Greatest Hits - UNION GAP*****

Woman Woman/Young Girl/Don't Give In To Him/Home/Let's Give Adam & Eve Another Chance/Don't Make Promises/This Girl Is A Woman Now/Over You/Reverend Posey/Lady Willpower/The Beggar

A timely collection from Gary Puckett and The Union Gap who were responsible for some of the most melodic singles from the late 1960s, performed in a powerful yet sensitive manner.(US:50)

“Puckett's powerhouse, deep throated, smooth vocals; serious songs with well written lyrics; and some of the most sophisticated arrangements to come out of the 60s. The texture of Puckett's voice always took you on an emotional ride into your lovelorn dreams and desires.”

“The only way to listen to these songs is to put on a pair of headphones, turn the music up as loud as you can take it and let Gary's voice carry you away. This allows you to hear each and every syllable he sings and you can put yourself into the story each song is telling. Gary's voice has the sweetness, sadness, power and vibrato like no other - the power in his voice is phenomenal.”

“Gary Puckett's songs are the ones you crank up the moment you hear the opening strains on the car radio. Sure, they may be considered schmaltzy by today's standards, but he sings as passionately and earnestly and breathes this honest sincerity into his songs that make you want to take a mental trip back in time.”

“Gary Puckett could've gone schmaltzy on some of these tunes but chose to sing it straight. That's not an easy thing to do, given some of his material. These songs are sung and played beautifully. This is a very romantic set and very heartfelt.”

“Gary's unbelievable powerful voice and octave level for these songs has not been outdone by anyone to this day nor probably ever will. The 60s showed so much raw talent and energy in music and songs, unlike any other time in our history.”

“Gary Puckett's soulful and tormented singing voice is very compelling and can cast a spell on you. You can really get hooked on Gary's songs instantly. Classic songs which still get a lot of playing time by the oldies radio stations to this day.”

Number 5 - STEVE MILLER BAND****

Good Morning/I Love You/Going To The Country/Hot Chilli/Tokin's/Going To Mexico/Steve Miller's Midnight Tango/Industrial Military Complex Hex/Jackson Kent Blues/Never Kill Another Man

The uninspired title Number 5 provides the album arithmetic for this offering from the blues rock Steve Miller Band. It includes some more overtly political songs than hitherto. (US:23)

"All of the songs are masterpieces and full of commentary about the times. Perhaps on this album, Miller makes his boldest political statements to date, especially on the songs Jackson Kent Blues and Industrial Military Complex Hex. Both tracks are lyrically powerful and are Miller's take on the shooting of students by national guardsmen and the connection between the industry of war and the economy. Miller lets it open up a couple of times with fresh and upbeat perspectives on tracks like Goin' To The Country, Good Morning and Tokin's. As a whole, the album is solid."

"You are missing a real gem if you haven't heard this one. It is one of those few albums where you just look at the song titles and the music begins to play in your head. Take a musical trip back, smile and remember the times and the world in 1970."

"Probably one of the best albums by an American blues rock band. Not as commercial as his future albums but, in my opinion, better than any of them. People that own this album know what I'm talking about. There is an almost magical quality to this that is impossible to express in words."

"There are two 'Goin' To' songs on this record, Going To The Country and Going To Mexico and they both deliver in the style that can only be attributed to Steve Miller. While Kent State Blues is only two minutes long, its a song that will be remembered for all time. Goin' To The Country foreshadows the coming of a lighter blues oriented Steve Miller, and the times were changing as well, so it's a wonderful anthem to the new world yet to be conquered."

"This is one of the band's best. Tunes like Going To Mexico are still effective and comforting. When the occasional AOR station plays this cut, it generates renewed interest. Jackson Kent Blues was the big requested song at Steve Miller concerts. It's a psychedelic effort that has some neat riffs and is unlike Steve Miller's other stuff."

Marrying Maiden - IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY***

Don & Dewey/The Dolphins/Essence Of Now/Hoedown/Soapstone Mountain/Waiting For The Song/Let A Woman Flow/It Comes Right Down To You/Good Lovin'/Galileo/Do You Remember The Sun

Marrying Maiden was the follow up LP from the hippy San Francisco psychedelic band It's a Beautiful Day. Like its predecessor it is a bit uneven and their commercial appeal would soon take a significant dip. (US:28 UK:45)

"Some of the tracks found here rival those of their debut for quality, but overall, this is entirely too diverse and inconsistent to match it. It's a mix of hard rock, country rock, easy listening, spacey spoken word and soft pop, featuring guitar, organ, electric violin, plus a male/female vocal duet. Much of the west coast flavour of the debut is absent as well."

"A mellow album which leads with the beautiful folky psychedelia of The Dolphins and Essence Of Now, but adds many elements including country/bluegrass, flamenco, Gregorian and wild, groovy rock 'n' roll, which flow together well. This is a true hippie album with beautiful lyrics throughout."

"Don & Dewey is simply an incredible instrumental featuring mostly violins, but also occasionally throwing in some piano, guitar and harmonica work. Another high point is the emotionally underrated Soapstone Mountain. The vocal melody is fairly complex but ultimately very good once you become adjusted to the vocals. Other songs unfortunately don't live up to the same level of quality."

"Hippy dippy San Francisco sounds. The players are not bad with some very good keyboards, and the fiddle is fine but the songs leave a little to be desired. Jerry Garcia turns up and plays a terrific banjo on one piece."

"Here, the songs tend to be softer and shorter than on their debut and you won't find any rockers. There are a few stinkers as well, like The Dolphins, but some great songs like Essence Of Now, Soapstone Mountain and Good Lovin'. The atmospheric Let A Woman Flow features some ridiculous lyrics. The music does have a rather dated sound, and the lyrics, just like their first, are still hippie fluff."

"The songs aren't fantastic, but they keep your interested for the most part. The album does take a turn for the worst on the second side though. Inspiration is lost, and you have to drag your feet through some gross hippie dreck, and dullsville songwriting."

I Looked Up - THE INCREDIBLE STRING BAND***

Black Jack Davy/The Letter/Pictures In A Mirror/This Moment/When You Find Out Who You Are/Fair As You

At this late stage in their career The Incredible String Band released a series of uneven albums such as I Looked Up. The problem appears to be over ambitious complexity lacking the focus of their best 1960s releases. (US:196 UK:30)

"To me, I Looked Up sounds just as ragged and unfocused as Changing Horses, even if this one has a better sense of humour. The whole album has a tossed off feeling that might satisfy the fan who takes things more casually with their ISB. Black Jack Davy is fun but the melody sounds a bit oversimplified and familiar. This Moment is not a bad track, rather pretty but it goes on too long. And the mammoth Williamson songs are dreadful."

"I Looked Up came out only five months after Changing Horses and once again there are only six tracks. The good things are the two lengthy Robin Williamson tracks - especially Pictures In A Mirror which is (probably) about reincarnation. The bad includes Fair As You sung by Rose & Licorice which is awful. It is a painful experience. And having the girl's sing lead was a major mistake."

"Perhaps not quite a classic album, I Looked Up is an enjoyable one nonetheless and seems to find the String Band having fun in the studio, playing just for the fun of it. And unlike the previous Changing Horses album, the band seem fully comfortable as a four piece rather than being a two piece forcing themselves to be a four piece. The whole album, apart from The Letter, with its multi-layered guitar parts, sounds like it was recorded live in the studio and as such it has a nice energetic feel that is unique to this album."

"I Looked Up is notable for several other reasons - it was the last album they recorded that was mostly acoustic. It also contains two of Robin Williamson's most memorable compositions: When You Find Out Who You Are is an insightful treatise on growing older and 'finding' oneself, and the simply amazing Pictures In A Mirror, covers, imprisonment, execution, death, darkness and ultimate rebirth. Mike Heron contributes some nice tunes as well, although not quite as 'deep', at least in this outing. Black Jack David begins the album, a rousing fiddle tune - it quickly became a concert favourite. The Letter is my least favourite track here, Heron's attempt at a pop song, but his other two offerings in this set are excellent."

Rides Again - JAMES GANG****

Funk 49/Asshton Park/Woman/The Bomber/Tend My Garden/Garden Gate/There I Go Again/Thanks/Ashes The Rain & I

The uninspiring LP cover Of Rides Again disguises what many critics consider to be the best James Gang release. Features guitarist Joe Walsh who would shortly leave the group for a successful solo career. (US:20)

"Rides Again is the James Gang's, and Joe Walsh's masterpiece. It is easily one of the greatest power trio and guitar albums ever made. It established Joe Walsh as one of the greatest guitarists in rock history. The songs are tight and powerful with the album built around the seven minute centrepiece, the incredible The Bomber."

