The Designated Victim (1971) Maurizio Lucidi, Tomas Milian, Pierre Clémenti, Katia Christine

Leon Russell's accolades are monumental in a number of categories, from songwriting (he wrote Joe Cocker's "Delta Lady") to session playing (with the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, just to name a few) to his solo work. Unfortunately, it's the last category that never really attracted as much attention as it should have, despite a multitude of blues-based gospel recordings and piano-led, Southern-styled rock albums released throughout the 1970s. Leon Russell and the Shelter People is a prime example of Russell's instrumental dexterity and ability to produce some energetic rock & roll. Poignant and expressive tracks such as "Of Thee I Sing," "Home Sweet Oklahoma," and "She Smiles Like a River" all lay claim to Russell's soulful style and are clear-cut examples of the power that he musters through his spirited piano playing and his voice. His Dylan covers are just as strong, especially "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and "It Takes a Lot to Laugh," while "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" and "It's a Hard Rain Gonna Fall" have him sounding so forceful, they could have been Russell's own.

The key components to every great prog-rock album comprise memorable guitar riffs, punchy immediacy that draws you into the song, ample rhythmic kick, and the imaginative capacity to transport the listener to a place well beyond the confines of reality. Yes’ The Yes Album features all of these rare qualities and more, the 1971 record as significant for saving the band’s career as well as for establishing new parameters in virtuosic technicality and skilled composition. The first set recorded with guitarist Steve Howe, it remains Yes’ grandest achievement and claims a musical vision the British quintet’s contemporaries struggled to match…

The Guess Who always seemed a bit like the Canadian predecessor/counterpart to Grand Funk Railroad, but they typically fared far better with the critics because of the versatility that they possessed. That trait is very evident on this collection of hits and great songs. From the opening "These Eyes," with its orchestral strings and Zombies-like baroque pop feel to the classic AOR crunge of "American Woman," the Guess Who played a wide variety of music. It is sometimes hard to believe that the same group that brought the world the jazzy "Undun" and the CS&N-ish hippie anthem "Share the Land" is also responsible for the rocking "No Time." This 11-track collection paints a very entertaining picture of a mutli-talented band and is a perfect introduction for the casual fan.

The Collectors' Colosseum is a compilation album by Colosseum that was released in England in 1971. Colosseum are an English jazz rock band, mixing blues, rock and jazz-based improvisation. Colin Larkin wrote that "the commercial acceptance of jazz rock in the UK" was mainly due to the band. Between 1975 and 1978 a separate band Colosseum II existed playing progressive rock.

On Yes' first two albums, Yes (1969) and Time and a Word (1970), the quintet was mostly searching for a sound on which they could build, losing one of their original members – guitarist Peter Banks – in the process. Their third time out proved the charm – The Yes Album constituted a de facto second debut, introducing the sound that would carry them forward across the next decade or more…

This home-made and self-produced platter was issued by Roy Buchanan (guitar/vocals) after being rejected by Polydor. The artist decided to privately distribute the album on his own BIOYA label, whose initials stood for the message that Buchanan had for Polydor – B(low) I(t) O(ut) Y(our) A(ss). For obvious contractual reasons, his name wasn't even intimated on the burlap bag (no joke) that housed first pressings of the 12" platter – which was sold only at "underground" stores, head shops, and Buchanan's gigs. The music within the grooves proved to be equally as rustic and authentic as the packaging would suggest…