Top 5 of 1981!

Like I mentioned in the Anniversary Article for this year, there was a lot of stellar music in 1981, so putting together a Top 5 was difficult.  There were no obvious winners, but more than a handful solid albums, and it took quite a bit of nit-picking to get the list down to five.  Naturally, there are a lot of honorable mentions, including Mötley Crüe's debut Too Fast for Love, Rush's Moving Pictures, and Foreigner's 4.  Even Saxon and Survivor had a chance to get in, but they couldn't quite make it.  As always, this is just my opinion, and I can't listen to everything, but this my Top 5 for one of the best years for melodic rock and metal.

5. AC/DC - For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

While following up the iconic Back in Black would have been a challenge no matter what, but they certainly gave it a shot anyway.  It's not a perfect album, but it has a lot of energy, and the title track is purely anthemic.  A solid sophomore effort from Brian Johnson as the band keeps doing what they do best.

4. Journey - Escape

I mentioned that this was a shoe-in for the Top 5 in the review, but it was a matter of where.  After reviewing all these albums, this isn't as complete as the ones above it, though the hits are iconic and classic.  Despite all the praise I gave it, #4 is the highest I can put it against such tough competition.

3. Black Sabbath - Mob Rules

The second of the Dio Sabbath albums, when I reviewed this, I mentioned it wasn't as good as Heaven and Hell.  While I do still feel that way, it doesn't change the fact that it's still a very solid album.  The title track and "Sign of the Southern Cross" let Dio soar majestically, and I'm thinking I'm liking his Sabbath albums more than Ozzy's (sacrilege, I know), but this is a great album to represent how metal was evolving at the time.

2. Styx - Paradise Theater

When I posted my retrospective of this band earlier in the year, I stated that this album kinda falls off in the second half.  However, when you listen to it as an album, the ending does work as a good match to the start, and solid book ends do help an album seem strong.  There's also a lot of nostalgia for this band, so they were gonna end up pretty high, no matter what!

1. Def Leppard - High 'n' Dry

I internally debated hard about what to put at #1 for this year.  Styx seemed like the obvious winner, but as I continued to listen to Def Leppard's second album, I found it to be very consistent and enjoyable.  Just a lot of solid hard rock.  While it does lean into some AC/DC territory (largely because Mutt Lange was producing), with so many catchy hooks and choruses, I finally decided to put them at the top of what is a very excellent list.  They would go on to bigger things from here, but let it be said with this and their debut, they started from a great foundation.

Top 5 of 1976!!

Well, after quite a bit of listening, I've finally pulled together my Top 5 for 1976.  As always, I can't listen to everything and this is just my personal preferences, but this really interesting list to put together.  When I did my Anniversary Article, I noted how good this year was, as bands were making the transition into more melodic rock styles for the sake of FM Radio.

I do have a few honorable mentions to bring up.  While "Carry On Wayward Son" is an excellent song, the rest of Kansas's Leftoverture it just okay, and I feel the same about Rush's 2112.  Starcastle's self-titled debut is a decent bit of Yes-styled prog, and even Triumph had an outside shot.  However, I really do think these five albums are the best the year has to offer.

5. Styx - Crystal Ball

While the album can be a bit of a mixed bag, the title track is one of their classic hits, and "Put Me On" is a clever bit of meta-humor.  As a massive Styx fan, it's hard to keep this band down, so even one of their weaker album still squeaks into this Top 5!

4. AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

While they did have one album before this, I was a little unsure as to whether to include High Voltage for 1975 (Australian release) or 1976 (International release).  Fortunately, their follow up simplifies things for me by being a much better album.  Not only do the title track and "Problem Child" continue to get play on classic rock radio, but deeper cuts like "Rocker" and the slow burning "Ride On" easily put this at number 4.

3. Rainbow - Rising

While Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow started off well last year, he and Dio really knocked it out of the park with Rising.  Kicking off with "Tarot Woman" and "Run with the Wolf," both strong songs, the album's real highlight is the eight minute epic "Stargazer," where the band's triumphant scope really shines.

2. Alan Parsons Project - Tales of Mystery and Imagination

I've always been a fan of this band, and while I admit this one is a little shaky compared to the rest of their discography, its theatrical tone helps set it apart from anything else in the year.  From "Crazy" Arthur Brown's manic performance on "Tell Tale Heart" to the orchestral brooding in the suite "Fall of the House of Usher," this project really captures the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe into some high quality symphonic rock.

1. Boston - Boston

I am hard pressed to think of a debut album that soared higher than Boston's self-titled album.  Half the songs on this album are still being played on classic rock radio and for good reason.  Between the proggy pomp and hard rocking riffs, with extremely tight vocal harmonies, this is arena rock at its finest.  It's such a shame that the band couldn't quite live up to this debut with their subsequent albums.  Still, I doubt this is a controversial choice at number one, as I know it's been praised by nearly everyone who has taken the time to listen to it, and I know I have many times over.

David Gilmour, The Ferrymen, and Styx Retrospectives!

Just wanted to post a quick article for the new David Gilmour Retrospective Article I put over in my Article Retrospectives section.  Again, I've just pulled the reviews I've written over the years together into a single article, with a few tweaks.  (I have also since included my Catching Up with The Ferrymen and Styx Retrospective articles in there as well.)  That's all for now, but I'm sure to put together more of these sooner rather than later.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Styx Retrospective!!

