If ever there were a manifesto for 1970s rock, one that prefigured both the decadence of the decade's burgeoning heavy metal and prog rock excesses and the rage of punk rock, "This Ain't the Summer of Love," the opening track from Agents of Fortune, Blue Öyster Cult's fourth album, was it. The irony was that while the cut itself came down firmly on the hard rock side of the fence, most of the rest of the album didn't. Agents of Fortune was co-produced by longtime Cult record boss Sandy Pearlman, Murray Krugman, and newcomer David Lucas, and in addition, the band's lyric writing was being done internally with help from poet-cum-rocker Patti Smith (who also sings on "The Revenge of Vera Gemini").

Known by many as the 'Brazilian Gentle Giant', Terreno Baldio are one of the most important prog-rock bands in Brazil. Grouped in the beginning of the 70s, the band debut was the album "Terreno Baldio", which got substantial sellings although the master-tapes were lost avoiding new editions. The line-up was João Carlos Kurk (vocal, flute and percussion), Mozart de Mello (guitars), Ronaldo Lazzarini (keyboards), Ascenção (bass) and Joaquim (drums). Noticeable is that more than 20 years after its original release, Terreno Baldio and the Brazilian label Rock Symphony recovered the original first album, still unreleased in CD. The CD release includes a folder with all the band biography, photos and also an extra folder in English aiming at the international market.

Esoteric Recordings is proud to announce the release of a new re-mastered five-disc deluxe expanded boxed set limited edition (comprising 4 CDs and a DVD) of Modern Music the legendary 1976 album by Be Bop Deluxe.
Much of the material appearing on the album was conceived by Bill Nelson whilst Be Bop Deluxe were undertaking their first tour of the USA in March 1976. The wonderful and expansive Modern Music “suite” which dominated the album was inspired by Bill’s experiences of America, the disillusionment with the US music business and a longing for home. Beside the fine achievement of the suite, Modern Music also featured other fine songs such as Orphans of Babylon, Kiss of Light, The Bird Charmers Destiny and the epic Down on Terminal Street, all of which ensured that the album was a hit in both the UK and the USA…

It is indeed an oddity that, for all the considerable ambition of his albums, this collection of singles and unreleased outtakes may be Ayers' most satisfying LP. Why? Perhaps because when he's constrained within the 45 format, he taps his strongest and most endearing qualities: easygoing, singalong melodies, droll, nonchalant (even non sequitur) lyrics, good-natured sotto voce vocals, even female backup harmonies. There's little trace of the inaccessible, difficult (usually instrumental) passages that occupy much of the space on his early albums. Spanning 1969 to 1973, this includes eight tracks that wound up on flop singles, as well as six outtakes from the albums he recorded during this period, though there were no obvious reasons for their exclusion (too pop oriented, perhaps?)…

Recorded in the Autumn of 1975 at Abbey Road studios (with some sessions also taking place at AIR studios in London), ‘Sunburst Finish’ was the third album by Be Bop Deluxe and the first to feature the line-up of Bill Nelson (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Charlie Tumahai (bass, vocals), Andy Clark (keyboards) and Simon Fox (drums).
It was also the first Be-Bop album to be co- produced by Nelson and John Leckie. An album of immense musical inventiveness and creativity, ‘Sunburst Finish’ was one of the finest albums of its era, a perfect cohesion of ten classic songs written by Nelson (featuring his highly imaginative guitar playing) and a stylised and striking artwork package. Including such classic tracks as ‘Heavenly Homes’, ‘Crying To The Sky’, ‘Sleep That Burns’, ‘Life In The Air Age’, ‘Crystal Gazing’ and ‘Blazing Apostles’, the album also spawned the hit single ‘Ships In The Night’ and launched Be-Bop Deluxe as one of the major breakthrough acts of 1976…

Robin Trower's third album, 1975's For Earth Below is less consistent than the previous two but still contains much excellent material; the Beat Goes On label's reissue teams it with 1976's Live, a truly fine set recorded in Sweden.

