V.a. Top 100 70's Rock Albums By Ultimate Classic Rock

After successfully establishing themselves as one of America's best commercial progressive rock bands of the late '70s with albums like The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight, Chicago's Styx had taken a dubious step towards pop overkill with singer Dennis DeYoung's ballad "Babe."…

As part of The Stranglers' celebration of their Ruby Anniversary, the definitive collection of the B-side recordings they made whilst signed to Epic is released for the first time, via their own label. Appropriately, as befits a band marking forty years together, Here & There: The Epic B-sides Collection 1983-1991 gathers 40 tracks across 2 CDs and is also released as a 40 track digital package. The Stranglers released no less than 13 singles in the UK during this period, which saw them produce five albums: four studio and one live. The Stranglers signed to Epic Records in 1982 having been with United Artists / Liberty since 1977. The change of label coincided with changes in marketing policy across the UK industry - often dubbed "the Frankie Goes to Hollywood effect". Previously, The Stranglers' had released only one 12" single - an extended version of Bear Cage in 1980 - but from 2nd Epic single, Midnight Summer Dream until 1990, each release had a 12" version which required extra studio or, increasingly, live tracks to "add value" to the package.

Compilation: "Masterpieces" celebrates the songs not released as singles throughout the band’s catalogue but which stand as firm fan favourites around the world bringing them to the front and giving fans the chance to dive even deeper into the band’s history.

Time Ain’t Free finds an inspired Nick Moss extending his creative streak, offering an intelligent, updated take on ’70s rock and R&B, marked by daring arrangements and surprising juxtapositions. The set encompasses Muscle Shoals sweetness, stormy postmodern boogie, greasy roadhouse R&B, soul-tinged rock, and gospel-inflected ballads, all filtered through Moss’ deep-blue lens. Distinct, honest, and intense — a blend of traditional blues and progressive, jam-oriented blues rock. Face-melting guitar solos that rise above the crowded field of pretenders, and a versatile band that brilliantly delivers unparalleled improvisational jams to packed houses night after night, city after city.

Over the course of their first three late-'70s albums, Foreigner had firmly established themselves (along with Journey and Styx) as one of the top AOR bands of the era. But the band was still looking for that grand slam of a record that would push them to the very top of the heap. Released in 1981, 4 would be that album. In producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange – fresh off his massive success with AC/DC's Back in Black – guitarist and all-around mastermind Mick Jones found both the catalyst to achieve this and his perfect musical soulmate…

Hexvessel - Dawnbearer (2011) {Svart Records SVR045}
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© 2011 Svart Records | SVR045
Folk Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Nordic Folk / Psychedelic Folk / Finland

Hexvessel is a psychedelic folk-rock band from Finland that was founded by Englishman Mat McNerney after he moved to Helsinki in 2009. Fusing late 60s and early 70s English folk/psych with Finnish nature mysticism, they play a witches brew of heavy, tripped-out atmospherics and hypnotic paeans. Their debut album Dawnbearer, which is now considered an occult folk classic, garnered rave reviews from the media and fans alike, making it to the top of many people’s Best of 2011 lists.