" the previous year. On this release, the band comprised of vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarists Steve Gaines, Ed Kings, Allen Collins, and Gary Rossington, bassist Leon Wilkeson, drummer Artimus Pyle, and keyboardist Billy Powell, along with backing vocalists Jojo Billingsley, Cassie Gaines, and Leslie Hawkins crafted a formidable southern rock album featuring the catchy anthem "What's Your Name", the epic "That Smell", the psychedelic southern "One More Time", the blues-rock "I Know a Little", the country-rock "I Never Dreamed", and the hypnotic blues "Ain't No Good Life". But just three days after the album's official release, the plane carrying them from Greenville, South Carolina, where they had performed that night, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, crashed near Gillsburg, Mississippi. Ronnie Van Zant, Cassie Gaines, Steve Gaines, the band's second manager Dean Kilpatrick, and the two pilots of the twin-engine Convair CV300 were killed. The rest of the band, including the numerous tour crew members, survived but suffered serious injuries. Shortly afterward, the legendary original cover, depicting the band engulfed in flames, was withdrawn and replaced with an alternative one featuring a black background. Several months later, "Street Survivors" reached number five on the Billboard charts and went double platinum, becoming one of the greatest albums in Southern rock. However, the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd would be buried forever, even though they continued to release new albums and tour continuously to this day, but without the glory of their heyday.

Alexis Korner´s Blues Incorporated-R&B From The Marquee (1962)

Alexis Korner is one of the musicians who most influenced the generations of English bluesmen of the first half of the 1960s. Unfortunately, his work has not been as widely disseminated outside the United Kingdom and North America, unlike the work of the many musicians who were directly influenced by him, such as Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker (Cream), Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones), Long John Baldry, a singer of impressive talent, Dick Heckstall-Smith (Colosseum), and the aforementioned Graham Bond, or who indirectly influenced musicians like John Mayall and Al Kooper, among many others. However, Korner's career had begun a decade earlier when he formed a blues and jazz duo with Cyril Davies, performing frequently on the London club circuit. Later, the two musicians opened their own club, the "London Blues and Barrelhouse", where they regularly invited young British and American jazz and blues musicians to play. It was then that they met Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, and Long John Bladry, which encouraged them to form their own band, Blues Incorporated (1961), which became England's first amplified blues band. With the addition of saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith, the band built a strong reputation throughout England thanks to their famous concerts, and it was common to see promising musicians like Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, and Keith Richards (Rolling Stones), Jimmy Page and Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, and John Mayall, among many others, in their audience. Blues Incorporated focused primarily on live performances rather than recording albums, and the group only released two singles on Parlophone: "I Need Your Loving" (1964) and "Little Baby" (1965). That same year, Graham Bond decided to leave and form his own band, recruiting all his former Blues Incorporated bandmates. In 1964, Alexis Korner, with a new version of his Blues Incorporated, released the albums "At The Cavern" and "Red Hot From Alex", featuring American singer Herbie Goins and Danny Thompson, later a member of the folk group Pentangle, on bass. After the third and final album for the group, "Sky High", released in 1965 with a new singer, Duffy Power, Alexis Korner definitively disbanded the group a year later in 1966. In 1967, Korner founded the short-lived band Free At Last with former Bluesbreakers drummer Hughie Flint and bassist Binky McKenzie, which received little media attention. It wasn't until 1971 that Alexis Korner returned to the spotlight, joining the large jazz, rock, and blues band C.C.S., modeled after the American jazz-rock bands Chicago Transit Authority and Blood, Sweat & Tears. With this band, Korner achieved some notable success on the British charts, primarily with jazz-rock covers such as Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and Donovan's "Walking". In 1973, after C.C.S. disbanded, Korner founded another supergroup with Mel Collins, Boz Burrell, and Ian Wallace, all former members of King Crimson. With this group, he released two albums, launched his own solo career, and worked in radio fusion on the BBC, hosting highly popular blues, soul, and jazz programs. In 1978, a massive concert was held to celebrate his 50th anniversary, featuring a lineup of superstars including Eric Clapton, Chris Farlowe, Zoot Money, and Paul Jones, among others. In 1981, Korner joined Rocket 88, led by Ian Stewart, where he reunited with old bandmates like Jack Bruce and Colin Hodgkinson. Three years later, Korner passed away at the age of 55 in London, leaving behind one of the most intense and influential careers in the history of rock music.