"This album represents the Joe Walsh led James Gang at its artistic zenith. The band sails effortlessly through a breathtaking set that ranges from lovely, sparse acoustic folk and lush orchestration to no-holes barred crunching riff-rock. For guitar aficionados, The Bomber features just about every possible demonstration of tonal and melodic expression a gifted player can communicate with minimal frills."

"Rides Again is the best LP ever by the James Gang. It features several hard rock songs, including the classic rock radio perennial Funk #49, mixed with lighter fare including the extended ballad Tend My Garden, which describes a typical day for a person living in the suburbs. If you like good classic rock, this album is a must own."

"A classic - The Bomber is one of the all-time great headphone listening experiences. Funk#49, with Walsh's simultaneous rhythm/lead playing is groundbreaking stuff."

"This album starts out with a lot of energy and then peters out. It was trendy at the time to do one half electric and one half acoustic , while both sides feature some great songs, the album feels like it dies on the B-side, which is really too bad. If the tracks had been arranged a little differently to make the energy build throughout the album to remain fairly constant, it might have worked better."

"The album kicks off with a rock classic, the manic Funk #49 which has a great riff. The Bomber shows off Joe Walsh's guitar prowess with some wicked slide work. The first five tracks are classic arena rock, but the band show their diversity with the second five tracks that form a song suite. They are more in the country-rock vein and show a softer side as opposed to the heaviness of the first five tracks. Rides Again is a great place to start to get an idea of the quality of this group."

Diana Ross - DIANA ROSS****

Reach Out & Touch/Now That There's You/You're All I Need To Get By/These Things Will Keep Me Loving You/Ain't No Mountain High Enough/Something On My Mind/I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is/Keep An Eye/Where There Was Darkness/Can't It Wait Until Tomorrow/Dark Side Of The World

The self titled debut album from The Supremes former lead singer Diana Ross is considered to be one of her best. Includes the US No.1 and UK No. 6 Ain't No Mountain High Enough plus the US top twenty hit Reach Out & Touch. (US:19 UK:14)

"This record from 1970 is an early example of a Motown artist who releases an actual album rather than a mere collection of single releases. Its strength is the quality of the songs – they’re actually all good (courtesy of Ashford & Simpson), the arrangements, and Diana’s professionalism as a singer. Ain't No Mountain High Enough is one of Motown’s greatest contributions to pop music; the unedited album version is a special treat. Diana Ross is her best soul album."

"To be honest, Diana didn't make that many albums that were classics or stood the test of time. One of the few exceptions was her debut album, which today sounds astoundingly like a landmark album. It isn't revisionist romanticism that has altered these perceptions over the years but simply the realisation that given sympathetic material and the right production values, Diana was untouchable and sublime. Ashford and Simpson were a dream team for her."

"Her solo debut, and what a solo it was. Fine smooth and danceable soul pop mostly penned by the songwriting duo Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson."

"Obviously a lot of effort went into this debut number from the former Supreme. Every track is of a very high standard, with the forgoing of 'filler material', which we usually associate with Supremes albums."

"Diehards and casual fans should just go out and buy this album. For my money, it's the best original album Diana ever made. She would never sound this natural again once her career entered the disco age."

"The calibre of this album is very high indeed. It's an eclectic blend of warm soul and bluesy gospel tinged numbers. Ashford & Simpson were the prefect production team for Diana, as they quickly capitalized on her dramatic vocal capabilities. They also stretched her out of the middle range that was synonymous with her work with the Supremes. The results were outstanding, and Diana's voice sounds amazing here."

Mona Bone Jakon - CAT STEVENS*****

Lady D'Arbanville/Maybe You're Right/Pop Star/I Think I See The Light/Trouble/Mona Bone Jakon/I Wish I Wish/Katmandu/Time/Fill My Eyes/Lillywhite

After a two year hiatus due to illness Cat Stevens comes storming back with Mona Bone Jakon, comprising a collection of introspective songs quite different from his earlier bouncy pop style. Includes the UK No. 8 hit single Lady D'Arbanville. (US:164 UK:63)

"Cat Stevens really comes into his own here and begins to develop his own voice and distinctive folk style. There are some lovely undiscovered gems here."

"Coming back from a period of sickness, Cat Stevens released a pretty different sounding album. Using basically acoustic guitar, the music was more stripped giving room for his voice and lyrics. This is a strong but overlooked album, including some great songs.”

"A fabulous album from start to finish. Not hesitant to say that this just may be Cat's best. The songwriting is superb. The love affair Maybe Your Right with its simple piano touch is fantastic. Katmandu is obviously great with its slow building base line and acoustic picking."

"Overall, this is a demonstration of Stevens' talent for great songwriting, far away from soupy arrangements or concessions to the demands of commercial pop songs."

"Cat Stevens is one of the most original singer-songwritters. Just listen to the delicate sounds of Fill My Eyes, or the spiritual sound of Lady D'Arbanville. If you want to feel good then listen to these songs. Lilywhite, will make you feel sleepy, and that is how you need to feel if you are to continue listening to the other songs because they are like medicine for the mind."

"I have always loved this man's music, and I wish he was still creating it. Mona Bone Jakon has songs of such haunting beauty that they remain with you forever. The genius of Cat Steven's orchestration, arrangements and playing make him a special favourite of many listeners."

"This is a great album. The songs are so pure and simple. They are great feel-good songs. This album was made back when music wasn't so complicated. Too bad I am only discovering Cat Stevens now after all this time. Because of this album, though, I am planning on buying more from this amazing artist."

Ecology - RARE EARTH***

Born To Wander/Long Time Leavin'/(I Know) I'm Losing You/Satisfaction Guaranteed/Nice Place To Visit/No.1 Man/Eleanor Rigby

Ecology was the follow up album from Detroit rock group Rare Earth. The title of the LP and name of group reflected an increased awareness of environmental issues that was gathering strength at the time. Includes the US No. 7 hit cover (I Know) I'm Losing You plus the No. 17 Born To Wander. (US:15)

"I didn't find this to be an interesting album, but it did have a few cool moments. It was consistently good throughout, and also notably had an excellent version of Eleanor Rigby. I also enjoyed the vocalist a lot."

"Off the pace of their stunning previous release, but a reasonably good follow-up, considering. This one is more commercial oriented, and with more soul flavour creeping into their sound, but still significantly psych influenced."

"A fairly poor follow-up to Get Ready, it's also much rawer, and worse, less together, despite a good version of Eleanor Rigby that closes the album."

"Spawning two top twenty pop hits, Born To Wander and another, even better cover of The Temptations', (I Know) I'm Losing You. Though their welcome meandering helped Get Ready become an epic, the band tightens things up more here. Once again, it opens up with a haunting organ intro, and a bass line that caresses and underscores this great performance. Gil Bridges rocks soulful with focused vocals trying to imitate a soul singer, but he approaches it with an entire rock sensibility. The organ comes in and shuffles the extended bridge as Rod Ridges burns a great guitar riff on top of the rhythm. Its all about the keyboards again though."

"Rare Earth were a great jam band and jam on the long version of (I Know) I'm Losing You. An interesting version of The Beatles' Eleanor Rigby is here as well. This album starts to make the transition to their more rockier sound which dominated later releases."

"To prove that the platinum certified, Get Ready was no fluke, Rare Earth's Ecology captured the band's maturity while remaining intact commercially. Ever since the summer of love drew millions of young teens in search of their idolized utopia, songs like Born To Wander and Long Time Leavin' were descriptive of the time. The band named the album after another period phenomenon, ecology."

Cosmo's Factory - CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL****

Ramble Tamble/Before You Accuse Me/Travelin' Band/Oooby Dooby/Lookin' Out My Back Door/Run Through The Jungle/Up Around The Bend/My Baby Left Me/Who'll Stop The Rain/I Heard It Through The Grapevine/Long As I Can See The Light

Creedence Clearwater Revival keep up their phenomenal productivity with their fifth album release in two years. Cosmo's Factory includes the US and UK top ten hits Travelin' Band and Up Around The Bend. (US:1 UK:1)

"It’s difficult to pinpoint Creedence Clearwater Revival’s finest hour but I’d say Cosmo’s Factory is their strongest album. There’s a few popular radio hits, a handful of rock & roll/R & B favourites, and of course, the great album opener Ramble Tamble. The thing that still gets me about CCR is how direct, honest and soulful they were. Rock & roll usually doesn’t allow anyone to be so unpretentious."