I believe I've mentioned that my music listening history started with my father's classic rock collection.  While the big three have remained pretty constant in my life, if there was a fourth, it would be Styx.  I remember getting into them in the mid-90s, enjoying the purple A&M compilation album my dad had.  They really were the first "hard rock" band I got into, and they've stayed with me over the years, as I've never grown tired of their unique blend of distorted guitars and theatrical ballads.  Perhaps not unique for the 70s, but still iconic in all the right ways.  This time, I decided to focus just on their studio albums, largely because I had been working on this for a few years, and I was hoping to get it out before the end of the year with their latest album.  I didn't quite succeed, as you can tell, but it's been a fun ride regardless.

Top 5 of 1975!!

Like I mentioned in the Anniversary Article for this year, this was a year of transition, with prog rock phasing out and arena rock taking over.  Still, this meant a lot of good albums, and putting together this Top 5 was harder than it seemed.  As usual, I want to note that I'm just one guy with limited time, listening to what I can, and I'm keeping things within the scope of the blog, so this isn't going to be the most comprehensive list ever.

I did want to talk about a few honorable mentions, though.  While Black Sabbath and Scorpions had some decent stuff, those albums are a little clunky, and even though Rush had two albums this year, neither of them made it (even though Caress of Steel nearly made it in!).  With that out of the way, here's my Top 5 for 1975!

5. Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow

Sure, it might not be their best album, but this was the world's introduction to the titanic singer Ronnie James Dio, and his presence is immediately felt with "Man on the Silver Mountain."  While the album does get a bit goofy here and there, I find it to be pretty consistent in quality, and so it squeezes in here at number 5.

4. Queen - Night at the Opera

Like I mentioned when I reviewed this, it would be impossible to talk about this decade without Queen, and this album is a major reason why.  I have to admit it was tough to decide whether or not I liked this more than Zeppelin's work, but in the end, fourth is not a bad place to be.

3. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

Again, this an obvious choice.  While their definitely experimenting with their sound, they still dominate the hard rock scene with titanic songs like "Kashmir" and "Ten Years Gone."  Being a double album, I will say that it's probably a bit too long, but that doesn't make the album any less amazing.

2. Styx - Equinox

I won't deny that Styx is one of my favorite bands, and even a clunky album of theirs will still rate highly for me.  It's a bit of a janky listen, but with catchy rockers like "Lorelei," "Lonely Child," and "Midnight Ride," the album gets plenty of play.  That awesome riff in the middle of "Suite Madame Blue" seals the deal.

1. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

However, this year is dominated by Pink Floyd's follow up to The Dark Side of the Moon.  While it doesn't get the same level of acclaim as their iconic album, I still think there's a lot going on with this one as well as they perfect their iconic sound.  If you really want to see me gush about this album, go check out the band retrospective I did four years ago, but suffice it to say, this is one of my favorite albums, so it's no surprise to me that it takes the crown for 1975.

Anniversary Series - 1999!

This article should be better than the last one, even if it means I gush about power metal most of the time, but it was great year for that genre.  After HammerFall had opened the gates, tons of new bands got signed, making it a ripe year for fans of the style.  However, I promise I'll talk a little bit about other genres, and we'll kick things off with some hard rock.

The big album of the year was definitely Creed's Human Clay.  Between the Matrix cameras in the music video and the anthemic post-grunge sound, this was when Creed cracked into the mainstream and became a big name.  I remember hearing "Higher" on the radio and thinking I needed more of this band.  I ended up loving them so much, they ended up being my first band retrospective article three years ago (the fact that they had such a small discography certainly helped as well.)

Other rock highlights include a few bands coming back in one form or another.  Def Leppard got back to their classic sound with Euphoria, Styx tried to make another concept album for Brave New World, and Santana teamed-up with Rob Thomas to give us "Smooth."  Classic rock might not have been the charting success it once was, but they still had plenty of good ideas and fun music.

I've delayed it long enough, though.  Power metal was really strong this year, with plenty of options to pick up.  Primal Fear came back with Jaws of Death, Gamma Ray and Iron Savior carried on their space crusade (which I reviewed earlier this month), Kamelot went into their Fourth Legacy now with epic vocalist Roy Khan helping with the songwriting, Edguy criticized the Theater of Salvation., and Helloween pulled out a Metal Jukebox for some interesting covers.

There were some solid debuts.  Freedom Call started their happy style of metal with Stairway to Fairyland, Metalium rang in the year with Millennium Metal, and Sonata Arctica blew everyone away with their debut Ecliptica.  With magnificent songs like "Kingdom for a Heart" and "Unopened," it was clear they were poised to become a champion of the second wave of power metal.

Of course, prog was making good stuff as well.  Dream Theater would reach a creative peak with their psychodrama Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, Alan Parsons would check out The Time Machine, and Yes would blow my teenage mind away with The Ladder.  I've gushed about this album before.  Despite being 25 years old now, I still sing along to every word and note and beat whenever I put it on.  Honestly a modern prog rock masterpiece in my opinion.

So there's my thoughts on a pretty dang good year of rock and metal.  As always, check out the playlist below for more, recommend what I missed in the comments, and try to stay cool out there!  August is looking to be a hot and busy month for me, as I have a lot of album reviews planned, so keep an eye out for those.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1979!

Wow, this has been a rough month!  I wanted to get some articles out before now, but I guess life had other plans.  Still, I am determined to do these Anniversary Articles, as they provide a fun summary to write up.  As it turns out, 1979 is a pretty solid year.  Melodic rock was really starting to take off, and we have the early signs of NWOBHM movement.  Let's get into it!

The year starts off strong with a lot of big names.  Scorpions was "Loving You Sunday Morning," Journey gave us some "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," Van Halen wanted to "Dance the Night Away," and Supertramp was having Breakfast in America.  That album was a big one for them, as the title track, "The Logical Song," "Goodbye Stranger," and "Take the Long Way Home" would be big hits for them.

