Foreigner-Inside Information (1987)

Towards the end of the 1980s, Foreigner released their last great album, "Inside Information", which, despite not reaching the heights of their earlier work, still maintained their status as a tremendously popular band worldwide. At that time, the band consisted of the same musicians who had recorded their two previous multi-platinum albums, "4" (1981) and "Agent Provocateur" (1984), with Mick Jones on guitars and keyboards, singer Lou Gramm, bassist Rick Willis, and drummer Dennis Elliott, in addition to guest appearances by Peter-John Vettese, Tom Bailey, Kevin Jones, Hugh McCracken, Sammy Merendino, Ian Lloyd, and Mark Rivera. Comprising a setlist geared towards FM radio, this album features masterful tracks like the melodic "Say You Will" and "I Don't Want to Live Without You", or irresistible AOR songs such as "Heart Turns to Stone", "Face to Face", and "Out of the Blue", which contrast with the addictive hard rock tracks "A Night to Remember", "The Beat of My Heart", and "Counting Every Minute". Despite not surpassing the commercial success of their previous albums, "Inside Information" achieved a respectable top 15 on the Billboard charts and a platinum record for its sales in the North American market.

Gary Moore-How Blue Can You Get (2021)

Ten years after Gary Moore's death, this album, composed primarily of tracks from his bluesy period, was released. All the material on this album had never before appeared on any of his official albums, and most of it was recorded in different sessions with a band consisting of Gary Moore on vocals and guitar, Darrin Mooney on drums, Vic Martin on keyboards, and bassist Pete Rees. "How Blue Can You Get" contains four covers of songs by Sonny Thompson, Leonard Feather, Elmore James, and Peter Chatman, and four original compositions by Moore himself. That Gary Moore mastered the blues is beyond question, but his assimilation of the language of this distinctly Black genre is evident in tracks like the powerful "I'm Tore Down," the instrumental "Steppin' Out," and the magnificent covers of "How Blue Can You Get" and "Done Somebody Wrong." On the other hand, the intense "In My Dreams" and "Love Can Make A Fool Of You" close a fantastic posthumous album from one of the legends of the guitar, the Irishman Gary Moore.

Colosseum-Colosseum Live (1971)

"Colosseum Live" is considered one of the best live albums in rock history, primarily due to its tremendous power. Jon Hiseman's blistering drumming, Dave Greenslade's astonishing Hammond organ, and Dave Clempson's frenetic and exhilarating electric guitar work are standouts, not to mention Chris Farlowe's sublime, thunderous vocals. The band's perfect synchronization, whether performing sophisticated and complex sections or improvisational passages, is a clear demonstration of the immense skill of these highly accomplished musicians. In addition to Hiseman, Greenslade, and Farlowe, the rest of the lineup included bassist Mark Clarke and saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith. This live album was preceded by Colosseum's third album, "Daughter of Time", and was released on the newly formed Bronze label as a double LP. Here, the band moves effortlessly between jazz, blues, rock, and progressive music at its finest. Thrilling tracks like the tour de force jazz-rock "Tanglewood '63" are a dazzling display of the talents of saxophonist Heckstall-Smith and keyboardist Greenslade. Meanwhile, the band's exhilarating progressive interplay is masterfully showcased in the impressive blues jazz/rock "Lost Angeles" and the progressive blues tracks "Walking in the Park" and "Stormy Monday". In conclusion, this is a legendary and iconic live album, where one of rock's most mythical bands displays the impressive instrumental prowess of each and every one of its members.

Aerosmith-Get A Grip (1993)

With "Get a Grip", Aerosmith cemented their status as one of rock and roll's greatest bands after a long period of relative obscurity, marked by a series of albums that strayed from their initial, carefree sound, such as "Night in the Ruts", "Rock in a Hard Place", and, to a lesser extent, "Done with Mirrors", as well as personal issues affecting some of its members. However, starting with their eighth album, "Permanent Vacation", the Boston band took a significant step forward, crafting an exceptional work featuring some of their best compositions, such as "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Rag Doll". Following another phenomenal release, the subsequent "Pump", they confirmed their creative resurgence with "Get a Grip", where mid-tempo tracks and ballads form the core of the album. Here appear the irresistible "Crazy", "Amazing" and "Cryin'", three great contributions to the commercial success of the group, which are followed by a set list made up of the hard rock songs "Walk This Way", "Eat The Rich", "Get a Grip" or "Fever", making it clear with all of them that the vein of the rawest and most energetic rock and roll continued to flow through the veins of these reborn Aerosmith.

Asia-XXX (2012)

With cover art that pays homage to their 1982 debut album, the third release from the reformed original lineup is titled "XXX", a clear reference to the band's thirtieth anniversary. On this eleventh album under the Asia name, the group continues to showcase the classic rock sound with melodic rock influences characteristic of almost all their previous releases, all underpinned by excellent production, exquisite melodic compositions, and refined instrumentation. Despite the progressive rock reputation of its four members (Wetton, Howe, Palmer, and Downes), it's clear that the symphonic tendencies of the past have given way to a tighter, more solid, and understated sound, moving between catchy and appealing rock and refined sounds with complex and virtuosic instrumentation. That irresistible hook of catchy sounds intertwined with a powerful force is reflected in "No Religion" and "Al Gatto Nero", which are compensated by the heavier and more unsettling "Ghost Of A Change" or "Bury Me In Willow" and by the melodic and brilliant "I Know How You Feel", "Tomorrow The World" and "Face On The Bridge".

Peter Hammill-In Camera (1974)

Very often, when Peter Hammill released a new solo album, many wondered if it was truly a new release from his main band, Van Der Graaf Generator, or his own. This doubt was reflected, for example, in his fourth album, "In Camera", which, as had happened on his previous recordings, even featured some members of VDGG. On this occasion, Hammill once again demonstrates his great creativity, composing an incredible series of dark and dramatic pieces, making intensive use of synthesizers and the Mellotron, played here by David Hentschel, and employing a great intellectual passion with reflective existentialist musings. Recalling passages from VDGG's album "Pawn Hearts", the angry "(No More) The Sub-Mariner", the philosophical "Fain-Heart and the Sermon", and the terrifying "Gog" emerge. In "In Camera", Hammill narrates, both musically and lyrically, a succession of eerie sounds, from gothic to tribal, all nuanced by electronic counterpoints. All that restlessness is wonderfully reflected in the final tour de force, "Magog (In Bromine Chambers)", where the singer explores human psychology. However, there are also more grounded and easily digestible moments, and in this context, we find the acoustic "Ferret and the Featherbird", the pastoral "Again", and the thoughtful "The Comet, The Course, The Tail". Undoubtedly, with this work, Peter Hammill once again defied convention with another album not for the general public.