Chicago Transit Authority - Chicago Transit Authority (1968)

Few debut albums can boast as consistently solid an effort as the self-titledChicago Transit Authority (1969). Even fewer can claim to have enough material to fill out a double-disc affair. Although this long- player was ultimately the septet's first national exposure, the group was far from the proverbial "overnight sensation." Under the guise of the Big thing, the group soon to be known as CTA had been honing its eclectic blend of jazz, classical, and straight-ahead rock & roll in and around the Windy City for several years. Their initial non-musical meeting occurred during a mid-February 1967 confab between the original combo at Walter Parazaider´s apartment on the north side of Chi Town. Over a year later, Columbia Records staff producer James Guercio became a key supporter of the group, which he rechristened Chicago Transit Authority. In fairly short order the band relocated to the West Coast and began woodshedding the material that would comprise this title. In April of 1969, the dozen sides of Chicago Transit Authority unleashed a formidable and ultimately American musical experience. This included an unheralded synthesis of electric guitar wailin' rock & roll to more deeply rooted jazz influences and arrangements. This approach economized the finest of what the band had to offer — actually two highly stylized units that coexisted with remarkable singularity. On the one hand, listeners were presented with an incendiary rock & roll quartet of Terry Kath (lead guitar/vocals), Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals), Peter Cetera (bass/vocals), and Danny Seraphine (drums). They were augmented by the equally aggressive power brass trio that included Lee Loughnane (trumpet/vocals), James Pankow (trombone), and the aforementioned Parazaider (woodwind/vocals). This fusion of rock with jazz would also yield some memorable pop sides and enthusiasts' favorites as well. Most notably, a quarter of the material on the double album — "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?," "Beginnings," "Questions 67 and 68," and the only cover on the project, Steve Winwood´s "I'm a Man" — also scored as respective entries on the singles chart. The tight, infectious, and decidedly pop arrangements contrast with the piledriving blues-based rock of "Introduction" and "South California Purples" as well as the 15-plus minute extemporaneous free for all "Liberation." Even farther left of center are the experimental avant-garde "Free Form Guitar" and the politically intoned and emotive "Prologue, August 29, 1968" and "Someday (August 29, 1968)." The 2003 remastered edition ofChicago Transit Authority offers a marked sonic improvement over all previous pressings — including the pricey gold disc incarnation

Los Pekenikes-Los Pekenikes (1966)

Considered one of the best Spanish bands of all time, Los Pekenikes were equally fundamental to the beginnings of pop and rock in Spain. They became so famous and important that The Beatles themselves chose them to open their only concert during their visit to Spain in 1965. This renowned quintet, founded in 1959, included among its members some of the best Spanish solo artists of all time, such as Eddys Guzmán, Pepe Nieto, Rodrigo García, Juan Pardo, and Junior. In 1966, they achieved spectacular success with their song "Hilo de Seda" (Silk Thread), which topped the charts in countries like the Netherlands, Mexico, and Portugal, in addition to Spain, and had a significant presence on the charts in many other European countries. Creators of a unique and distinctive style that blended the so-called Tijuana Sound with Spanish popular music, they topped the charts on numerous occasions thanks to other emblematic songs such as "Palomitas de Maíz" (Popcorn), "Tabasco", "Los Cuatro Muleros" (The Four Muleteers), and "Embustero y Bailarín" (Liar and Dancer). Their first full-length album, released in 1966 under the Hispavox label, showcased the instrumental talent of all its members in a repertoire that included songs like "Hilo de Seda" (Silk Thread), "Lady Pepa", "Romance Anónimo" (Anonymous Romance), "Arena Caliente" (Hot Sand), and "Sombras y Rejas" (Shadows and Bars).