Heavy metal gets some interesting releases this year, featuring the debut albums of both Accept and Saxon, as well as Motorhead's iconic double-bass kicking on Overkill.  Judas Priest released a classic live album with Unleashed in the East, Iron Maiden was working on their Soundhouse Tapes, and Motorhead would return later in the year with Bomber.  While I do think the next year would be where metal really takes off, this year was certainly a sign of things to come.

Meanwhile, the summer really heated up with a lot of massive hits.  The Electric Light Orchestra released "Don't Bring Me Down," Foreigner sang about "Head Games," Rainbow switched out Dio for Graham Bonnet to get Down to Earth, the Eagles went for The Long Run, and AC/DC drove down the Highway to Hell, which is easily the best album they did with Bon Scott.

As the year winded down, some of the high points included Styx's ballad "Babe," Molly Hatchet's "Flirtin' with Disaster," ZZ Top's "Cheap Sunglasses," and .38 Special's "Rockin' Into the Night."  However, the big album that would cap the year off is Pink Floyd's The Wall.  Powered by iconic hits like "Another Brick in the Wall Part Two," "Run Like Hell," and "Comfortably Numb," this psychological rock opera would put Pink Floyd back on top of the world, despite the band falling apart inside.  

That wraps up another year.  Check out the playlist below for more tracks, and let me know in the comments below if you think I've missed something.  I'll certainly do better next month for articles, as I've slowly been pulling some things together.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1983!

After doing that massive collection of reviews for albums from 1983, I'm more than prepared for this Anniversary Article.  As I mentioned in that other article, 1983 was a pretty exciting year for rock and metal, and going over this year, it's hard to decide to what to keep and what to leave out!  Let's get into it.

Right off, we have some pretty massive releases from some great melodic rock bands.  Journey push their Frontiers with massive hits like "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully."  Styx released Kilroy Was Here with the ever-catchy "Mr. Roboto" and the great ballad "Don't Let It End."  Blues-rock masters ZZ Top put out Eliminator, featuring a lot of classic rock staples like "Give Me All Your Lovin'," "Got Me Under Pressure," "Sharped Dressed Man," and of course, "TV Dinners."  (Well, okay, that last one is just a personal favorite.)

Heavy metal was just starting to break into the mainstream, starting with Def Leppard's Pyromania, with tracks like "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages" getting tons of airplay on MTV.  We also saw Mötley Crüe Shout at the Devil while displaying "Looks that Kill," but it would Quiet Riot's Metal Health that would be the first metal album to reach #1 on the Billboard 200, soaring with their cover of Slade's "Cum On Feel the Noize," beating out Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Great metal albums would continue to come out as the year went on.  Iron Maiden followed up their titanic Number of the Beast with Piece of Mind and "The Trooper."  Dio would start his own band with Holy Diver and sing about being a "Rainbow in the Dark."  Anvil and Manowar would carry on the US side of traditional metal with Forged in Fire and Into Glory Ride, respectively.  However, Metallica would provide the shot in the arm for the underground scene with their debut Kill'em All, and kickstarting thrash metal the world over.

Progressive bands would find themselves in a strange position.  Many of the old guard were suddenly finding pop success.  Genesis's self-titled album provided "That's All" and "Mama" as big radio hits, prog supergroup Asia would struggle with Alpha, despite being a very solid album, and Yes would reform around new guitarist Trevor Rabin for the massive hit "Owner of a Lonely Heart" on 90125.  However, with the review I gave last month, newcomers like Marillion and IQ were putting a new spin on what prog could sound like.

Getting to the end of the year, we have some more excellent metal to round us out.  Night Ranger's debut album Midnight Madness was big, with "(You Can Still) Rock in America," "When You Close Your Eyes," and the massive power balled "Sister Christian."  Ozzy regrouped after the disastrous death of Randy Rhoads by finding Jake E. Lee and releasing Bark at the Moon, and Accept would find international success with Balls to the Wall.  

Whew!  That was quite a lot, and there's plenty more in the playlist below, so be sure to check out what's down there.  I know that every year generally has some solid stuff, but 1983 was clearly a great year for rock and metal.  If there was anything I missed, let me know in the comments.  

Anniversary Series - 1978!

It's time for another article to celebrate an iconic year in rock history.  1978 is definitely a dynamic year.  While competing with the explosion of disco (which I actually don't mind, honestly), bands found all kinds of new ways to rock.  Between the growing arena rock scene, the fading prog rock scene, and metal at a pivotal turning point, the year provides all kinds of exciting music!

The year started off with Journey introducing the world to the voice of Steve Perry with Infinity.  Bolstered by the big hits "Lights" and "Wheel in the Sky," the band evolved from their jazz-fusion roots into the rock radio scene with confidence.  Hard rock would continue to dominate the first part of the year, with AC/DC putting out Powerage, Joe Walsh's eclectic "Life's Been Good," and Van Halen's debut "erupting" on the scene, providing the hits "Ain't Talking  'Bout Love" and their cover of "You Really Got Me," and essentially rewriting the electric guitar playbook for at least 10 years.

Moving into the spring, the rock parade continues with The Cars iconic debut album, Dire Straits releasing "Sultans of Swing," and Rainbow proclaiming Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, with "Kill the King" and "Gates of Babylon" continuing to show the strengths of the Dio and Blackmore combination.  However, the biggest album was Foreigner's Double Vision, which had three massive hits in "Hot Blooded," "Blue Morning, Blue Day," and "Double Vision," all of which are classic rock station staples to this day.

