Badfinger-Badfinger (1974)

With the Welsh band Badfinger's fifth album, the saying "if something can go wrong, it will" proved true. In a terrible decision by the group's new record label, Warner Bros., the album was released almost simultaneously with their fourth, which had been released on Apple Music, the label previously owned by The Beatles. As a result, both albums competed in record stores that year. Despite this new commercial setback, "Badfinger", as this fifth work is titled, contained enough material to have achieved success, material that, as with their previous releases, never fully materialized commercially. As was their custom, Pete Ham became the main songwriter on this new release; the album's best moments are his, even though his creativity and inspiration weren't quite what they used to be. Tracks like the sublime "I Miss You" or the catchy "Shine On" are examples of Badfinger's impeccable power/pop rock prowess, while the elaborate "Give It Up", the Beatles-esque "Song For A Lost Friend", the rocking "Island" or the energetic "Andy Norris", showed that despite countless legal and financial problems, Badfinger were still at the pinnacle of British power rock.

Windchase-Symphinity (1977)

Windchase was a band formed in the mid-seventies by former members of Sebastian Hardie, one of the pioneers of Australian symphonic prog. These members were Mario Millo (guitar and vocals) and Toivo Pilt (keyboards). While Sebastian Hardie practiced a style more focused on the melodic sounds of progressive rock with many orchestral and classical passages, Windchase borrowed more refined sounds with lyrical melodies, a strong musical emphasis, bucolic guitars and keyboards, a mix of vocal and instrumental sequences, and more cheerful and carefree lyrics. Windchase's only album was released in 1977, where guitarist Mario Millo's influences are much more diverse, with echoes of Steve Morse's jazz-rock, Carlos Santana's Arabic sound, and Steve Howe's classicism, while the keyboardist also broadened his horizons with a much more prominent role for the Hammond organ. “Horseman to Symphinity” is a progressive, nearly nine-minute track featuring a rich interplay between guitar solos and the backing of organ sounds, with vocals that at times recall the timbres of John Wetton. In “No Scruples”, a frenetic rhythm takes over with synthesizer solos and powerful riffs; the funky and infectious “Lamb’s Fry” approaches progressive jazz; while “Flight Call” is a highly refined, exuberant exercise in symphonic pop.

Poco-Crazy Eyes (1973)

Poco was an essential band within country rock; however, their legacy has been somewhat overshadowed by the enormous commercial success of their contemporaries, The Eagles. While it's true that Poco never had the same media impact as The Eagles' albums, their exceptional quality has made them one of the indispensable bands in rock history. Poco rose from the ashes of another legendary American band, Buffalo Springfield. Two of its members, Richie Furay and Jim Messina, along with drummer George Grantham, bassist Randy Meisner, and guitarist Rusty Young, founded the band in 1968. A constant feature of Poco was the frequent lineup changes. Meisner left the band before the release of their first album, "Pickin' Up the Pieces", in 1969, while Messina did the same after recording the live album "Deliverin'" in 1970. Later, Meisner joined The Eagles, and Messina formed the duo Loggins and Messina. Their positions would be filled by bassist Timothy B. Schmit (interestingly, B. Schmit would replace Meisner in The Eagles years later) and guitarist Paul Cotton. In 1972, Poco released their fifth album, "Crazy Eyes", and although "Deliverin'" had already definitively established Poco, "Crazy Eyes" would be their definitive breakthrough, a marvelous work containing all the essential elements for enduring popularity. A work brimming with memorable and glorious songs, eight tracks that became absolute classics for the group, where the band flirts with different musical nuances. From the country song "Blue Water" to the instrumental "Fool's Good", passing through "A Right Along", a splendid, straightforward rock song, while the country rock song "Let's Dance Tonight" is the prelude to what The Eagles would do some time later, which together with the remaining tracks "Brass Buttons" and "Magnolia", make up a perfect and tremendously addictive album and a true masterpiece of country rock.

Lee Ritenour-Collection (1991)

Lee Ritenour's artistic career is as impressive as it is extensive. For over five decades, this Los Angeles born jazz guitarist has explored a vast array of styles, from jazz to Caribbean sounds and rock. In his early days in the late 1960s, he played with Tony Bennett's band, and a few years later released his first solo album, "First Course" (1976). In the following years, he showcased his guitar prowess with enigmatic works such as "Captain Fingers" (1977), "The Captain's Journey" (1978), and "Rio" (1979). By the mid-1980s, Ritenour had signed with GRP Records, releasing some of his finest jazz fusion albums. Albums like "Harlequin", a collaboration with Dave Grusin, won a Grammy Award in 1985. Other albums such as "Earth Run", "Portrait", "Festival", and "Color Rit" are equally significant contributions. After his time with GRP, Lee Ritenour continued releasing albums with various jazz labels such as Verve and Concord, including "Two Worlds", where he collaborated again with Dave Grusin. Many of these albums received Grammy Award nominations, seventeen in total, while also pursuing a solo career as a session musician, contributing to over three thousand recordings for artists like Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, B.B. King, and Frank Sinatra. In the early 1990s, he formed the fusion band Fourplay with Bob James, Nathan East, and Harvey Mason, releasing three studio albums. Before his departure from GRP, the album "Collection" was released, an excellent sonic document showcasing his outstanding work between 1979 and 1991, reaching number seven on Billboard's contemporary jazz charts.

The Michael Schenker Group-The Michael Schenker Group (1980)

Michael Schenker is one of the greatest guitarists in the history of rock music, possessing fabulous technical skills and exquisite taste. A former member of such legendary heavy metal bands as Scorpions and UFO at various times, he recorded fantastic albums with them, including "Lonesome Crow" (1972) and "Lovedrive" (1979) for the German band, and "Phenomenon" (1974), "Force It" (1975), "No Heavy Petting" (1976), "Lights Out" (1977), and "Obsession" (1978) for the British band. After leaving UFO in the late 1970s, he embarked on an uneven solo career, alternating between great albums and others of lesser impact. His first band consisted of vocalist Gary Barden, keyboardist Don Airey (Colosseum, Black Sabbath, and Rainbow), drummer Simon Phillips, who had already played in numerous bands and projects, and bassist Mo Foster. In 1980, he released his first album, "The Michael Schenker Group", which best defines this guitarist and musician, combining his greatest moments with UFO and the sounds of the 80s, demonstrating that the band's greatness was partly due to him. The album's nine tracks are pure dynamite, each shining brightly, from the superb "Armed to Ready", which fuses the rage and raw power of the best heavy metal with melody and just the right amount of commercial appeal, to the energetic and powerful "Cry For The Nations", not forgetting the rhythmic "Victim of Illusion", the instrumental "Bijou Pleasurette", or the brutal "Into The Arena". From here on his career is very extensive with some outstanding albums, others of lesser scope, different projects, some of doubtful future or sporadic collaborations with his former band UFO.