"One of the great American bands of the 60s reached a glorious peak at the dawn of the 70s as CCR put it all together for Cosmo's Factory. Fogarty is his usual great self, but give some credit to brother Tom for his best rhythm playing ever."

"I'm not fully aware of the swamp rock aesthetics, so this is classic rock for me. Creedence have an affinity towards three minute absolutely memorable songs, not only here, but in their whole career. Here we've got even more of these. Who'll Stop The Rain may be their greatest ever and there is the creepy Run Through The Jungle, the happy Up Around The Bend, the rock 'n' roll of Travelin' Band, the rocking Before You Accuse Me, the introspective Long As I Can See The Light. There is a great amount of variety as a proof of the songwriting excellence of John Fogerty and crew."

"A full third of the eleven tracks on Cosmo's Factory are cover versions. Considering that the quality of his originals is so high, I would have preferred more Fogerty."

"Creedence were the ultimate singles group of their day, and this record really exemplifies that fact, showcasing their good-ole' jug band swamp rock. Let's face it; many of their other albums were quite patchy, but this one is consistently excellent, featuring many of their most fun and catchy tunes."

"This is a very good studio release by these guys. They stick to the formula, three minute country boogie blues with cool lyrics. Some toe tappers, but not many."

Blood Sweat & Tears 3 - BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS****

Hi-De-Ho/The Battle/Lucretia MacEvil/Lucretia's Reprise/Fire & Rain/Lonesome Suzie/Symphony For The Devil - Sympathy For The Devil /He's A Runner/Somethin' Comin' On/40000 Headmen

The third album from jazz-rock ensemble Blood Sweat & Tears was a big commercial success. However, unlike the similar styled group Chicago they appear to be heavily reliant on cover songs. Includes the US No. 14 hit single Hi-De-Ho. (US:1 UK:14)

"Like its predecessor, a large bulk of the material on Blood, Sweat & Tears 3 is rearranged cover tunes, and very little is original material. The group manage to put their own spin on the tracks though, and you are never in doubt which artist it is you are listening to. The band's trademark brass rock sound is intact and you'll also be treated to musical elements from soul, R & B, jazz and classical music. Compared to its predecessor it is slightly more R & B influenced and a little less jazz-rock tinged."

"Its music from the 70s that uses elements of jazz and rock. Lead singer David Clayton-Thomas has an amazing voice, and can do a lot with the lyrics. A great mix of amazingly talented artists."

"Try to imagine some Vegas lounge singer buffoon backed by a horn section from a marching band and you pretty much get the idea of what Blood, Sweat and Tears third outing offers. Most of the tracks are covers, often with absurd arrangements and cheesy pretentious song suites (i.e. Symphony for the Devil/Sympathy for the Devil)."

"This is one simmering album for fans of the 70s horn rock sound - my personal favourite from B S & T. Though most of the tunes are cover songs, the arrangements are what make the album great. The horns are blowing like crazy (with an especially insane trumpet solo on Lucretia MacEvil), David Clayton Thomas is screaming, guitars are wailing... well, you get the idea."

"This one has a few good tunes mostly covers again though. There are way too many covers and not enough original material. Lucretia MacEvil is a good tune, however the radio has played it to death. Some of the covers range from OK to terrible, I'm talking particularly about Sympathy For The Devil, what a butcher's job."

"This is a very fine album which has a couple of radio hits, but those hits deserve to be heard in the context of this album. There are several interpretations of hits from other groups, but these covers are all extremely moving and, at times, revealing."

We Made It Happen - ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK***

We Made It Happen/My Cherie Amour/Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head/Love Me With All Your Heart/Words/Something/Everybody's Talkin'/Love For Love/Just Say I Love Her/Wand'rin' Star/My Wife The Dancer/Leaving On A Jet Plane

After three years at the top the Engelbert magic began to fade. We Made It Happen was his first LP not to make it into the top ten or to include a hit single. However, his musical legacy rests secure on his late sixties releases. (US:19 UK:17)

"Engelbert Humperdinck, king of the romantic balladeers, kicked-off the 1970s phase of his career with We Made It Happen, one of his many Decca albums. It is chock-full of beautiful songs including Everybody's Talkin, Wandr'in' Star, Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head and many more."

"The voice of this superstar is so magnificent that he can take your feelings to new levels. I'm so glad to have these songs to listen to, they make every day brighter. He is so smooth and powerful - put it all together and you have a winner."

"If you weren't around in the late 60s and early 70s you could easily have missed these gems. And even if you were there at that time, you could have missed them because Engelbert was not riding the most popular wave of the times. Belting out romantic ballads and cover songs. he was on the other end of the popular spectrum in the age of psychedelic and hard rock. His voice at that time was one of the best around. It had both that ultra smooth bedroom vibe and masculine strength - a rare combination that would appeal to both women and men, mostly women, though."

"This is Engelbert at his best. Always loved his music, and this album is a must for any fan of Engelbert's."

"Engelbert sings from his soul. You know he has loved in his lifetime because he projects it with his music. Thank you for the memories."

"These are songs I grew up listening to and they take me back to a simpler time; good times."

"This album is from the early seventies, when Engelbert was in his absolute vocal prime. This singer is the best balladeer ever, no one could match these vocal performances."

Full House - FAIRPORT CONVENTION****

Walk Awhile/Doctor Of Physick/Dirty Linen/Sloth/Sir Patrick Spens/Flatback Caper/Poor Will & The Jolly Hangman/Flowers Of The Forest

Full House was the first album release from Fairport Convention after the departure of vocalist Sandy Denny. The remaining members appear to have overcome this setback more than might have been expected. (UK:13)

"Recorded amidst chaos on the personnel front, Full House was erratic, but had its share of greatness. Following Sandy Denny's departure and finding themselves forced to shoulder the creative burden, Thompson and Swarbrick demonstrated that they had developed into a capable writing team. Highlights included the nifty Walk Awhile, the lyrically intriguing Sir Patrick Spens and the extended anti-war paean Sloth. Unfortunately several tracks sounded like Liege & Lief outtakes."

"In 1970, Fairport Convention lost a founding king (the remarkably talented Ashley Hutchings) and a lead singing queen (the transcendent Sandy Denny), so you can forgive most people for thinking they would just fold. But they still had their ace (Richard Thompson), went to the deck, and came up with Full House. This is a fantastic album. Where Liege & Lief kicked the door open, this one comes storming through. Superb singing and incredible playing."

"Although Liege & Lief gets all the accolades, for me Full House is the ultimate British folk rock album. Richard Thompson really comes into his own on this album as both a songwriter and guitarist. The duelling between his guitar and Dave Swarbrick's violin is superb. Sloth is just about the only nine minute song I never tire of. The more recent line-ups of Fairport lean more towards straight folk, but this particular ensemble really could rock."

"Full House was the fifth album by Fairport Convention but represented a significant new chapter in the group's history because for the first time it was without a female singer. At this point Sandy Denny and Ashley Hutchings had left the group and you would have thought that losing the premier folk singer of her generation would have been a fatal blow. Full House disproved that without much problem, as Fairport Convention continued to prove themselves as the premier folk-rock group in England. The new singers were Richard Thompson and Dave Swarbrick who wrote most of the songs. Along with Dave Pegg and Simon Nicol they do some nice harmonies, especially on the traditional songs. Granted, the vocals are a bit less, in terms of the leads, but the instrumentation is certainly superior with this incarnation of the group."

Closer To Home - GRAND FUNK***

Sin's A Good Man's Brother/Aimless Lady/Nothing Is The Same/Mean Mistreater/Get It Together/I Don't Have To Sing The Blues/Hooked On Love/I'm Your Captain

Closer To Home was the third album from Grand Funk, billed the loudest band in the world. Whilst American early teen girls were drooling to Bobby Sherman their slightly older brothers were getting into Grand Funk. Neither made much impact on the other side of the Atlantic. (US:6)

“Closer To Home is the only song Grand Funk Railroad, known as the loudest band in the world, ever needed to release. They were one of those bands who defied all logic, the critics hated them with a passion, while the fans loved and embraced them, purchasing something in the neighbourhood of 30 million albums alone... a nice neighbourhood to be living in."

