Ross-The Pit And The Pendulum (1974)

The second and final album from the British band Ross, this time conceived as a concept album based on Edgar Allan Poe's 1842 novel "The Pit and the Pendulum", which recounts the torments suffered by prisoners during the Spanish Inquisition. While their debut album featured a repertoire steeped in jazz rock, funk, hard rock, and progressive rock, this time their sound becomes more melodic without abandoning some heavier moments and the structures of classic symphonic rock. Recorded by the same lineup as the debut album: Alan Ross (guitar and vocals), Bob Jackson (keyboards), Reuben White (drums), Steve Emery (bass), and Tony Fernandez (percussion). In this second release, the magnificent work of keyboardist Jackson and the brilliant guitar work of Ross drive an excellent album that garnered high praise from critics and the progressive rock community of the time and remains highly regarded today. Replete with haunting and exquisite melodies like "Swallow Your Dreams", "Standing Alone", "Now I See", and "Nearer and Nearer", vigorous hard rock tracks like "Gotta Get It Right Back", progressive instrumentals like "The Edge", pleasant semi-progressive blues like "I've Been Waiting", and jazz and gospel sounds like "So Slow" and "Oh, I'm Happy Now", the album together forms a solid work of great musicality. This would be the epitaph of this ephemeral group, as shortly afterward, guitarist Ross would found The Alan Ross Band, while Bob Jackson would begin collaborating with the ill-fated Badfinger.

Black Birds-Touch Of Music (1971)

Black Birds are one of Germany's longest-running bands. Founded in the mid-1960s, they were still active in 2014. Hailing from Puettlingen, the band was created by guitarist Werner Breining and has seen a continuous succession of members. Their style, brimming with psychedelic sounds, rock, pop, and avant-garde elements, driven by Peter Bely's excellent Hammond organ and heavy guitar riffs, along with Breining's powerful voice, are their hallmarks. In 1971, they released their best work, "Touch of Music", their second album and ultimately their definitive discographic epitaph. At this time, Blackbirds consisted of keyboardist Peter Bely, drummer Charles Sikora, bassist Wolfgang Bode, and the aforementioned Werner Breining, who handled guitars, violin, flutes, and vocals. An album that clearly shows the band's psychedelic orientation with tracks like "Präludium" and "All You Need", while the lysergic rock "Return from the water", the sinister "Give Me Freedom" and the avant-garde "What is Free" and "Come Back", close a meritorious work of inspired germinal psychedelic and progressive rock.

Genesis-Abacab (1981)

Genesis's commercial orientation didn't begin, as many claim, with their 1980s albums. In reality, this trend started rather subtly with Peter Gabriel's departure years earlier, first with the catchy "Ripples" from the 1976 album "A Trick of the Tail", followed by "Your Own Special Way" ("Wind and Wuthering" 1976), a track clearly aimed at radio success, and finally with the pop-rock "Follow You, Follow Me" from the album "...And Then There Were Three..." (1978). Thus, with their next album, "Duke" (1980), the band, composed of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks, delved almost entirely into less complex and ambitious sounds, producing a work that wisely blended a series of semi-progressive songs with others of a distinctly pop-rock nature. A year later, the trio capitalized on the media buzz surrounding Phil Collins and his successful "Face Value" to follow a considerably similar path, with a few exceptions, releasing their eleventh album, "Abacab". From the opening title track, the band completely sheds its past, showcasing an energetic and rhythmic piece where Banks' synthesizers, Rutherford's galloping bass, and Collins' sharp vocals combine to create an epic song with a certain progressive feel. This track, along with the brilliant "Me and Sarah Jane", represents the album's most elaborate moments, though they don't detract from other songs like the infectious "No Reply at All", the eccentric "Keep It Dark", and the dark and dynamic "Dodo/Lurker". The rest of the album consists of a series of songs that sound more like outtakes from Collins' solo work than anything else, such as "Like It Or Not", "Another Record", and "Man on The Corner". Ultimately, this was the group's riskiest proposal up to that point, creating a work full of highs and lows that would commercially achieve several platinum records and more than two million copies sold worldwide.

Sniff 'n' the Tears-The Best Of Sniff 'n' the Tears (1991)

Despite not being as famous as other contemporary new wave bands, Sniff 'n' the Tears were always characterized by their infectious and vibrant music across their four albums released during the 1980s. A hallmark of this British group was their beautiful album covers, designed by the band's songwriter, singer, and frontman, Paul Roberts. Their debut album, "Fickle Heart", released by the independent label Chiswick in late 1979, featured their biggest hit, "Driver's Seat", an irresistible song driven by catchy bass and drums and engaging electric guitar riffs. While not quite reaching the heights of this track, this debut album also contains other noteworthy power pop songs such as "Sing", "Slide Away On", and "The Thrill of It All". Over the next three years, the group released "The Game's Up" in 1980, "Love/Action" in 1981, and "Ride Blue Divide" in 1982. Despite featuring an exquisite selection of songs with atmospheres similar to "Driver's Seat", these albums failed to achieve the expected success. However, tracks like "The Game's Up", "One Love", "The Driving Beat", "Snow White", "That Final Love", "Hungry Eyes", and "Ride Blue Divide" became staples on many radio stations and in numerous nightclubs across Europe. Shortly after the release of their last album, the band disbanded, and Paul Roberts embarked on a solo career that didn't garner much attention. Meanwhile, in 1991, Chiswick Records released the compilation album "The Best Of" as a sort of epitaph. A few years later, "Driver's Seat" resurfaced after being featured in European commercials and subsequently on the soundtrack of the film "Boogie Nights", and later in the television series "The Walking Dead". A subsequent reunion, prompted by the renewed success of the song "Driver's Seat," led to the release of several albums, though these were far removed from the creativity of their earlier work.

Television-Marquee Moon (1977)

While the prototype of punk was basically angry music, with virtually no musical training, and scathing lyrics against society (the insufferable Sex Pistols being a prime example), there were other bands that, despite being categorized within that genre, broke all those rules. One of them was Television, who, led by the brilliant Tom Verlaine, drew influences from artists like Neil Young and Duane Eddy and created an intense punk full of poetic allusions, all underpinned by more than enough instrumental skill. Their emergence at a time when punk was beginning to gain public fervor, they became early standard-bearers of new wave, with original and captivating music. Formed in the first half of the seventies, their beginnings were marked by grueling sessions playing in the streets of New York City, gradually building a strong reputation in the city's underground scene. It wasn't until 1977 that they finally released their first album, "Marquee Moon", a debut as dazzling as it was original, thanks to songs like "See No Evil", "Guiding Light", "Tom Curtain", and "Marquee Moon". The band's exceptional musicianship opened many doors for them, placing them in the top ten of charts such as the British ones. "Adventures", released a year later, cemented Television's status, showcasing more mature and even more captivating compositions. However, musical tastes soon took a radical turn, and Television was forced to disband after losing the public's fervor in the late 70s, while their frontman, Tom Verlaine, immediately embarked on a successful solo career. In their brief time in the spotlight, Television thrilled audiences, and their albums still shine today as a testament to a fertile period in rock music.