Birtles & Goble-The Last Romance (1979)

“The Last Romance” is an exquisite album by the duo Graeham Goble and Beeb Birtles, members of the iconic Australian band Little River Band. They compiled a series of songs that had not previously appeared on any of their main band's albums. The album reflects the group's more melodic and romantic side, consisting mostly of ballads of refined and elegant beauty. This ephemeral project is also a clear indication of the tensions within Little River Band during those years. The infectious vocal harmonies, along with the perfect instrumental synchronization, drive this brilliant album, brimming with intensity and exquisite artistry. The entire album is a delight and a true joy, showcasing the compositional and instrumental talent of these two gifted Australian musicians, who were also joined by their Little River Band bandmates: David Briggs, George McArdle, and Derek Pellicci. Songs like the mid-tempo tracks "He Gives Us All His Love" and "Lonely Lives", or enchanting ballads like "I'm Coming Home" or "You'll Never Change Your Mind", are a brilliant example of this extraordinary and distinguished work.

Renaissance-Turn Of The Cards (1974)

After Renaissance's 1971 album "Illusion", several founding members, including Keith Relf and Jim McCarty, left the band to pursue other projects. Relf would go on to found Steamhammer, and McCarty to form Shoot. The group then reformed with Annie Haslam on lead vocals, Michael Dunford on acoustic guitars, John Tout on keyboards, Jon Cap on bass, and Terence Sullivan on drums. With this lineup, they released "Turn of the Cards" in 1974, an album that confirmed Renaissance's stylistic maturity. Tracks like the expansive "Running Hard" showcase a Renaissance formula with more orchestral arrangements and elegant sounds, but above all, it highlights the voice of Annie Haslam, one of the most important female vocalists in the history of British progressive rock. The powerful melodic lines of "Cold Is Being" and "Mother Russia", the latter an undisputed classic for the band, are a clear example of their musicality, achieving perfect cohesion with Tout's keyboard work, Dansford's guitar style, and Haslam's refined vocals. Meanwhile, the tense "Black Flame" and the lyrical "Things I Don't Understand" conclude an unforgettable album that would serve as a prelude to their magnum opus, the following "Scheherazade and Other Stories" (1975).

Bad Company-Dangerous Age (1988)

In 1982, Paul Rodgers decided to leave Bad Company to take a long break and dedicate himself to his family. Following a similar decision, the other members opted to put the band's career on hold. That same year, the album "Rough Diamonds" had been released, but it failed to meet the expectations of both the record label and the band itself, a fact that triggered their decision. Four years later, in 1986, guitarist Mick Ralphs and drummer Simon Kirke, two of the founding members, decided to continue and revive the group's career. To do so, they approached Paul Rodgers, but he declined, as he was uninterested in the project and more committed to other endeavors with Jimmy Page and the band The Firm. They eventually managed to recruit Brian Howe and bassist Steve Price. Howe's contribution would be vital to the band's new sound, steering their music towards melodic rock, a departure from the blues rock of their 70s albums. Later that same year, they released "Fame and Fortune", which garnered positive reviews and public acclaim. Standout tracks from this album included the catchy hard rock songs "Burning Up", "Tell It Like It Is", "Valerie", and "If I'm Sleeping", as well as the melodic tracks "This Love", "Long Walk", "Hold On My Heart", and "When We Made Love". Several years later, they released "Dangerous Age", which helped them regain their lost popularity. On this new album, the compositions were better structured, with improved production and a noticeably higher quality. The addition of keyboardist Terry Thomas played a decisive role in the greater musical cohesion of the melodic style the band brought to this album. Highlights include the melodic tracks "Shake It Up" and "The Way That It Goes", the powerful hard rock anthems "Love Attack", "No Smoke Without a Fire", "Rock of America", and "Dangerous Age", while the AOR influence is evident in "Dirty Boy" and "Bad Man", along with the inevitable ballad, the exquisite "Something About You". With this album, the band made a grand entrance into the AOR genre, achieving considerable notoriety thanks to several songs that reached the top ten of Billboard's rock charts.

Roy Buchanan-Second Album (1973)

Roy Buchanan is one of the greatest white bluesmen in history, and as a famous phrase broadcast on American television in the 1970s stated, "The best unknown guitarist in the world." Born in 1939 in Ozark, Arkansas, this guitarist made his recording debut in 1957 on a Dale Hawkins album. A few years later, he moved to Canada where he joined Ronnie Hawkins' band, among others, until the late 1960s. In 1971, he debuted with the self-produced album "Buch and the Snakestretchers", followed by his solo debut, "Roy Buchanan" (1972). A year later came "Second Album", his second album under the Polydor label, which earned him a gold record. Using a technique called "picking," Buchanan achieves a searing sound, brilliant guitar solos, great melodies, and pyrotechnic sounds of great creativity. Tracks like the country blues “Filty Teddy”, the melancholic blues “After Hours”, “Five String Blues” another great blues, the blues rock “Threat Her Right”, the jazzy “I Won’t Tell You No Lies” or the R&B “Tribute To Elmore James”, make up a great album from one of the undisputed geniuses of the six strings in the blues genre.

Klaus Schulze - Timewind (1975)

In 1975, Klaus Schulze released his fifth album, "Timewind", achieving the sonic perfection he had begun to explore in his work from the previous year, "Blackdance". But to reach this point, Schulze had already traveled a long road with Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Temple, The Cosmic Jokers, and Stomu Yamashita in the band Go. Therefore, it was no surprise that with such a resume, Schulze had ample experience to create great things with his solo albums.

Conceived as a concept album, Schulze dedicated this work to his admired Richard Wagner, using sequencers for the first time to create walls of sound with hypnotic effects, achieving highly refined cosmic sounds.

As was typical for the musician, Schulze played all the instruments, and the album's duration was an hour, a difficult feat for vinyl formats at the time, divided into two 30-minute tracks. With a magnificent surrealist cover art, reminiscent of Dali, Schulze seamlessly blends electronic music and space rock with superb arrangements. Its opening track, "Bayreuth Return", is a vast epic of musical exploration where the German musician pushes the Moog synthesizer to its limits, while the second side of the vinyl, "Wannfried", maintains a similar tone with a mysterious aura, a touch of grandeur, and rich melodic fragments. 

The album was overwhelmingly well-received by both the public and critics, who went so far as to define it as the definitive work of Kosmiche Muzik in its electronic form.