Frank Zappa-Zoot Allures (1976)

“Zoot Allures” was Frank Zappa’s seventeenth solo album, released amidst the vibrant disco era of the mid-seventies. For the recording of this album, Zappa enlisted a large group of session musicians (some of whom would later become regulars on his subsequent recordings), including drummer Terry Bozzio, bassist Roy Estrada, keyboardist Ruth Underwood, and saxophonist Napoleon Murphy Brock, as well as a section of vocalists featuring Davey Moire, Rubén Ladrón de Guevara, and Sparkie Lewis. Zappa himself handled guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, lead vocals, and production. In “Zoot Allures”, Frank Zappa moved somewhat away from his usual standard sound, embracing a more direct and pure rock style. While he achieves this style at many points on the album, his characteristic music remains present in every groove. His peculiar humor continues to dominate the vast majority of tracks, such as the sordid “The Torture Never Stops” or the humorous and entertaining “Ms. Pinky”. On the other hand, “Wind Up Working In a Gas Station” and “Black Napkins” are the aforementioned moments of straightforward rock, where Zappa's guitar solos showcase his astonishing mastery of the instrument. The instrumental “Zoot Allures” is one of the album's highlights, featuring his distinctive guitar work in the foreground, a slow piece superbly sustained by an exceptional Terry Bozzio. Finally, Zappa makes his own humorous nod to disco music, which was then at its peak, with his song "Disco Boy", another spectacular number of pure rock and an excellent closing to a great album of pure fun and virtuosity from all the musicians involved.

Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles-Live! (1972)

Far from being the typical solo drummer who prioritized his personal and instrumental ego over teamwork, Buddy Miles is one of the most prolific drummers in rock history, collaborating with legendary artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Electric Flag, Muddy Waters, Santana, and John McLaughlin, among other rock greats. Beyond his virtuosity on the drums, Miles was also a very good singer and guitarist, as well as a renowned songwriter and producer. In 1972, his extensive collaborations culminated in the triumphant álbum "Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live", which, in addition to the Mexican-born guitarist, also featured Neal Schon (guitar), Coke Escobedo (drums), Mike Carabello (percussion), Mingo Lewis (percussion), and Hadley Caliman (winds). Recorded live in Honolulu, Hawaii, during "The Sunshine Festival, Inside Diamond Head", held in January 1972, it showcases a style quite different from what Carlos Santana was doing in those years, with a repertoire of extensive tracks with psychedelic influences under funk, rhythm and blues, and jazz rock, making it a record clearly oriented towards jam sessions and improvisation, as demonstrated by the extensive "Free Form Funkafide Fifth", where both musicians show a great state of form, with a great interaction between the guitars and the drums.

Jimi Hendrix-Live At Woodstock (2000)

On August 18, 1969, at the crack of dawn, the final performance of the legendary Woodstock Festival began. The last figure to take the stage was Jimi Hendrix, accompanied by his short-lived backing band, Gypsy Sun and Rainbow. By that morning, only about 40,000 privileged and exhausted spectators remained after three intense days, during which the total attendance had exceeded 500,000. After a dazzling opening filled with instrumental and guitar pyrotechnics from Hendrix, and with the support of a band that brilliantly fulfilled its role, the iconic guitarist began to perform some of his most emblematic songs. In all of them, as was typical for the guitarist, the versions were expanded with improvised solos, most often chaotic, but at the same time fascinating, dizzying, and explosive. Songs like the bluesy "Red House" and "Hear My Train a Comin' ", the visceral "Fire" and "Purple Haze", the psychedelic "Voodoo Child", the hard rock "Foxy Lady", and the improvised jams "Jam Back At The House" and "Woodstock Improvisation". To close his performance, Jimi Hendrix played a distorted version of the American national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner". All of this is captured on this double album, released 30 years later by MCA Records, a historical document that records one of the most memorable moments in rock history, as well as being one of the best live albums in all its splendor.

Floh De Cologne-Geyer-Symphonie (1973)

Floh De Cologne was the first overtly political German krautrock group, whose Marxist and anarchist ideas permeated the lyrics of their music. Formed in Cologne in the mid-1960s as a political collective by students from the University of Cologne, their style was characterized by a direct and hard-hitting sound, a rational inheritance from the works of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. Their original lineup consisted of Gerd Wollschon (vocals, keyboards), Markus Schmidt (violin, bass), Hans-Jorg "Hansi" Frank (drums and keyboards), and Britta Baltruschat (vocals). Their first album, released in 1968 and titled "Vietnam", was a clear attack on the Vietnam War, which had become the focus of all military efforts amidst the tensions of the Cold War. This group placed far more emphasis on the political message than on the music itself, with absurd and burlesque lyrics that were closer to the realm of theater and vaudeville than to a conventional rock band. In the following years, this band released controversial albums that continued in the same political and subversive direction, such as "Fliessbandbaby's Beat-Show" (1970) and "Lucky Streik" (1972). All of them are filled with provocative and humorous messages about the political and social situations of the time. Musically, they displayed a strange fusion of avant-folk, experimental sounds, free rock, and political narrative. In 1973 came one of their masterpieces, "Geyer-Symphonie", with which they consolidated their radical approach with attacks of visceral, theatrical, and symphonic rock. From this point on, other smaller works would follow until the mid-1980s, when they released their last works, far removed from the sound and media impact of their beginnings.

Spirit-Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus (1970)

Spirit was a legendary band from Los Angeles, formed in 1967 by Randy California (guitar), Ed Cassidy (drums), John Locke (keyboards), Mark Andes (bass and vocals), and Jay Ferguson (vocals and percussion). Initially called Spirits Rebellious, they later became known simply as Spirit. Their style was influenced by blues rock, with touches of psychedelia and jazz. Randy California had previously played with Jimi Hendrix (then known as Jimmy James) in a group called Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in 1966, and Hendrix's music influenced his later career. In 1968, they released their debut album, "Spirit", a great combination of psychedelic rock, progressive rock, baroque pop, folk, raga, and jazz, which was very well received by critics and the public. Later that year, their second album, "The Family That Plays Together", was released, followed by a tour with Led Zeppelin as their opening act. Interestingly, around that time, Led Zeppelin covered Spirit's song "Fresh Garbage", which was included in one of their extensive live medleys, and they were possibly inspired by Spirit's own song "Taurus" to compose the beginning of "Stairway to Heaven". This second album is much more elaborate and varied, and is also one of the band's best. In 1969, they released "Clear", which was another excellent work. Then, in 1970, they were signed by Epic Records. With this new record label, they released their most acclaimed album, 'Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus', featuring songs much more accessible than their previous work, such as 'Nature's Way', 'Animal Zoo', and 'Mr. Skin'. This album competed on the charts that year against the best albums of 1970 and was soon considered one of the best albums released that year. After the tour following the album's release, Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes left the group to form Jo Jo Gunne. Shortly afterward, Randy California also decided to leave the group to pursue a solo career. In the following years, Randy would return to the group to record the occasional album or tour, alternating his solo career with the band, but with little of the same impact as before.