Rick Derringer-All American Boy (1973)

Rick Derringer is a legendary American guitarist, creator of monumental works such as his debut album "All American Boy", a true classic of American rock, as well as his numerous collaborations with other artists including Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter, Steely Dan, Joe Bonamassa, and Donald Fagen, his albums with The McCoys, and his own band, Derringer. Although his musical career is primarily oriented towards hard blues rock, in his early days Derringer explored intense hard rock with The McCoys and on his first solo albums. His first solo recording came in 1973, produced by the renowned Bill Szymczyk, and featured the invaluable contributions of a lineup including Bobby Caldwell, Edgar Winter, Joe Walsh, Joe Vitale, Toots Thielemans, and Joe Lala, among many other musicians from the American rock scene. Thrilling rock songs like the opening "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo", pretentious displays of his mastery of the six strings "Joy Ride", passing through the dusty southern rock "Teenage Queen", the lively country rock "Cheap Tequila", the emotional soul "Hold", the catchy "Jump, Jump, Jump" or the galloping hard rock "Slide On Ever Slinky", gave rise to a fruitful career full of works of enormous quality that have kept him at the top of American rock for four uninterrupted decades.

Aviator-Aviator (1986) (USA)

Overshadowed by a series of huge, more media-savvy albums released the same year ("Third Stage" by Boston, "Slippery When Wet" by Bon Jovi, "The Final Town" by Europe, or "Raised on Radio" by Journey, among many others), the only release from the Americans Aviator (not to be confused with other bands of the same name that emerged over the years), is one of the hidden gems of AOR, full of magnificent choruses, catchy melodies, and energetic guitars backed by splendid keyboards. This short-lived group, comprised of drummer Michael Ricciardella, guitarist Richie Cerneglia, singer and guitarist Ernie White, bassist Steve Vitale, and keyboardist Tommy Zite, managed to create a sublime album brimming with magnificent tracks such as the intense mid-tempo songs "Front Line", "Wrong Place Wrong Time", "Magic", "Come Back", and "Through The Night", which contrast sharply with the powerful hard rock anthems "Woman in Love", "Too Young", and "Never Let The Rock Stop". Without a doubt, this debut is a classic of the melodic rock genre, though it unfortunately remained somewhat obscure, becoming a cult classic of AOR.

Iron Maiden-Dance Of Death (2003)

In 2003, Iron Maiden returned to a six-member lineup, including Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith, who had rejoined for the previous and magnificent "Brave New World", released three years earlier. While not a typical concept album, a somber and dark atmosphere permeates much of the record, beginning with its controversial cover, the gloomy title, and the eerie themes of almost every track. However, beyond all of this, the album showcases the band's signature epic heavy metal style in songs like the exhilarating "Rainmaker", the decadent "Montsegur", and the effective "New Frontier" and "Gates of Tomorrow". The band also delves into complex structures and virtuosic instrumental passages in songs like the captivating "No More Lies", the devastating, medieval-tinged "Dance of Death", the epic and progressive "Paschendale", and the thunderous "Face in the Sun". Finally, after the colossal and organic heavy metal, the band leaves us with the atmospheric and acoustic "Journeyman", thus ending another of the monumental works of the legendary British band.

Creedence Clearwater Revival-Willy And The Poor Boys (1969)

In 1969, Creedence Clearwater Revival's creative output was so prolific that they managed to release three albums in a single year, an unprecedented feat in the history of rock music. In January of that year, they had already released their powerful "Bayou Country", which solidified the group's sound with its raw and basic style that fused rock, blues, country, soul, and rockabilly. In August, they released "Green River", an album that maintained a high standard, giving their sound even more power and impact. Then, at the end of the year, they released "Willy and the Poor Boys", which definitively cemented their powerful and irresistible rock sound with a release that included memorable songs like "Fortunate Son" and "Down on the Corner". However, this superb fourth album did not just live off the excellence of those two songs; the rest was also made up of tremendous compositions such as the rock and roll “It Came Out Of The Sky”, the country rock “Cotton Fields”, the rhythmic “Feelin’ Blue”, the addictive rockabilly “Don’t Look Now”, the melodic rock “Midnight Special” or the bluesy “Side O’ The Road”.

Creedence Clearwater Revival-Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968)

In the late 1960s, musical movements were enveloped in a vast array of sounds, inundated with distorted guitars, Hammond organs, early synthesizers, and dozens of other complex instruments. These instruments, used in unison, created a spectacular sonic diversity, distinct from the styles that overflowed the pop and rock landscape. It was in this context that a basic, almost archaic band emerged, with a sound as abrasive as it was traditional. They not only achieved massive worldwide success but also remained at the top for more than five consecutive years. Simplicity and brilliance, combined, were the secret of Creedence Clearwater Revival, who, drawing on the ancestral sounds of North America blues, country, folk, and rock 'n' roll earned the respect and admiration of millions. Led by guitarist and vocalist John Fogerty, who had previously formed a band that contained the seeds and essence of Creedence Clearwater Revival, called The Blue Velvets, which also included bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford, the definitive lineup of Creedence Clearwater Revival was completed with the addition of John's younger brother, Tom Fogerty. John's sonic integrity, combined with the straightforward skill of Clifford and Cook's rhythm section, and Tom's rhythmic strumming, was the perfect synthesis of their successful style known as "swamp rock," which they so brilliantly showcased on their magnificent debut album released in mid-1968. The eight-minute, powerful cover of Dale Hawkins' "Suzie Q" did nothing to prevent it from climbing to the top of the singles charts worldwide. But apart from this classic song, a true rock icon, the album contained a repertoire full of exciting songs such as "I Put A Spell On You", another cover, this time of Screamin' Jay Hawkins, "Get Down Woman", "The Working Man", "Walk on the Water" or "Porterville", which amazingly led this first record to sell close to a million copies in a single week in the United States.