Lynyrd Skynyrd-Nuthin' Fancy (1975)

With "Nuthin' Fancy", Lynyrd Skynyrd's third album, the band maintained the stylistic allegory they presented in their previous two releases, but with a more compact sound than its predecessor, thanks to the vibrant, overproduced sound that producer Al Kooper brought to the album. This album also features new drummer Artimus Pyle, a musician who proved much more powerful live than in the studio. Furthermore, this would be the last album with guitarist Ed King, who left the band after its release until many years later when he returned for the recording of "Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991". Although none of their classic hits like "Free Bird", "Sweet Home Alabama", or "Workin' for MCA" are found here, it still contains great moments such as "On the Hunt", "Cheatin' Woman", "Saturday Night Special", "Railroad Song", and "Am I Losin'?". The band later expressed significant dissatisfaction with Al Kooper's overly demanding production, which led to the hiring of a new producer for subsequent recordings. Despite this, "Nuthin' Nancy" became the legendary Jacksonville group's first album to achieve platinum status and reached number nine on the Billboard charts.

GPS-Window To The Soul (2006)

Sponsored by one of rock's most famous managers and executives, John Kalodner, the supergroup GPS was formed in 2006. Led by John Payne (Asia), they released a single album featuring Spock's Beard keyboardist Ryo Okumoto, guitarist Guthrie Govan, and drummer Jay Schellen, both of whom were also occasional members of Asia. Their only released work, ironically titled "Window to the Soul", is a prime example of the best modern progressive hard rock with 70s symphonic elements. Lengthy tracks like the progressive "New Jerusalem", "Heaven Can Wait", "I Believe In Yesterday", and "The Objector" bear the unmistakable mark of Asia, featuring sublime keyboard work from Okumoto, while other tracks such as the melodic "Gold" and "Since You've Been Gone", or the hard-rocking "Taken Dreams", showcase excellent guitar work and Payne's powerful vocals. Shortly after the album's release, an official statement from Asia's press office mentioned that some of the tracks included here were originally composed for a proposed Asia album titled "Architect of Time", which was scrapped months before the release of this album.

Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Johnny Copeland-Showdown! (1985)

"Showdown" is one of the best blues albums of the 1980s, recorded by three of the greatest bluesmen of the late 20th century: Robert Cray, Albert Collins, and Johnny Copeland. This collaboration was made possible by the efforts of the independent blues label Alligator, which for years championed the genre and, since its founding in 1971, has released hundreds of albums by such important artists as Lonnie Mack, Koko Taylor, Charlie Musselwhite, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Roy Buchanan, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Elvis Bishop, and Joe Louis Walker, among many others. For this recording, the label brought together three of the most iconic artists in its catalog, each with a distinct style. On one hand, there's the smooth, soulful tone of Robert Cray, with his lyrical and melodic technique on his Fender Stratocaster. In the middle is Johnny Copeland, with his deep, powerful voice and a more rudimentary, raw guitar technique. And finally, there's Albert Collins, with a cool style, heavy, forceful guitar work, and a high-pitched voice that earned him the nickname "Iceman." These three giants deliver a repertoire that offers no respite from the excitement, with each track standing out, such as the lustful country blues "Your Fine Self Home", the elegant blues "The Dream", the playful "The Moon Is Full", and the soulful "She's Into Something". All of these, along with the rest, result in a fantastic blues album, crafted by three unique guitarists, three passionate voices, and three distinct approaches to playing the blues. An album that would unequivocally win the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1986.

Lucinda Williams-Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (1998)

To speak of Lucinda Williams is to speak of one of the leading figures in modern country rock, a singer who has maintained a career far removed from trends and commercialism, producing some of the greatest works focused on American roots music. A three-time Grammy Award winner, she began her career in the mid-70s performing in venues in Austin and Texas before deciding to release her first album at the end of that decade. Although her early recordings didn't garner much media attention, it was in the late 1980s in Los Angeles that her fortunes began to change with albums like 1992's "Sweet Old World". However, her breakthrough came six years later with "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road", an exquisite work where her folk and country roots merged with other styles such as blues. Surrounded by great musicians of great caliber such as Steve Earle or Emmylou Harris, the singer leaves us with a complete inventory of roots songs such as the rural "Right In Time", the melodic "Lake Charles" or "Greenville", the cheerful "Can't Let Go", the commercial "Metal Firecracker" or the exciting "Drunken Angel".

Commander Cody And His Planet Airmon-Lost In The Ozone (1971)

Commander Cody and His Planet Airmon was a country and folk band with diverse influences, including rock and roll, R&B, boogie, and bluegrass, who released most of their discography during the 1970s. Formed in 1967 by vocalist and keyboardist George Frayne in Michigan, the band underwent numerous lineup changes throughout those years, with Frayne, along with vocalist Billy C. Farlow and guitarist Bill Kirchen, forming the core of the group. Their debut album, "Lost in the Ozone", was released in 1971 and best exemplifies the band's style, ultimately becoming their most acclaimed work. Combining covers with original songs, this is a delightful album of country, folk, and rock 'n' roll, featuring the splendid Eddie Cochran's "20 Flight Rock" and Willie Nelson's "Family Bible", as well as quality tracks written by the band such as the western "Back to Tennessee" and the melodic country "Seeds and Stems Again Blues". However, it would be Charlie Ryan's version of "Hot Rod Lincoln" that became the hit of this album, a song that is a tribute to car racing and had become a tremendously popular success in the early 1960s.

T2-It´ll All Work Out In Boomland (1970)

Another short-lived band was T2, who disappeared without a trace after only two years, having released a single album, "It'll All Work Out In Boomland". Twelve years later, the band reunited to record a series of songs that had been forgotten, intended for a second release, but which were never officially released. Formed in London in 1970, this band consisted of drummer Peter Dunton, bassist Bernard Jinks, and guitarist Keith Cross, the latter a six-string prodigy at just 17 years old. Despite his young age, Cross already had considerable experience, having played in several psychedelic rock bands such as Please, Gun, and Bulldog Breed. T2's only album was recorded by Decca Records, who advanced them ten thousand pounds in royalties, anticipating a successful career for the group. However, poor planning and inadequate promotion resulted in the album going largely unnoticed by the general public. “It’ll All Work Out In Boomland” is a work based on a hard rock sound influenced by blues and jazz, with improvisations contrasting with Dunton’s melodious vocals. Tracks like the heavy blues of “No More White Horses”, the psychedelic haze of “In Circles”, and the progressive and expansive “Morning” make up an album that is a kind of puzzle, reflecting the diverse musical ideas that prevailed in England during those years. From this point on, T2 earned a great reputation as a live band, even playing at the Isle of Wight Festival alongside Jimi Hendrix. But internal tensions led to Keith Cross’s departure, leaving behind a considerable amount of material composed and recorded but unfinished. The band continued for a while with new guitarist Mike Foster, finally disbanding in 1972. It was in the late 80s and early 90s that the resurgence of progressive rock led many forgotten bands from the 60s and 70s to release "lost" and "forgotten" albums for new generations eager to discover material from those years. Thus, the band recorded "Second Blue" (1992), "Waiting For The Band" (1993), and "On The Front Line" (1994), composed mostly of material discarded from their first album and demos intended for their second well-crafted compositions, but nonetheless not reaching the heights of their fantastic debut.