Steely Dan-Katy Lied (1975)

With Steely Dan's fourth album, its two leaders, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, abandoned the conventional rock band approach to become a project of musical research and experimentation. From then on, each song on all subsequent albums would feature meticulously chosen musicians, musicians who adapted to the concept and idea of ​​the compositions in question. "Katy Lied" also marked a stylistic evolution from everything previously released; here they moved towards structured soft rock, leaving behind (albeit subtly) the jazz arrangements. Among the twenty or so collaborating musicians, notable figures include Larry Carlton, Jeff Porcaro, Hugh McCraken, Rick Derringer, Elliott Randall, David Paich, and Victor Feldman. These rock sounds are present in elegant and sophisticated tracks like "Black Friday", "Chain Lightning", "Everyone's Gone to the Movies", "Throw Back the Little Ones", and "Doctor Wu", while the usual pop-jazz and blues sounds appear in "Bad Sneakers", "Your Gold Teeth II", and "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More". "Katy Lied" is arguably their most balanced and consistent recording to date, maintaining the refined atmosphere, the usual perfectionist production, and impeccably executed compositions, all adorned by the twisted and ironic lyrics of the duo Fagen & Becker.

Ornette Coleman-The Shape Of Jazz To Come (1959)

"The Shape of Jazz to Come" is considered one of the most groundbreaking albums in the free jazz genre, recorded by one of its legendary figures, saxophonist Ornette Coleman. For this recording, Coleman dispensed with one of jazz's fundamental instruments, the piano, using a quartet composed of drums, bass, trumpet, and saxophone. Recorded at Radio Recorders Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Coleman was joined by Billy Higgins (drums), Charlie Haden (bass), and Don Cherry (trumpet), under the supervision of producer Nesuhi Ertgun. With this album, the jazz world was shaken by its collectively improvised musical language, breaking the mold of established bebop rules and dismantling the most purist notions of harmony and melody. Without a doubt, this is a landmark of the free jazz movement and a cornerstone of modern music.

Billie Holiday-Lady In Satin (1958)

Billie Holiday is one of the great divas of jazz; it has been said that her voice changed the art of singing forever. Her life was always turbulent; from childhood, Holiday had a difficult and tumultuous life. Her artistic career began when she was almost a teenager in the early 1930s, singing in seedy clubs in New York. Some time later, thanks to her manipulation of phrasing and vocal style, she released her first recorded song, "Your Mother's Son-In-Law" (1933), which earned her some prestige in the city's jazz circles. From then on, her collaborations with legends like Count Basie, Lester Young, and Artie Shaw, among many others, were constant, resulting in dozens of immortal recordings. However, her tumultuous personal and emotional life took its toll, with alcohol and drug use leading to many problems, including a year in prison for heroin possession. In 1958, she released her penultimate album before her death, "Lady in Satin", with arrangements and orchestra by Ray Ellis. On this album, the singer, in a lamentable state of health, exhausted and utterly devastated by her addictions, managed to capture her tremendous vulnerability in a series of songs. Her broken, hoarse voice conveyed a powerful and overwhelming emotional intensity, blending the melancholy and bittersweet sorrows of her life with a certain indulgence and joy. Without a doubt, this was the best epitaph for one of the great storytellers in the history of jazz and contemporary music.

Count Basie-The Atomic Mr. Basie (1957)

Count Basie was one of the aristocrats of jazz, famous for his distinctive style, his diverse influences, his great dynamism, and that unique and peculiar sense of swing. All these qualities are present in one of his most dazzling and famous recordings, "The Atomic Mr. Basie", made in late 1957 at Capitol Studios in New York and released by Roulette Records. In this legendary recording, Basie managed to resurrect the Big Bands from the ashes after years in which they had lost the public's interest and were almost forgotten. All the material presented here was written by arranger Neal Hefti and features a powerful horn section. However, the common thread is Basie's understated yet fiery piano, which, with its playing, achieves moments of great instrumental cacophony. Vigorous pieces are interwoven with others of great melodic beauty, subtlety, and delicate orchestral nuances. 

GNP-Safety Zone (1989)

In 1986 the members of Saga; Jim Gilmour and Steve Negus, left the band to form the group GNP (initials of Gilmour Negus Project), next to the singer Robert Bevan.
Their only album "Safety Zone" was released in 1989 and unlike the progressive rock of Saga, the group is oriented towards more commercial sounds with an AOR in a vein to what contemporary bands like Toto or Journey did at the time. However even so, you can still sense certain sounds inherited from Saga, such as great keyboards, a very polished sound and great addictive melodies. Gilmour's skills become the highlight of this album, with the melodic voice of singer Robert Bevan.

Jefferson Starship-Spitfire (1976)

“Spitfire” was Jefferson Starship’s third album and the tenth in the Jefferson saga, not counting the work of Hot Tuna, the other side project of the dynasty comprised of Jack Cassidy and Jorma Kaukonen. On this third release, guitarist Craig Chaquico takes center stage, composing four of the album’s nine tracks and contributing his unmistakable guitar work to the final product. However, the band’s style gradually shifted towards catchier, more commercial sounds, without abandoning the characteristic complexity that Paul Katner used to infuse into Starship’s sound. Even so, the album features standout tracks such as the psychedelic “Cruisin’ ”, the dark, gospel-tinged “Hot Water” with Grace Slick’s sensitive vocals, the complex “St. Charles”, the progressive “Song To The Sun / Ozymandies / Don’t Let It Rain”, and the melodic “With Your Love” and “Switchblade”. To close out the album, they tackled the country-rock tracks "Big City" and the energetic "Love Lovely Love", creating an eclectic yet cohesive and homogeneous record. "Spitfire" didn't achieve the same sales or success as its predecessor, "Red Octopus", but it did reach platinum status and number three on the US Billboard charts.