Progressive rock would go through quite the transition this year.  Genesis would morph their streamlined sound into something more poppy and accessible, finding success with "Follow You Follow Me."  Yes would also release a stripped down effort with Tormato, strange album art and all.  However, concept albums were not lacking.  The Alan Parsons Project would look to Egypt for ideas with their concept album Pyramid, and Jeff Wayne would unleash his version of The War of the Worlds.  In the midst of all this, Rush put out Hemispheres, being one of the few bands at the time willing to push deeper into their sound.

Heavy metal was also going through changes.  Despite the confident title, Black Sabbath's Never Say Die! sounded like a last, desperate gasp for the genre.  However, Judas Priest carried on unperturbed, as they released two albums within the calendar year.  Stained Glass provided the "Exciter," while Killing Machine inspired metalheads the world over to be "Hell Bent for Leather."  The power of these releases would help to inspire the rebirth that is the New Wave of British Heavy Metal to suddenly pick up in the subsequent years.

Wrapping things up, the rest of the year featured some great, anthemic rockers.  The Who showed their veteran strength by demanding "Who Are You," Toto debuted their self-titled album and asked us to "Hold the Line," Boston followed up their incredible first album with Don't Look Back, and Styx released Pieces of Eight, a solid follow-up to The Grand Illusion.  Featuring big hits like "Blue Collar Man," "Queen of Spades," and the iconic "Renegade," they rocked stadiums and jukeboxes across the country, and continue to do so on classic rock stations around the world along with Foreigner.

With a year of plenty great rock and metal to listen to, this ends up being one of the strongest years I've had to write about.  As always, check out the playlist below for more, and let me know if I've missed anything you think should be mentioned!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1973!

Sorry that it's been a bit slow around here, but things will pick up soon.  In the meantime, I have another Anniversary Article for you.  1973 is an interesting year, as prog rock was reaching its pretentious heights, hard rock was shifting into more arena-friendly sounds, and bands were exploring all kinds of lyrical topics and ideas.  Certainly an exciting year, featuring great work from artists new and old.

Right at the beginning of the year, we have Aerosmith's debut album, featuring the massive single "Dream On," soon followed by "No More Mr. Nice Guy" by Alice Cooper.  Led Zeppelin would carry on with Houses of the Holy, dipping into some pretty diverse sounds.  However, the first quarter was soon dominated by the massive Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd.  I doubt I need to explain why this was a big deal, especially since I already gushed about it in my retrospective article for the band.

The year carries on with a bunch more massive singles.  The Eagles sang about their "Desperado" and Chicago was "Feelin' Stronger Every Day."  Paul McCartney and the Wings were willing to "Live and Let Die," while Queen were telling us to "Keep Yourself Alive."  The hard rock continued on, with "We're An American Band" by Grand Funk Railroad, "La Grange" by ZZ Top, and Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut album providing "Gimme Three Steps" and the iconic epic "Freebird."

At the end of the year, progressive rock picks up again, with releases from many big bands.  Genesis was checking out our wardrobes in Selling England by the Pound, Emerson Lake and Palmer were inviting us back to the show that never ends with Brain Salad Surgery, Jethro Tull performed A Passion Play, and Yes told us the Tales of Topographic Oceans.  However, at this point, prog rock was looking quite long in the tooth (in a number of ways), as the genre would struggle beyond this year.

I just want to point out a handful of others before I wrap up.  First of all is Styx's second and third albums.  While they didn't get much attention at the time, "Lady" would eventually become an AOR station staple in just a few years, and there are a handful of hidden gems like "Earl of Roseland," "Witch Wolf," and "Jonas Psalter."  Black Sabbath would salvage themselves with Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, coming back with a bigger metallic sound.  And Mike Oldfield would suddenly find himself with more attention than he could have expected with Tubular Bells, a unique arrangement of instruments that would eventually become the soundtrack to horror films and space documentaries alike.

Well, I think that wraps up the year quite nicely.  It's definitely an eclectic year with all kinds of sounds and styles, but there's certainly plenty to recommend.  As always, check out the playlist below for more, and if I've missed anything, let me know in the comments.

Anniversary Series - 1977!

The middle of the month means it's time for another Anniversary Article, and I have to tell you that this year is a killer one for great rock music.  So many big bands putting out great albums, as things shift in a more FM radio-friendly direction.  Still, progressive rock wasn't quite out yet, as a few bands were still putting out some epic material.

In fact, the year starts off with one of the biggest prog rock bands: Pink Floyd.  Inspired by Orwell's allegorical novella Animal Farm, their Animals album shows them at their darkest, as well as their proggiest, with three very long songs dominating the album.  At around that same time, the often overlooked Starcastle would release the first of two albums.  While not quite as strong as their debut, I've always liked their mix of Yes and Kansas sounds, making for some very underrated prog.  Jethro Tull also released Songs of the Wood, the first of three very folk music heavy albums, and Journey went Next, starting to shift away from jazz-fusion into the hard rock they'd be known for.  The band would hire Steve Perry later that year.

As the spring warms things up, we get a slew of great hard rock albums.  Foreigner had their debut album, with the big singles "Feels Like the First Time" and "Cold as Ice," Heart warned us of the "Barracuda," AC/DC released Let There Be Rock, and Judas Priest committed Sin After Sin, as they further refined their heavy metal sound.  The Steve Miller Band would bring more of their southern-fried rock with Book of Dreams, featuring "Jet Airliner," "Swingtown," and "Jungle Love."