"Closer To Home is Grand Funk Railroad at their peak, here they are at their heaviest and most hard-hitting as a band. After this they'd never sound nearly as good, or powerful, ever again. At one time in the early 70s they were the loudest and heaviest band on the planet. The album starts out with a pair of Grand Funk's heaviest tracks, the classics Sin's A Good Man's Brother, and Aimless Lady. Both are absolute masterpieces built on Mark Farner's searing crunchy guitars, Don Brewer's thunderous drums, and Mel Schacher's booming bass lines. Mean Mistreater is a wonderfully amazing mid-tempo ballad, but it's the album's closer, the nearly ten minute epic I'm Your Captain that cements Grand Funk's legacy as one of the greats of all time."

"This album is a combination of late 60s classic rock and later, 70s hard rock. It has elements of both, and neither of them are very prominent. There are lots of easy listening vocal melodies, the drumming is fluid and hard rock-like with lots of fills and some of the riffs get really heavy. The best song is the epic I'm Your Captain while the rest are all solid, except Get It Together, which sounds too poppy to me."

"America's original power trio, Grand Funk Railroad, ushered in the 70s with Closer To Home. In the wake of the group's third studio effort, Mel, Don and Mark performed sold out shows before huge crowds and rabid fans from coast-to-coast. GFR were now legitimately big time. Although the critics hated the proud three-piece noise machine, all that ever really mattered to the members of GFR was their ever expanding fan base."

Fire & Water - FREE*****

Fire & Water/Oh I Wept/Remember/Heavy Load/Mr Big/Don't Say You Love Me/All Right Now

Fire & Water delivered the commercial breakthrough for British blues-rock group Free thanks to the huge hit All Right Now, No. 2 in the UK and No. 4 in the States. (US:17 UK:2)

"The secret of this album’s greatness lies with the simplicity and 'less is more' approach. Having written some great melodies the band did nothing to muddle the raw material and executed it perfectly, using some great riffs. Fraser’s bass lines are pure genius, pointing the music in the right direction. Kirke’s guitar licks create just the perfect fillers, avoiding lengthy solos which did not fit the bill here. Rodgers’ soulful vocals and his unparalleled understanding of the blues place him immediately on the top of his class."

"Free are best known for their huge classic rock anthem All Right Now which still gets played daily on classic rock radio. The song is indeed an all time AOR classic."

"There quite honestly isn't a bad track on Fire And Water. The title track is certainly one of Free's best songs from the instantly recognisable introduction right through to the mini drum solo at the end. This is without doubt one of the best blues-rock albums ever released. If you are in any way interested in blues or classic rock, you really cannot afford not to hear this album."

"Free's 1970 watershed release Fire And Water is simply one the greatest blues-rock albums ever made. The joining of Paul Rodger's wailing vocals and Simon Kirke's near perfect drumming to Paul Kossoff fiery, stinging blues guitar made for legendary, inflammatory music."

"Fire And Water is the album most regard as being Free's high-water mark considering it contains the huge hit, All Right Now. Listening to the album there is a sense that everything is right in place; the sound is sparse and organic, the songs are memorable, the band is tight and Paul Kossoff in particular doesn't waste a second, everything he plays his brilliant."

"Taken just at face value Fire And Water is an exceptional blues-rock album. But when you consider the youth of those involved then this is a remarkable achievement. The songwriting and musicianship exudes confidence with a solid feel for the blues and a fine variety of strong compositions.”

Fotheringay - FOTHERINGAY***

Nothing More/The Sea/The Ballad Of Ned Kelly/Winter Winds/Peace In The End/The Way I Feel/The Pond & The Stream/Too Much Of Nothing/Banks Of The Nile

Self titled sole album release from the short lived folk group Fotheringay. Fronted by Sandy Denny after she left Fairport Convention, she would quickly move on to a solo career. (UK:18)

"After her successful and excellent beginnings with Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny carries on surprising us with new gems with Fotheringay. Unfortunately this new band would officially release only one album and Sandy carried on with a solo career. The three masterpieces are the haunting and emotional Banks Of The Nile, a thrilling war song with delicate acoustic accompaniment and very soulful singing. Winter Winds is another absolute folk beauty backed by a wonderful acoustic riff between each verse. The opener Nothing More is the third Sandy Denny gem here."

"Fotheringay is a pleasant little project from Sandy Denny and various backing musicians, who play in a manner highly reminiscent of Denny's former berth in Fairport Convention. Unfortunately, Fotheringay were hampered by not having a guitarist as imaginative and spellbinding as Richard Thompson, but for the most part they are still able to present a competent folk rock collection that is elevated from 'acceptable' to 'good' by the carefully balanced vocals of Denny and Trevor Lucas."

"These finely crafted songs by Sandy and Trevor Lucas stand up as well as anything from the traditional songbooks that other folk rock bands were raiding. It is almost a contradiction to have music this powerful to be played in such a gentle manner. And when they perform the work of other artists; (Dylan & Gordon Lightfoot) it blends in so well you are led to believe that Sandy or Trevor wrote these gems as well."

"Sandy Denny may well be my favourite female vocalist of all time. She sings like an angel, but that said, I never felt this album was the best showcase for her talents. It's soft and subdued acoustic guitar driven folk rock, featuring male/female vocal duets."

"Sandy Denny steps away from Celtic folk and delves into The Band-like roots America. She and her group do retain a European flavour, and that's what makes the album so good. The electric guitars here are wonderful and dreamy, lost in crystalline, bluesy wanderings. The interpretation's so passionate that the music seems other worldly, like very few other albums can sound."

Self Portrait - BOB DYLAN***

All The Tired Horses/Alberta No. 1/I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know/Days Of 49/Early Mornin' Rain/In Search Of Little Sadie/Let It Be Me/Little Sadie/Woogie Boogie/Belle Isle/Living The Blues/Like A Rolling Stone/Copper Kettle (The Pale Moonlight)Gotta Travel On/Blue Moon/The Boxer/The Mighty Quinn/Take Me As I Am/Take A Message To Mary/It Hurts Me Too/Minstrel Boy/She Belongs To Me/Wigwam/Alberta No. 2

After nearly a decade of critical acclaim Bob Dylan releases an album which the pundits can deride. The double LP Self Portrait comprises mainly embarrassing covers of folk rock contemporaries plus many uninspired original songs. (US:4 UK:1)

"This album ranges from the hideously schmaltzy to the pretty entertaining. It's not as bad as it's been made out to be, but isn't much good either. One can appreciate it on the level of Dylan wilfully alienating his devoted audience and laughing along with him."

"It's really three different discs crammed into one: a covers-oriented follow-up to Nashville Skyline, but with added schmaltz; a more casual affair recorded around the same time as New Morning, with Dylan in quite different voice; and a live album from his appearance at the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival."

"Self Portrait largely shows Dylan as a fan of other songwriters, and gives you some insight into how these other artists blended into the Bob we all know. A deliberate and successful attempt to get away from Dylan as the voice of a generation, and while not especially profound, it is still engaging."

"Released as a double album, Self Portrait was condemned by both reviewers and fans, who were shocked that the spokesman of their generation had not lived up to their standards. But if a performer can release a record that is regarded as a pitiful disappointment after a decade of publicly embraced masterpieces, but with a grin on his face while doing it, it's not such a bad thing."

"This has been a notoriously despised Bob Dylan album, but I've enjoyed it, every time I've listened to it. It contains a great variety of material - live songs with The Band, studio tracks, alternative versions of a couple songs, lo-fi 'basement tapes', polished recordings, cover-songs (mostly) and originals. This is Bob Dylan in more laid-back, introspective, relaxed, musical, country-folk-pop style."

"It’s a mess, but it’s an interesting mess with speckles of brilliance and quality. Dylan tackles a variety of genres and mashes them together with no regard to sequencing."

'70 Concert - CANNED HEAT****

That's All Right Mama/Bring It On Home/Pulling Hair Blues/Back Out On The Road - On The Road Again/London Blues/Let's Work Together/Goodbye For Now

Recorded on their European tour '70 Concert was the first live album from the American blues group Canned Heat. Shortly afterwards they would suffer the grievous loss of their vocalist and main songwriter Al Wilson. (US:133 UK:15)

"The music is great, Al Wilson is all over the record on harp, guitar and vocal. A really burning version of Sonny Boy's Bring It On Home takes the price for best song."