Frumpy-Frumpy 2 (1971)

In the early 1970s, Frumpy were at the height of Krautrock's popularity and, along with Kraan, Guru Guru, Neu!, Agitation Free, and Ash Ra Tempel, were one of the most acclaimed bands in Germany and across continental Europe. Their debut album, the excellent "All Will Be Changed", was a work brimming with sounds that blended psychedelia, blues, gospel influences, soul, and progressive rock. A previous tour supporting British rock heavyweights like Yes, Humble Pie, Spooky Tooth, and Renaissance only served to solidify their status as a promising band, and this first album achieved overwhelming commercial success and garnered numerous positive reviews from the music press of the time. A year later, with the addition of guitarist Rainer Baumann, Frumpy released their second album, "Frumpy 2". On this album, the band, led by singer Inga Rumpf and featuring keyboardist Jean-Jacques Kravetz and a rhythm section comprised of bassist Karl-Heinz Schott and drummer Carsten Bohn, presents four expansive songs leaning towards progressive hard rock. With a more technical and elaborate production, they showcase superb instrumentation that at times evokes the British heavy rock of contemporary bands like Atomic Rooster, Quatermass, and Uriah Heep. Brilliant guitars, prominent Hammond organ sounds, and Rumpf's emotive and powerful vocals are present in tracks such as the mesmerizing and hypnotic "Good Wings", the heavy hard rock track "Take Care Of Illusion", the thrilling "Duty", and the progressive mini-epic "How The Gipsy Was Born". With this second release, Frumpy managed to create one of the masterpieces of the native German genre, and a true masterpiece of progressive and psychedelic rock from the 70s.

Tokyo Blade-Night of the Blade (1984)

Tokyo Blade are another essential band of the "New Wave of British Heavy Metal" (NWOBHM) movement, and along with Iron Maiden, are among the few still active today. Formed in Salisbury, near Southampton, their beginnings date back to the late 1970s when several young men Alan Marsh (vocals), Andy Boulton (guitar), Ray Dismore (guitar), Andy Robbins (bass), and Steve Pierce (drums) founded a band called White Diamond. After several name and lineup changes, and finally settling on Tokyo Blade, they signed with the independent label Powerstation, with whom they recorded their self-titled debut album in 1983. This first release features tremendous tracks with breakneck rhythms, such as the fast and powerful "Powergame", the heavy punk "Break the Chains", and the potent heavy metal "If Heaven Is Hell". A year later, now under the wing of a more prestigious label like Roadrunner, they released their second album, "Night of the Blade", in which they embellished their powerful riffs with catchy choruses, as in the monumental tracks "Love Struck", "Rock Me To The Limit", and "Someone to Love", or the epic songs "Lightning Strikes" and "Warrior Of the Rising Sun". With this album and its predecessor, Tokyo Blade secured their place of honor in the history of heavy metal. 

Shocking Blue-Best (1973)

Shocking Blue made history as the first Dutch group to reach number one on the US Billboard charts with the song "Venus", which also became a massive worldwide hit. Founded in The Hague in 1967, the band was centered around guitarist Robbie Van Leeuwen, who recruited guitarist Fred de Wilde, bassist Klassje Van der Wal, and drummer Van der Beek. After signing with Polydor Records, they recorded their first single, "Love Is in the Air", which failed to chart. However, they achieved considerable success with their next single, "Lucy Brown Is Back in Town", a song with clear British Invasion pop influences. A year later, their debut album, "Beat with Us", was released, and shortly after, Van Leeuwen added singer Mariska Veres, who was soon hailed as the Dutch Grace Slick for her versatile and powerful voice. With Mariska already in the fold, they released the vibrant song "Send Me a Postcard", with a more psychedelic sound than anything they had done up to that point. From this point on, the band established themselves as the sensation of Dutch pop-rock, achieving another hit with "Long Lonesome Road". In 1969, the song "Venus" definitively cemented their international success with numerous number one hits around the world. However, the same cannot be said for their native Netherlands, where it only reached a modest eleventh place on the charts. The following year, the band continued to release great songs that didn't achieve the worldwide success of "Venus", although they did find success in Europe with "Mighty Joe" and "Never Marry a Railroad Man", both of which reached number one in the Netherlands. During 1971 and 1972, the group released their last albums with mixed success, despite containing high-quality songs such as "Hello Darkness", "Blossom Lady", "Shocking You", and "Rock in the Sea". From that year onward, the group gradually lost the public's interest and eventually disbanded.

Steppenwolf-Monster (1969)

After releasing three successful psychedelic hard rock albums in the late 1960s, Steppenwolf were at the height of their popularity. Their iconic song "Born to Be Wild", often considered one of the first heavy metal songs, had placed them at the pinnacle of American rock. 1969 saw the release of their fourth album, "Monster", a record brimming with social and political commentary, right in the middle of the controversial Vietnam War. On this fourth release, Larry Brown took over lead guitar duties from Michael Monarch, while John Kay (vocals and guitar), Nick St. Nicholas (bass), Goldy McJohn (keyboards), and Jerry Edmonton (drums) completed the definitive lineup. The album opens with the epic "Monster/Suicide/America", a powerful song with strong political and social commentary criticizing slavery, police brutality, and war. Musically, this song represents the natural essence of Steppenwolf, with a powerful, crescendoing hard rock underpinned by dynamic and potent guitar riffs. Following a similar path is the murky "Draft Resister," another critique, this time focused on political hierarchies, while the rhythmic "Power Play", the instrumental "Fag," and the powerful "From Here to There Finally" form a thematically cohesive album that managed to maintain its strength, conveying a witty and ironic message that would not go unnoticed by the American public.

J.J.Cale-Travel-Log (1989)

After a six-year hiatus from recording, J.J. Cale returned in 1989 with his ninth album, "Travel-Log", a decidedly more energetic record compared to his previous releases focused on folk, jazz, blues, and American roots music. For this album, Cale collaborated with prominent musicians from the American rock scene, including Jim Keltner (organ and drums), Christine Lakeland (organ, guitars, and vocals), Tim Drummond (bass), Spooner Oldham (keyboards), James Burton (guitars), and the bandleader and arranger Al Capps and his orchestra. "Travel-Log" exudes a dynamic and fresh atmosphere, showcasing a power rarely seen from the Oklahoma guitarist. Vigorous rock tracks like "Who's Talking", "Hold on Baby", "Disadvantage", and "No Time" are interwoven with pieces more in keeping with his usual style, such as the laid-back country and folk numbers "Lady Luck", "Lean on Me", "End of the Line", and "Humdinger". With "Travel-Log", J.J. Cale continued to solidify his legendary status and immense prestige as one of the great icons of 20th-century rock and roll.