Summer would give us some more prog, as Yes would bring back Rick Wakeman for Going for the One, featuring one of their most beautiful songs, "Awaken."  Rush would push themselves further into prog territory with A Farewell to Kings, known for the ballad "Closer to the Heart" and the exotic "Xanadu."  Alan Parsons would return with his Project to provide the Asimov-inspired I, Robot.  However, the big album of the summer was Styx's The Grand Illusion.   Half the album remains on classic rock playlists across the country, and it was the first album I ever reviewed for this blog.  With standout classics like "Come Sail Away," "Fooling Yourself," "Miss America," and the title track, it's easy to see why this one was such a massive release.

The rest of the year would finish quite strong.  As we get into the fall, The Electric Light Orchestra release the double album Out of the Blue, which had "Turn to Stone," "Sweet Talkin' Woman," and the nearly overplayed "Mr. Blue Sky."  Kansas would follow that with Point of Know Return, a very solid, proggy, hard rock album from start to finish.  Then thing get epic with Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell, which I just reviewed, and Queen's News of the World, giving us the perennial stadium anthem "We Will Rock You," which flows into the titanic "We Are the Champions."  Eddie Money would then close the year out with his debut album, promising us "Two Tickets to Paradise."

Seriously, this is one amazing year, and I know I didn't cover everything, as you can see in the playlist below.  However, if you think I've missed something, just let me know.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1972!

A new year means a new batch of Anniversary articles!  Starting with 1972, we've got some pretty big albums reaching 50.  Rock was definitely expanding at this time, with progressive rock really starting to peak.  However, we also see some early evolutions of metal and hard rock as well.  Let's get into it.

Starting the year is actually a handful debut albums.  Blue Oyster Cult, Scorpions, and Styx would start their storied careers in the first quarter of 1972, with very little fanfare.  Scorpions and BOC were deep in the psychedelic rock style, and Styx was also very proggy, much like an American ELP, even featuring their own version of "Fanfare of the Common Man," which was used as part of a longer track.  However, all three had some of the hard rock crunch these bands would be known for later on.

That being said, the big album for the early part of the year was Deep Purple's Machine Head, which I reviewed nearly three years ago (where does the time go?).  Featuring their future hit "Smoke on the Water," the jam friendly "Space Truckin'," and proto-metal stomper "Highway Star," this album would celebrated years later as very influential for rockers around the world.

As the year goes on, we see many of the major prog rock releases.  Jethro Tull decided to pull a bit of a prank with their satirical concept album Thick as a Brick, which ended up becoming a celebrated masterpiece, despite (or, perhaps because of) the joke.  Pink Floyd would release Obscured by Clouds, a selection of songs the composed for a film that has pretty much since been forgotten if not for the Floyd connection.  I think it's a bit of an overlooked gem, with some neat little songs and spacy hammond organs.

However, the big prog releases came later, with ELP giving us Trilogy, Genesis dancing a Foxtrot, and Yes's titanic Close to the Edge.  Here, we see bands really pushing their song-writing limits, often writing epics that go over the 18 minute range.  I'm sure prog heads have their favorites, but for me, it's all about Close to the Edge and its masterful melodies and arrangements.  An incredible album from start to finish.

From here, the year gives us a few more highlights.  Eagles would also debut this year with their self-titled album providing several big hits with "Take It Easy," "Witchy Woman," and "Peaceful Easy Feeling."  In harder rock, Alice Cooper would let us know that "School's Out," and Black Sabbath would carry on with drug-addled Vol. 4.  Uriah Heep would release two albums this year, with Demons & Wizards and The Magician's Birthday, streamlining their own sound into a hard rocking outfit (and those Roger Dean covers are nice, too!).

Finally, the year would end with Deep Purple coming back with Made In Japan, a live album that wasn't even supposed to be released outside of it's titular country, but found itself in record players all over the world, with the band's improvisations extending their classic songs far beyond their original track lengths.  I enjoyed this one quite a bit myself when I reviewed it two years ago.

As you can see, this was quite the year for longer rock songs.  Fortunately, they're worth their runtime.  As always, I've got a playlist that has even more, and if you think I've missed something, let me know!  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - June 2021!

Still dealing with the heat, but I'm catching up on the latest videos.  This one is a bit back and forth between rock and metal, but it's all great, I promise!  These songs really demand to be turned up all the way!

Starting off with another great rocker from Big City.  This one is a little darker, a little more dramatic, and features some slide-guitar for one of the bridges (and the other solo is pretty tasty, as well).  While it's still within the pop metal wheelhouse, this one shows that the band has more than just good anthemic songs.

Another band I've heard a lot about, but never gotten around to.  Galneryus has been doing neo-classical power metal for quite a while now, and it sounds like they haven't slowed down in the slightest!  The song does bounce back-and-forth between Japanese and English, but the Malmsteen style solos are universal as far as I'm concerned!

I know I've called The Treatment a more melodic AC/DC, but this song seems to wander into more Def Leppard or Dokken territory, with a distinct pop metal vibe.  Still, it's quite enjoyable, and has some interesting little guitar licks.  Kinda wish the solo was a little longer, though.

Another awesome track from Hammer King!  Very much sitting between the sounds of HammerFall and Gamma Ray, this is some epic, chest-pounding metal.  I need to make their new album a higher priority for me!!

This new Styx album is sounding more and more peculiar.  While I recognize Tommy's voice, the song has this acoustic 6/8 groove, with some 70s synths laid on top.  It's a decent song, but I don't know if it really sounds like Styx.  I suppose I'll find out when I listen to the new album.

Finishing this article off with some gritty German power metal, Brainstorm has a great, double-kicking speed fest here.  Along with a catchy chorus and those crunchy guitars, it's one of the better songs in this style I've heard in a while!

New Videos - May 2021!