"This is a fantastic LP, featuring Canned Heat at their best. A wonderful live album with all the improvisations that make 'boogie' better than the studio albums. Harvey Mandel, Bob Hite and Al Wilson playing great stuff. I thoroughly recommend it."

"By 1970 Canned Heat were at a peak of their performing powers with Bob Hite, Alan Wilson, Harvey Mandel and the ever pounding pulsations of bassist Larry Taylor standing on the frontline, with Fito De La Parra just a few feet behind beating a drumkit to death in a boogie fever that wouldn't and couldn't be topped by any other band on the planet."

"The new hit for 1970 Let's Work Together is found as a part of this set and its Alan being Alan as nobody can fill his shoes as a croaky blues craftsman that leads this bunch of wild men. At the last notes of Goodbye For Now this live show of Canned Heat comes to a close and it's all over far too soon as you still want more. Canned Heat, were the godfather of a type of music that will never go away. This is true firstrate red-hot music that gets people out of their seats at every show. There is a bit of magic here in this wonderful sampler of one of America's best groups. Canned Heat were not only livin' the blues as nobody else could, they were on top of it."

"Canned Heat were an overlooked band in their time and just as they were gaining international recognition, their great and multi-talented member Al (the owl) Wilson died. This is one of his last recordings. He is incredible in this concert as is the band. This recording showcases them doing what they did best, southern based blues with a boogie flavour. It captures Canned Heat at their best. These guys were so much better live than on their studio recordings.”

Live At Leeds - THE WHO*****

Young Man Blues/Substitute/Summertime Blues/Shakin' All Over/My Generation/Magic Bus

This first live album release from The Who reflects the group's powerful stage act of the period. It is considered to be one of the most acclaimed live performances by a rock group. (US:4 UK:3)

"The effect you get from listening to this stuff is awesome. It at first sounds like a horrible cacophony; but after a couple of listens, when your ears grow used to the sound, you'll slowly come to realize that the murky noise generated by the band is actually just a shield under which resides some masterful riffing, fantastically fluent bass lines, steady drumming and powerful singing. And the next stage is to recognize that the 'murky noise' actually helps produce such a magnificent effect on the listener."

"Pure rock power. Blowing off steam from the Tommy album, the band bashes hard into this set of old blues rock stomps, and a mutated version of My Generation that might very well be one of rocks greatest moments."

"An energetic live recording of a rock band at their very height. Not as amazing as some say, but a great document."

"This is music of incredible force and power, rattle-your-bones, ear-splitting rock and roll energy. It's also funny, charming, and catchy. The personalities of the four members are on display here better than on any Who studio album. The stage banter, the vocal harmonies, the improvisations, and all those incredible songs, it all comes together into a record that's more than just a great live album. It's a single document of everything that we love about The Who."

"It's one of, if not the greatest live album ever to be released. The sound quality is clear, and with every song, you can hear The Who drive and burn away at their hardest. If you only get one live album, get this."

"When originally released, The Who's Live At Leeds was a quick glimpse of the lads pounding out the tough guy covers and original tunes live with astounding working class conviction. Even today, to listen to Summertime Blues, Substitute, or Shakin' All Over is akin to hearing these guys touch the core of a rock and roll super-collider. In their greatest moments, The Who achieved a chemistry during live performances that was as unique as it was astounding. Live At Leeds in 1970 caught some of those moments for the record."

Company - BROADWAY CAST ****

Company/The Little Things You Do Together/Sorry-Grateful/You Could Drive A Person Crazy/Have I Got A Girl For You/Someone Is Waiting/Another Hundred People/Getting Married Today/Side By Side By Side-What Would We Do Without You/Poor Baby/Tick Tock/Barcelona/The Ladies Who Lunch/Being Alive/Finale

The Grammy winning musical Company opened on Broadway in April 1970 at the Alvin Theatre and ran for 705 performances. The plot focuses on a single man unable to commit fully to a steady relationship. Music and lyrics are by Stephen Sondeim. (US:178)

"Company is by turns warm, acerbic, amusing, frantic, and is a magnificent expression of the convoluted emotional lives of modern urbanites. The ambiguity of the human spirit is a major theme running through Sondheim's oeuvre of lyrics.”

“Company is filled with witty, controversial and heartfelt lessons as well as beautifully composed music. It has both fast paced jazz and poignant slower solos. The music is enchanting and will stay with you for years to come.”

“This soundtrack is a must-have for any Sondheim fan. While it does not have the musical sophistication or depth of his later works, Sondheim's signature rhythms and lyrics appear in all their glory. The theme is love and marriage as seen through the eyes of the cast's only single character. As he searches for Miss Right, there's always another underlying search, for a reason to find Miss Right. Along the way, you meet his friends, all in various states of marital commitment.”

“This musical, which rung in the golden era of Sondheim is as classic as Sondheim can get. The songs range from power-ballad, to witty social commentary, to old time Broadway standards. Every performance is exactly what you would expect from a definitive Broadway cast album.”

“This is where the genius of Sondheim as lyricist and composer really blossomed. The struggles to connect, love and commit are still as timely today.”

“Company gives us a look at married life and single life through the eyes of a bachelor who is being thrown a surprise party by his married friends. Sometimes funny, sometimes thought-provoking, tear-jerking and even scary, this album leaves you breathless.”

“This was the first musical I ever performed in, and to this day I still think it was the best yet... the music is upbeat, jazzy, emotional, crazy, and hilariously witty.”

Barclay James Harvest - BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST***

Taking Some Time On/Mother Dear/The Sun Will Never Shine/When The World Has Woken/Good Love Child/ The Iron Maiden/Dark Now My Sky

Eponymous debut album from the Lancashire progressive band Barclay James Harvest. Their lack of consistent songwriting meant that they were unable to effectively rebut the often dismissive put down of being ‘the poor man’s Moody Blues’.

“What a frustrating introduction to a rather frustrating band. The album opener Taking Some Time On is a fantastic song, everything about it is great, the writing, the vocals, the playing and it is completely unrepresentative of not only this album, but the rest of this band's career. The major problem I have is their complete inability to come up with an original idea.”

“The debut album by Barclay James Harvest still has some psychedelic elements here and there even if most of the material is progressive. The long and epic Dark Now My Sky is the ultimate climax of this record and it's a really special number, but the rest of the material is pretty inconsistent overall.”

“The poor man's Moody Blues actually don't deserve that tag on this their progressive sounding debut. For example opener Taking Some Time On absolutely outshines The Moodies in the rocking out stakes, whilst Mother Dear is far darker and more baroque than anything the Brummies ever offered up.”

“The opener Taking Some Time On is a bit of upbeat psychedelic rock. It's really not a bad song, but it may raise wrong expectations for the listener, especially having their later output in mind. Mother Dear sounds more like the BJH we all know, its a song driven by an acoustic guitar and some neat orchestration.”

“The album contains an unabashed prog epic in Dark Now My Sky, which I find consistently engaging yet nowhere phenomenal. The album is at its best with the more subdued folk prog.”

“Frustratingly marginal effort, as all their LPs turned out to be. They were capable of greatness, but what we get here is merely pleasant stuff, with occasional flashes of excellence.”

“This debut certainly has some diverse styles to say the least, Taking Some Time On and Good Love Child are quite rocking pieces, while Mother Dear has some orchestration and Dark Now My Sky is progressive rock all the way.”

Experiments In Metaphysics - PERRY LEOPOLD***

The Absurd Paranoid/Cold In Philadelphia/And Then The Snow Came In/The 35th Of May/Experiments In Metaphysics/When You're Gone (Everyhing Goes)/The Us Commercial

Experiments In Metaphysics was the self published debut release from Philadelphia folk singer Perry Leopold. He fused traditional music with the modern trappings of rock, avant-garde and psychedelic arrangements.

“The vocal tracks are somewhat pretentious protest songs, but the guitar playing is great that could probably be termed American primitivism. Mix that with some acid folk and it's a pretty neat album.”

“The reason for the album's staying power is apparent: the music is gorgeous, firstrate progressive folk. Perry Leopold creates a proto-gothic ambience full of dark and brooding imagery while maintaining that music's visceral punch. Like much of the youth countercultural scene of the times, Leopold can occasionally give in to mystical pretentiousness.”