The Zombies-Odessey and Oracle (1968)

"Odessey and Oracle" was the second album by the British band The Zombies, released in 1968 and considered one of the most iconic albums of all time. An aesthetically pleasing, beautiful, and majestic record, a blend of power and beauty, this mix of rock ballads and classical piano contains a unique and impeccable melodic structure. The Zombies had already surprised audiences with songs like the classic "She's Not There" and "Tell Her No", which featured two-part harmonies. Here, the work is maximized with an even richer vocal texture, resulting in one of the best albums of the 1960s. The brooding Chris White and Rod Argent deliver a collection of great compositions, often in the form of highly distinctive two-part fantasies; Each track more impressive than the last, Rod Argent provides the keyboards for every song, with evocative pieces and well-established harmonic rhythms. His best work is on the Mellotron in “Hung Up On A Dream” or his psychedelic solo in “Time of The Season”, in addition to glorious harmonic vocals in “Beechwood Park” and brilliant songs like “Care of Cell 44” and “Time Of The Season”. In short, a masterpiece and a landmark of 1960s psychedelic music.

Area-Arbeit Macht Frei (1973)

While not achieving the commercial and media success of their compatriots Premiata Forneria Marconi or Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Area is one of the most challenging and unusual bands in Italian avant-garde rock. Their golden age spanned from 1973 to 1980, years in which they released six excellent albums, all highly regarded among fans of experimental progressive rock. Formed in 1971 by Demetrio Stratos (vocals and organ), Gianpaolo Tofani (guitar and synthesizer), Patrizio Fariselli (keyboards), Victor Edouard Busnello (wind instruments), Patrick Djivas (bass), and Giulio Capiozzo (drums), this Italian group released their first album, "Arbeit Macht Frei", in 1973. This unique record, while not adhering to a single genre, perfectly blends the sounds of jazz, rock, world music, progressive rock, and psychedelia. A dynamic album that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat for almost 40 minutes, from the wacky free jazz "Luglio, Agosto, Settembre (Nero)" to the experimental jazz funk rock "Arbeit Macht Frei", passing through the avant-garde fusión "Consapevolezza", the progressive "Le Labbra del Tempo" or the experimental tour de force "240 Chilometri Da Smirne", which makes this album one of the most restless and adventurous of the entire progressive scene that emerged in Italy in the 70s.

Herbie Hancock-Future Shock (1983)

Like other musicians such as Miles Davis and David Bowie, Herbie Hancock always embraced the new musical trends of his time, sometimes yielding great results, though often not so much. This was the case with his thirtieth studio album, "Future Shock", where the African American keyboardist radically altered his career by fusing hip-hop, electronic boogie, and danceable rhythm and blues. Amidst the effervescent hip-hop movement of that era, influenced by African beat sounds and Black American music, Hancock crafted an album that, beneath his signature funk/jazz rhythms, incorporated other avant-garde sonic elements, creating a contagious and addictive work. Part of the album's success is also due to bassist and producer Bill Laswell, who rose to prominence in New York's creative post-punk jazz scene and from there to superstardom with the massive success of this release. Similarly, another driving force behind the album was Grand Mixer DST, who transformed the newfound skill of scratching into an art form and added cutting-edge, creative soundscapes to most of the tracks. Between Herbie, DST, and Bill, they created an album brimming with unforgettable melodies and rhythms. The catchy tune of "Rockit", the elegant, exotic fusion of "Earth Beat", and the electro-funk of "Autodrive" helped secure this album a privileged place in music history, far beyond the 1980s.

Saxon-Crusader (1984)

After crafting five monumental albums considered essential works within the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM), Saxon embarked on their fifth album, subtly moving away from the electrifying heavy metal of their origins to showcase a more mature and serious side. In this new venture, the band, led by the prodigious vocals of Biff Byford, the razor-sharp guitars of Graham Oliver and Paul Quinn, and the powerful rhythm section of Steve Dawson and Nigel Glockler, created another of their essential works. Featuring a more striking cover than its minimalist and austere predecessors, the British band imperially presents epics such as the heavy metal anthem "Crusaders", a track as intense as it is devastating, the tremendous "A Little Bit Of What Your Fancy?", the powerful hard rock tracks "Rock City", "Bad Boys", and "Just Let Me Rock", and the heavy-hitting "Sailing to America" ​​and "Do It All For You". With this sixth album, Saxon continued their predictable musical evolution and the maturity necessary to continue facing, for many more years, one of the best sounds of British heavy metal.

David Sancious And Tone-Transformation (Speed Of Love) (1976)

David Sancious was one of the components of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, with whom he would record the albums "Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ", "The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Band" (both from 1973) and "Born To Run" (1975), after this last work he would leave the E Street Band to form his own band Tone with which he published four albums.
In 1976 he would publish his second album "Transformation (The Speed of Love)" which, unlike his debut album "Forest Of Feelings", gave greater prominence to the sound of guitars and divided the work into four long songs focused on jazz rock with some approaches. to progressive sounds, with echoes to Weather Report, Return To Forever or the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Survivor-Eye Of The Tiger (1982)

"Eye Of The Tiger" is the quintessence of melodic rock, the album that elevated the genre to the general public and that decades later continues to be highly appreciated by AOR fans. By the time Survivor was released it had already released two albums "Survivor" (1979) and "Premonition" (1981), but it would be with this "Eye Of The Tiger" when they would reach the top with a round and outstanding album, in addition to the famous title track album (main theme of the millionaire movie Rocky III) stood out superb compositions such as "Feels like Love", "Hesitation Dance", "Silver Girl", "Children Of the Night" or "American Heartbeat". The duo formed by Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan were the authors of almost all the compositions, thus demonstrating the enormous talent of composition of both. Both the album and the single obtained a platinum disc for its sales, as well as a Grammy and took the first positions of the Billboard and UK Charts.

Trapeze-Medusa (1970)

Trapeze were other of the many great bands born in the late sixties and early seventies, a time that undoubtedly took place the greatest explosion of talent in rock. Hundreds and hundreds of bands that, drinking from the great blues classics, amplified their sound and took the music to levels difficult to imagine.
A few dozen groups deservedly took most of the glory. Others were not so lucky, despite the undoubted quality that they treasured, but that nevertheless left their mark and their legacy that were collected by the new generations.
One of the bands belonging to the second group was Trapeze, they never had the deserved success, although they were well recognized at the time for their direct explosives. Formed in 1969 in Staffordshire in the West of England, their first formation would only last a few months, but the second would be made up of Glenn Hughes (bass and vocals), Mel Galley (Guitars) and Dave Holland (drums). This formation would record their two best works "Trapeze" and "Medusa", both in 1970. The latter was recorded six months after the debut, and contains a repertoire loaded with songs that are in the line of hard rock blues as the initial "Black Could", or hardening their sound like heavy rock "Jury" or "Makes You Wanna Cry", instead songs like "Medusa" and "Your Love is Alright" are more focused on soul rock.
In the successive years these three musicians would go on to join three legendary bands, Hughes in Deep Purple, Mel Galley in Whitesnake and Holland in Judas Priest.