Rush-Vapor Trails (2002)

"Vapor Trails", the seventeenth album by Canadian band Rush, marked Neil Peart's return after several years away from music due to a series of unfortunate family events. In this new release, the trio definitively abandoned the synthesizer sounds of their recent recordings to focus on a more direct and, to some extent, less complex rock sound. This album also ushered in a new era for Rush, featuring much heavier material filled with powerful and energetic riffs in tracks like "One Little Victory", while still retaining their progressive side, as seen in the sinister "Ghost Rider". The powerful "Peaceable Kingdom" also showcases significant lyrics, a recurring theme for Neil Peart, addressing the events surrounding September 11, 2001, while "The Stars Look Down" features a breakneck rhythm driven by Lifeson's abrasive guitar work. Meanwhile, the lively "Out Of The Cradle" or the intricate "Secret Touch" are other highlights of another of the memorable albums by the legendary Canadian group.

Allan Holdsworth-I.O.U. (1982)

“I.O.U.”, the fourth album by phenomenal guitarist Allan Holdsworth, former member of the legendary bands Soft Machine, Nucleus, Tempest, Gong, and U.K., is one of his masterpieces, presenting a style completely different from anything he had done previously. Here, the British guitarist surrounded himself with musicians Paul Williams (vocals), Paul Carmichael (bass), and Gary Husband (drums and keyboards). His new vision of jazz-rock led him to explore parameters not yet as widely as the guitarist demonstrates in this virtuosic display. The intelligent arrangements of “Checking Out”, the lush atmospheres of “Letters of Marquee”, and the heavy jazz-rock of “Out From Under”, along with the floating, ethereal guitars of “Shallow Sea”, are the highlights of an essential album of the best jazz-rock of the 1980s.

Freddie Roach-Good Move! (1963)

Freddie Roach was a renowned soul jazz musician who, throughout much of the 1960s, produced some of the genre's finest albums. Roach was one of the few jazz musicians to utilize the Hammond B-3 organ, an instrument uncommon in this genre compared to other styles such as progressive rock or psychedelic rock. In the early 1960s, Roach signed with Blue Note Records and recorded five albums between 1962 and 1964. Among these recordings is "Good Move", released in 1963, featuring collaborations with Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Clarence Johnston on drums, and Eddie Wright on guitar. On this album, the refined melodies driven by Roach's brilliant organ work firmly and solidly emanate from a series of varied and elegantly executed pieces, with sophisticated musical lines that blend seamlessly with the ingenious solos of Hank Mobley's saxophone and Blue Mitchell's trumpet.

Chris Botti-Italia (2007)

Originally from Oregon, Chris Botti first gained recognition as a trumpet player, working as a session musician for various New York studios in the mid-1980s, and performing and recording with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, and Sting, among many others. After more than ten years acquiring extensive experience with these artists, he released his first solo album, "First Wish", in 1995, skillfully blending jazz sounds with instrumental pop. With subsequent albums, Botti gradually explored smooth jazz, achieving moderate success with albums like "Slowing Down the World", "Night Sessions", and "I Fall in Love". In 2007, with his ninth album, "Italia", he achieved his greatest commercial success. This album features a series of iconic covers with lavish instrumentation, creating a captivating atmosphere and sublime melodies. Thoughtful interpretations ranging from film standards to opera classics and original compositions. This immersive atmosphere is present in pieces like "Deborah's Theme" from the film "Once Upon a Time in America" ​​and "Gabriel's Oboe" from the film "The Mission", both by composer Ennio Morricone. Botti also pays homage to Italy, evoking its exuberance and romanticism in the beautiful "Nessun Dorma" and the extraordinary "Italia", in a successful duet with Andrea Bocelli. His rendition of "Ave Maria" is simply sublime and legendary, supported by a choir that perfectly captures the religious character of the piece. Other versions include the sensual "The Very Thought of You", a classic by the great Ray Noble, sung by Paula Cole, and the enchanting "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" from the musical "My Fair Lady", featuring the splendid voice of a rejuvenated Dean Martin.

Wishbone Ash-Pilgrimage (1971)

Wishbone Ash's second album and their first true masterpiece, "Pilgrimage" is an excellent hard rock work focused on twin guitars, with hints of the complex sounds that would be fully realized on their next album, "Argus", released a year later. With dazzling production by Martin Birch, the band showcased their clear jazz and progressive influences, as demonstrated in the opening track, "Vas Dis", a strange and unusual blend of jazzy scat singing and powerful hard rock. Meanwhile, the signature twin guitar work of Andy Powell and Ted Turner is featured in the sensational "Pilgrim" and the powerful boogie-rock track "Jail Beat", while hints of their future musical direction can be found in the subtle "Alone" and the folky pastoral "Lubally". To conclude with the melodic and complex "Valediction" and the raw blues rock "Where Were You Tomorrow", where the interplay of the twin guitars, superbly executed, is supported by one of the best rhythm sections of the 70s, composed of drummer Steve Upton and bassist Martin Turner.

Thin Lizzy-Johnny the Fox (1976)

Johnny The Fox was published in 1976 and composed almost entirely by Lynott that same year during his recovery from a hepatitis that left him for a few months off the road (they had to cancel the American Jailbreak presentation tour that had nothing more program and nothing less than with Rainbow). 

It is the most Lynott album of Thin Lizzy since the themes of slow and melancholic cadence predominate ("Old Flame", "Borderline", "Sweet Marie") and the fusion with Pop or funk sounds, like the addictive "Jimmy The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed". Eclectic sonorities all very liked by the iconic bass player. The album was recorded by the classic line-up of Thin Lizzy: Lynott, Downey, Gorham and Robertson and contains some of the band's essentials, which never stopped playing live, like the adrenaline-fueled "Massacre" or the mythical "Don't Believe A Word". This theme was conceived by Lynott as a half-time with a certain air of blues, as it appears in the album "Back On The Streets" (1978) by Gary Moore or in the posthumous live performance of the band "Live / Life" (1983), but finally it was recorded in an accelerated version, courtesy say of the always mischievous Brian Roberston. In fact Robertson got pissed off because he is not mentioned in the credits as co-author of the subject. 

The two initial themes show that, despite Lynott's recent illness, the group is in top form. Hard rock with all the characteristics of the Lizzy: the melancholy voice of Phil, the unmistakable melodies of the double guitars and stories of rockstars charmingly losers (Rocky) and characters with very bad luck (Johnny). Recurring themes in the discography of the group.