There are times where I begin to wonder if I will ever see the bottom of my "to listen to later" pile of stuff.  Classic bands and artists keep right on going, while new ones crop up all the time!  And a lot of it is really good!  A good problem to have I suppose, but I should stop complaining and let you check out what I've found lately, as it's quite a mix of things.

Yes, more Sabaton!  This time, it's actually an English cover of a song originally in Russian by a band they've worked with before named Radio Topek.  Still, it has Sabaton's iconic, stompy style of power metal, so they've definitely given it their own spin, whatever the original may have sounded like.

Now here's a bolt out of the blue.  Tommy Clufetos has been drumming for various classic rock bands (most notably the end of Black Sabbath's last reunion), but now has his own outfit.  The song feels like a high-energy mishmash of all kinds of 70s rock and metal.  I feel like I'm hearing Sabbath, Motorhead, and Molly Hatchet all at once!  A lot of fun!

Back to the power metal!  Actually, this one is different the last Sonic Haven track, as it's more of a mid-tempo track with some symphonic touches to up the epicness.  Pretty catchy, with a nice melodic solo.

This is definitely on the softer side of things, but I can't deny that Robin's vocals really make this work.  I think I've posted every single from this album, so I guess I better find time to listen to the whole thing.  Nice, anthemic soft rock that still has some good energy to it.

Another throwback to the 70s, this band, coming from Sweden, sounds like a southern-fried Fleetwood Mac, with a dash of Thin Lizzy.  It's not intense, but more easy-going, but still has a lot of groove and melody.  Rather unique, I think.

A new single from Styx!!  This is the title track for their upcoming album, and despite being under 4 minutes, it really goes all over the place!  Hammond solos, layered vocals, shifts in tone.  The last section gives me big Queen vibes, actually.  Makes me curious about the rest of this album, so I suppose the single did its job!

Anniversary Series - 1981!

Honestly, it can be difficult to adequately provide a recap for these anniversary articles, as sometimes there is just so much good stuff that comes out in a year.  Suffice it to say that 1981 is another stellar year with great music.  

Things kick off with April Wine's "Sign of the Gypsy Queen," a great rock song that's really grown on me, recently.  At the same time, we have Styx releasing Paradise Theater, featuring massive songs like "Rockin' the Paradise," "The Best of Times," and "Too Much Time On My Hands."  .38 Special would have their big hit "Hold On Loosely" come out this year, and Billy Squier had "The Stroke."

Heavy metal would also have some big releases this year.  Iron Maiden would pick up of their popular debut record with Killers, expanding on their noodly style of metal.  Judas Priest had at tougher time, following up British Steel with Point of Entry, often regarded as a weaker entry, but I still enjoy "Heading Out to the Highway" as solid Priest song.  Ozzy Accept would come into their own with Breaker, which I reviewed earlier this month.

Prog rock may not have been much of a force by this point, but there still some significant albums, though Rush's Moving Pictures certainly stands out, with big hits like "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight," as well as the fan favorite "YYZ."  Genesis would continue their pop-transition with Abacab, and King Crimson would suddenly reform for Discipline, ensuring that at least someone was exploring the boundaries of rock music.  

As the year goes on, we get even more great rockers.  Blue Öyster Cult recorded Fire of Unknown Origin, with the big hit "Burnin' For You," Journey provided "Don't Stop Believin'" and the epic ballad "Open Arms" from Escape, The Rolling Stones asked to "Start Me Up," and Def Leppard's High 'n' Dry gave us "Let It Go" and "Bringin' On the Heartbreak."  However, the big record for the summer was Foreigner's 4.  With massive tracks like "Waiting For a Girl Like You," "Jukebox Hero," and "Urgent," they showed they were the rock band to beat that year.

Even at the end of the year, it doesn't stop. The Police released Ghosts in the Machine, Loverboy sang out "Working For the Weekend," J.Geils Band had "Freeze-Frame," and The Cars used combined '50s kitsch with new wave sensibilities to Shake It Up.  Metal titans Black Sabbath would follow up their comeback record of Heaven and Hell with the equally solid Mob Rules, Ozzy also had a sequel record in Diary of a Madman with "Over the Mountain," and Saxon provided the NWOBHM anthem with "Denim and Leather."  The year would conclude with AC/DC's follow up to Back in Black with For Those About to Rock We Salute You.  Perhaps not as strong overall as their first with Brian Johnson, but that title track still gives me chills.

So there it is: 1981 in a nutshell.  I know I skipped over a ton of good stuff, and I tried to include them in the Spotify playlist below, but be sure to let me know if I've missed anything.  

Anniversary Series - 1976!

You'd think it would be hard to top 1971, but honestly 1976 is almost just as good.  Lots of great albums came out this year, even if not all of them were massive radio hits.  There's a lot to cover for this one, so I'd better get started!

The year starts with the massive Frampton Comes Alive!, featuring extensive use of the talkbox.  Live versions of "Show Me the Way," "Babe, I Love Your Way," and "Do You Feel the Way We Do" would find their way to rock stations around the world.  Kiss, who also found success with a massive live album last year, would release two albums this year: Destroyer and Rock and Roll Over, the former of which had big hits with "Detroit Rock City" and the ballad "Beth."  Led Zeppelin, while perhaps struggling with drugs and personal tragedies, still proved they still had it with Presence, featuring the epic "Achilles Last Stand."

Progressive rock was on its way out of public favor at this time, but there were still some solid albums this year.  Genesis released Trick of the Tail, which I reviewed late last year.  Rush also came to fruition with 2112, featuring the epic side-long title track that would propel them to the forefront of prog rock and hard rock fans across the world.  The Alan Parsons Project would begin this year as year, with Tales of Mystery and Imagination providing musical adaptations of the works of Edgar Allan Poe.  I also want to mention Starcastle's debut album.  Perhaps a little derivative of Yes, but I think it's a solid album, especially the opening track "Lady of the Lake."