Jeff Beck-Blow By Blow (1975)

This is one of the essential albums among those focused on electric guitar, and "Blow by Blow" is considered a masterpiece of jazz-rock and the pinnacle of guitarist Jeff Beck's career, who passed away exactly one year ago at the age of 78. Although "Blow by Blow" is chronologically his fifth album, it was actually his second solo effort (the first being the interesting "Truth", released in 1968). After disbanding his band, composed of Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice, with whom he released the stunning "Beck-Ola" (1969), "Rough and Ready" (1971), "The Jeff Beck Group" (1972), and "Beck, Bogert and Appice" (1973), as well as the live album "Beck, Bogert and Appice: Live in Japan" (1974), the latter released only in Japan, he decided to continue his solo career. Produced by the so-called fifth Beatle, George Martin, this second release featured Beck collaborating with keyboardist Max Middleton, bassist Phil Chen, and drummer Richard Bailey, in addition to a guest appearance by Stevie Wonder and orchestral arrangements by the aforementioned George Martin. "Blow By Blow" is notable for being one of Jeff Beck's first albums to fully embrace jazz-fusion and jazz-rock, moving away from the hard rock and blues sounds of his earlier work. The album is brimming with memorable moments, such as the funk jazz track "You Know What I Mean", the exhilarating "She's A Woman", the powerful jazz-rock songs "Constipated Duck", "Airblower", and "Scatterbrain", the iconic "Cause We've Ended as Lovers", and the immortal and ever-popular "Freeway Jam", a staple of American FM radio.

Jethro Tull-Minstrel in the Gallery (1975)

In 1975, Jethro Tull released "Minstrell in the Gallery", the band's eighth album and, to date, their most acoustic work. For many, this album marked a turning point, moving away from certain sounds of the past while simultaneously foreshadowing the sounds they would explore in the future. 

The previous album, "Warchild", was somewhat uneven and a lesser effort, where the excessive use of orchestral arrangements and rather surprising instruments like bagpipes and accordions detracted from the essence of the sound of the band led by Ian Anderson. Even so, while not a bad album quite the opposite, in fact it received unfavorable reviews and lower sales, leading Anderson himself to reconsider his next move on the musical chessboard. 

To begin with, the prominence of the keyboards is considerably reduced, with the exception of John Evans' piano, giving greater and more prominent role to David Palmer's strings, thus creating an intimate and organic atmosphere. Martin Barre, for his part, takes on a different kind of prominence, although he continues to offer his characteristic fiery guitar solos. Tracks like "Cold Wind To Valhalla" and "Black Satin Dancer" are elegant yet understated pieces with excellent string passages. "Requiem" is an acoustic track that seems lifted from the album "Aqualung", and the mini-suite "Baker Street Muse" is an interesting, melodic, and very appealing song, which, however, suffers in certain passages from a lack of coherence as a unified piece. "Minstrell in The Gallery" is, in a way, and quite subtly, the logical continuation of an album like "Aqualung", far removed from the pomposity of "Thick As A Brick" or the experimental folk of "Warchild".

King Crimson-Lizard (1970)

After their first two monumental albums, Robert Fripp took the King Crimson sound a step further, distancing himself from the initial approach with its grandeur, sweeping classical inspiration, and controlled cacophony that characterized it, to delve into even more progressive and eclectic sounds like free jazz on this third album.

For this occasion, Fripp surrounded himself with a lineup that differed somewhat from those who recorded his first two albums. Here, drummer Andy McCulloch appears for the first time, while bassist and singer Gordon Haskell and saxophonist Mel Collins return as permanent members of the band, replacing Greg Lake, Michael Giles, and Peter Giles. Completing the lineup are keyboardist Keith Tippet, Robin Miller (oboe), Nick Evans (trombone), Marc Charing (cornet), lyricist Pete Sinfield, and Yes vocalist Jon Anderson, who lends his beautiful voice to the superb "Prince Rupert Awakes". 

“Lizard” showcases a structure quite different from their previous work, with longer tracks divided into distinct sections, featuring expansive developments, clearly reminiscent of classical music. Robert Fripp delivers a dazzling guitar performance, Pete Sinfield offers poetic and surreal lyrics, and the Mellotron makes intensive and eloquent use of the instrument. Moments range from devastated and sorrowful beauty to sinister and repulsive scenes, making this album one of their most arrogant and dark works, yet simultaneously brimming with originality. Despite the continued dominance of this pessimistic aura, musically we find pieces of greater beauty, as demonstrated by the jazzy “Indoor Games” and “Happy Family”, or the complex and inaccessible “Cirkus”. Meanwhile, the epic “Lizard” is a suite with a more purely rock flavor, a progressive orientation, and less jazz experimentation, where the grandiose sounds of the Mellotron and arrangements of clear Classic style. 