Bread-The Best Of (1973)

In the late 1960s, a guitarist named David Gates was well-known in the California pop scene as a session musician, singer, and producer. However, this busy schedule felt too limiting, and he decided to broaden his horizons. Together with another session musician, guitarist James Griffin, they formed a band. They called themselves Bread, and although their career was short-lived, lasting only seven years, they left behind a long list of unforgettable songs, some of which have become classics of rock. They enjoyed great success between 1970 and 1977, placing 13 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during that time. They became pioneers of what would later be called Soft Rock or Melodic Rock (AOR), a style characterized by catchy melodies and lyrics that were generally uncompromising, as can be seen in one of their biggest hits: "Guitar Man". Their first album, "Bread" (1969), featured elegant, sunny Californian pop in the style of what many artists were doing at the time "California dreaming", as the song proclaimed. Gates, however, leaned more towards introspection and sentimentality than the pop/folk euphoria of his contemporaries. This led him to create a number of sophisticated ballads, which he would release in subsequent years on albums that achieved strong sales and high positions on the charts. A year later, they released their fifth album, "Guitar Man", featuring the title track, which became the group's most famous song worldwide, achieving gold certification like all their previous albums. However, it is in their compilations, such as "The Best Of" from 1973 (an album that reached five platinum records), where their power of seduction is best appreciated, giving space to the best of their entire career "If", "Make it with you", "Guitar man", "It don't matter to me", or "Everything I own", among other great songs from this legendary band.

Bob Dylan-Slow Train Coming (1979)

In 1979, Bob Dylan spent five months attending Bible school and experienced a spiritual rebirth, converting to Christianity. He subsequently released the albums "Slow Train Coming" (1979), "Saved" (1980), and "Shot of Love" (1981), a period known as his Christian years. After establishing himself in the 1960s as one of the emblems of folk and protest songs, and later causing a sensation by electrifying his sound and bringing it closer to rock, in the 1970s Dylan oscillated between notable missteps and some superb works such as "Blood on the Tracks" (1975), "Desire" (1976), and "Street Legal" (1978). However, Bob Dylan left virtually all his fans stunned with the release of "Slow Train Coming" in 1979, an album in which the Jewish-born musician openly expressed his conversion to Christianity, and in which faith was the surprising narrative driving force behind all the songs. "Slow Train Coming" features a collaboration with Mark Knopfler and was produced by veteran R&B producer Jerry Wexler. The album reached the top of the charts in the United States, achieving platinum status and winning a Grammy for the song "Gotta Serve Somebody".

Toto-Seventh One (1988)

After two albums that failed to meet expectations, "Isolation" (1984) and "Fahrenheit" (1986), Toto were determined to return to the path of success with a new work that followed in the footsteps of their acclaimed "Toto IV", released six years earlier. And they succeeded with "Seventh One", receiving a warm welcome from their fans, thanks to a collection of tracks that would once again place them among the best of melodic rock in the late eighties. For this new album, David Paich took the reins of the group, giving greater prominence to the keyboards and even greater emphasis on the vocal harmonies of Joseph Williams, Steve Lukather, and Paich himself, at the expense of the guitars. "Seventh One" contains an irresistible repertoire full of outstanding tracks such as the catchy "Pamela", the carefree "You Got Me", the rock "Stay Away", the epic with progressive airs "Home of the Brave", the spectacular "Stop Loving You" or the extraordinary ballads "Anna" and "Mushanga".

Utopia-Ra (1977)

“Ra” was the second album by Utopia, the band led by Todd Rundgren. Released in 1977, it is a truly impressive work, where space rock, progressive rock, and pop sensibilities come together seamlessly. By then, the band had been reduced to four members: in addition to Rundgren on guitars, there was Roger Powell on keyboards, Kasim Sulton on bass, and John Wilcox on drums, all four of whom also sang vocals as needed for each song. While their debut album had already explored sounds close to high-level progressive jazz with 30-minute suites, demonstrating Rundgren's great skill as a recording engineer, here the sound is more eclectic and varied, with rich sonic nuances. With a crushing opening like the pretentious instrumental “Overture: Mountaintop And Sunrise”, which segues into the rhythmic “Communion With The Sun”, where vocal melodies, keyboards, and Rundgren's arabesque solos stand out, “Magic Dragon Theatre” showcases the band's penchant for pompous pop with glam-tinged undertones of the era. This is followed by the powerful pop-rock track “Jealousy”, while “Eternal Love” is a song that approaches symphonic pop. “Sunburst Finish” and “Hiroshima” are the most powerful and visceral tracks on the album, culminating in the suite “Singring And The Glass Guitar (An Electrified)”, where every member of the band shines, with beautiful vocal harmonies and devilishly complex rhythm changes, demonstrating the virtuosity of all the musicians. In the following months the band presented this album live in a display of sophistication with a huge pyramid on the stage 7 meters high and a large golden sphinx that required 18 months of preparation and cost about 250 thousand dollars.

Camel-Camel (1973)

When Camel released their debut album, it was during the peak year of progressive rock's creative boom, meaning their music went largely unnoticed by most fans of the genre, who were more focused on listening to the dozens of established, leading bands that existed at the time. That year also saw the release of some of the genre's masterpieces, such as Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon", Yes's "Tales from Topographic Oceans", Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells", Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Brain Salad Surgery", and Genesis' "Selling England by the Pound," to name just a few examples from the vast array of albums released in 1973. Amid this whirlwind of releases, it's no surprise that Camel's first album wasn't taken very seriously by a large part of the progressive rock community. On this self-titled debut album, the band featured their classic lineup, or at least the one that would later record their masterpieces (“Mirage”, “The Snow Goose”, and “Moonmadness”): guitarist and vocalist Andrew Latimer, keyboardist Peter Bardens, drummer Andy Ward, and bassist Doug Ferguson. Recorded during the middle months of 1972 and released in February 1973 on the MCA label, it proved to be a very strong starting point for their progressive rock sound, setting them apart from their contemporaries. The influences of blues, jazz, classical music, and their own personal style combined to create a unique and distinctive sound. However, despite this, a certain musical imbalance is evident, which is understandable considering they were still newcomers and this was their debut album. Among the highlights of this first work are the melodic "Slow Yourself Down" where it already shows the duel between guitar and keyboards that will be Camel's DNA from then on, or one of their classic tracks like "Never Let Go", a piece that perfectly defines the band's style. The rest is made up of minor tracks that nevertheless attract the listener's attention, such as the instrumental "Arubaluba", the atmospheric "Curiosity" or the catchy "Separation".

