With the lengthy title of Historic Performances Recorded at the Monterey International Pop Festival, this 1971 release was recorded at the event held at Monterey, CA, between June 16-18 in 1967. Six of the eight tunes appear on the box set Rhino released of the mega concert, excluding "Somebody Groovy" and "Spanish Harlem." John Phillips' arranging and songwriting genius has never been properly recognized as the inspiring force that it was and continues to be, and though this Wally Heider remote recording (mixed in the studio by Erick Weinberg) is deficient, the performance by the original group at this important point in time is enthusiastic and worthwhile.

Taï Phong is a bit of an oddity, as it is a French band founded by Vietnamese brothers Kahn and Taï Ho Tong. The sound is comparable to Camel, and Novalis, but the most telling description is 'France's answer to Barclay James Havest.' The first incarnation came together in 1972, and included an American and a German (keep telling yourself this is a French band). They were in the process of recording, when contract disputes broke out. Because the brothers refused the terms (thus leaving them without a deal), the other two members left. Soon after, they would be replaced by keyboardist Jean Alain Gardet, and the now famous (or infamous) Jean-Jacques Goldman. Yes, he is the man responsible for several of Céline Dion's hits.

This album was originally the weak link in the transition of the Strawbs from an acoustic folk-rock outfit to a progressive folk band, being neither fish nor fowl and suffering from an anemic mix. The 1998 British reissue (A&M 540-939-2), however, solves some inherent problems that plagued both the original vinyl edition and the first CD reissues. The new remastering toughens up the bass sound, and brings out more of the sheer power of Rick Wakeman's organ and synthesizer playing, accenting the harder side of the group's sound that was obviously there in the studio but lacking in the analog mix.

With Rain Dances, Camel began exploring shorter, more concise songs, but it wasn't until its follow-up, Breathless, that they truly made a stab at writing pop songs. Although they didn't completely abandon improvisational prog rock – there are several fine, jazzy interludes – most of the record is comprised of shorter songs designed for radio play. While the group didn't quite achieve that goal, Breathless is nevertheless a more accessible record than Camel's other albums, which tend to focus on instrumentals. Here, they try to be a straightforward prog rock band, and while the results are occasionally a little muddled, it is on the whole surprisingly successful.

SWEGAS were a British 'progressive' brass-rock band that existed between 1969 and 1971. They played all the major venues in the UK and made several tours of Italy and Germany where they were extremely popular. The name of the band is derived from an Anglo Saxon word for music. The second album Beyond The Ox followed in early 1971 and was recorded at Command Studios in Piccadilly. Things started to go wrong in mid 1971. The band bus (a blue transit) suffered a collision in Hamburg and it was a virtual write-off. The writing was on the wall and Barry Class and First Class Management pulled the plug when the band returned from Germany. Swegas played its final gig on 9th September 1971 at The Granary, Bristol.

A Love Trilogy is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Donna Summer. It was released on March 5, 1976, just eight months after her international breakthrough with the single and album of the same name - "Love To Love You Baby". The bold, sexual nature of that particular song had earned Summer the title "The first lady of love." A Love Trilogy uses the first side for one long disco track in three distinct movements ('Try Me', 'I Know', 'We Can Make It', and coalescing into the "love trilogy" of the title - "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It". Side Two contained three additional erotic disco songs, including a cover of Barry Manilow's "Could It Be Magic". The album's artwork showed Summer floating light-heartedly through the clouds, again adding to the image of her as a fantasy figure.

Survivor is the second solo album by The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive's guitarist and singer Randy Bachman, released in 1978 on Polydor. It is a concept album about the rock and roll stars who have come and gone.

Rumours is the kind of album that transcends its origins and reputation, entering the realm of legend – it's an album that simply exists outside of criticism and outside of its time, even if it thoroughly captures its era. Prior to this LP, Fleetwood Mac were moderately successful, but here they turned into a full-fledged phenomenon, with Rumours becoming the biggest-selling pop album to date. While its chart success was historic, much of the legend surrounding the record is born from the group's internal turmoil. Unlike most bands, Fleetwood Mac in the mid-'70s were professionally and romantically intertwined, with no less than two couples in the band, but as their professional career took off, the personal side unraveled.

Deep Purple in Rock is the fourth studio album by English rock band Deep Purple, released on 5 June 1970. It was the first studio album recorded by the Mark II line-up of Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice. In Rock was the band's breakthrough album in Europe and peaked at No. 4 in the UK, remaining in the charts for over a year. By contrast, it underperformed in the United States, where the band's Mark I albums had been more successful. An accompanying single, "Black Night," reached No. 2 in the UK, becoming their highest-charting single there. The album has continued to attract critical praise as a key early example of the hard rock and heavy metal genres.

Save the World is the third studio album by British glam rock band Geordie. Geordie were a British glam rock band from Newcastle, England, most notably active in the 1970s.. Geordie is mostly known for their lead vocalist, Brian Johnson, who would later join AC/DC. In 1972 and 1973, they had a few hits in the U.K., including the number six single "All Because of You" and "Can You Do It," which reached number 13. Their sound was influenced by British rock bands of the day such as Led Zeppelin, as well as some glam stompers, with Johnson's distinctively abrasive singing strongly in evidence.