“The music and lyrics are brilliant in every respect, and the psychedelic and prog influences expand the folk-rock ground into previously uncharted territory. Although obscure, this album is as good as anything recorded at the time and deserves to be re-discovered.”

“Really accomplished and well constructed acoustic folk, with a pretty strong psychedelic baseline, but nothing overt.”

“Experiment In Metaphysics shows some truly progressive and experimental songwriting, even for the time period. Each song, even the instrumental cuts, feels like a story, with beginnings and endings and all kinds of interesting ideas and storylines sandwiched in between. The album is a relic that has not lost one iota of its power.”

“Leopold was a visionary like no other. His first recording Experiment in Metaphysics explored the far reaches of knowledge and consciousness amid acoustic strumming, phylogenic lyrical rambling and the occasional spoken word repast.”

I Spider - WEB***

Concerto For Bedsprings/I Spider/Love You/Ymphasomniac/Always I Want

With a new vocalist the British progressive group Web released their most critically acclaimed album I Spider, which featured a more jazzy sound. After a change of name they would split the following year.

“This was among the strongest progressive albums of the year. There's nothing quite like it - the subtle jazzy harmonies, playful nature of the melodic foundation and odd British eccentricities in the chords. The huge jazz influence, plus its tongue-in-cheek narratives, gives me an impression of the beloved Canterbury sound.”

“Very good progressive jazz rock with lots of fuzz guitar and excellent organ play. This is a little trippy and the keyboards soar. In the right frame of mind, this is an exceptional recording.”

“Although the album includes just five songs all are really versatile and more or less fantastic, and the instrumental work is really impressive. This is one where it's pretty much impossible to choose the standout tracks because all the songs are superb.”

“Web consists of the usual quartet plus sax and vibraphone, the latter giving them a totally unique sound. The star is the keyboard player who wrote all the songs and sings also. His keyboard solos are very unorthodox as he has free reign to play over top of the song structure.”

“Free jazz influenced prog rock that drifts off into pointless instrumental meandering in places, but on the whole, is a very good effort. The most accessible track is Ymphasomniac, which starts off jazz-like but morphs into the more typical commercial prog rock sound of the period.”

“A cracking album that pushes the boundaries of jazz dissonance but still keeps it all within an acceptable level. It remains constantly and consistently interesting and has some memorable moments. For the band members involved it can be considered a great legacy.”

“Web at this stage had moved on from their bluesy slightly jazzy psych period, into the more trendy progressive rock that was infiltrating all UK bands at the time. Highly melodic, perhaps melancholic, rock music with guitar, organ and sax, and maybe best of all, the mournful vocals.”

Dead Man - JOSEFUS***

Crazy Man/I Need A Woman/Gimme Shelter/Country Boy/Proposition/Situation/Dead Man

Dead Man was the first album release from the Texan hard rock trio Josefus, whose members has previously performed and recorded under different names. Considered by some to be an early example of the doom-metal sub genre.

“An absolutely essential gem of proto-doom rock that more than keeps up with the bigger acts of the day. Side one contains the majority of the tracks, with the second side being mostly reserved for the band’s magnum opus song, Dead Man. And darkness abounds all throughout this record.”

“There is a kind of doomed, hopeless feel to this one, kind of like early doom metal or such. A great album overall that is very much worth hearing.”

“An excellent example of Texas proto-metal, with lots of bravado and fuzz guitar. It is somewhat under-produced, but overall is very good. One of the best 70s hard rock underground discoveries.”

“Music from the very brief period when psych rock was turning into hard rock, and albums had elements of both. Dead Man is a heavily Grand Funk influenced epic that is an immediate hard rock classic.”

“In 1970, countless power trios were trying to fill the void Cream had just vacated. Few if any could, but it did lead to some pretty good hard rock. Josefus were a cut above many of them. Their playing is clean and precise, and their writing turns lots of corners, with a unique take on standard blues changes, plus unexpected breaks and codas. This band understood riffs.”

“The second side is clearly the stronger side here with its massive long title track jam. It's easily the best thing this album has to offer and the only song that I can call really good and entertaining.”

“Not entirely dissimilar from other Texan heavy psych of its age, with maybe a more sinister/morbid feel. However, it is not exactly 'doomy' as some record collectors would have you believe, although the title track is a standout epic.”

Third Ear Band - THIRD EAR BAND***

Air/Earth/Fire/Water

Eponymous follow up album from the Third Ear Band who were prominent in the London underground music scene. They were heavily influenced by Eastern musical forms. (UK:49)

“Their second self-titled album is undoubtedly where their unusual sound really takes hold in a way no later artist in the over-hyped genre of world music would. The melodic oboe is quite different from any type of jazz saxophone, whilst the violin and cello remarkably manage to sound like a guitar on Fire and not lose the band's eccentricity. At the same time, the percussion rhythms on all four tracks result in music that one really can dance to.”

“The band's second album consists of acoustic, spacey folk music. The four lengthy tracks stretch out in a complex, developmental way that places it in good company with progressive music. Each track is an impression of the four elements, done in droning raga-style with percussion, oboe and string instruments. At times, this is almost new age music, except that there is enough conflictive dissonance and occasional dark mysterious moods to keep this music well elevated above that style.”

“Totally instrumental, this would be best described as experimental psychedelia. Definitely a certain taste is required to thoroughly enjoy this.”

“It's a pretty concept that could have been so much better if it had more dynamics. All these songs drone on and on and the improvisation element is pretty static. In almost all cases the music wears thin and is not all that demanding of one’s attention. Air is probably the most improvisational but in the right mood, the Eastern vibes of Earth is the most enjoyable of the four elements, which builds some interesting momentum and percussion half-way through.”

“I don't consider it to be a masterpiece but it's a really unique album with four lengthy, free improvisations and drone influenced progressive tracks.”

“On the whole it was pretty boring, but it wasn't entirely bad. The instrumentation is unique, and the tracks certainly conjure up images of their respective titles quite well. Unfortunately, it is also one of those albums you forget about ten minutes after you've finished listening.”

Population II - RANDY HOLDEN***

Guitar Song/Fruit & Iceburgs/Between Time/Fruit & Iceburgs (Conclusion)/Blue My Mind/Keeper Of My Flame

Population II was the sole 1970s release from the heavy metal guitarist Randy Holden. He had previously been in the US hard rock band Blue Cheer and was known for his experimentation with distortion and feedback.

“If you're at all into old school heavy rock/metal, you've probably heard whispered rumours about this record. Over the years, the album's reputation as a truly demented slice of acid-fried, mega-watt guitar mayhem has grown beyond all and any reasonable manner.”

“Although there is no such thing as too much distortion on a psychedelic album, the leads can become grating way too easily (as in Guitar Song). The vocals are nothing to write home about, and the drumming is too lazy considering the energy that the guitar emanates. It is basically a feel-good album with Holden going bonkers on the guitar and coaxing some heavy duty riffs.”

“For fans of loud, bluesy guitar and screaming gruff vocals with pounding 4/4 rhythms, then here you go. None of that art school stuff here, just blitzed out hard rock - one style, all the time.”

“This album has to be the source of the ‘just turn the amps to 11’ gag. So uncompromising, it was bound to be a cult classic, and it was.”

“This is most probably the heaviest album that had ever been recorded up to that date. It's ultra heavy, power-trio style hard rock, even though it's pretty much just Holden handling the whole show, except for the drums. A highly consistent and extraordinarily good record, essential for any fan of the genre.”

“Recorded after he left Blue Cheer, Population II is simply a hard rock guitar lovers dream. The album's essentially a one man show with Holden producing, writing all of the material, handling lead vocals, as well playing most of the instruments except drums. The emphasis is clearly on guitar, and anyone looking for musical subtlety need not bother.”

“This is a blues based early metal album laced with psychedelic influenced song writing. By modern standards, the pacing is slow, but the songs are extremely well structured with great hooks. Holden can also sing, and his vocals suit the material.”

Elastic Rock - NUCLEUS***

1916/Elastic Rock/Striation/Taranaki/Twisted Track/Crude Blues Part I/ Crude Blues Part II/1916 (Battle Of Boogaloo)/Torrid Zone/Stonescape/Electric Mother/Speaking For Myself/Persephones Jive

Elastic Rock was the debut album from the British jazz-rock band Nucleus. They were led by trumpeter Ian Carr, a prominent figure in jazz circles during the 1960s. They won first prize at the 1970 Montreux Jazz Festival. (UK:46)

“Ian Carr's trumpet is the secret ingredient which makes the whole experiment gel, but all the band members turn in good performances and offer an interesting take on fusion which tends towards shorter, snappier tracks than most of the fusion crowd were working on at the time.”