Armageddon-Armageddon (1975)

Keith Relf's career was fascinating, the founder of The Yardbirds shared memorable moments in this mythical band with Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, three of the greatest guitarists in history, then he founded the formidable band Renaissance with whom he would do two superb works of folk, blues and music with American roots. In the mid-70s he would form together with several former members of the Steamhammer band, Martin Pugh (guitar) and Louis Cennamo (bass) the group Armageddon. Drummer Bobby Caldwell completed the line-up and thanks to Peter Frampton, Relf's friend, they got a contract with A&M Records, with whom they published the honorable álbum "Armageddon" in 1975.
An album where Relf leaves behind his American sound to dedicate himself fully to the primitive sounds of hard rock, based on a consistent and complex rhythmic section and supported by the work of de Pugh's guitars, with his tremendous heavy rock riffs. Weighed down by having to compete with some of the best albums published in that year and by a dirtier and less polished sound, more real and raw than some of the jewels released at that time.
Even so "Armageddon" contains great moments such as the initial "Buzzard", where Pugh shows his great ability on the six strings, or "Silver Tightrope" an excellent theme with psychedelic airs or the zeppelin "Last Stand Before".
With no time to promote the album Relf would die electrocuted playing guitar shortly after, leaving the legacy of his enormous work with The Yardbirds, Renaissance and this one from Armageddon.

Alcatrazz-No Parole From Rock ´n´ Roll (1983)

The main attraction of Alcatrazz was the voice of its singer and founder Graham Bonnet, who some years ago had been the vocalist of Rainbow on their album "Down to Earth", however the rest of the band was made up of great musicians such as ex-Iron Butterfly drummer Jan Uvena, ex-New England members Gary Shea, bassist and keyboardist Jimmy Waldo, and massive Swedish guitarist and ex-Steeler member Yngwie Malmsteen.
His recording debut came from the album "No Parole From Rock ´n´ Roll" (1983), in which the prominence of the aforementioned Bonnet and Malmsteen stand out, the latter already here showing his enormous credentials as an extraordinary guitarist with his vertiginous solos and their refined melodies, accompanied by an inspiring Bonnet, showing his enormous voice with fabulous performances. A traditional Hard rock album with nods to the neoclassical style and great forcefulness, very close to classic heavy metal. Tracks like "Island In The sun", "Jet To Jet" or "Hiroshima Mon Amour" sound really fantastic with a simply overwhelming and superb Malmsteen on the six strings.
From here two more albums, both without the Swedish guitarist "Disturbing The Peace" and "Dangerous Games", for the first it would be replaced by the great Steve Vai, and Danny Johnson in the second, being the album with Frank's Zappa disciple, the more acceptable of the two.

Y&T-Earthshaker (1981)

Y&T are a hard rock band heir to the best American rock of the 60s and 70s, with the sensitivity of the sublime melodies of British rock, who in the eighties made their three best works, starting with their great "Earthshaker" and the following "Black Tiger" and "Mean Streak".
Formed in the early 70's as Yesterday and Today by guitarist Dave Meniketti, drummer Leonard Haze, bassist Phil Kennemore, and lead vocalist and guitarist Joey Alves. After their first two albums "Yesterday and Today" (1976) and "Struck Down" (1978), the band shortened their name to Y&T under which they released their third album "Earthshaker" in 1981.
Loaded with powerful hard rock such as "Hungry For Rock", "Hurricane", "Shake it Loose" or "Knock You Out", they manage to capture the energy and power of rock in a simple but effective way. The rest of the album did not lag behind with songs like "Rescue Me" where Meniketti does an enviable guitarist job or the ballad "I Believe In You", an epic song loaded with an incredible guitar solo.
His next two albums, although with an undoubted quality, did not reach the level of this "Earthshaker", despite contagious songs such as the well-known "Don´t Wanna Lose", the great ballad "Winds of Change", heavy jewels like "Open Fire" or "Black Tiger" or great rock anthems like "Mean Streak".

Poobah-Let Me In (1972)

Poobah are complete strangers in Europe, but legends in the United States, where their powerful hard rock was all the rage in the 1970s. Founded in 1972 in Parkersburh, Ohio by guitarist Jim Gustafson, with the help of bassist Phil Jones, they added Glenn Wiseman to drums thus forming this power trio, all of them high school students. Within a few months, Poobah would enter the recording studios to lay the foundations for what would become one of the quintessential North American hard rock albums "Let Me In" (1972) with which a frenzy began rock´n'roll that would see its continuation with a series of great albums to this day. Fusing psychedelic elements of Cream's early days with the heaviness of Black Sabbath's distorted guitars, Poobah's debut album soon became legendary, as did Jim Gustafson's heroic guitars, and with it the band began its steady rise until reaching the status of a cult band.
An album that begins with the overwhelming "Mr. Destroyer" a theme that transports us to the first albums of Tony Iommi and Ozzy Osbourne, the psychedelic streak is in "Enjoy What You Have" with a really fascinating atmosphere, "Live To Work" and "Let Me In" are powerful hard rock and the long progressive "Make a Man Outta You" and the visceral "Upside Down Highway" show the versatility of the group.
The force of this "Let Me In" and the subsequent incendiary live shows of the band led Poobah to get to play in many concerts with bands like Canned Heat, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top or Foghat.

Funkadelic-Maggot Brain (1971)

Together with Parliament, Funkadelic were the greatest exponents of the fusion between psychedelic rock, funk and soul, a fascinating synthesis that Jimi Hendrix would take to the creative peak and that musicians such as George Clinton exploited to unsuspected limits. Originally founded in 1964 by George Clinton with musicians from the Parliament band. His innovative concept was channeled through the two aforementioned bands.
While Parliament made a softer funk based on rhythm and blues and wind and string arrangements, Funkadelic practiced an experimental funk rock, with powerful guitars influenced by Jimi Hendrix with scratchy and raw sounds taken from the hard rock bands of Detroit.
"Maggot Brain" would be the title of his third and definitive album, published in 1971, an essential album in the history of psychedelic funk rock and that would decisively influence hundreds of later artists. Its star songs is precisely the one that gives the album its title, a ten-minute epic where its fantastic guitarist Eddie Hazel develops an impressive guitar solo, apparently under the effects of hallucinogens such as LSD. The rest of the album is not lagging behind and so are captivating songs like "Super Stupid", "Hit It And Quit It" or "Wars of Armageddon", this last one an amazing jam that closes this masterpiece of funk rock.