“Lizard,” one of the most brilliant works in the history of progressive rock, has stood the test of time and is considered another essential KC album.

B.J. Thomas-Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head (1968)

Famous for his iconic song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", B.J. Thomas is a true legend in the United States. This singer-songwriter enjoyed a long career spanning five decades, during which he was a regular on the charts of pop rock, country, gospel, and soft rock. This Texan, born in 1942, showed early signs of his vocal talent as a child in his church choir. Years later, as a teenager, he began his career in groups like The Triumphs, and soon after became a professional musician. By the mid-sixties, he had climbed the charts with his song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", which sold over a million copies. Several years later, another song of his, "Hooked On A Feeling", became another major hit. Such was his popularity in the late sixties that the celebrated Burt Bacharach commissioned him to write a song for the western "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", a classic film starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The chosen song was "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", which quickly became a worldwide hit and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1968. In the following years, Thomas achieved further success with songs like "(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song", a number one hit in 1975. In the second half of the seventies and throughout the eighties, his style shifted towards country and gospel with songs like "Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love", "Two Car Garage", and "As Long As We Got Each Other", the latter chosen as the theme song for the iconic sitcom "Growing Pains". Following this success, Thomas maintained his popularity for years with several hit songs such as "I Just Can't Help Believing", "No Love at All", and "Mighty Clouds of Joy". His albums include "On My Way" (1968), "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head" (1969), "Most of All" (1970), and "Billy Joe Thomas" (1972), as well as several "Best Of" compilations. From the mid-1980s well into the 2000s, B.J. Thomas experienced a classic revival outside the mainstream charts.

Alan Parsons-On Air (1996)

Three years after his first solo work away from his well-known "Project", Alan Parsons returned to the scene with a new album titled "On Air", this time, as he had done with The Alan Parsons Project, crafted as a concept album. The theme this time is dedicated to the history of aviation, from hot air balloons to space travel. For the recording of the album, Alan Parsons enlisted a large group of musicians, including 10cc singer Eric Stewart, Steve Overland (singer of the British band FM), renowned American musician Christopher Cross, and other frequent APP collaborators such as Stuart Elliott (drums), Ian Bairnson (guitars), and Andrew Powell as conductor and arranger of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. The music presented here is generally more oriented towards soft rock, moving away from the grandiose and epic sounds typical of APP, although his unmistakable melodies are still present. Tracks like "Cloudbreak" and the instrumental "Apollo" evoke the sound of Pink Floyd in the 1980s, with David Gilmour's evocative guitar work standing out. Other pieces, such as the captivating "Blown By The Wind" and "Blue Blue Sky", showcase Eric Stewart's exceptional vocal range, while Neil Lockwood delivers equally impressive vocals on the beautiful ballad "Brother Up In Heaven" and the brilliant "I Can't Look Down". The latter is particularly noteworthy for its paranoid lyrics about the fear of flying, making it less than ideal to listen to before boarding a flight. Interestingly, the album included a CD-ROM containing additional information about the recording process and a brief history of aviation, but its unintuitive interface proved rather cumbersome.

Frank Zappa-Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar (1982)

"Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar" is one of Frank Zappa's most challenging works, comprised entirely of an impressive collection of Zappa's own guitar solos. Originally released as a triple LP in mid-1982, this stunning box set compiles much of the material released on various official albums between 1979 and 1981. All the content consists of pure, improvised jams, yet they convey the different moods, musical creativity, and original concept behind each track. The sheer number of musicians involved is as astonishing as it is breathtaking, featuring drummers Terry Bozzio, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Ed Mann; guitarists Steve Vai, Ray White, and Ike Willis; violinist Jean-Luc Ponty; bassists Patrick O'Hearn and Ray Estrada; and keyboardists Bob Harris, Peter Wolf, and Tommy Mars, among other renowned instrumentalists. Backed by these musicians in bands of varying configurations, Zappa delights us with everything from the brutal and visceral solos of "Five-Five-Five" and "Hog Heaven" to the reflective ones in "Pink Napkins", passing through Latin-tinged tracks like "Variations on the Carlos Santana Secret Chord Progression", the reggae parody "Treacherous Cretins", the heavy metal of "Beat It With Your Fist", the funk of "Ship Ahoy", and experimental extravaganzas such as the suggestive "Canarsie". This is undoubtedly one of his most inspiring works, and is considered one of the essential albums for understanding Zappa's immense talent with the guitar.

