Caravan (1973) The Dog, The Dog, He's At It Again - LOST 70s GEMS

 Be Alright/Chance of a Lifetime is indicative of the album it comes from with the classic Caravan' dramatic choruses and circular riffs but a harder rock feel not heard on prior Caravan albums. The string laden motifs in the verse are a sign of their Prog credentials which were fading by the time of this record with their organ and pop based sound so much more simpler than heir jazz and classically influenced brethren from the Kent scene. Then again a flute and conga lead section soon enters reminding you of more pastoral jazz sound new to the group. Then a very Disco vibe appears with Clarinet and lush electric piano and funk guitars before ending back in the more calming acoustic folk section form earlier .

Surprise, Surprise is a another pleasant tune, hyperactive drums with hi-hat backing ambient whines from Geoff Richardson's Viola and more acoustified pop from Pye Hastings singin with delight in another breezy and attractive melody. The Dog, The Dog, He's at It Again is another good track from the 1973 album with it's soft group vocals, more brisk off the cuff harmony lines not to mention soaring viola fills and rock guitars and drums. The way they sing the hook of 'Medicine gone
Comin' on strong, Comin' on and on and on and on' so soulfully is my favourite part just before the pinched notes of the submerged, Martian cleanliness of an ARP synthesizer solo.

So good its just comin on so strong.

T Rex (1974) Galaxy - LOST 70s GEMS

This romp of a compact Glam rock tune,features a growling Bolan questioning in odd come on which Galaxy are you from? Then Gloria Jones enters in with the counter, softer cry of 'Your world, I mean your world', this is all I need and is one of the highlights of the alum with's snarling Bolan vocal and guitar but also a bizarre yet so fitting mandolin strum underlining the later cry so of 'your world' and some gentle phasing for a tripped out dream of a diversion.

Poco (1976) Starin at the Sky - LOST 70s GEMS

Timothy B Schmit really had a magical voice, and the beauty of it was only shown in a few tracks such as I Can See Everything's coda where his country pop falsetto really sounds ethereal in a soulful and human way. His warm yet very cool sounding vocal melody reminisces about a girl who he never could get it together with until 'then outta nowhere we got together cause we didn't try'. It doesn't last and he's left starin at the sky but it doesn't matter as Schmit's voice just delivers the verse lyrics with such a hushed elegance and cool romance that makes it sound so inviting.

Van Halen 2 (1979) Spanish Fly - LOST 70s GEMS

Who doesn't love Spanish Fly, the short two minute showcase of the great Eddie Van Halen's famous tapping technique put to acoustic guitars. Here his mix of his own shredding with flamenco styled pacing and feel works to magnificent effect and is far more impressive than Eruption; the fretting showcase of the band's 78 debut album. Just hearing that cycle of shredded acoustic strings hammer-on and pull off in a machine gun rattle in all it's perfect glory is pure musical heaven. This is what Beethoven must have sounded like when he played for the first time, who knew anyone could play that type of guitar lick on an acoustic guitar before this!

Milk n Cookies (1975) Chance to Play - LOST 70s GEMS

Who doesn't like a blast of irreverent teen punk? These longhaired dudes resembled visually and sound the Ramones and certainly had the Joey Ramone voice down too, they're from New York and so worshipped their idols but had youth on their side and created tight rock songs like Chance to Play that transport you to the mid to late 70s power pop/punk scene. the petulant indie voice, the Glam look of the band and cover art are all nice artefacts of a bygone time and place

Blue Oyster Cult (1976) ETI - LOST 70s GEMS

The track's title stands for Extra Terrestrial intelligence, just thought you should know that!

The talkbox opening, the rolling rhythm guitar crunch and Steven Tyler-esque singer makes me feel this sounds like Aerosmith but the whirring guitar liens and gospel stacked harmony lined chorus prove it's not. The glistening chords and supernatural sound effects of a theremin sounding lead guitar whisking off in oscillating vibrations establishes a very extra terrestrial spirit to this song along with Buck Dharma's piercingly perfect guitar trailblazing solo. In my notes from three years ago I wrote this was 'nice sounding'..indeed it is! How can you not like the animated 'Wait there's more' or the mention of a character called Balthazaar in the chorus; deep spiritual connection, man.

Stealers Wheel (1974) Over My Head - LOST 70s GEMS

From their sophomore album, Ferguslie Park, gone was their debut's upbeat folksy, semi acoustic hoedowns, replaced by harder rock and grim piano ballads hinting at Gerry Rafferty's solo career as well as his inner demons such as alcoholism seeping into the band's music was a sense of despair and deep melancholy. However this building strings ballad built on pounded piano notes and a wall of sound production of strings and electric guitar that almost muffle Gerry Rafferty's vocals.

But you can't muffle that melody, so upbeat the lyrics but so low key are the vocals, Rafferty often sang in close to a monotone with the slightest inflection saying so much more than the more histrionic singers could muster naturally. Never overblown in his music, Rafferty manages to he keeps things so intimate amongst the big sounding production.