Meanwhile, metal was starting to move toward its iconic sound, with help from Judas Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny, featuring classic tracks like "Victim of Changes" and "The Ripper," and Rainbow's Rising, which saw Ronnie James Dio really go all out on "Stargazer."  Black Sabbath would also release an album this year, but frankly Technical Ecstasy is not the band at their best, as they tried for a more commercial sound as the members were falling apart.

As the year went on, Blue Öyster Cult would tell us to "Don't Fear the Reaper," Steve Miller Band would help us "Fly Like an Eagle," and the Electric Light Orchestra would ask "Do Ya."  AC/DC would continue to perfect their sound with Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, which I reviewed two years ago.  Boston released their incredible debut album, probably one of the best ever!  With songs like "More Than a Feeling," "Peace of Mind," and "Long Time," Boston would be a staple for classic rock stations in the decades to follow.

At the end of the year, we have two more great albums.  Styx released Crystal Ball, which not only has a great title track, but also "Put Me On," a fun song about listening to rock records that balance the band's classic styles together.  And finally, The Eagles put out Hotel California, which features another great title track, as well as the massive hit "Life in the Fast Lane."

I told you this was a great year!  Honestly, there were others that I left off this article, but I made sure to throw them into the playlist below.  As always, if I've missed some, just let me know!  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1990!

As the year moves along, I hope everyone is staying safe.  In the meantime, this series carries on, into the year 1990!  Another year of transition, much like 1980, with some genres coming to a close while new ones are picking up to take their place!

However, the year would kick of with the familiar sound of glam metal, as Slaughter would release their debut album Stick It To Ya, with the big song "Up All Night."  In fact, glam and pop metal would have a pretty good year over all, with Poison's Flesh and Blood, Steelheart's debut, Ratt's Detonator, Warrant's Cherry Pie, and Jon Bon Jovi's solo debut with Blaze of Glory.

The rest of metal weren't sitting back either.  As thrash metal became more mainstream, Megadeth would find greater popularity with Rust in Peace.  Chock full of big tracks like "Holy Wars," "Hangar 18," "Tornado of Souls," and the title track, songs the band still play live today, it was a release that was hard to beat.  Even Judas Priest got in on the thrash action with Painkiller, letting Halford really go wild with the vocals.

Power metal, while still a long ways off from its peak, would find a few solid releases.  Kai Hansen, after breaking off with Helloween, would start Gamma Ray, with their debut album Heading For Tomorrow coming out this year.  Blind Guardian would release Tales from the Twilight World (which I reviewed at the end of last year), would show them shifting into their iconic style of melodic leads and epic vocals.

Of course, there was a new style developing out in the northwest of the US.  While grunge and alternative rock wouldn't completely take over, bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden would laying down the groundwork for the explosion that would follow in the next few years.

Meanwhile, classic rock fans would have plenty for them as well.  After Tommy Shaw left Styx, he ended up forming Damn Yankees with Ted Nugent and Jack Blades of Night Ranger, who's debut album would put them on the map in a big way.  Of course, Styx weren't sitting back, releasing Caught in the Act to some acclaim.  This year would also give us AC/DC's The Razor's Edge, best known for "Thunderstruck" and proof that classic styles still had power to blow the minds of rock fans everywhere.

As the year drew to a close, glam metal would end up having the last say, with the Scorpions releasing Crazy World with the track "Winds of Change," reflecting to the changing times in Europe.  The genre itself would have a major shake up with Tesla's live acoustic cover of "Signs," a sign itself that glam metal had really gone about as far as it could go.

And that wraps up 1990, though my playlist below has a few extras, as always.  Again, if there's anything you think I left out anything, let me know!  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - June 2020!

Good heavens!  It's been a while, hasn't it?  It's not like there wasn't good material released in the past few months, I just wasn't getting around to it like I normally do.  Excuses aside, here are some new tracks worth listening to!

Modern Kansas is not quite like the 70s material, but they do have moments where it comes together pretty nicely, and this definitely shows the promise of their new album.  Thoughtful, broad, with that violin which adds that nice touch that's made this band stand out all these years.

I admit I haven't followed DeYoung's career after he left Styx, but here we see him aiming for that classic sound.  Tons of vocal layers, some classic proggy synths, the build to the catchy chorus, it has a lot in common with the sound he forged with his band in the 70s.  It could use some crunchier guitars, though.

After being blown away by them back in February, here they are again with another great song.  It's pretty poppy and melodic, but retains the heavy, crunchy guitars of the other song, making for a pretty epic number.

Nice piece of melodic prog metal, in the vein of Dream Theater and Vanden Plas.  With some interesting syncopated riffing and great vocals, this band just released their debut and from this track, they seem to have a lot of promise!

You can always trust Vega to lay down a solid rock song with a big chorus.  This one is the title track of their latest album, and probably one I should go pick up.  I really liked Only Human, and this sounds like it's more of the same!

More melodic prog metal!  I was impressed by Noveria back in March, and this one is just as epic.  Italian prog seems to have this perfect balance of melody, drama, energy, and crunchiness that works for me, and this track is a prime example.

Anniversary Series - 1975!

Hey, it's time for another one of these!  My goal is to do an anniversary article once a month for the rest of the year. That should provide some decent variety, especially as I get closer to the present!  This month, 1975!  To be honest, this year is very much a time of transition.  Prog was wearing out its welcome, arena rock was really picking up, and punk was still a few years off.  Still, a lot of great stuff came out this year, so let's get into it!