The Incredible String Band-The Hangman´s Beautiful Daughter (1968)

The Incredible String Band was one of the most complex groups to have ever existed, primarily due to the versatile ability of two of its original members to master multiple instruments and their almost extrasensory sensitivity, which allowed them to create a wide variety of styles, all within the framework of folk. The roots of this formidable band lay with the duo Robin Williams and Clive Palmer, both multi-instrumentalists who began their career in the Edinburgh area in the early 1960s. A few years later, they recruited guitarist and vocalist Mike Heron and vocalist Licorice McKenzie, as well as various occasional members who would prove to be quite prolific and talented musicians. In 1966, after securing a contract with the Elektra label, they recorded their first album, "Incredible String Band", which was highly acclaimed by critics at the time. This debut album showcased strong vocal lins and well-crafted instrumentation of music with medieval and traditional folk influences, although still quite rudimentary. After a second, more experimental album with strong influences from Eastern and Hindu spirituality and hints of acid folk, titled "5000 Spirit Or The Layers Of The Onion" (1967), they released their most ambitious work, "The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter". introducing psychedelic elements and avant-garde touches. The expansive "A Very Cellular Song" is the best example of the album's progressive side, featuring a wide variety of acoustic and exotic instruments, subtly layered with a Hammond organ, creating a varied and warm soundscape with Eastern influences and a certain dark undertone. From this point on, the band would record a dozen more albums and embark on numerous tours around the world, solidifying their reputation as an iconic band of early avant-garde folk, until they finally disbanded in 1974 to pursue individual careers within the genre of intimate and progressive folk.

Ash Ra Tempel-Join Inn (1973)

Ash Ra Tempel are the quintessential krautrock. Their musical style wasn't based on structured or pre-planned compositions; this band was the complete opposite: pure improvisation. What might sound like a chaotic mess of each instrument playing on its own, in Ash Ra Tempel functioned like a perfectly oiled machine. Formed in Berlin in 1970, Ash Ra Tempel are one of the most formidable groups to have ever existed, a colossal and powerful force, almost superhuman in some ways, with three virtuoso musicians led by guitarist Manuel Gottsching. The lineup also included former Tangerine Dream drummer and synthesizer player Klaus Schulze and bassist Harmut Enke. All their albums are considered classics of krautrock and progressive rock. But "Ash Ra Tempel" and "Join Inn" are their best works. The term "jam band" is generally synonymous with spontaneous stoner jams like the Grateful Dead, but Ash Ra Tempel is undoubtedly the band that has best navigated this field; they never worried too much about rehearsals, so by nature their compositions were not premeditated. Their first album, “Ash Ra Tempel” (1971), contains two extensive tracks where the cosmic and atmospheric soundscape has a distinctly psychedelic feel. Side A features the energetic and dramatic “Amboss”, while side B is much more atmospheric, with “Traummaschine”. “Join Inn” (1973) has an identical structure but is definitely much more accessible. The sound is also more readily digestible, and unlike the first album, Schulze takes center stage, imbuing the pieces with a more ambient style. “Join Inn” is somewhat similar to the debut album, with one side featuring a powerful power trio jam, “Freak’n’Roll”. This long suite unfolds with gentle interludes, building to a climax with blistering guitars and a powerful rhythm section featuring incredibly precise and powerful drumming and a dominant, energetic bass. The second side... The 25-minute ambient experiment “Jenseits” features spacious sounds and grand tones beautifully achieved by Schulze's synthesizers and Rosi Muller's haunting yet exquisitely beautiful vocals. “Ash Ra Tempel” and “Join Inn” are undoubtedly two of the most devastating recordings of all time.

The Soft Machine-Land Of Cockayne (1981)

By the late seventies, Soft Machine had become a kind of sanctuary where some of the best and most venerable British musicians of the previous two decades, most of them free from contractual obligations, found refuge from the modern styles that were proliferating at the time. Still under the direction and guidance of the ever-present Karl Jenkins (keyboards) and John Marshall (drums and percussion), the group reached the magnitude of a supergroup formed by the most select cast of instrumentalists: Dick Morrissey (tenor saxophone), Alan Holdsworth (guitar), Alan Parker (rhythm guitar), John Taylor (Fender Rhodes), Jack Bruce (bass), and Ray Warleigh (alto saxophone and flute), in addition to vocalists Stu Calver, John Perry, Tony Rivers, and Bill Harman. With this astonishing lineup, they recorded Soft Machine's final album, "Land of Cockayne", which would simultaneously become their final epitaph at the very beginning of the eighties. This latest release is a delightful eclectic exercise in classic sounds, excellent jazz-funk, and jazz-rock, where the musicians are simply perfect, without any excesses or self-importance, extraordinarily cohesive, and solely focused on making music fluid and light music in which each contributes their unique virtuosity. Written and composed entirely by Jenkins, the album's tone is one of relaxed and enveloping exquisiteness, dominated more by melodic suggestion (which at times approaches symphonic structures) than by the improvisational excess typical of Soft Machine's previous work. Tracks like the Floydian "Over and Above" or the ambient "Lotus Groves" lead us to the short and orchestrated "Isle of the Blessed", a prelude to the jazz-fusion tracks "Panoramia", "Hot-Biscuit Slim", and "Sky Monkey", which are the highlights of one of the best jazz-rock albums of the eighties.

The Soft Machine-Volumen Two (1969)

This is one of the quintessential Canterbury sound albums, slightly surpassing other masterpieces such as Caravan's "In the Land of Grey and Pink" or Hatfield and The North's "Rotter's Club", to name just two. Despite its short length (thirty-three minutes), this album had a huge impact at the time, with seventeen exhilarating tracks. Released in 1969, "Vol. II" is a bit less pop and more complex than its predecessor, the stunning debut "The Soft Machine" (1968), and although one of its leading figures, Kevin Ayers, doesn't appear on this new work, frankly, he isn't missed. The album shifts effortlessly (and quite rapidly) between playful pop tracks like "Hulloder", "As Long as He Lies Perfectly Still", and "Pig", and considerably more complex jazz-rock (though not fusion) pieces, such as "Hibou, Anemone and Bear" and the free jazz of "Out of Tunes". The album is divided into two distinct sides: Side A is primarily written by bassist Hugh Hopper and arranged by Robert Wyatt, while Side B is entirely written by keyboardist Mike Ratledge. Thus, Side B is much more jazz-oriented and abstract, which is surprising given Hopper's later work. Side A is more pop-oriented and, at the same time, much more accessible; however, both sides showcase incredible moments of exceptional quality. Wyatt, though occasionally grating, is impeccable here: his sloppy, choppy, and slightly high-pitched delivery perfectly complements the whimsical music. This album also marked the first time The Soft Machine used a horn section on one of their recordings, with brilliant results. Ultimately, "Vol. II" is the pinnacle of Soft Machine's varied and illustrious career, a perfect and smooth blend of jazz, psychedelia, pop, and rock.