Todd Rundgren´s Utopia (1974)

In 1973, guitarist, composer, and producer Todd Rundgren formed the band Utopia, alternating his work with this group while simultaneously releasing solo projects. 

Their first album featured a lineup that would never be repeated on any of the band's subsequent releases: three keyboardists, Mark Klingman, Ralph Schuckett, and Jean-Yves Labat; bassist John Siegler; and drummer Kevin Ellman, in addition to Todd Rundgren himself on guitar and producing. 

"Todd Rundgren's Utopia" consists of four tracks, two of which exceed ten minutes, while side two of the LP features a half-hour suite. The album is brimming with bubbling psychedelic synthesizer sounds, hyperactive drums, and scorching guitars, with sounds ranging from energetic jazz-rock to the powerful sounds of heavy rock and progressive, avant-garde structures. 

Rundgren achieved the impossible with this album, surpassing almost every other progressive band in terms of instrumental prowess and epic scale, starting with the monumental "The Ikon", 30 minutes of pure, unadulterated progressive rock, the cosmic "Utopia Theme", the dynamic "Freedom Fighters", and the terrifying, progressive funk of "Freak Parade". 

An album that works as amazingly well as it does is only the product of a genius like Rundgren, who, along with five other talented musicians, managed to create one of the masterpieces of progressive rock of all time.

Keats-Keats (1984)

Keats was a side project of The Alan Parsons Project, which released an album in 1984 that went somewhat unnoticed for various reasons. Let's set the scene: in 1984, something quite unusual happened within The Alan Parsons Project. While they were recording the album "Ammonia Avenue", some of the musicians involved in that recording formed a side project and, practically at the same time, recorded two albums at Abbey Road Studios in London. One was the aforementioned "Ammonia Avenue", the seventh album by The Alan Parsons Project, and the other was the first and ultimately only album by Keats, the band these musicians had formed. These musicians were Ian Bairnson, Colin Blunstone, David Patton, and Stuart Elliott, who, along with contributions from Pete Bardens and Richard Cottle, recorded an album that Alan Parsons himself produced and which received invaluable assistance from Eric Woolfson. In other words, the entire Alan Parsons Project participated, but under the name Keats. However, the original idea to create a separate or parallel band, as we might call it, came from Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson, who wanted to give more prominence and greater recognition to the members who regularly recorded with the Alan Parsons Project. Even the name Keats was Woolfson's idea, taken from the English poet John Keats. The final result of this album, as is obvious, is synonymous with The Alan Parsons Project, with a series of tracks that could easily belong on any of his albums. It's an album with a typical 80s sound, imbued with the timelessness that Alan Parsons brings to his creations, and boasts enormous and exquisite quality. Tracks like "Heaven Knows", with the introduction by saxophonist Richard Cottle and Blunstone's melodic voice, transport us to magical moments like "I Robot" or "Pyramid". A similar effect occurs in tracks like "Tragedy" or "How Can You Walk Away". while AOR sounds in a more melodic Toto vein are present in "Walking On Ice" or "Turn Your Heart Around". In contrast, "Night Full Of Voices" is a superb mid-tempo track very close to "Eye Of The Sky", and in "Hollywood Heart", Blunstone's voice and the instrumental melody remind us of tracks like "Old and Wise".

Black Sabbath-Sabotage (1975)

In 1975, Black Sabbath released their sixth album, "Sabotage", considered the most progressive and elaborate work of the band's entire career. It features epic compositions in the purest progressive style, such as "Megalomania" and "The Writ", interspersed with six other excellent tracks. Taking these two epic songs as a reference point, we find "Megalomania", an extensive, magnificently crafted piece of over 10 minutes that conceptually deals with madness and mental illness and musically showcases Black Sabbath's psychedelic and experimental side with a superb, monumental proto-progressive track. Similarly, "The Writ" is another progressive piece, even heavier and darker than the former, and lyrically a declaration against the music business. The rest of the album ranges from the band's classic sound, such as the crushing "Symptom of the Universe", to the strange and instrumental "Supertzar", the heavy and evocative "Hole in the Sky", the mournful and somber "Thrill of It All", and the more accessible "Am I Going Insane?". "Sabotage," despite being a superb album and one of their most intricately crafted works, is also one of the most misunderstood and least appreciated albums in the entire discography of the Birmingham band. While it wasn't as immediately accessible as the first three albums, it was truly the pinnacle of Ozzy's creative prowess with Black Sabbath and the end of the band's most glorious period.

