Big Albums From Artists You Might Not Know

Flamenco meets Electronica meets New Age meets Rock. They produce some 5 albums. Like some other selections on this list, hard to isolate just one.

This is the fourth Blackfield - but in all honesty, you can't go wrong with any of them. To think these songs come from the same person that gave you Porcupine Tree is 🤯

Roy Harper - 'muse' to Zeppelin and Floyd, and a master song writer and performer in his own right.

If you know Pulp - you might well have come across Hawley's work but he has sessioned with many people. HIs solo work is just extraordinary - and his voice is just 'liquid'. (And I am someone who prefers instrumentals.)

1973 … and yet another great band from Ireland living in the grey area of Celtic Rock, Progressive and ‘Fusion’. Still revisit it from time to time and it never fails to move me.

Jon Lord is most famous for his keyboard work with Deep Purple - and if you are a Purple fan, then you almost certainly know 'Deep Purple In Concert'. Lord did quite a few albums where 'Rock musicians meet Classical orchestra' - I loved them all - but if I had to choose one - this would be it.

The first side of Da Capo is excellent - not Side two. This one is more complete, more beautiful. more listenable - and Da Capo's side 1 is NOT unlistenable

It was 1971 when I was first exposed to John (Mahavishnu) McLaughlin through this album. I keep it in the 'Jazz/Rock Fusion' box .

Curiously hard to find this album on Spotify or Apple Music

Sublime. Jon Mark and Johnny Almond emerged from Mayall's Bluesbreakers, This was their first and epynomous album. GLORIOUS.

Try This For The Link To Amazon

You might have to have been there to appreciate this one - but I was. Even saw them live at York University.

December '69 was when this was released and when I first heard it. STUNNING.

Curiously this is the only version of this - their first album I could find.

The band emerged from the mind of Keith Relf (Yardbirds). There are many more Renaissance albums - none achieve this peak. There again - none had Keith Relf.

I am listening to an interview on the radio with David Bowie who out of the blue started waxing poetically about Secret Machines - so of course I had to go find it. I did. Never regretted it. They have an extensive catalogue - right up to one coming out in 2023 - but this is my 'go to'.

'The The' is pretty much 'Matt Johnson'. A friend who knew me well bought me this one Christmas in the late 80s. I have heard a lot of other 'The The' - but this one I just keep coming back to.,

Hard to decide between this and Fisherman's Blues. This wins out because it was my first exposure to them.