Jeff Beck, Tim Bogert & Carmine Appice-Beck, Bogert & Appice (1973)

In 1973 Jeff Beck ended his adventure with the Jeff Beck Group and decided to form a power trio calling Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert, one of the best rhythmic sections of the time, and they recorded the honorable album "Beck, Bogert & Appice", a magnificent album that was criticized by some for its "minor" production and also for not having included a good vocalist. Certainly this album with Rod Stewart or even with Bobby Tench is possible that it would have won many more integers.
In any case, this album was the confirmation of the quality of the three magnificent musicians in an album that nevertheless exudes an undoubted quality, both in terms of composition and instrumental. Tracks like the blues rock "Black Cat Moan", the powerful "Lady", the forceful rock "Why Should I Care About You Now" or the funk rock "Lose Myself With You" and "Superstition" make the quality of the album clear. However, for those who questioned the vocal part of the band there are "Oh To Love You", "Sweet Sweet Surrender" or the magnificent "I'm So Proud" where the vocal lines are high.

Rush-Counterparts (1993)

"Counterparts" was released in October 1993 and produced by the band's own musicians. It corresponds to the last active stage of the band before its first and only separation. Lyrically the album follows the line of the band but musically, "Counterparts" is an unconventional Rush album, so much so that you can hear similarities and nuances of hard rock that make it very attractive; although many of the previously used additional elements, varied percussion and synthesizers are still appreciated.
With a much more basic, simpler, more raw sound, almost all songs have a guitar background and synthesizers and keyboards practically disappear. A more basic scheme for guitar, bass and drums. This is clear from the first three songs on the album, "Animate me", "Stick it out" and "Cut to the chase".
Likewise, the lyrics on this album become more generic and abstract. But precisely "Nobody's hero" is an exception both in this aspect, even the lyrics sparked some controversy due to its references to homosexuality and AIDS, as well as in the musical aspect, introducing more arrangements and the acoustic guitar.
It continues with two of the most interesting songs on the album such as "Between sun & moon" and "Alien shore". Following the line opened on the previous album, they insist on that new way which are love songs with "The speed of love" and "Cold fire", although always looking for an approach towards the style of the band and far removed from the typical cliches.
They also return to include an instrumental song with the curious title "Leave that thing alone", the album closes with the bright and optimistic "Everyday glory".
It has the special participation of Michael Kamen and like every Rush album, it is a work of art.

Ozric Tentacles-The Yumyum Tree (2009)

In the mid-1980s, Ozric Tentacles, in Somerset, a county in the south-west of England, founded Ozric Tentacles, a group of young people related to progressive music and electronic rock. In the beginning they were regulars at the Glastonbury Festival where they sold their songs on cassettes.
It would not be until 1989 when they released their first album "Pungent Effulgent" under the independent label Dovetail Records and distributed by Snapper Music.
The music of Ozric Tentacles is a versatile amalgamation of psychedelic and spatial instrumental rock, influenced by the progressive rock of bands like Gong, Pink Floyd and the krautrock of the early 70s.
His first album was followed by a series of works all focused on the same difercion, among which "Erpland" (1990), "Jurassic Shift" (1993) or "The Hidden Step" (2000) stand out. In 2009, "The Yumyum Tree" would arrive, their twelfth album, which contains a suggestive experimental mix with oriental elements, electronic rhythms, funk, ethereal landscapes, acidic and hypnotic guitars and powerful bass lines, with an impressive array of instruments, all this conveniently framed in a successful balance of relaxation, frenzy and intensity.
A band that produces such fascinating and seductive music that they have attracted hundreds of thousands of followers around the world.

Steve Miller Band-Fly Like An Eagle (1976)

Steve Miller is one of those musicians whose passion for blues and rock made him one of the best artisans of the style, with a charisma and a power to create great songs, a maker of hits, but never a leading man, despite the large number of gold and platinum records he has achieved throughout his career.
Born in Dallas in 1943 at the age of twelve, he was impressed by the revolution that Elvis Presley's rock signified, and with a classmate he would form his first band, that companion would later become a shining star: Boz Scaggs.
After several more bands, all influenced by soul and rock, Miller moved to Chicago, where he played a lot of blues, forming the band The Goldberg Miller Band with Barry Goldberg.
There he would also record his first albums, but they did not obtain desired success. Some time later he would move to California where he would form his definitive band The Steve Miller Band. After playing gigs for quite some time, they recorded various soundtracks for documentaries and even opened for Chuck Berry.
In 1968 the first two albums of the band "Children of the Future" and "Sailor" appeared, works still quite immature and rough, but which envision a promising future.
During the period from 1969 to 1973 they recorded five more albums, all of them with different formations, until in 1974 they finally achieved success with the album "The Joker", which became number one on the charts in America and received many accolades and accolades.
"The Joker" is a perfect rock compendium, without excessive implications in its contents. Two years would last the hangover of this successful album, which would be followed by the superb "Fly Like an Eagle", with which it would get four platinum records.
Unlike the blues-based sounds of his previous works, for this new album Steve Miller reinvents himself with a melodic rock style, with very subtle approaches to hard rock. With the initial and atmospheric "Space Intro" this album was Steve Miller's best commercial option to date, thanks to songs like "Fly Like An Eagle" one of the iconic songs of the seventies, the enchanting "Serenade", the tremendously Addictive "Rock 'n' Free" or "Take The Money and Run" which was one of the hits of the album.

Tir Na nÓg-Tir Na nÓg (1971)

In a mysterious and delicate way with their musical style in 1971 a duo called Tir Na nÓg appeared. Their sound was a wise mixture of oriental exoticism, subtle pop cadence, Hindu mysticism, with a great lyricism with classical reminiscences, they were one of the most important contributions in a year in which intimate music dominated much of the public's tastes, people like Carole King, James Taylor, CSN&Y, Cat Stevens and many others.
Tir Na nÓg was the colorist note, they did not achieve any # 1, they did not manage to sell a million dollars in records to get a gold record, they were not headlining at any festival and they did not even get on the charts ... however Any enthusiast, critics themselves, and even many famous contemporary artists cited Tir Na Nog as the best of that year.
Their first album, honorably titled as the group, was the key to everything. A single album raised them to the top of quality, of the most precious expression that music had ever given.
There were thirteen songs composed indistinctly by the two members of this duo, two young boys, simple, poets and good musicians. They were Sonny Condell on guitar, tabla, Moroccan drums and harp and Leo O'Kelly on guitar, bass and other instruments.
Later in 1972 "A Tear And A Smile" would be published, a new sample of mystical expressionism as well as the following "Strong In The Sun" (1973), all of them unanimously acclaimed by the critics of the time, even nominated for the best group of folk of those years, which however did not have the desired commercial impact, partly due to the large number of bands and artists of enormous quality who constantly published, something that obviously weighed down bands with less specific weight, and above all to little or no publicity shown by their record companies, more concerned with established artists.