“It sounds like a textbook 70s fusion album. Battle Of Boogaloo is a real masterstroke with its irregular yet satisfying groove. I find the second half better than the first, but the whole album is full of good jazz-rock.”

“Highly acclaimed by both prog and jazz reviewers, Elastic Rock is smooth jazz music led mainly by improvisations through sax, flutes and Ian Carr's trumpet. In this all instrumental album, the brass instruments are supported by a nice electric piano, and the very distinctive and somewhat fuzzy guitars result in mellow yet delicate jazz musicianship.”

“Though closer to jazz than rock, Nucleus proved that there is no need to be highly complex in order to create a relaxing and greatly executed piece of jazz-rock.” “A quite enjoyable yet rarely imaginative fusion, that is more rock-centred rather than jazz-centred.”

“The drumming, playing and composition style are instantly recognisable to any fan of mid-70s Soft Machine, and this is what makes this album both delightful and disconcerting at the same time. Only Ian Carr's trumpet and the understated guitar keep reminding me that in fact this is Nucleus. At this time many exponents of British jazz-rock fusion did sound very similar, some doing it better than others, Nucleus being one of the better ones.”

Kristofferson - KRIS KRISTOFFERSON***

Blame It On The Stones/To Beat The Devil/Me & Bobby McGee/The Best Of All Possible Worlds/Help Me Make It Through The Night/The Law Is For The Protection Of The People/Casey's Last Ride/Just The Other Side Of Nowhere/Darby's Castle/For The Good Times/Duvalier's Dream/Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down

At the time of the release of his debut album Texan country singer Kris Kristofferson was best known for his songs recorded by other artists, most notably the Janis Joplin cover of Me & Bobby McGee.

“On Kristofferson, we hear the songwriter put his imprint on his own songs. The results are decidedly mixed. He delivers his songs with passion. However, there's no denying the fact that he had a very limited vocal range. But the biggest problems with the album extend well beyond the singer's voice. The producer dampens these songs with shoddy arrangements, filled with cheesy female back-up singers, dated strings, and an unclear musical vision. It's a testament to the quality of Kristofferson's poetic lyrics, and his simple but effective tunes, that the record is as good as it is.”

“His debut features most of his best known work, you get that outlaw drifter persona and a wonderfully dark feel to songs which made them so appealing to rock acts as well as country. His voice has little in the way of range but it has a lot of presence that wins through even when the arrangements are a little patchy, and some of his social commentary sounds a little glib.”

“Kristofferson's spoken word style with a voice broken-in through whiskey and smoke sings of what he knows, the hard living and hard luck won through perseverance where the protagonist always gets up the next morning, albeit a little unsteady and dreams of his luck turning.”

“In style the album straddles both mainstream country and the nascent country-rock, although a little awkwardly at times. This is understandable given Kristofferson was basically creating his own genre.”

“Unfortunately, the tacky, dated arrangements do little to redeem his idiosyncratic vocal style. Many of the lyrics are similarly trite and contrived. The songs range from simple-minded jabs at middle-class values, to awful mini-epics glorifying his downtrodden, obscure characters.”

“After watching a plethora of artists in many genres turn his songs into hits, he decided to craft his own album of older material as well as fresh. This is the result: one of the best country debuts of the last 40 years.”

Hark The Village Wait - STEELEYE SPAN****

A Calling-On Song/The Blacksmith/Fisherman's Wife/Blackleg Miner/Dark-Eyed Sailor/Copshawholme Fair/All Things Are Quite Silent/The Hills Of Greenmore/My Johnny Was A Shoemaker/Lowlands Of Holland/Twa Corbies/One Night As I Lay On My Bed

Hark The Village Wait was the debut album from the British folk group Steeleye Span who combined traditional songs with an electric backing. Boosted by the appeal of main vocalist Maddy Prior they would become the most popular group in the British folk scene of the 1970s.

“Twelve good songs of electric folk and intelligent, delicate, serious soft rock played on standard rock instruments augmented with liberal servings of autoharp, concertina, mandola, banjo, electric dulcimer and harmonium. Lots of beautiful singing, every track is a traditional folk song yet, at the same time, the overall effect is quite contemporary.”

“So sublime and understated, this is a folk rock caress of the finest singing and delicate electric guitar one could ever hope to find. It's a true friend for life, a timeless compendium of song magic.”

“Steeleye Span's debut album is basically twelve perfect songs. They evocate a definite and magic atmosphere, and feature some immortal melodies (they survived during centuries for a good reason). They're played with a fervent, original, touching interpretation.”

“This is the only one of the group's albums to feature the sublime vocals of both Maddy Prior and Gay Woods at a time when both were singing at or near their peak. Their harmonies are outstanding. The song choices, nearly all adaptations of traditional material, are excellent and the basic folk rock arrangements fit the tunes perfectly.”

“This first Steeleye Span album is folkier and less rock-influenced than their later work. The gutsy yet finely-honed voices of Maddy Pryor and Gay Woods never let you down, either separately or in rich harmony. This album bursts with energy; the tunes are memorable and they always make me want to sing along.”

“Steeleye Span were perhaps the band who were more faithful to tradition among those prominent in the electric folk phenomenon, and that's why their style is most striking. This album is extremely innovative, especially for the cutting-edge guitar sound, and the unpredictable drum patterns and basslines.”

Stray - STRAY***

All In Your Mind/Taken All The Good Things/Around The World In Eighty Days/Time Machine/Only What You Make It/Yesterday's Promises/Move On/In Reverse-Some Say

Eponymous debut album from the British melodic hard rock band Stray. Although attracting favourable plaudits from the critics, none of their many album releases in the 1970s troubled the charts.

“While essentially performing busy, prog heavy guitar rock, this is a band blessed with inventive arrangement ideas and the energy to execute them with flair. There really isn't a bad track on this record.”

“Stray's 1970 debut album is a true killer mix of psychedelia and guitar-driven hard rock sound. The songwriting is superb and all these tracks are effective.” “A solid release, whose musical range spans all the way from blissful psychedelia to the threshold of heavy progressive rock.”

“Stray's self-titled album from 1970 is one of the best hard rock/heavy psych debuts you can find. Their sound consists of unique psych-flavoured hard rock with awesome song structures and wicked guitar work. What makes this unique is that it doesn't sound anything like a typical 70s hard rock release.”

“These progressive and psych-leaning songs are all well written, and the playing is very energetic with some intense jams. It is really hard to believe that these guys were all teens when they recorded this.”

“Stray are a forgotten hard rock band from the early seventies who were young, sloppy and brilliant. Anyone interested in a record of thundering boogie and howling anthems with often hilarious themes, and which is distinctly British, could do much worse than popping this one on.”

“This band is quite obscure from a mainstream perspective, but most hard rock fans successfully seek this one out. Their sound is rather ahead of it's time for 1970, with an awesome heavy metal style of hard rock. Fans of the genre will not be disappointed.”

“All In Your Mind, which the mighty Iron Maiden would later cover, is an amazing proto-metal song with blistering twin guitar. Around The World In Eighty Days is pure hard rock bliss. This is a must have for fans of hard rock and metal.”

Parachute - THE PRETTY THINGS***

Scene One/The Good Mr Square/She Was Tall She Was High/In The Square/The Letter/Rain/Miss Fay Regrets/ Cries From The Midnight Circus/Grass/Sickle Clowns/She's A Lover/What's The Use/Parachute

During the decade from the mid 1960s The Pretty Things releases covered a variety of styles ranging from R & B to psychedelic rock. Parachute encompassed many of these styles in one album. (UK:43)

“Parachute opens with a dazzling side long suite about subjects ranging from social conformity to romantic failure to rainy-day misery and beyond, whilst the second side offers different songs in a remarkable range of styles. This finds The Pretty Things on absolutely top form and doesn't deserve to be neglected in the shadow of its more famous predecessor.”

“Not as good as it's predecessor but still not too bad. It features a little psych with some fairly hard rock, together with some fantastic guitar solos.”

“Overall, most of this album is very good underground rock, despite some of the material being slightly poppy, although other tracks are hard rock, similar to their previous album. This album serves as an interregnum between their psych and later more commercial rock period.”