Al Stewart-Modern Times (1975)

In 1975, Al Stewart released the album that would be the prelude to his legendary "Year of the Cat". Produced by Alan Parsons, "Modern Times" already hinted at the unmistakable sound that would arrive a year later. This would be the Scotsman's last album with CBS, which chose not to renew his contract after five releases with the American label. Featuring cover art by the renowned Hipgnosis, this was his most complete work to date, showcasing outstanding guitar work from Tim Renwick and highly accomplished compositions. For this album, in addition to Renwick, Stewart collaborated with musicians such as Peter Wood, Andrew Powell, Gerry Conway, and Simon Nicol. Alan Parsons' superb production and Andrew Powell's orchestral arrangements are evident in tracks like "Modern Times" and "The Dark and the Rollin' Sea", while the melodic "Carol" and the rhythmic "Apple Cider Re-Constitution" provide the perfect ending to this great album.

Al Stewart-Past, Present And Future (1974)

“Past, Present and Future” was the last album of the first phase of Al Stewart's career, a period in which acoustic sounds permeated his folk style with subtle hints of rock. While his three previous albums had already begun to electrify his style with the collaboration of some of the best instrumentalists of the time, such as Jimmy Page, Rick Wakeman, and John Paul Jones, this fifth album saw him almost entirely abandon those influences to delve into sophisticated, electric arrangements with a refined style of elegant folk rock. This album features several of his future regular collaborators, such as guitarist Tim Renwick and keyboardist Peter Wood, as well as other prestigious musicians like Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, B.J. Cole, and Queen drummer Roger Taylor, among many others. Recorded during the first months of 1973 at Trident Studios in London, it was released on different dates: October 1973 for the British market and May 1974 for the North American market. Created as a concept album, “Past, Present and Future” revisits almost every decade of the 20th century, showcasing the Scottish musician's remarkable skill as a historical storyteller. Tracks like the beautiful “Old Admirals”, the catchy “Soho (Needless to Say)”, the Beatles-esque “Terminal Eye”, the melodic “The Last Day of June 1934”, and the beautifully arranged “Roads to Moscow” and “Nostradamus” propelled the album to overwhelming success in the ever-competitive North American market.

Al Stewart-24 Carrots (1980)

"24 Carrots", the ninth album by Scottish musician Al Stewart, marks the culmination of his most creative period, coinciding with his greatest successes thanks to monumental albums like "Love Chronicles", "Past, Present and Future", "Year of the Cat", and "Time Passages". On this latest recording, guitarist Peter White remains a key contributor to the compositions co-written with Stewart, who also leads his new backing band, Shot in the Dark. The album comprises a series of elegant, accessible, and catchy soft rock songs. Tracks such as the engaging "Merlin's Time", the energetic "Mondo Sinistro", the semi-progressive "Running Mari", the infectious "Paint by Number", and the harmonious "Midnight Rocks" are part of an inspiring and sophisticated album, very much in keeping with the stylistic vein of his previous work.

Jadis-More Than Meets The Eye (1992)

Jadis are one of the leading bands of the so-called neo-progressive hard rock movement, which began with considerable notoriety by successfully supporting British groups IQ and Marillion in the mid-eighties. Originally formed in 1982 by guitarist Gary Chandler, throughout their career they have had several members, including bassist Mick May, drummer Steve Christey, bassist John Jowit, and keyboardist Martin Orford, the latter a member of IQ. Jadis's first proper album was actually a collection of demos produced by Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery. This first release is a charming collection of guitar-driven neo-progressive songs. For her second album "More Than Meets The Eye" released under the Giant Electric Pea label, Jadis showcases a neo-progressive style related to the music of IQ, but in a less gloomy and melancholic tone as demonstrated by the tracks "Sleepwalker", "Wonderful World" or "Holding Your Breath".