Coven-Witchcraft (Destroys Minds And Reaps Souls) (1969)

Pioneers in using witches' sabbath imagery in rock music, Coven employed satanic imagery before bands like Black Sabbath or Black Widow. But while for the latter it was merely theatrical, for Coven it was their philosophy and way of life; they even used their own blood to sign their first contract with Mercury Records. And although it might seem like the typical foolishness of three young guys, the truth is that this group's satanic and occult imagery went far beyond what initially appears. They were already being associated with the image of hands with horns (the one Ronnie James Dio made famous a decade later), as well as the satanic symbol of the inverted cross. A band that, before releasing their first album, had already performed at various concerts opening for Alice Cooper and The Yardbirds. Their first album, "Witchcraft (Destroys Minds and Reaps Souls)", was released in 1969, almost at the same time as the murder of Roman Polanski's wife and several other people at the hands of Charles Manson's cult. This led to the album's rejection by many sectors of American society. The album contains tracks like the opening "Black Sabbath", with its dark sounds and atmosphere, and hints of psychedelic folk. "White Witch of Rose Hall" is a macabre true story about a mansion where voodoo rituals took place, while the occult atmosphere continues in "Coven in Charing Cross". But it is undoubtedly the strange "Satanic Mass", with its demonic references and its chants and prayers presented as dialogue, that most captures the attention of this album. "Witchcraft (Destroys Minds And Reaps Souls)" is undoubtedly one of the most interesting works of the late 60s, perhaps more for its themes than for its music itself, but with an unrepeatable creativity and experimentation.

Los Jaivas-Alturas de Machu Pichu (1981)

Los Jaivas are the most internationally renowned Chilean band, having offered one of the most extraordinary blends of folk and progressive rock ever created. Formed in 1963 in Viña del Mar, their debut album, the self-titled "Los Jaivas", didn't arrive until 1971. On this album, they began exploring, with an improvisational approach, the fusion of folk flavors and psychedelic music. In 1973, the band emigrated to Argentina due to the military dictatorship that was imposed in Chile that year. There, they continued releasing hugely popular albums until 1977, when they finally moved to France. From then on, they gradually introduced more progressive elements into their folk music, and over time, Los Jaivas created an original and unique style. In 1981, they cemented their talent and creativity with their most acclaimed album; "Alturas de Machu Picchu" is a brilliant example of Peruvian/Chilean Latin folk, fused with classic progressive rock. Conceived while the band was living in Paris, the lyrics were taken from an evocative collection of poems by Pablo Neruda, inspired by the grandeur and mysterious beauty of the Machu Picchu ruins. Here, the group conveys a range of emotions, from dramatic to melancholic, encompassing sadness, exaltation, and joy. With a spacious and ethereal sound, this album manages to emulate the Andean atmosphere, somehow transporting the listener to that magical place. Traditional Andean instruments (ocarina, flute, siku, and quena) and more modern ones (electric guitars, synthesizers, electric pianos, and drums) create a mystical and somewhat sinister atmosphere, yet simultaneously, there are festive passages brimming with life and joy. Powerful, epic, and progressive tracks like "La poderosa Muerte" (The Mighty Death), "Águila Sideral" (Sidereal Eagle), and "Antigua América" ​​(Ancient America) share the repertoire with other, purely folk-like songs such as "Amor Americano" (American Love) and "Súbete a Nacer conmigo, Hermano" (Get on Board to Be Born with Me, Brother). "Alturas de Machu Picchu" (Heights of Machu Picchu) is a profoundly emotional album, steeped in legend and history, a perfect fusion of the old and the new, of the past and the present.

Arthur Lee-Vindicator (1972)

After six albums with his band Love, in 1972, frontman Arthur Lee, completely frustrated, disbanded the group and embarked on a solo career that would prove short-lived and largely unnoticed. However, his only solo album, "Vindicator", released that same year by A&M Records, surprised everyone by radically departing from the fragile and melodic style of his band. On this album, Lee leans towards a raw, hard-hitting rock sound with hints of psychedelic rock in the style of Jimi Hendrix, as demonstrated in tracks like "Sad Song", "Love Jumped Through My Window", and "Everytime I Look Up I'm Down Or White Dog". He also delivers the magnificent blues-rock number "You Want Change For You Re-Run", the melodic "Everybody's Gotta Live", one of his most memorable compositions and the brilliant "Busted Feet", where he channels his skills into a Hendrix-esque style, both vocally and instrumentally, with outstanding and flawless blues riffs. Unfortunately, this album went completely unnoticed, fading into obscurity. Some time later, Lee resurrected Love with a new work ironically titled "False Start" (1974).

Diamond Head-Lightning To The Nations (1980)

The third wave of heavy metal, which emerged a decade after the first, was called the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, commonly abbreviated as NWOBHM. It arose in England as the 1970s drew to a close, building upon the legacy of the genre's great bands such as Led Zeppelin, Budgie, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Nazareth, and Deep Purple. By the mid-1970s, the second wave had already emerged, featuring UFO, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest, and Scorpions, among many others. These bands began to move away from the psychedelic, progressive, and blues influences of the first wave, giving the style greater power and speed, as well as incorporating other influences such as the driving force of punk and a frenetic rhythm. This third wave was spearheaded by the well-known Iron Maiden, Samson, Praying Mantis, Angel Witch, and Diamond Head, and it was precisely the latter that would produce one of the most emblematic albums of the genre: “Lightning to the Nations”, released in 1980 and considered one of the most memorable works of British heavy metal of all time. Diamond Head had formed four years earlier in the British town of Stourbridge by guitarist Brian Tatler, singer and guitarist Sean Harris, and drummer Duncan Scott. A year later, bassist Colin Kimberley joined them. With this lineup, and under the independent label Happy Face, they released “Lightning to the Nations” near the end of 1980. Composed of half a dozen songs, all of them overwhelming and intense, as demonstrated in the frenetic “Helpless”, the penetrating “It’s Electric” and “Sweet And Innocent”, the sinister “The Prince”, the sensational “Am I Evil?” or the sublime “Sucking My Love”.

Simple Minds-Sparkle in the Rain (1984)

With the sixth album by the Scottish band Simple Minds, "Sparkle In The Rain", the change in musical direction towards paths closer to mainstream British rock began to emerge, albeit still quite subtly, moving almost completely away from the post-punk of their early works. In this new release, the band led by Jim Kerr sees arena rock take center stage, as evidenced by brilliant tracks like the vibrant and iconic "Waterfront", a true pop-rock classic of the eighties, or the rhythmic "Up On The Catwalk", "Book Of Brilliant Things", and "Speed ​​Your Love To Me". Meanwhile, the mini-epic "East At Easter", the appealing synth-pop "C Moon Cry Like A Baby", and the atmospheric "White Hot Day" add a touch of sonic diversity to a work that would repeat the enormous success of its predecessor, "New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)", on the British and European charts, ultimately solidifying Simple Minds as one of the most important new wave bands of the 80s.

