1974 Albums

The Strawbs had a significant lineup reshuffle following their previous album: Blue Weaver left in 1973 and later went on to great success as a member of The Bee Gees backing band, while Richard Hudson and John Ford formed their own group, Hudson Ford. The remaining members, Dave Cousins and Dave Lambert, then recruited former Nashville Teen and Renaissance keyboardist John Hawken, bassist Chas Cronk (on the recommendation of Rick Wakeman) and ex-Stealers Wheel drummer Rod Coombes. Produced by Cousins and Tom Allom, Hero And Heroine is one of the Strawbs’ finest albums.

Triumvirat hailed from Cologne, but offered a style of music that was pure British progressive rock. Their debut album Mediterranean Tales was recorded and released in 1972, with two Hans, Pape on bass and vocal, and Bathelt on drums, plus Jürgen Fritz on keyboards. Anchored by the classically-trained keyboards of the latter, the album sat firmly in Emerson, Lake and Palmer tradition, but contained enough originality to hold its own. Released by Capitol Records, the follow-up Illusions On A Double Dimple was the band's first in a run of albums to have chart success in the US.