The Soft Machine-Six (1973)

In 1973, Soft Machine released their sixth album, as the title suggests. On "Six", the British band moved away from the Canterbury sound to fully immerse themselves in jazz fusion. Released as a double album, "Six" no longer featured Robert Wyatt or Elton Dean, who were replaced by Karl Jenkins and John Marshall, respectively. Unlike the previous, more abstract "Fifth", this sixth album adopted a more elegant approach, presenting more concrete rhythms and music more accessible to the average listener. It represents the perfect fusion of rock and jazz improvisation. Divided into two parts, the first disc showcases the new live lineup, establishing an innovative style of rock and jazz with a pulsating bass and drum rhythm, along with the interplay of the horn section. However, the common thread connecting the two discs remains the distinct musical tones of Mike Ratledge's Canterbury sound, conveyed through his intricate keyboard work. The second studio album offers a more interesting use of keyboards as the main instrument, as demonstrated by tracks like "The Soft Weed Factor" and "Stanley Stamps Gibbon Album (for B.O.)", clear examples of Ratledge's cyclical keyboard loops, which cleverly filter through the rhythm section and allow for Jenkins' atmospheric saxophone passages. The psychedelic "Chole And The Pirates", on the other hand, reflects a clear nod to the band's Canterbury past, and in contrast to all of these, there's the dark and avant-garde "1983". With "Six", Soft Machine showcased their impressive instrumental interplay, partly due to Jenkins's organized dystopian approach and the remarkable accessibility of music with its manifest complexities, resulting in a hypnotic and relaxing masterpiece of avant-garde jazz-rock.

Soft Machine-Softs (1976)

By 1976, Soft Machine had ceased to be the band that fused free jazz, avant-garde jazz, improvised music, and experimental instrumentation, under the influence of the Canterbury sound, and had become a more disciplined group. While it's true that only traces of their earlier era remain, it's also true that by this point the band was far from the same, with a lineup that no longer included any of the original members, with the exception of Mike Ratledge, who appeared as a guest musician on several tracks. The addition of a guitarist also gave the group greater diversity in their musical palette. This guitar role was filled by John Etheridge, while the rest of the lineup consisted of Alan Wakeman (saxophone), Karl Jenkins (keyboards), John Marshall (drums), and Roy Babbington (bass). "Softs", released in 1976, showcases a group more focused on pure progressive rock with the logical, but increasingly less redundant, jazz influences of their earlier work. This evolution towards more conventional sounds is present in tracks like the progressive "The Tale of Taliesin" or the frenetic "Ban-Ban Caliban". Ambient and contemporary jazz fusion is reflected in "Song of Aeolus", while "Out of Season" is a progressive jazz-rock piece. The funk jazz of "One Over the Eight" and the ambient electronica of "Second Bundle" close an album that marked an almost complete break from Soft Machine's characteristic sound.

Soft Machine-Fourth (1971)

The history of Soft Machine has been marked from its proto-avant-garde and psychedelic beginnings, under the driving force of Daevid Allen, Kevin Ayers, and Robert Wyatt, to its evolution into a band of excellent, fully-fledged jazz fusion instrumentalists, led first by Mike Ratledge and later by Karl Jenkins. "Fourth", as its title indicates, is the British band's fourth album and belongs to the group's second phase, the one led by organist Ratledge. It would also be the last with drummer Robert Wyatt as an official member of Soft Machine. Completing the band were bassist Hugh Hopper and saxophonist Elton Dean, while Mark Charig (trumpet), Roy Babbington (double bass), Alan Skidmore (saxophone), and Jimmy Hastings (flute and clarinet) appear as supporting musicians for the recording. This release features no vocals or psychedelic influences, but rather a solid, conventional jazz-rock/fusion band with experimental elements. The music here is generally heavily influenced by Miles Davis's avant-garde jazz, unlike the typical Canterbury jazz-rock. Musically, it comprises a series of well-balanced pieces, as demonstrated by the pulsating jazz of "Teeth" and the dark, atmospheric "Kings and Queens". Free jazz is also present in "Fletcher's Blemish", while the album's centerpiece, "Virtually", occupies the entire second side of the original record a suite with diverse moods ranging from traditional jazz to atonal improvisations featuring Elton Dean's saxophone, interspersed with dissonant passages over dreamy ambient electronics.

Soft Machine-Seven (1973)

By the time Soft Machine released their seventh album, keyboardist Mike Ratledge was the only remaining member of the original lineup, with the rest of the band comprised of former members of Nucleus: Karl Jenkins (saxophone, electric piano, and flute), John Marshall (drums), and Roy Babbington (bass). Although Soft Machine were always known for their diverse output, they all shared a deep-rooted psychedelic and Dadaist influence and an avant-garde jazz fusion sound. However, with this new release, the band's style began to show dramatic shifts in rhythm and musical direction. "Seven" features a more organic jazz sound, and while there aren't any standout tracks, the entire album flows seamlessly, as if it were a single piece. The opening track, "Nettle Bed", hints at their early Canterbury sound, but this beginning is merely a mirage of what's to come, showcasing a perfectly executed atmospheric jazz fusion. Tracks like the pleasant and floating "Carol Ann", "Day's Eye", "Snodland" or "The German Lesson", make it one of their most competent transitional albums.

Marillion-B´Sides Themselves (1988)

After four excellent albums with the Scottish giant Fish at the helm, Marillion had a wealth of unreleased material: B-sides, alternate versions, and previously unreleased live tracks. In 1988, they compiled all these "rarities" into one album, which, despite a title that somewhat undervalues ​​its content, offers an enviable collection of valuable songs. "B'Sides Themselves" opens with the band's holy grail, the progressive epic "Grendel", a grandiose 18-minute monumental piece that, while perhaps a bit rough around the edges and not as sophisticated as their later work, is nonetheless a masterpiece. The album also features two re-recordings: "Market Square Heroes", another of their classic progressive anthems, and the haunting "Three Boats Down From The Candy". Among the rest are some of their early songs such as the attractive "Cinderella Search", "Lady Nina", "Freaks" or "Tux On", to end with the rocker "Margaret", which, when performed live, shows the progressive hard rock facet of the British band's early years.