Excellent 70’s Spanish symphonic progressive rock album with a powerful progressive musical prowess. "Intención" is very reminiscent at times of Pink Floyd (Meddle era) with great guitar soloing and a ton of great keyboard work (Hammond and moog). Originally issued in 1976, "Intención" is the perfect follow-up to The Beginning of the End, with Atila offering further pieces led by the strong guitar licks of Eduardo Niebla, Benet Nogué's organ & Moog, and Joan Punyet's drums melting in top progressive freakouts, plus the addition of wordless vocal parts and even some Catalan sung parts, besides adding a symphonic edge to the general sound. Side A offers three killer tracks in that vein, while the B-side is a new recording of the bands' signature theme "El Principio Del Fin," with updated overtones, Moog passages and a much better recorded sound than the one appearing on their debut LP…

When he gave a speech inducting the Band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Eric Clapton said that after he heard their debut album, Music from Big Pink, he wanted to join the group, the fact that they already had a guitarist in Robbie Robertson notwithstanding. In the winter of 1975-1976, when he cut No Reason to Cry at the Band's Shangri-La Studio in Malibu, California, he came as close as he ever would to realizing that desire. Clapton is a musical chameleon; though some of No Reason to Cry is identifiable as the kind of pop/rock Clapton had been making since the start of his solo career (the best of it being "Hello Old Friend," which became his first Top 40 single in two years), the most memorable music on the album occurs when Clapton is collaborating with members of the Band and other guests.

Steve Miller had started to essay his classic sound with The Joker, but 1976's Fly Like an Eagle is where he took flight, creating his definitive slice of space blues. The key is focus, even on an album as stylishly, self-consciously trippy as this, since the focus brings about his strongest set of songs (both originals and covers), plus a detailed atmospheric production where everything fits. It still can sound fairly dated – those whooshing keyboards and cavernous echoes are certainly of their time – but its essence hasn't aged, as "Fly Like an Eagle" drifts like a cool breeze, while "Take the Money and Run" and "Rock 'n Me" are fiendishly hooky, friendly rockers.

In 2000, BGO released Notice to Appear/A Banquet in Blues, which contained two complete albums – Notice to Appear (1976, originally released on ABC) and A Banquet in Blues (1975, also originally on ABC) – by John Mayall on one compact disc.

Nova was formed in early 1975 in Helsinki. Most of the band members had played together earlier in a band called Isojako, which apparently played more pop-orientated music. From the start, Nova's main figure was Antti Ortamo who was the main composer, lyricist and also played keyboards and sang for the band. In february 1976 Nova started recording their debut "Atlantis" in Stockholm, Sweden. The music on this album will probably remind you of Pink Floyd, Procol Harum, Wigwam, perhaps even Eloy and Yes at times. It's not the most innovative album to walk the earth, but it's a nice effort full of warm keyboard sounds and atmospheres.
First CD of this double disc set has the original version of the album, just as released in 1976. Second disc contains the brand new mix with bonus track plus the band's only single "Käytävä / Kaupungin naiset"…

Rabbit formed by guitarist Trevor Rabin was his first major recording band, based in South Africa. This debut album contained all original material except for a cover of Jethro Tulls Locomotive Breath which was issued as a single in their homeland. As well as a successful solo career Rabin joined YES in the mid 80’s, and wrote ‘Owner of a Lonely Heart’ taken from the YES album 90125 which gave the band their biggest ever hit single. Trevor Rabin’s also scored over three dozen movies including, Con Air, Bad Boys 2, Snakes on a Plane, and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Rabin continues to record and tour till this day, and resides in Los Angeles, California.

Mighty Joe Young from 1976 is the the crown jewel in Young's discography. Many of his finest originals – "Need a Friend," "Takes Money," "Take My Advice (She Likes the Blues and Barbecue)" – reside in their most memorable recorded forms on this worthwhile set.