Greenslade-Greenslade (1973)

Once the first Colosseum project was dissolved, two of its members, keyboardist Dave Greenslade and bassist Tony Reeves founded Greenslade, for which they recruited former King Crimson drummer Andrew McCulloch and keyboardist Dave Lawson, which turned this band into an unusual case as it had two keyboardists and no guitarist (at least in England, since the Italian group Banco already had a similar formation).
The debut album "Greenslade" was released in 1973 and is considered a classic of progressive rock, both for the music and for the cover art by the legendary Roger Dean.
The use of two keyboardists allowed them to create a texture and a very dense sound atmosphere rich in details, which at no time saturated the sound, partly reminiscent of the Yes for their constant changes of time signature but without the complexity of the latter.

Albert Collins-Ice Pickin´(1978)

In the late 1970s, the blues wasn't at its peak. New styles and musical trends that dominated the public's tastes had relegated it to the sidelines, until a few years later when the genre would resurface thanks to hundreds of new hard rock bands and the huge revival of classic rock. Even so, great albums continued to appear during those years, produced by classic bluesmen like Albert Collins, who in 1978 released "Ice Pickin' ", a true blues masterpiece. His impressive mastery of the six strings of his legendary Fender Stratocaster led him to be known as "Iceman" or "The Master of the Telecaster", for his composure and incredible simplicity on the guitar. A Grammy nominee, on "Ice Pickin!", the legendary guitarist leaves his mark on the superb blues tracks "Honey, Hush!", "Ice Pick", "Cold, Cold Feeling", "When The Welfare Turns Its Back on You", and the expansive "Conversations With Collins". "Ice Pickin!" is undoubtedly one of the sublime blues albums of the finest kind, crafted by a genius of the six-string and of the blues in general like Albert Collins, making it an absolute masterpiece of this fundamental and influential musical genre.

Howlin´Wolf-Rockin´ Chair (1962)

If there's one musician who inspired almost all the great bands of the sixties, it was Howlin' Wolf, a spectacular blues singer, guitarist, and harmonica player, and one of the most admired bluesmen in history. Chester Arthur Burnett (that was his real name), was born in West Point, Mississippi, in 1910. He was a man with a stony gaze, weighing 286 pounds and standing almost six feet six inches tall. The son of cotton farmers, he worked as a farmer until the late 1930s, when he decided to emigrate to Chicago in the 1940s. After serving in the army during World War II, he formed his own blues band and, some time later, even performed regularly on a radio station in West Memphis, Arkansas. In 1962, he released the album "Rockin' Chair", considered one of the bibles of the blues. Wolf was a genuine singer and a tireless creator who, with his raw blues, forged an expression of rage and vitality. Through his harsh and hypnotic voice, Wolf spat out all his anger and fears, everything he experienced as a farm worker in the rural South of the United States. His music was a sincere expression, capable of conveying every emotion, and his blues was a perfect reflection of himself. Hence the immense power and strength of his music, from an indestructible bluesman who has left a mark as profound as it is enduring. His legacy has left its mark on hundreds of bands, from Led Zeppelin to the Rolling Stones, including The Doors, Grateful Dead, Cream, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and many more. In “Rockin’ Chair,” Howlin’ Wolf revisits some of his greatest classics such as “Spoonful”, “Black Door Man”, “The Red Rooster”, “Who’s Been Talking?”, “Wang Dang Doodle”, “Little Baby”, “Going Down Slow”, and “Howlin’ For My Darlin’ ”, all of which he covers.

Petra-Back To The Street (1986)

Petra is one of the biggest and most successful American bands of all time, yet one of the least known outside their country. Formed in the early 1970s, with their catchy melodic hard rock style and Christian lyrics, they released around twenty albums, most of them hugely successful commercially and in the media, selling millions of records across the United States and achieving unprecedented success among their contemporaries in the same genre. Among other accolades, they have won four Grammy Awards, along with a dozen more nominations, and were the first Christian rock band inducted into the prestigious Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Pioneers in their genre, their four-decade career has been marked by numerous lineup changes, with guitarist and vocalist Bob Hartman remaining the only member of the original lineup throughout all those years. With an initial style rooted in American roots rock, they evolved towards the melodic hard rock they played throughout the 1980s, a decade in which they achieved their peak popularity, selling out every major stadium in the United States. Memorable albums such as "Never Say Die", "More Power To Ya", "Not Of This World", "Beat The System", "Captured In Time and Space", "On Fire" and "Back to the Rock" attest to the impressive career of this legendary American band. In 2005, after 30 years, the band called it quits, although they continued to perform sporadically in subsequent years. One of their greatest creative achievements came with their eighth album, "Back to the Street", which reached number four on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. Produced by former Kansas vocalist John Elefante, it captured the essence of AOR (Asian Rock and Roll). from other bands of the genre and mixed it with their lyrics inspired by the Psalms of the Bible, embellishing with charming gospel choruses, sharp rock guitars and fabulous and irresistible melodic lines as demonstrated in "Back to The Street", "You Are I Am", "King's Ransom", "Fool's God", "Thankful Heart" or "Run For Cover".

Road-Road (1972)

Road were a short-lived lysergic hard rock band who released only one album in early 1972. This power trio consisted of former Jimi Hendrix Experience bassist Noel Redding, guitarist and vocalist Rod Richards (formerly of Rare Earth), and drummer Leslie Sampson. Although they went completely unnoticed at the time, mainly due to the fierce competition they faced, their single album is now highly sought after by collectors of obscure and forgotten bands from the sixties and seventies. Echoes of Jimi Hendrix's distorted blues rock are present in tracks like "Mushroom Man", "Man Dressed In Red", and "Spaceship Earth", while the psychedelic hard rock of "Friends" and the folk rock of "I'm Going Down To The Country" result in a commendable and enjoyable album of acid heavy rock.