Soft Machine-Fifth (1972)

Pioneers of the experimental and psychedelic jazz of the Canterbury movement, Soft Machine remained at the forefront of the genre for several years, far ahead of their contemporaries, thus avoiding falling into typical stereotypes. In 1972, the band released their fifth album, which would be the last in which they experimented with free jazz and also the last to feature one of their most important members, Elton Dean. In this release, Soft Machine's style delves deeper into the essence of classic jazz-rock. The best representation of this orientation is embodied by a series of jazzy pieces with a clear rock accent, such as "All White", "Drop", and "As If". However, the band leaves brief glimpses of their more recent past with the improvised "LBO" and the haunting "Pigling Bland" and "Bone". From here on, bassist Hugh Hopper and organist Mike Ratledge would keep Soft Machine afloat, creating major works such as "Six" and "Seven" (1973), "Bundles" (1975) and "Softs" (1976).

Nucleus-We´ll Talk About It Later (1971)

“We’ll Talk About It Later” is considered one of the best jazz fusion albums, on par with any by Miles Davis, Mahavishnu, or Return to Forever, and is also Nucleus’s best album, though not far behind their debut. This British band, founded in the late 1960s by trumpeter Ian Carr, along with Brian Smith on winds, Karl Jenkins on keyboards, Chris Spedding on guitar, Jeff Clyne on bass, and John Marshall on drums, remained largely unchanged for a considerable time. This helped them develop the necessary confidence and a fluidity of interaction among its members that dwarfed their contemporaries. From their inception, the band gained considerable notoriety, winning first prize at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival in 1970, and becoming a sensation at the Newport Jazz Festival and the renowned Village Gate Jazz Club. In 1970, Nucleus released their debut album, "Elastic Rock", and that same year came "We'll Talk About It Later" (both with covers by Roger Dean), which received high praise from the specialized press, hailed as one of the pinnacles of jazz-rock. After their impressive first album, they created this incredible work, an amalgamation of great tracks featuring dark sounds of oboe, trumpet, and guitars with hypnotic passages performed by these virtuoso musicians. In fact, most of the members later became renowned musicians in other top-tier bands. The quality of the compositions is very high, with a superb musicianship that is not only about flashy virtuosity but also about restraint, fluidity, space, breath, feeling, and interplay. This allows the band to open their melodious compositions with intricate improvised sections, resulting in a brilliant album of engaging jazz music that seamlessly blends the energy of rock with the powerful melodies and captivating musicianship of jazz. An album that is essential for any serious music collection.

Asia-Phoenix (2008)

In 2008, the founding members of Asia reunited to record and release the album "Phoenix", a high-quality work that clearly showcased the talent of its four members, both creatively and instrumentally. Thus, after several years away from recording, John Wetton, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and Geoff Downes returned with a work full of vibrant and intense tracks. Tracks like the catchy opening track "Never Again", the melodic "Heroine", the solid rock anthem "I Will Remember You", and the progressive "Parallel Worlds" and "Sleeping Giant-No Way Back-Reprise" made up a good album with an accessible sound very close to the AOR style, but with that unmistakable progressive touch resulting from Howe's guitar and Downes's exuberant keyboards, along with Wetton's excellent vocals and Carl Palmer's powerful and devilish drumming.

Peter Gabriel- III (1980)

After leaving Genesis, Peter Gabriel took several years off from the music world, seeking new horizons and inspiration to reignite his enthusiasm for his solo career. He opted for a style far removed from the progressive rock sound of his former band, exploring more experimental and creative sounds without sacrificing commercial appeal in his first four albums, all of which were essential to his public recognition and subsequent chart success. 

Peter Gabriel III, released in 1980, and as its name suggests, was his third album and the best of all the solo albums released by the members of Genesis. For this album, Gabriel collaborated with Phil Collins, Kate Bush, Robert Fripp, David Rhodes, Larry Fast, Paul Weller, Dick Morrissey, Tony Levin, Jerry Marotta, and others, and was produced by Steve Lillywhite. 

With this stellar lineup, Gabriel created his finest work, perfect from beginning to end, where everything from the haunting "Intruder" to the politically charged "Biko" are sublime and legendary creations. But Gabriel also knows how to move towards more melodic and commercial sounds, as in the impressive "I Don't Remember", "Games Without Frontiers", and "Not One Of Us", while the more experimental sounds of "No Self Control", the equally melancholic and epic "Family Snapshot", and the more conventional "And Through The Wire" make up a superb work of full compositional maturity from this brilliant, timeless musician.

Elton John-Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)

In 1975, a triumphant and exuberant Elton John released his ninth album. By this point in his career, his hits were pouring in, achieving countless top ten hits on both sides of the Atlantic and selling millions of records worldwide. His creativity, alongside his inseparable collaborator Bernie Taupin, seemed boundless, and in fact, that same year, 1975, they released two albums: "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" and, a few months later, their tenth, "Rock of the Westies". Focusing on the former, Elton John created his most epic work, which, combined with its dynamic range of styles, resulted in an evocative, elegant, and captivating album. Attractive tracks such as the title track or “Tell Me When The Whistle Blows”, “Tower Of Babel”, “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” or the powerful “(Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket”, demonstrated the full compositional maturity of one of the best British duos of the seventies.

Jethro Tull-A (1980)

Conceived by Ian Anderson as a concept album exploring the turbulence and tensions of modern society, with the intention of releasing it as a solo project, the mere fact that it ended up being released as a Jethro Tull album condemned the band's thirteenth album, titled "A," to be highly controversial among their most purist fans and many critics of the time. Much of this controversy stemmed from the heavy use of synthesizers, courtesy of Eddie Jobson, and the synthpop-like sounds so fashionable in the 1980s. For this new venture, Anderson dispensed with much of Jethro Tull's classic lineup. With the exception of guitarist Martin Barre, keyboardists John Evan and David Palmer, bassist John Glascock, and drummer Barriemore Barlow were absent, replaced by the aforementioned Jobson, percussionist Mark Craney, and bassist Dave Pegg. However, despite the tremendous backlash it received from some fans, "A" is crafted in an experimental style, incorporating voice synthesizers and an interesting mix of avant-garde electronica, rock, folk, and even Eastern influences, as evidenced in the track "Uniform". The album's strength is clearly demonstrated in tracks like the funk-tinged rock song "Crossfire", the progressive electronic track "Fylingdale Flyer", and the mini-epic "Black Sunday", undoubtedly the album's most accomplished and progressive composition. The remaining tracks are considerably weaker, adhering to the typical pop-rock formula, though still undeniably talented, such as the sarcastic "Batteries Not Included", and the infectious blues-rock "4.W.D. (Low Ratio)". In short, “A” is one of the best examples of the evolution of progressive music in the 1980s, which marked the failure of many of the great bands of the 1970s who were unable to adapt to the new sounds and musical tastes of a new, more technological era.

