Foreigner - Foreigner (1977). Blissful feelings arise at the mere mention of 70s arena rock. It gives listeners the permission to have fun, sing along to aircraft-hangar-size choruses, play air guitar solos, forget about any troubles, recall the experience of a first kiss, and quite simply, rock out. Few albums better instill these pleasures than Foreigner’s 1977 self-titled debut album, a five-times platinum blockbuster chock full of salacious riffs, soaring vocals, edgy beats, and lyrics that practically demand to be shouted.
Spearheaded by guitar hero Mick Jones, fresh off success with Spooky Tooth, Foreigner rallied around a talented collective pulled from the U.S. and U.K…

They came from the mountains of British Columbia with ideas to fill ears with sounds so strange as to entrance the imagination into vivid lucidity. "Moon Phase Compendium" is the compilation of Melodic Energy Commission's first two albums: "Stranger in Mystery", released in 1979 and now a cult classic due to the two Hawkwind alumni that played with the group, and "Migration of the Snails", released in 1980 with the same great response. The original vinyl was selling for $1000 a copy so in 1997 they were re-released in this one classic recording. The band uses rather "Gong-ish" equipment such as "Gas and steam" bass and "hydro-electric" guitar, and bubble synths are featured to create unique spacey trip music with an experimental edge. Less common instruments such as several types of flutes, theremin, tablas, and glockenspiel among others, provide additional musical coloration.

Morning Dance is Spyro Gyra's most commercially successful album, released in summer 1979. The song "Morning Dance" was a major hit (Billboard #24 pop, #1 adult contemporary) in summer 1979. The album cover of Morning Dance had concept origination, design and art direction by Peter Corriston.

The saving grace behind Everybody Up is the excellent "Don't Say Goodbye". Slow funk, sensual funk jam…backed by the wonderful guitarist/vocalist Sugarfoot and his excellent scat guitar delivery. The surrounding jams for the record boast nice funk, almost a return to form, and Everybody Up would serve as the last Ohio Players album to retain their signature vibe somewhat. The tunes here are still mostly forgettable, you would be buying the album primarily because you are a fan of the group and their history. The guys seem to be dipping into a Cameo bag a bit in 1979, but, the one trait that has always set them apart was Sugarfoot's guitar playing, and solid background ensemble vocals.

The lone album from the group known as Avalanche is primarily the work of Dutch multi-instrumentalist Jan Blom, who recorded the tracks with the help of friends in seventies and released it on the vanity label Starlet in 1979. The first side of the record is primarily acoustic instrumental work, while the second half expands the sound to include psych and more progressive arrangements.

City Boy was an interesting art rock band, and it's surprising that they didn't win a more lasting legacy of acclaim. Their sound is a stew of late 70s styles, from the arty rock of 10cc to the pomp of Queen and the glossy sheen of Utopia. This is one of their later albums and is chock full of dramatic tunes driven by big riffs, clanky piano, smooth keyboards and high-pitched harmonies. There seems to be an apocalyptic theme, particularly in the opening two tracks. Proggers will interested in the 12-minute "Ambition", which features some orchestration for extra pomposity. This is definitely slick music with commercial appeal, but it is also interesting enough and has enough good musicianship to hold the attention of demanding listeners. City Boy's output was very consistent in terms of quality, so any of their albums make for a good listen.

The French equivalent of prog-rock bands Yes and Genesis, Atoll recorded four albums in the mid- to late '70s with a lineup that stabilized by the time of the group's second album. L'Araignee Mal (1975) included vocalist/percussionist André Balzer, guitarist Christian Beya, bassist Jean-Luc Thillot, keyboard player Michel Taillet, and drummer Alain Gozzo. Gradually commercializing its sound beginning with third album Tertio, Atoll released only one more studio album Rock Puzzle before breaking up. In the late '80s, however, a new, pop-oriented version appeared. Including only Beya from the previous lineup, the band released L'Ocean and the live album Tokyo C'est Fini (both 1989).

For this set of unaccompanied solos, guitarist Joe Pass decided to pay tribute to Charlie Parker, not by recording his compositions but by playing ten of the numbers that Bird had recorded with strings during 1949-1950. One really does not miss the strings, for Pass had earlier in the decade developed his technique to the point where he sounded like a self-sufficient orchestra. Among the songs he plays are "Just Friends" (the most successful of the Charlie Parker with Strings recordings), "April in Paris," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "If I Should Lose You," and two versions of "Out of Nowhere." Tasteful and swinging music by one classic musician in homage to another.

The title of this album is misleading for, although Cannonball Adderley produced the session, no "tribute" takes place. Adderley could always recognize talent and he was wise to get the veteran tenor Don Byas (who had not recorded since 1955) back on record. Teamed in Paris with trumpeter Idrees Sulieman, pianist Bud Powell, bassist Pierre Michelot and drummer Kenny Clarke, Byas proved to be in prime form on a variety of jazz standards including "Just One of Those Things," "Cherokee" and "Jeannine."

Entertainment! is one of those records where germs of influence can be traced through many genres and countless bands, both favorably and unfavorably. From groups whose awareness of genealogy spreads wide enough to openly acknowledge Gang of Four's influence (Fugazi, Rage Against the Machine), to those not in touch with their ancestry enough to realize it (rap-metal, some indie rock) – all have appropriated elements of their forefathers' trailblazing contribution. Its vaguely funky rhythmic twitch, its pungent, pointillistic guitar stoccados, and its spoken/shouted vocals have all been picked up by many.

Joe's Garage was originally released in 1979 in two separate parts; Act I came first, followed by a two-record set containing Acts II & III. Joe's Garage is generally regarded as one of Zappa's finest post-'60s conceptual works, a sprawling, satirical rock opera about a totalitarian future in which music is outlawed to control the population. The narrative is long, winding, and occasionally loses focus; it was improvised in a weekend, some of it around previously existing songs, but Zappa manages to make most of it hang together. Acts II & III give off much the same feel, as Zappa relies heavily on what he termed "xenochrony" - previously recorded guitar solos transferred onto new, rhythmically different backing tracks to produce random musical coincidences…