Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#197 in the Series) is Focus, Moving Waves. Focus was a Dutch seventies band that featured the keyboards and vocals of Thijs van Leer and the wonderful guitar work of guitarist Jan Akkerman.  The other two band members were Cyriel Havermans on bass and Pierre van der Linden on drums. Their second album was titled Focus II. Here in the United States it was known as Moving Waves. Moving Waves included one of the most original hits songs in US history, of course that would be “Hocus Pocus.” The music was quite experimental sounding even without a yodeling falsetto based vocal track. This was head of its time when this was released in...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#189 in the Series) is Jeff Beck, Blow By Blow. I once heard a great quote. It’s from a TV personality I can’t stand so I’m not going to give him credit. Sorry. Email me if it’s that important for you to know who it is. He said, “You’re not a house-hold name until my Mother knows who you are.” I love that quote!  It’s pretty true. Jeff Beck really was a ‘known’ guitarist after playing in the Yardbirds.  He also had released a few nice solo albums under the Jeff Beck Group banner.  His work with ‘Beck, Bogert and Appice’ was also received very well. Next up was his great album, Blow...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#183 in the Series) is the 1973 release from guitar virtuosos Carlos Santana and Mahavishnu John McLaughlin titled Love Devotion Surrender. This was released on the heals of the Santana album Caravanserai.  Both albums somewhat mystified die hard Santana fans.  Both albums were a major turn from the latin-tinged Jam Rock that was featured on the bands first three releases. Santana’s second and third albums (Abraxas and the one known as III) had been number one sellers.  Caravansarai peaked at number eight and this release peaked at 14.  So the new sound showed an effect on sales.  It would take the band 26 more years to hit the top of the charts. (Supernatural,...

Today’s Cool Album Of The Day (#155 in the Series) is Robin Trower, Bridge of Sighs. Bridge of Sighs was Robin Trower’s gigantic breakthrough album. He was in Procol Harem until 1972.  This was Robin’s second solo album and it was released in 1974. It contained many of the songs that people to this day consider the highlights to his catalog. The title cut, “Bridge of Sighs” and “Day of the Eagle” top that list. However, do not overlook “Too Rolling Stoned.”  That was a rock radio standard as well. Robin Trower toured recorded and toured as a three piece back in this era.  His bassist/vocalist was James Dewar.  Reg Isidore was on drums. Bridge of Sighs reached #7 on the...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day is Kraftwerk, “Autobahn.” Another one of those classic albums that side one was the title track and nothing else. Hailing from Germany, Kraftwerk “Autobahn” was mainly a synthesizer album. It did include a bit of flute, guitar and violin but not that much. It was released in 1974. The title track was 22 minutes in length. A chopped up three minute version was released as a single and actually made it to #25 on the Billboard charts in the States. Did you ever have this album? Personnel Ralf Hütter – vocals, electronics. Florian Schneider – vocals, electronics. Klaus Röder – violin, guitar. Wolfgang Flür – percussion. Track listing Side one “Autobahn” (“Motorway”) (Ralf Hütter, Florian Schneider, Emil Schult) – 22:42 Side two...