Premiata Forneria Marconi's Live History 1971-1981 (also known as 10 Anni Live 1971-1981) is a comprehensive 4-CD anthology capturing the evolution of Italy's premier prog band, showcasing high-energy performances from their symphonic peak through their late-70s jazz-fusion shift. It is praised for its historical breadth, though hindered by inconsistent bootleg-quality sound and repetitive tracks.

With 1984's Discovery, Mike Oldfield seems to be back on track, utilizing the vocal power of Maggie Reilly and the drum playing of Simon Phillips to create some rather appealing selections. "The Lake" is a simply gorgeous instrumental inspired by Switzerland's Lake Geneva, the location in which the album was recorded, while "To France" is a powerful pop/rock tune based on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Both Reilly and Barry Palmer share the vocal duties throughout the tracks, signifying Oldfield's subtle emergence into a more pop-infused atmosphere. "Tricks of the Light" is a wonderful instrumental that relies on the keyboard to give it energy, while even so-so efforts like the title track and "Poison Arrows" come off as upbeat and inspired. Discovery peaked at number 15 in the U.K., and even though it didn't garner much attention elsewhere, it serves as one of Mike Oldfield's most entertaining releases from the decade.

The famous Crypto label, led by great producer Jean-Claude Pognant, contributed in discovering French bands as essential as Ange. Among these, a special one: Carpe Diem. Led by Claude-Marius David (Saxophone & flute), this band from Nice gave birth to two splendid albums: "En Regardant Passer Le Temps" (1975) and "Cueille Le Jour" (1977). Their refined Progressive rock includes rare vocal parts, instrumental intensity and beauty, with sophisticated songwriting and structures. Musical themes are gracious, worked-out, perfectly developed and arranged. Fluid organ reworked sounds are beautifully combined with lyrical flute parts or airy guitars, to create a dreamlike chamber rock, suggestive, full of freshness and subtlety. The music can be brought near Caravan or Fruupp, with some Van Der Graaf Generator remembrances.

Men Who Climb Mountains is their 10th studio album, written and arranged by front man, vocalist and guitarist Nick Barrett this is an emotional, powerful and exciting release for the band. CD2 contains a Nick Barrett solo acoustic recording of 2013 house concert in the UK.
Of Pendragon's lesser-known albums, 2014's 'Men Who Climb Mountains' is a record that remains somewhat of an outlier in the band's catalogue. The follow-up to the heavy-headed albums 'Pure' and 'Passion', on which the band had explored aggressive riffs and fast-paced writing, is a record that oversees an alternative heavy prog sound, perhaps vaguely similar to the music of Porcupine Tree and The Pineapple Thief, with a strong focus on the emotional resonance of the songs and the crafty guitar work of founding member Nick Barrett…

Máquina! is maybe the very first underground rock group to have recorded in Franco's Spain, their first single dating back to early 69, and the following year, their first LP was out with a striking artwork depicting a clock coming out from a croissant meaning that it was time to wake-up (and have breakfast) in Spain. The album was called Why? and it was clearly so rebellious under a dictature that fellow group Tapiman (and Barcelona crosstown rivals/friends) answered them with a track Don't Ask Why. The five-piece group developed a high-energy Hammond-driven psych/prog rock with two lead guitarists, with many extraordinary musical moments given the context of those years.

Self-taught guitarist that played a few years on the local Quebec scene in various line-ups, sharing stages with Octobre, Maneige, etc. Jacques Blais became one of Quebec's best guitarists (along with Frank Marino) and his reputation grew to the point of playing prestigious shows without having recorded an album (yet). Late 74, despite having his own and upon hearing Contraction's second album La Bourse Ou La vie, he asked the group's bassist Yves Laferrière to produce his first album, and soon enough most of the band was backing Blais, not only in the studio, but in the next few months' following its release in 1975. Contraction's influence is all over the music. Nonetheless, all writing credits are given to Blais, who plays acoustic and electric guitar in addition to singing…

2001 release of what was the 2nd Älgarnas Trädgård album; originally recorded in 1973-1974, but never released (until this CD rescued these recordings from oblivion). Exact same lineup as witnessed on their epic debut from 1972. And what a fantastic offering…it slowly extends into meta-improvisations with distant guitars, heavily effected organs, swirling strings, plenty of space, reaching an early peak-build amidst the detritus floating through the 12-minute "Interstellar Cruise." Later, an Eastern-themed campfire freakout (sitars, tablas, Yod-chant) breaks out, then a bit of the mellow reverbed flute, later still a long vocal loop fade out over some well placed drones. One could say this record has a bit of everything.

PFM is a very eclectic and exuberant musical group with a distinctive style that impressively combines rock, progressive, and classical music into one mesmerizing sonic entity. Formed in 1970, the band quickly gained a prominent place on the international scene by making it to the Billboard charts (for 1973’s "Photos Of Ghosts"), and winning a gold record in Japan while constantly ruling the charts in their home country until today. PFM was honoured with position #50 in the "UK Classic Rock Hall of Fame" of the 100 most important artists in the world as well as being awarded two gold records in their home country in 1971 and 1997. "Emotional Tattoos" marks the return of the band's trademark sound after two rather experimental releases. 2017 studio album takes a melodic rock route while offering surprising musical twists and turns including moody synths, orchestral arrangements, straight-forward guitar-driven passages and wonderful ballads…