Tangerine Dream-Encore (1977)

Tangerine Dream's career is divided into several periods. The first, known as "The Pink Years", was characterized by a sound clearly inspired by early Pink Floyd, with a distinctly psychedelic feel where keyboards and sound effects were the common denominator of their style. From this era, the albums "Alpha Centauri" (1971), "Zeit" (1972), and "Atem" (1973) stand out, all works brimming with an electronic, spacey symphony that even included some tribal elements and bordered on the progressive krautrock scene. The second stage, known as "The Virgin Years", spanning from 1974 to 1983, is considered the group's peak. This period marked a radical shift in Tangerine Dream's sound, returning to long suites but acquiring its own identity, making greater and more effective use of keyboards and synthesizers, and adopting a more accessible approach, though still remaining experimental. From this period stand out the monumental albums “Phaedra” (1974), “Rubycon” and “Ricochet”, both from 1975, “Stratosfear” (1976), “Encore” (1977), and “Force Majeure” (1979). During the second half of the seventies, Tangerine Dream's live concerts were unique and spectacular. Due to the limitations of analog equipment, the German trio improvised a new show each night, adopting the main features of long concerts where sequential fury supported the ferocity of the synthesizers, keyboards, and Mellotron, as well as Froese's rock-oriented guitar work. “Encore” is surely one of the best examples of this. “Encore” was Tangerine Dream's second live album. This time, it's a double album recorded during the band's North American tour, from March to April 1977. But unlike their previous live album, "Ricochet", which is technically a live recording without an audience, "Encore" features the audience's presence at certain moments, giving the recording a proper live feel. Composed of four long tracks, this double album begins with "Cherokee Lane", undoubtedly the most conservative of the four in terms of replicating their earlier work. Mellotrons are everywhere, creating that hauntingly beautiful and mystical mood. The following track, "Monolight", provides the most complex moment, weaving together major and minor keys with the main melody based on the mini-moogs. "Coldwater Canyon" is the title track where Edgar Froese shines. An intense, upbeat, and rocking suite, it showcases Froese in top form on electric guitar, displaying his skill and improvisational prowess. Even though it's an avant-garde track, it departs from the band's usual repertoire. The final track, "Desert Dream", encloses the album in a purely atmospheric style, moving from dark and experimental passages to beautiful and ethereal parts with tons of mellotrons and an oriental touch that fits the track's title, which ends reminiscent of the vaporous sounds of "Invisible Limits" from "Stratosfear".

Muddy Waters-The London Muddy Waters Sessions (1972)

To speak of Chicago blues is to speak of Muddy Waters, who, firmly rooted in the deep blues of the Mississippi Delta, always kept the essence of the genre alive through all the musical trends of his time, from rock and roll to the folk boom, passing through flower power, psychedelia, and the sounds of 1960s British pop. Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta in 1913, he began his career alongside bluesmen of the caliber of Son House and Robert Johnson in the mid-1930s. In 1947, he signed with the blues-focused label Chess Records, with whom he began recording alongside Little Walter, Jimmy Rogers, and Otis Spann. After an endless succession of singles and albums, he recorded "The London Muddy Waters Sessions" in 1972, with a number of highly acclaimed white musicians. These musicians included Rory Gallagher, Georgie Fame, Rick Grech, Steve Winwood, and Mitch Mitchell, among others. This legendary recording yielded some breathtaking blues sessions, such as Willie Dixon's versions of "Young Fashioned Ways", "Walkin' Blues", and "I'm Ready", and Big Bill Broonzy's "Key to the Highway". "The London Muddy Waters Sessions" is a landmark document of the blues and is considered one of the genre's high points.

The Pretty Things-S.F. Sorrow (1968)

The Pretty Things were one of the pioneering groups to develop the psychedelic sound in England in the early 1960s. In 1964, thanks to press articles highlighting their lysergic stage presence, they had the opportunity to enter the studio and record their first song, "Rosalyn", achieving meteoric success on the British charts. This placed them at the top of the British groups during those years of great beat music dominance. The Pretty Things revolved around their leader and vocalist, Phil May, supported by Dick Taylor (guitar), Wally Waller (bass), Twink (drums), and keyboardist Jon Povey. "Don't Bring Me Down", released a few months later, surpassed their debut album, reaching the top ten. From then on, their albums continued to perform well on the charts, and their fame gradually grew, although it remained largely confined to the UK, without much impact beyond the British Isles. After a string of successful singles and several albums that met with mediocre reception, in 1968 they released their masterpiece, "S.F. Sorrow", a pinnacle of psychedelia and, for many, the first rock opera in history. In "S.F. Sorrow", The Pretty Things narrate the life of Sebastian F. Sorrow, a fictional character created by guitarist Phil May. Structured as a cycle of songs, his life unfolds from birth to old age, encompassing love, wars, tragedies, and madness. The final result is a lysergic journey brimming with Eastern sounds, horn sections, mellotron, and a torrent of psychedelic pop-rock, all delivered with remarkable compositional and instrumental creativity. From here other bands borrowed this idea and would publish a series of works following a similar pattern, such as The Who and their rock opera "Tommy" or The Kinks and their "Arthur Or The Decline and Fall of the British Empire" both from a year later, among many others released in the subsequent decade of the 70s.

Dire Straits-Making Movies (1980)

Dire Straits' third album, "Making Movies", is the darkest and, at the same time, most reflective work of the band led by Mark Knopfler. With somewhat introspective ideas, they imbued the music with a series of astonishing nuances, making it clear that Knopfler himself, with his poignant sensitivity, could leave even the most discerning listener speechless with melodramatic themes. This is also the period in which Knopfler himself became a troubadour and novelist, and despite not being a great singer, he could suggest and express a great deal with his peculiar voice, with that laconic way of singing that, while he sang, told stories. 

The first song to emerge from this album is none other than “Tunnel of Love”, a spectacular eight-minute track and perhaps the best composition of Knopfler's entire career. It's also one of the most monumental songs in rock music, eight minutes brimming with evocative instrumental passages, tempo changes, and a catchy, agile melody, all bathed in Knopfler's voice, which envelops and envelops every phrase. Yet, beneath it all lies a great deal of irony about relationships and passion. 

The fragile and innocent “Romeo and Juliet” is both captivating and sweet. 

The following track, “Skateaway”, seems to lessen the emotional weight of the previous two with its direct and somewhat carefree sound. Halfway through the album comes another highlight with the catchy and infectious "Expresso Love", a clear statement of intent from Mark Knopfler foreshadowing what would come a few years later with his acclaimed "Brothers in Arms". Following the folk-tinged, Dylan-esque "Hand in Hand", comes "Solid Rock", where the band abandons their typically British reserve and restraint to unleash a powerful track very much in the arena-rock vein. The album concludes with the melancholic and tranquil "Les Boys", which brings to a close an album that outsold its predecessor, "Communiqué", achieving half a dozen platinum records, although still falling short of the commercial impact of their enormous and superb 1978 debut.