Wishbone Ash-Number The Brave (1981)

In 1981, Wishbone Ash released their eleventh studio album, "Number the Brave", whose main novelty was the addition of John Wetton on bass. And although his contribution is noticeable in the vocal melodies and his powerful bass playing, he left the band shortly after recording to join a new lineup, Asia, alongside Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and Geoff Downes. The rest of the band consisted of Andy Powell (guitar and lead vocals), Laurie Wisefield (guitar), and Steve Upton (drums), with additional musicians Claire Hammill on vocals and Gasper Lawal on percussion. On “Number The Brave”, the band opted for a frenetic album with powerful guitar riffs, featuring standout tracks like their cover of Rare Earth's "Get Ready", the melodic title track "Number The Brave", the rhythmic "Where Is The Love", the fast-paced "That's That", and the commendable "Rainstorm", "Underground", and "Kicks On The Street". However, poor reviews and limited commercial success led to Wishbone Ash's contract with MCA Records being terminated. Even so, as a farewell gesture, the label released the live album "Hot Ash" that same year, featuring a setlist based on some of the band's classics like "Blowin' Free" and "Goodbye Baby Hello Friend". But it was "Way Of The World", "No Easy Road", and "Bad Weather Blues" that truly made this live album appealing, primarily because these songs were not typically included in their concert setlists.

Billy Swan-I Can Help (1974)

Billy Swan became world-famous for just one song, "I Can Help", becoming what is known as a "one-hit wonder". However, Swan's career extended far beyond this single hit. Born in Missouri in 1942, he began his career as a country music songwriter in the early 1960s, achieving his first success with his song "Lover Please", sung by Clyde McPhatter. By the mid-1960s, Swan had settled in Nashville, writing numerous country songs for other artists, some of them very successful, and producing records for musicians like Tony Joe White on "Polk Salad Annie". In addition to all this, Swan often played in Kris Kristofferson's band before releasing his first solo album in 1974. This debut album, besides the hit "I Can Help", featured other brilliant tracks such as "Lover Please" and "The Ways of a Woman in Love". Swan's style combined elements of blues, country, rock, and rockabilly, all underpinned by a soulful, melancholic voice. "I Can Help" reached number 1 on the US Hot Country Singles chart and charts worldwide. However, it would be Billy Swan's only solo hit. Shortly after, he joined the Black Tie, and in the following years, he continued to write other important hits for various artists, becoming a renowned songwriter, producer, and session musician in various Nashville studios.

Elvis Presley-Elvis (1956)

Released seven months after his phenomenal debut, Elvis Presley's second album once again showcased his innate talent for mastering diverse styles such as blues, ballads, and rock. Recorded in just four days at Radio Recorders Studios in Hollywood and RCA Studios in New York, it was produced by Steve Sholes. The backing band at that time consisted of his inseparable Scotty Moore on electric guitar, Bill Black on bass, D.J. Fontana on drums, and pianists Gordon Stoker and Shorty Long, along with the backing vocal group The Jordanaires. Songs like "Ready Teddy", "Long Tall Sally", "Rip It Up", "First in Lane", "Paralyzed", and "Old Shep", confirmed another brilliant recording from the King of Rock and Roll, at a time when his popularity was at the peak of his career, astonishing the world with his enormous versatility, his highly distinctive voice, and his charismatic personality. The album immediately entered the top spot on the Billboard charts, managing to sell a whopping one million copies in the North American market in just a few months.

Jethro Tull-Living In The Past (1972)

"Living in the Past", Jethro Tull's fifth album, is a semi-compilation featuring a wealth of previously unreleased tracks not included on any prior album. Some of these songs were originally released as B-sides on singles, while others were left off their official albums. It was released in 1972 as a double LP. This double album contains a number of tracks previously unknown to many fans of the time, spanning the period between 1968 and 1971. Consequently, for most, it was perceived as a new official album rather than a typical compilation. Because it contains works from different periods, it is extremely interesting to observe the band's evolution from their blues and folk beginnings to the hard rock and progressive sounds they incorporated during those early years of their career. Folk, blues, and jazz influences are present in tracks like "Song for Jeffrey", "Love Story", "Bourée", "Driving Song", and "Witch's Promise", while the more experimental side can be found in "Sweet Dream", "Singing All Day", "Life Is a Long Song", "Dr. Bogenbroom", and the progressive "Living in the Past." "Living in the Past" has rightfully become an essential album in Jethro Tull's discography and probably one of their best works, despite being labeled a compilation.