Nova-Wings Of Love (1977)

Italy has historically been the birthplace of elegant rock bands, the vast majority oriented towards symphonic, progressive, and jazz styles, many of which maintained their continued appeal to fans worldwide with their refined releases. In the mid-70s, there was a long list of these bands based in London, and one of them was UNO, formed by brothers Corrado and Danilo Rustici, both guitarists who, along with saxophonist Elio D'Anna, decided to rename the band Nova, recruiting bassist Luciano Milanese and drummer Franco Lo Previte. In 1976, under the Arista label, they released their first album, "Blink", a commendable work that, while not entirely defined, showcased a jazz-rock style with extended improvisations and rich guitar interplay and a sumptuous saxophone. Near the end of that same year, "Vimana" became their second full-length album, a more mature work where the band focused more on composition than on the individual instrumental work of its members. From this point on, the band underwent several lineup changes, with keyboardist Renato Rosset, drummer Ric Parnell, and bassist Barry Johnson joining, replacing Danilo Rustici, Lo Previte, and Milanese, respectively. With this lineup, the band recorded and released their most successful and magnum opus, "Wings of Love", which is characterized by a shift in musical direction, leaning more towards jazz funk, due in part to bassist Johnson's funky style. This album boasts exquisite musicianship, courtesy of the impeccable technical skills of all the band members, offering a repertoire of agile and dynamic, yet refined, jazz rock. Tracks like the dynamic funk-rock "You Are Light" stand out as one of their most creative moments, with silky harmonies and a contagious, catchy rhythm. The jazz fusion "Marshall Dillion" showcases Nova's energetic side, while the dreamy "Blue Lake" is the album's most intense moment. "Beauty Dream / Beauty Flame" features a gentle melody that blends delicate acoustic touches with reflective, exotic sounds. The rest of the album follows a similar path, with the frenetic funk of "Golden Sky Boat", the exhilarating jazz with Latin echoes of "Inner Star", and the elegant "Last Silence". "Sun City", their fourth album, released the following year, returned to a jazz-funk style, but one that leaned towards a more conventional and predictable jazz sound. Shortly after this final release, the band definitively disbanded, leaving behind four albums brimming with tension, energy, and technical brilliance, all considered seminal works within the European jazz-rock genre.

Frank Zappa-Hot Rats (1969)

Frank Zappa's genius is unquestionable, considered one of the most complete artists that have ever existed in rock history, his forays into almost all musical styles give him a level that very few can reach.
"Hot Rats" was his second solo album, with such a fresh and current sound, it was very advanced for his time, where he perfectly blends his experimentation with jazz and progressive rock.
An album that was one of his biggest commercial successes, reaching a ninth place on the UK charts.
Entirely instrumental, it offers an amalgamation of jazz, rock, experimentation and shows a melodic Zappa as he rarely was in his entire career.
In this work Zappa also shows his great technical variety with the guitar, with virtuosic and spectacular solos where the virtues with the six strings are outstanding.

Jade Warrior-Released (1971)

Jade Warrior is one of the quintessential cult bands, and is considered one of the most original musical acts in the history of rock music. They imbued their style with a masterful blend of ethnic sounds, jazz, psychedelia, folk, rock, and avant-garde elements. A previous post recounts the biography of this unique band, so we won't delve too deeply into their history and will instead focus on their second album, released in 1971. This album represented a dramatic shift from their self-titled debut, released that same year. In that first release, the sound was centered on elements of jazz-rock fused with African music, resulting in an experimental and avant-garde album. However, this second work is characterized by powerful and driving tracks, very close to hard rock, such as the opening track, "Three-Horned Dragon Kill", with a sound reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, but retaining the distinctive African percussion so characteristic of Jade Warrior. The playful “Eyes On You”, with its infectious rhythm, gives way to the band's more typical sound with the relaxed and atmospheric “Bride Of Summer” and “Water Curtain Cave”, which lead into the lysergic and powerful “Minnamoto’s Dream”, featuring razor-sharp guitars in the purest Jimi Hendrix style. Meanwhile, the rock and roll “(We Have) Reason To Believe” contrasts with the epic “Barazinbar”, which gradually unfolds amidst tribal percussion and flute sounds, culminating in the bucolic and acoustic “Yellow Eyes”. This album received a lukewarm reception from fans, surprised by this radical change, which is why the band would return to their unmistakable style in subsequent releases, much to the delight of their most loyal and devoted progressive rock followers.

Leo Sayer-The Very Best Of Leo Sayer (1979)

Leo Sayer was one of the most prominent artists on the charts in the first half of the seventies, with a melodic and catchy pop-rock style. His beginnings date back to the early 70s, composing songs for other artists alongside David Courtney. One of these was the hit "Giving It All Away" for The Who's lead singer, Roger Daltrey, in 1973. With the support of Adam Faith, Sayer secured a contract with the Chrysalis label, with whom he released a series of quite successful songs, such as "The Show Must Go On". From then on, he had up to a dozen hits on the British and American charts, including "One Man Band", "Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)", "Moonlighting", "Let It Be", "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", "When I Need You", "How Much Love", "I Can't Stop Loving You (Though I Try)", and "More Than I Can Say". His albums during that same period also enjoyed consistent chart success between 1973 and 1977. However, from the late seventies onward, his records had less commercial and media impact, resulting in a succession of mediocre works that eventually led to a spacing out of his album releases. Just before the end of the seventies, "The Very Best Of Leo Sayer" was released, a compilation album featuring fourteen of his greatest hits, which became his best-selling album, reaching number one on the British charts and in other countries around the world. 

Fish-Sunsets On Empire (1997)

With their fifth studio album, "Sunsets On Empire", Fish delivered their best work since "Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors", released seven years prior. On this album, Steven Wilson, the frontman of Porcupine Tree, co-wrote six of the songs and handled the arrangements, as well as production, actively participating in most of the guitar and keyboard parts. The album's opening track, "The Perception Of Johnny Punter", is one of their most ambitious songs, brimming with hard rock riffs and a symphonic atmosphere. Other tracks like "Goldfish & Clowns" reflect their mainstream side, as does "Change of Heart". Nods to their past with Marillion can be found in "What Colour Is God?", while "Jungle Ride" showcases an Eastern psychedelic feel. However, it is the title track, the most progressive and peak moment of the entire album, which ends in an incredible Floydian finale courtesy of vocalist Lorna Bannon and Steve Wilson performing a brilliant guitar solo inspired by David Gilmour.