“More easy-going than S. F. Sorrow, this album proves that The Pretty Things should have enjoyed a lot more fame. Grass is probably the best song here, it is instantly catchy, and the whole album blends together brilliantly.”

“Parachute is bluesy and heavy, with elements of prog, featuring fantastic vocals and bass. The Pretty Things are one of the more forgotten bands of their era; on the evidence of this record they are in need of discovery by every serious rock fan.”

“The only group I can think of to straddle the R & B boom, psychedelia and the heavy progressive wave, this is their best album. Sound quality and production is absolutely first rate and ahead of its time. Vocals and melodies are weak however, and there was no hit single to give them the successful revival they deserved.”

“A burst of creativity resulting in a bunch of songs united by a theme of rural versus urban living, and the contradictions implicit in resolving the differences of each; in other words it was one of the first concept albums. The themes are contrasted by use of harmony and melody set against some occasionally quite heavy rock, using a live sound, and the whole works well musically as an album.”

Atomic Rooster - ATOMIC ROOSTER***

Friday The Thirteenth/And So To Bed/Broken Wings/Before Tomorrow/Banstead/SLY/Winter/Decline & Fall

Self titled debut album from the British rock group Atomic Rooster, created by former members of Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Drummer Carl Palmer would shortly jump ship again to found Emerson Lake & Palmer. (UK:49)

“Albums like this are what make the late 60s/early 70s my favourite era for music. Recommended for fans of classic rock.”

“Atomic Rooster's first album is a pretty solid package. Some of the songs are brilliant but on the other hand there are others that aren't that special.”

“A very good debut, which would have been of better quality, if not for some filler. Although Vincent Crane's keyboards stand out, the band's music cannot really be tagged as progressive but it is very close. Carl Palmer gives an exceptional performance, and one must really check out his drum solo on the closing track Decline & Fall.”

“Atomic Rooster play a brand of Jethro Tull style progressive rock, with just a touch of King Crimson heaviness. It's quite impressive how the band manage to be heavy despite the fact that the guitar doesn't get much of a work out, at least not as much as the Hammond organ, or other various instruments.”

“Although dark, heavy and thunderous the Rooster sound is soaked in a soulful feel and exquisite sophistication. Crane has many tricks up his sleeve to temper his organ maelstroms, or crisscrossed piano with organ swells and a rhythmical frenzy, with Palmer’s pagan and virtuoso drumming.”

“The tracks range all the way from organ driven hard rock to slow building symphonic prog, and even some straightforward blues-rock. Vincent Crane's virtuoso keyboards are fantastic, as is the drumming of Carl Palmer.”

“Friday The 13th is a dramatic and exciting opener, but after that the songs all tend to blend together and lose identity. Graham's vocals are simply not up to belting out the material, and are something of a weak point on the album.”

“A modest debut effort from a band that would do far better on their next two releases. What doesn't work are Crane's vocals and the almost complete absence of guitar.”

Entrance - EDGAR WINTER****

Winter's Dream: Entrance/Where Have You Gone/Rise To Fall/Fire & Ice/Hung Up/Back In The Blues/Re- Entrance/Tobacco Road/Jump Right Out/Peace Pipe/A Different Game/Jimmy's Gospel

Entrance was the debut release from multi-talented Texan musician Edgar Winter. On this album he demonstrates his virtuosity by playing most of the instruments himself. (US:196)

“All the different sides of Edgar’s complex muse get an airing on this brilliant album, where else can you hear blues, R & B, gospel, rock 'n’ roll and progressive jazz dance together and collide so gleefully as this?”

“This is his debut, blues rock, fusion, introspective, on tracks like Entrance with his great vocals. Edgar rocks on Jump Right Out, where he puts in a high-energy performance, like he does on this studio version of Tobacco Road. On A Different Game a hot band plays jazz fusion with all the elements you can think of. All-in-all, a good mix that made me a fan.”

“Much better than numerous other knock-off artists, the piano work and general melodies on Entrance are great. Tobacco Road is the definite standout piece of the album. Even besides that, the other tracks are fine by themselves.”

“Edgar's first album is still one of his best. His extraordinary voice, his energetic sax and keyboard playing are all heard to great advantage here. The strong jazz influence may come as a surprise to those who only know him from his later work, but it's a style that he is obviously quite at home in. Everything about this record is first rate.”

“Edgar and brother Johnny collaborate on an explosion of unforgettably delectable fusion ideas. If you love and appreciate good composition, you'll be amazed at the torrent of fluid music that holds Entrance together.”

“Edgar Winter's first album is in many ways his best, and one of the greatest debut albums ever, although those fans who came to know and love the later, arena-rock may hate it. This is a potpourri of jazz, soul, and rock with very strong writing and arranging.”

“This isn’t rock & roll, but as my tastes turned to jazz, it remained as one of my most prized collections. The performances are flawless, the studio mixing is superb, the tunes are well-written - I can't say enough about this album.”

Poco - POCO***

Hurry Up/You Better Think Twice/Honky Tonk Downstairs/Keep On Believin'/Anyway Bye Bye/Don't Let It Pass By/Nobody's Fool-El Tonto De Nadie Regresa

Self titled follow up album from the US country rock band Poco. Here they move away from the country influences of their debut and adopt a more mainstream rock sound. (US:58)

“A different sound for their second effort, and that's not a bad thing. The boys plug in their electric guitars on this one and do some serious rocking. They do it well, too. On their debut Poco played in an amalgamated folk/country/pop style, but here they vary their music from track to track.”

“This album shows the group moving away somewhat from their country leanings and more into rock. Not bad but a step back from their debut. A long boring instrumental jam mars almost half the album.”

“Pound for pound this record has guts. Tight harmonies, outstanding production value, solid arrangements, it's all good. If you wish to introduce yourself to Poco, buy this record then their first. Listen to how they changed between the two albums. Both fine in their own respects but two very different records.”

“On this, the band rock out harder than on their debut, especially on the opening track Hurry Up. Furay wrote or co-wrote all of the songs except for Honky Tonk Downstairs, which showed that the band hadn't completely abandoned their country leanings. All of their trademarks are here: tight harmony singing, soulful vocals, Messina's economic lead guitar work, and Rusty Young's pedal steel as organ.”

“There are some really fantastic songs and playing on this one. The guitar, the keyboards and the subtle harmonies just blow me away. Obviously the last track is a little much, but that really doesn't take away from the album as a whole.”

“For those of you who like your country rock with the emphasis on rock, with blues and jazz phrasings that truly swing tossed into the mix, this album delivers.”

“This isn't country-rock, so much as rock with a few rather insignificant country trappings thrown in. Thankfully, this particular experiment was short-lived.”

Vehicle - THE IDES OF MARCH***

Vehicle/Factory Band/The Sky Is Falling/Home/Wooden Ships-Dharma For One/Bald Medusa/Aire Of Good Feeling/Time For Thinking/One Woman Man/Symphony For Eleanor

Vehicle was the debut and most commercially successful album from the Chicago jazz-rock ensemble The Ides of March, its commercial appeal boosted by the US No. 2 title track hit. (US:55)

“It's a shame they (d)evolved into a horn rock band. Without the horns, they would actually be quite good. But they are good enough to carry them through in most instances anyway. The soul flavour they impart dilutes the otherwise hard rock sound that forms the foundation of the record.”

“They were another horn band in the style of Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago, which poses the question of the need for another such band as this. Both Home and One Woman Man are horribly sappy ballads of the worst kind.”

“In the glory days of horn-driven rock bands, The Ides of March were probably the most underrated and least appreciated of all the groups in that genre. Originally, they were more of a Sixties garage-band, but by 1969 they added some trumpets and a sax, and it was a whole new sound for them.”

“Each song is full of life and the ballads are beautiful such as Home which delivers an emotional message that sends shivers down one's spine. Factory Band is a fun rocker that gets your feet stomping, and that's followed by The Sky Is Falling which really shows off the powerful horn section. One Woman Man is another beautiful ballad.”

“Quality is a little patchy but overall this is a good solid effort. If you are a fan of the great horn driven groups of the late 60s and 70s like Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears, you'll enjoy this.”

“When this record was being put together, Vehicle had climbed rapidly to the No. 2 spot on the national charts. The rest of songs are mostly in the same vein stylistically. The final track, Symphony For Eleanor is a musical tour-de-force, probably the most experimental of all, with lengthy instrumental indulgences and an overall fast sound.”