Returning to Gentle Giant's fourth album after any kind of lengthy absence, it's astonishing just how little Octopus has dated. Often written off at the time as a pale reflection of the truly gargantuan steps being taken by the likes of Jethro Tull and Barclay James Harvest, the band's closest relatives in the tangled skein of period prog, Gentle Giant often seemed more notable for its album art than its music. Octopus, however, marries the two seamlessly, with the cover speaking for itself, of course…

The music and singing are pleasant enough on this Montrealer's second outing. He avoids embarrassments like "Mama Coco" from the following year's Storm at Sunup, but lyrics are not his strong point. This release includes two of his stronger tunes in "People Gotta Move" and the title track. His heart is in the right place, as in a tribute to Jim Croce. Still, Vannelli should have left social commentary to others, or joined forces with a better lyricist.

Billy Cobham had always incorporated elements of disco and funk into his solo recordings; however, this is the most painful example. Even his die-hard fans haven't forgiven him for this embarrassment…

The instrumental Time Is the Key ushers Moerlen's Gong into the new age. A lighter version of their previous release, Downwind, the band plays mostly progressive rock-based compositions with a drastically different personnel. Peter Lemer's keys, coupled with the sound of vibes and electravibe in particular, give the music a generic, new age sound at times…

As the follow-up album to Oxygene, Equinoxe offers the same mesmerizing affect, with rapid spinning sequencer washes and bubbling synthesizer portions all lilting back and forth to stardust scatterings of electronic pastiches…

High powered Italian disco; no filler here every track is a gem, "Walking On Music" is impossibly fast but so high spirited you can't help but fall in love with it, "Devils Run" has an insanely catchy chorus and rollicking percussion (and one of the longest breaks I've heard in a disco song), "Fly With the Wind" is moody, more in the vein of Cerrone or Giorgio Moroder and "FIre Night Dance" is similar to "Walking" and is also anthemic; a must for all lovers of high energy happy disco.

This album was the debut of Uriah Heep, an English band that would become one of the Titans of the '70s heavy metal sound. Despite their eventual hard-rocking reputation, Very 'Eavy… Very 'Umble finds the band trying on different stylistic hats as they work towards finding their own sound…

By 1978, the Crusaders sans the "Jazz" prefix were past their popular prime, and seemed to be recycling the same ideas that made them more famous when they started playing funkier music. While a limited urban crowd still gravitated toward what was becoming instrumental disco music, the ideas of the group had waned to the point where even commercial radio stations were less interested in this album as a whole. Images offers very little in terms of new or hit music, though Joe Sample attempted to compose songs that built on their prior success, especially like the successful album Free as the Wind from two years prior…

Gilla was discovered by German producer Frank Farian who got her signed to Hansa Records in 1974. After an unsuccessful German cover version "Mir ist kein Weg zu weit" of Marcella Bella's Italian hit single "Nessuno mai", Farian had her record a German disco version of Labelle's "Lady Marmalade"…

Around 1970, Poland's Czerwone Gitary were huge in Germany from record sales and concert tours there…

Lest the momentum of Moroccan Roll and its relative chart success go to waste, Brand X released a stopgap solution with Livestock, featuring three recent live tracks and two stockpiled studio tracks that actually predate the Moroccan Roll sessions by two months…

The Eagles took 18 months between their fourth and fifth albums, reportedly spending eight months in the studio recording Hotel California. The album was also their first to be made without Bernie Leadon, who had given the band much of its country flavor, and with rock guitarist Joe Walsh. As a result, the album marks a major leap for the Eagles from their earlier work, as well as a stylistic shift toward mainstream rock….

On Steve Hillage's 1978 release Green, the underground prog rock fan favorite issues more of his trademark thinking-man's music. Fans of mid- to late-'70s Pink Floyd will want to check this album out, since it possesses many of the same musical qualities, due to the fact that it was produced by Floyd drummer Nick Mason, along with Hillage…

The shifts in Weather Report's personnel come fast and furious now, with Narada Michael Walden and Chester Thompson as the drummers, Alex Acuna and Don Alias at the percussion table, and Alphonso Johnson giving way to the mighty, martyred Jaco Pastorius…

On Changing All the Time, Smokie realizes the promise that was only hinted at Pass It Around. This album presents a confident and stylishly crafted blend of country-rock muscle and pop hooks that helped the group become a European phenomenon…