Early in the year, Rush introduces the world to Neil Peart with Fly by Night.  While they still retain much of their Zeppelin-like debut, the song-writing definitely went up a notch or two when they got their new drummer.  Of course, Zeppelin themselves would show their chops that same month with Physical Graffiti, a titanic double-album with epics like "Kashmir" and "Ten Years Gone."  

Also expanding the arena rock style is Alice Cooper and Kiss, with their style and flashy flair.  Alice introduced us all to his nightmares, while Kiss were Dressed to Kill, though their success wouldn't come around until they release Alive! later on this year.  Inspired by UK's glam rockers, these bands gave shows few attendees would forget, letting us rock 'n' roll all night!

As winter turns to spring, we get Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic.  With massive tracks like "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion," its no wonder they still get airplay on classic rock radio.  At the same time, fellow blues-rockers Bad Company released Straight Shooter, giving us "Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Shooting Star."  The Eagles followed with One of These Nights, a massive album featuring not only the title track, but "Lyin' Eyes" and "Take It To The Limit" as well!

Despite this trend of more streamlined rock, the prog-masters were still putting out material.  Rick Wakeman would continue his solo career by dabbling with King Arthur and his Knights, Camel released The Snow Goose, Hawkwind had Warrior on the Edge of Time, and Uriah Heep was making a Return to Fantasy.  Rush would be highly productive and release Caress of Steel, expanding their prog rock style with "Bastille Day" and the side-long epic "The Fountain of Lamneth."

Of course, the big prog rock record would be Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here.  Featuring incredible and innovate moods and melodies, the band really came together and made a masterpiece (in my opinion, anyway).  Unfortunately, it would also be the last time they would be so well-balanced and in-sync with each other.

Heavy metal also saw a few excellent releases, with Black Sabbath releasing Sabotage, a rather underrated album with classics like "Hole in the Sky" and "Symptom of the Universe."  Meanwhile, Rickie Blackmore would finally break from Deep Purple and introduce the world to Ronnie James Dio with his Rainbow Debut.  "Man on the Silver Mountain" remains one of the most epic tracks ever recorded!

Wrapping things up, Fleetwood Mac would introduce the world to Stevie Nicks on their second self-titled album, providing singles in the second-half of '75 and deep into '76.  Styx finally gets their major record label debut with Equinox, full of great songs like "Lorelei," "Lonely Child," and "Suite Madame Blue."

And finally, a discussion of rock from 1975 would not be complete without Queen's A Night At The Opera, released at the end of November.  Between the poppy "You're My Best Friend," the epic "The Prophet's Song," and of course the headbang-worthy "Bohemian Rhapsody," it was a release few rockers could afford to miss.

Hard to beat a conclusion like that!  Hopefully, you're all enjoying this style of article.  I know I'm having fun digging through all this stuff, and I know I've missed some great tracks, so I've got another playlist below.  If I'm missing anything, let me know.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Styx - Grand Illusion (Album Review)

Let's start off with a classic, shall we?

By the mid-70s, Styx was growing in popularity.  With singles like "Lady," "Lorelei," and "Crystal Ball," they were making their way onto radio stations around the United States.  However, this album was the one that shot them up to stardom, and when you listen to it, it's easy to hear why.  Full of anthemic sounds and clever lyrics, there's good reason many of the songs on this album are still played on classic rock stations around the world.

I don't think one could call The Grand Illusion a "concept album," per se, but it does revolve around a certain set of themes, mostly provided through Dennis DeYoung's lyrics.  The songs satirize an increasingly superficial and conspicuous world (something that we still struggle with today!), leaving one to wonder what is real and what is not.  These themes are found most obviously in the title track, as well as well as "Miss America" and "Fooling Yourself."  "Superstar" touches on it as well, though it's less critical, as if it wants to invite the audience onstage to join in on the fun of fame and glory.

Which brings me to their music and it's accessibility.  Every single song on this album is very easy to get into and enjoy, with big, arena-filling riffs and great use of textured synthesizers.  Even when they get proggier in second half of the album with "Man in the Wilderness" and "Castle Walls," (including a great Pink Floyd inspired drum solo) things never stray too far into the weird or technical, resulting in a consistently enjoyable album.

Nothing embodies this more than "Come Sail Away."  Starting off as a piano ballad that slowly builds, expressing a desire to explore and see the world, only to eventually explode with that huge chorus, those iconic riffs reaching to the ceiling.  Even when it gets a little space-y with the bridge, it still drives forward at an unrelenting pace until it brings it back to the chorus and the big finish.  A great balance of straight forward rock buoyed by progressive rock flourish, and that's why it's Styx best known and most beloved song from this album, if not their whole catalog.

I also want to point out the work of Chuck Panozzo.  While he is not often listed as one of the greatest rock bassists, but he's very solid, and his bouncy beats are what help Styx's songs feel so driven.  One doesn't have to be some technical wizard or innovative player to be a great bassist.

As for everyone else, Dennis DeYoung's work really dominates the album.  Full of theatricality and piano work, he's almost succeeded in being an American verison of Queen.  Tommy Shaw puts in work as well, not only providing the hit "Fooling Yourself" but also the haunting and passionate "Man in the Wilderness."  His and James Young's guitar work is classic 70s rock.

The Grand Illusion is 70s arena rock done right, and Styx at their best.  While not every song is perfect ("Superstar" feels a little shallow, and "The Grand Finale" is neat but not really memorable), there is enough going on here to be the staple of classic rock stations the country over for the past 30 some-odd years.  Perhaps it's sounds and production are dated, but this album is such timeless rock that it still feels relevant and lively.