Kansas-Masque (1975)

Kansas' third album, and their second release in 1975, came just seven months after "Song For America". This was partly due to pressure from Epic Records, who wanted to capitalize on the commercial success of "Song For America". However, this haste hampered the album's sales, resulting in only mediocre results, at least in the months immediately following its release. For this new album, the band went to Louisiana to In The Country Studios, but kept the same production team led by Jeff Glixman. This time, despite composing an album of very high quality, the band didn't achieve the same level of cohesion and balance as its predecessor. The commercially successful and addictive "It Takes A Woman's Love" was chosen as the promotional single, which in no way overshadowed their previous hit "Song For America". On the other hand, several of their classic tracks already appear here, such as the immortal "Icarus-Borne On Wings Of Steel", a powerful rock song with progressive touches, and the catchy "Two Cents Worth". The melodic "All the World" showcases Kansas's more symphonic side, while the dizzying "Child Of Innocence" and "Mysteries and Mayhem" display the rockier side of the Topeka group. The album concludes with the progressive and expansive "The Pinnacle", thus culminating an album considered a transitional step towards Kansas's later confirmation as one of the greatest American bands of the 1970s.

The Stone Roses-The Stone Roses (1989)

In the late eighties, The Stone Roses presented their debut album, showcasing the cheerful and carefree side of Britpop, with a series of songs that inherited the pop-rock sounds of The Beatles and the psychedelic folk of The Byrds from the 60s. Founded in the city of Manchester a few years earlier by vocalist Ian Brown along with bassist Gary "Mani" Mounfield, drummer Alan John "Reni" Wren and guitarist John Squire, they created a collection of melodic and very simple pieces with a contemporary flavor. This debut is considered one of the fundamental works in the development and evolution of the so-called Manchester movement of the late 80s and early 90s. From the psychedelic frameworks of "Don't Stop", to the chords and attractive vocals of "Waterfall", passing through the outstanding pop rock "I Wanna Be Adored", "Made of Stone" and "Bye Bye Badman", the beautiful "Lizabeth My Dear" or the complex "I Am the Resurrection", together they make up a work that was highly appreciated by critics and a resounding success on the charts in half the world.

Santana-Amigos (1976)

In the mid-seventies, Carlos Santana was determined to move away from the jazz-rock and fusion elements of his early albums and delve into more mainstream sounds. This trend was already evident on his seventh studio album, "Amigos", released in 1976, where the guitarist offered a blend of Latin rock, funk, soul, and R&B. Here, percussion once again takes center stage, the instrumentals are simpler with a solid rock foundation, and his guitar is more prominent than on his two previous albums ("Welcome" and "Borboletta"). Most of the vocal tracks showcase this new musical direction toward more commercial appeal. Retaining some of the pillars of his band, such as Armando Peraza, Greg Walker, Leon Chancler, David Brown, and Tom Coster, this release features several of his best-known compositions, including the instrumental "Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)", with one of his most memorable solos, and the Latin-infused "Dance, Sister Dance". Among the rest, the funky tracks "Let Me" and "Tell Me, Are You Tired" stand out, as well as the jazz rock "Take Me With You", the latter clearly in tune with the 1970 album "Abraxas", the flamenco-Latin feel of "Gitano", and the elaborate jazz-based funk "Let It Shine".

The Hooters-Nervous Night (1985)

"Nervous Night", the second release from the American band The Hooters, is not only one of the most acclaimed albums of the 1980s, but also the one that definitively established this excellent band's status. While their debut, "Amore", released several years earlier on an independent label, failed to achieve mainstream or commercial success, with "Nervous Night", released on Columbia Records, this Philadelphia-based band crafted one of the most relaxed and carefree albums of 1985, thanks to a repertoire of songs that blended new wave, folk, melodic rock, and reggae. The lineup consisted of Eric Bazilian (guitar, keyboards, mandolin, saxophone, and vocals), Rob Hyman (keyboards and vocals), Andy King (bass), John Lilley (guitar), and David Uosikkinen (drums). The enthusiastic vocals of Bazilian and Hyman, along with the occasional use of instruments like mandolins, give them that distinctive sound, as demonstrated by pop-rock tracks like "And We Danced" and "Day By Day", the powerful rock song "All You Zombies", the dramatic "Where Do The Children Go", the melodic "Don't Take My Car Out Tonight", and the carefree "Hanging On A Heartbeat". The album's exceptional quality, coupled with two million copies sold in the North American market, cemented their status as one of the classic American pop-rock bands of the 1980s.

Spirit Of John Morgan-Spirit Of John Morgan (1969)

Spirit of John Morgan was a short-lived blues-rock band that released only three albums between the late sixties and early seventies. The lineup consisted of organist and vocalist John Morgan, guitarist Don Whitaker, bassist Phil Shutt, and drummer Mick Walker. Their origins date back to 1968 when they secured a contract with Carnaby Records, a subsidiary of British Columbia Records, and a year later released their self-titled debut album. In this first work, the fusion of different styles is more than evident, encompassing psychedelic sounds, folk, blues, and progressive elements. The opening track, "Orpheus and None For Ye", showcases their psychedelic side with organ and dark sounds reminiscent of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Meanwhile, the progressive blues track "I Want You", the dynamic instrumental "The Yodel", and the superb blues-rock "Yorkshire Blues" make for a consistent and highly accomplished album. The subsequent album, "Age Machine" (1970), despite containing certain elements of progressive avant-garde, was more oriented towards predictable folk and pop sounds. A year later, John Morgan recorded the album "Kaleidoscope", with a more pop-oriented sound that went completely unnoticed.

Gryphon-Red Queen To Gryphon Three (1974)

Gryphon are another of those great bands unknown to the general public. Their style fused different genres such as folk, Baroque and Renaissance music, avant-garde and medieval elements, and progressive rock. Their career was forged throughout much of the 1970s with five interesting albums, with "Red Queen To Gryphon Three" being their most celebrated work. Formed in London in the early 1970s by Richard Harvey (keyboards and flute) and Brian Gulland (bassoon), both students at the Royal Academy of Music, they shared a passion for Baroque sounds, traditional English folk, and a modern vision of Renaissance music. In 1973, guitarist Graeme Taylor and singer/drummer David Oberle joined the band, and with them, they recorded their self-titled debut acoustic album. A year later, bassist Philip Nestor joined the band, participating in the recording of "Midnight Mushrooms", an album featuring a greater number of original compositions and a clear inclination towards purer rock sounds. 1974 saw the release of the album we're discussing, "Red Queen to Gryphon Three", a concept album about the game of chess, inspired by typical classical music suites. A highly complex work, with a high level of song structure, constant changes of rhythm, and consisting of four extensive pieces performed impeccably. Medieval, folk, and Renaissance influences are all present, interpreted through flutes, bassoon, piano, organ, synthesizers, electric and acoustic guitars, and various percussion instruments. This is definitely a classic progressive rock album, where all the content is superb from beginning to end, with no single composition standing out above the rest.