The Electric Prunes-Underground (1967)

In the field of experimentation, Electric Prunes played a decisive trump card in the second half of the 1960s. Their albums full of spirited sound intensity, were probably one of the preludes to the underground or progressive, opening new sound lines to the groups that later gave the definitive rise to the avant-garde.
They left behind an interesting and ambitious collection of great albums worthy of study, "The Electric Prunes", their first album was the basis for "Underground", their second LP, which already showed in their name which were the musical paths of the group.
In this "Underground" the growing psychedelic and experimental vision of the group was observed, despite everything it would go unnoticed by the general public.
"Mass In F Minor" his third work is even more experimental, a concept album closer to a rock mass than to a conventional rock album, which to make it even more complicated was sung in Latin. This unpublished and unusual work ends with the disintegration of the band.
However, in 1968 the album "Release Of An Oath" would be published, following the tone of the previous one, it does not have much commercial impact, but curiously it was immortalized in the famous movie "Easy Rider" thanks to the theme "Kyrie Eleison".
"Just Old Good Rock and Roll" was the epitaph of Electric Prunes, which despite returning to the sounds of its origins was yet another complete commercial disaster.
Years later the band would meet again for some concerts and various compilations and live recordings of their era of splendor were published, such as the magnificent "Stockholm 67" recorded in 1967 during a European tour, published more than 30 years later, in a historical recording considered one of the best live shows of the psychedelic era.

Henry Cow-Legend (1973)

Henry Cow is one of the most politicized groups in the history of progressive rock, its journey would begin in 1968, a year of great student unrest. Founded by two students from the University of Cambridge; Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson, their beginnings were an experience as an experimental duo, whose style was defined as "Neo-Hiroshima". At the end of 1968 they expanded the band with several more members, forming what would be the first nucleus of Henry Cow.
But this first line-up was unstable and quite changeable, in a relatively short time after different remodels and after recording a demo that was awarded by John Peel's program "Top Gear" on British state radio, Henry Cow's line-up was reduced and was consolidated in the figures of Fred Frith (guitar, violin, piano and voice), John Greaves (bass, piano and voice), Tim Hodgkinson (keyboards) and Chris Cutler (drums, piano and voice).
In 1973 they made their record debut with the album "Legend", with which they obtained enormous favorable critics and the fervor of the public, an audience that had been following them during the appearances in the political campaigns that had preceded the publication of the album.
That same year Henry Cow reinforced his fame with a notable number of concerts, in addition to a tour with the German group Faust and a memorable concert at the "Greasy Truckers Party Festival" offered in London, from which themes were taken for the double album in direct "Greasy Truckers Live at Dingwall's Dance Hall" (1973).
In Henry Cow's music it was easy to glimpse the influence of Frank Zappa and the subversive Faust, as well as classical composers of the caliber of Stransvinsky and Varese. Henry Cow had managed to gather all these suggestive elements, filtering them with taste and a totally personal criterion improvisation was one of the central points of his music, especially live, according to the tradition of the best "freebands", but with perfectly studied movements, paradoxically the music of Henry Cow was much more organized on a structural level than any other band rock of the time.

Bad Company-Straight Shooter (1975)

After its first and effective as well as successful first Bad Company album, fans feared that they would drift towards new sonic adventures, so when "Straight Shooter" was released, everyone breathed a sigh of relief observing that Paul Rodgers and company were removed from the sleeve another superb piece of great rock.
Following the same line as its predecessor, here the intense sound is consolidated with that flavor of old-style rock, songs that are very well built and effective, powerful riffs with a bluesy flavor and very solid rhythms.
Tracks like the hard rock "Good Lovin´ Gone Bad" and "Deal With The Preacher" are the counterpoint to the outstanding mid-times "Feel Like Makin' Love" or "Shooting Star" itself, which would once again boost them to the top positions on the British and North American charts and going triple platinum for its sales.

Little Feat-Sailin´ Shoes (1972)

Originally from Burbank in California, Little Feat have been one of the greatest North American rock bands in the seventies for their technique, inventiveness, vitality, inspiration and sonority. Its secret lay in the bizarre surrealism, sometimes torn, of its lyrics, ironic and with a taste for nonsensical nonsense, and in its sound, a particular synthesis.
Led by Lowell George, a character of great charisma who began his career in Los Angeles playing for various groups, including the Standells and Factory, and later became part of Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention.
After leaving Frank Zappa's band and together with the bassist of the same band, Roy Estrada would found Little Feat, in addition to the drummer Richard Hayward and the pianist Bill Payne.
The group would perform for some time in Los Angeles and Houston, quickly attracting public attention, in part thanks to Lowell George's great reputation.
Little Feat's music is dense and careful, an original synthesis of blues, boogie, country, gospel, rhythm and blues from New Orleans and Memphis and echoes of Californian rock.
His definitive consecration would come with his second album "Sailin´Shoes", a superb album that contains the anguished "Trouble", the boogie-country "Tripe Face Boogie", the country blues "A Apocalitical Blues" and "Willin´" a song classic folk of the group. This album enthusiastically praised by the specialized press and especially by Rolling Stone magazine, has the collaboration of the graphic studio Neon Park, which would illustrate all its covers with an extravagant pop imagination.

Ian Dury-New Boots And Panties!! (1977)

Ian Dury was a flamboyant character, raised during the first half of the 70s in London pus and later become one of the leading figures of the new bird, he has always been considered the perfect antithesis of the polio-looking rock star. not very reassuring and surrounded by unattractive collaborators.
Already in the early years of the decade with almost thirty years, he had formed his first band Kilburn and The High Roads, with which he became very popular on the London underworld circuit and its pubs. The trusted partner at the time for songwriting was the pianist Russel Hardy, who left the band just after the album "Handsome" released in 1974.
In 1975 the band disbanded following Ian giving concerts under the name of Ian Dury and The Kilburns, replacing Hardy with keyboardist Chaz Jankel. With the latter Ian had begun to prepare the expected return with a new album.
The album entitled "New Boots and Panties" would come out at the end of 1977, with little promotion by his record label Stiff Records, which, however, was no objection to selling a whopping more than 400 thousand copies, a true and unusual record for an album recorded in a week and with little commercial promotion.
Nicknamed from here as "The Godfather of punk" Ian Dury had little to do with punk philosophy, except for his disastrous clothing, but his absolutely positive message was the antithesis of any form of nihilism.
This and the next album, the also successful "Do It Yourself" contained an attractive and exciting jazz-funk style with irresistible arrangements where the songs "Sex and Drugs and rock'n'roll", "What a taste", stood out "Hit me With Your Rhythm Stick" or "Reasons to be Cheeful part 3".