Yes-The Yes Album (1971)

Yes's third album was the British band's first truly essential work, in which all the masterful elements that would later typify their iconic sound were magnificently present. While not as fully realized or polished as later masterpieces like "Fragile", "Close to the Edge", "Tales from Topographic Oceans", or "Relayer". it is a work almost as ambitious and mature, placing them firmly in the pantheon of early 1970s progressive rock. As Yes matured, they became more ambitious and experimental, changing their lineup (the first of many) to adapt to their evolving ambitions and needs. This third album marked the arrival of Steve Howe, replacing Peter Banks, and with him, the band took on a new dimension both compositionally and instrumentally. Here appear three of the greatest epics of Yes's entire career, beginning with "Yours Is No Disgrace", a true classic of progressive rock, a dynamic track, though not reaching the complexity of the other two great pieces: the monumental "Starship Trooper", a preview of what was to come on subsequent albums, and the timeless "I've Seen All Good People". Both are divided into several movements, where the versatility of Howe, Squire, Kaye, and White provides the perfect counterpoint to the angelic voice and mystical lyrics of the immeasurable Jon Anderson. The lesser tracks "Clap" (included to showcase the skills and dexterity of new guitarist Steve Howe) and the predictable and somewhat dispensable "A Venture" make up the first masterpiece from one of the greatest bands in the history of rock music.

Refugee-Refugee (1974)

In the early 1970s, Keith Emerson left The Nice to form the first progressive rock supergroup, the legendary Emerson, Lake & Palmer. This move practically spelled the end for The Nice, who nevertheless managed to continue for a few years, releasing several albums consisting mainly of material they had composed in previous years. In 1973, two of its members, Lee Jackson and Brian Davidson, wanted to reform the band, recruiting a new keyboardist. This position went to the Swiss Patrick Moraz, who came from a band called Mainhorse. This virtuoso keyboardist, far from trying to emulate the instrumental pyrotechnics and post-romantic sounds of Keith Emerson, proved himself a virtuoso keyboardist with more versatile resources, oriented towards a more baroque and classical symphonic style. This new project, called Refugee, released their debut and ultimately only album in 1974. It showcased a solid progressive rock sound, with brilliant compositions and instrumentation, driven by Moraz's keyboards and supported by the powerful bass of Lee Jackson and the drumming of Brian Davison. From the opening track, "Papillon", a stunning display of Patrick Moraz's skills, to the epics "The Source" and "Credo", it's an outstanding work that rivals the masterpieces of ELP. However, a year later, history repeated itself. This time, Patrick Moraz left the band to join Yes, replacing Rick Wakeman, thus ending the adventure of this short-lived but formidable progressive rock band.

Clark Hutchinson-Retribution (1970)

Here we have another one of those fantastic cult bands that barely made it in the rock world, but left behind some of the best albums of the 70s. Founded in the late 60s by multi-instrumentalists Andy Clark and Mick Hutchinson, who recorded the album “A=MH²” as a duo, they played every instrument from organ and guitars to bass, percussion, wind instruments, and keyboards. This first album was clearly influenced by Eastern and exotic compositions with a hard rock foundation. After this album, the band expanded with two new members: bassist Steve Amazing and drummer Del Coverley. With this lineup, they recorded their second album, “Retribution”, a whirlwind of lysergic and heavy blues rock with heart-wrenching vocals and breathtaking, incredibly powerful guitars. Tracks like the heavy blues anthem “Free To Be Stoned”, the somber and melancholic “Best Suit”, the rhythm and blues number “After Hours”, and the furious “Death, The Lover” make up a brutal album of the best heavy blues of the 1970s. A year later came their third album, “Gestalt”, showcasing a more conventional and predictable, but equally powerful, blues rock sound. Later, they released their fourth and final album, “Blues”, featuring tracks from their early years that had never before been officially released.