Genesis-Foxtrot (1972)

Genesis truly impressive levels elevate his bombast, complexity and expressiveness with this album, pulling the sleeve of one of the best albums of all time, only surpassed by his successor "Selling England by the Pound". The Lp was really significant and instrumental progressive rock as a genre, is also one of the greatest landmarks. The final maturity as musicians did not reach it without further with "Selling England By The Pound", reaffirms for me and with this album, which serves as a harbinger for the next. Like its predecessor, this is a disc with halftime and stops, but the difference is that here everything is clean and memorable, the amazing star complex issues contrasts perfectly with the irresistible short pieces and delicate in their path in half.
The band further increases its share of theatricality and leads to a level that goes beyond the music, translating this into his live, because with the launch of this board Peter Gabriel was starting out on stage dressed facing numerous multifaceted characters and interspersed even within the same subject in one of the cases, such as in "Supper's Ready", as if the deployment of mastery and brilliance that transmitted aurally with that court was not already too dazzling alone.
The curtain rises the wonderful "Watcher of the Skies", a topic with a lot of potential, announcing the opening of the play with a mellotron gives supreme airs. The song is the most robust and accurate, with bitter dark overtones, but sublime.
"Time Table" is even better, a love song for his pace and excellent and outstanding performance of Peter Gabriel, showing off and excelling in a dramatic and poignant at the same time. The chorus is the best and it's hard not to try to corearlo. The passages of Tony Banks on keyboards shine.
The thing going to become more intense with "Get Em Out by Friday", curious song that allows Gabriel exhibit their wild and crazy side. Abrupt changes considerably with advancing the theme and instrumental arrangements more complex than capable of misleading anyone in this magnificent piece without waste.
Returns the delicacy and beauty in the melodies with "Can-Utility and the Coastliners", a knot of instruments that together form an impenetrable fortress, recreating an atmosphere masterful. Tony Banks returns to capture bright and moderate rhythms Steve Hackett has its fleeting moments.
There comes a time more intimate, delicate disc: "Horizons", a tune that was unlikely to Genesis and a considerable simplicity and brevity yet achieved its goal: Wrap and make the listener to travel to the state of deep relaxation. Fulfilling a role Fluff basically the same as in the "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", this issue is a real pleasure to hear, as if the music we coined.
The end is evident and to close the masterpiece we have which is nothing more and nothing less than the best song of Genesis, the vast, unique and brilliant "Supper's Ready", an epic piece tinged apocalyptic reflected concerns love and that nothing else can do justice to itself and its grandeur. Praise fall short for this 23-minute suite of enormous complexity where the band reaches the summit and take off in a true journey of sensations and feelings crossed that allows all members of the band shine on his own. The impressive and legendary number moves us restless, makes us laugh, feel euphoria and excitement and even gets to hypnotize all in a flurry of greatness stamped rhythms deployed in a few less than half an hour. Peter Gabriel gets us more than ever and recites some of his most memorable and iconic verses: And it's hello babe with your guardian eyes so blue, Hey my babe do not you know our love is true, A FLOWER?. The issue is so complex and has so much to make juice that is almost impossible to adequately summarize its contents, you can only say that it is extremely emotional, intense, outrageous, energetic and magical.
This is one of the greatest songs of all time, no more.
"Foxtrot" is one of the largest samples of progressive rock, and its closure can always leave the stamp of quality. This was truly committed Genesis music and with intentions of passing something really big. A timeless gem but simply unrepeatable.

Anyone´s Daughter-Adonis (1979)

Anyone's Daughter is an excellent German band that was still active well into the 21st century. Founded in 1972 in Stuttgart, their early period was defined by the progressive sounds of the 1970s, with complex music, intricate arrangements featuring melodic guitars, powerful drums, and sophisticated bass lines. Their lineup consisted of bassist and vocalist Harald Bareth, guitarist Uwe Karpa, keyboardist Matthias Ulmer, and drummer Kono Konopick. In 1979, they released their first album, "Adonis", on the German progressive label Brain. On it, the band showcased a melancholic progressive rock sound similar to that of the British band Camel. The four-part suite "Adonis" features a delightful symphonic style with soaring guitar solos, rich keyboard textures, and intricate arrangements. The rest of the album is a perfect combination of Moog solos and guitars, such as "The Blue House" or the sophisticated and fast-paced "Anyone Daughter's". During the following years, they continued to release very interesting works such as "Piktors Verwandlungen" (1981), "In Blau" (1982), and "Neue Sterne" (1983).

Various Artists-Picnic-A Breath Of Fresh Air (1970)

“Picnic - A Breath of Fresh Air” was another promotional album that record labels released at a fairly affordable price to showcase part of their artist catalog. This particular one was released by Harvest, the progressive rock branch of EMI Records. In a way, besides promoting their artists, the release of these samplers was intended to rival contemporary labels such as Deram from Decca Records or Vertigo from Mercury Records, among others, which were also focused on the most avant-garde sounds of the late 60s and early 70s. The diversity of this album reflects the different types of bands and styles that flew under the Harvest banner, giving the listener a kind of historical document. Composed of the label's most promising bands, it includes everything from the dark and avant-garde; From Quatermass, Pete Brown and Piblokto, Third Ear Band, The Pretty Things or The Greatest Show on the Earth, to the more media-savvy and established like Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Edgar Broughton Band, Syd Barrett, Roy Harper, Kevin Ayers or Barclay James Harvest, passing through other lesser-known ones like Forest, Tea and Symphony, Bakerloo, or Shirley & Dolly Collins, forming with all of them a diverse mix of folk, hard rock, blues & jazz rock and heavy prog.

Kiss-Alive II (1977)

Two years after Kiss's first double live album, "Alive II" arrived, a natural sequel to the iconic original. "Alive II" was recorded during the "Love Gun World Tour" in August and September of 1977 in Los Angeles, New York, and Tokyo. The setlist for this live album draws from the band's three most recent albums: "Destroyer", "Rock and Roll Over", and "Love Gun". As with the previous live album, this one was remixed and produced by Eddie Kramer at Electric Lady Studios in New York. However, only three sides of this double album feature live recordings, while the fourth side is dedicated to five previously unreleased songs, including the noteworthy "Rocket Ride" and Dave Clarke's original version of "Any Way You Want It". But it's the live repertoire that elevates this superb live album. Hit hard rock and heavy metal songs like "Detroit Rock City", "Love Gun", "Shock Me", "Calling Dr. Love", "Ladies Room", and "Beth", are part of a selection from this legendary double live album, although it falls somewhat short of its predecessor. A seventh-place finish on the US Billboard charts and over two million copies sold only served to increase the success and popularity of the flamboyant and famous American band.