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Stand Up is a fantastic album, proving that even without the trappings of the progressive rock movement Jethro Tull were a simply superb band. The album rocks far harder than nearly any other products from 1969, surpassing other notable candidates like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. As for the content, Stand Up has a lot to offer; featuring uniformly brilliant songwriting, catchy pop numbers, viscerally gratifying hard rockers, pretty ballads, a first rate blues anthem and a tremendous experimental success story in Bouree the album has something for everyone, excelling in every style the group tackles. This diversity coupled with the album's strong performances and Anderson's gift for conjuring exceptional melodies renders Stand Up a true masterpiece, proving that Jethro Tull didn't need prog to produce worthwhile material.

the album is essential for any fan, be they diehard or casual, of the group, a brilliant masterwork that, in the height of its idiosyncratic nature, could only have been crafted by the Kinks. Rather than worry about hip posturing the band took a chance with this defiantly untrendy work, and while, predictably enough, it failed them from a commercial and critical standpoint, it was a resounding success from an artistic one, displaying the multifaceted glory of the band.

the album is an essential purchase for any Jethro Tull fan who doesn't prize complexity over quality and is willing to allow the band to indulge themselves in some mild sonic reminiscing about their peak years without delivering the full thrust of the progressive nature that characterized that stage of the band's development. While they emphasize the group's more accessible traits they never lose the true essence of the band, and that's what counts for the most.

The trio of Sleepwalker, Misfits and Low Budget were amazing feats for a group so late in its lifespan, particularly given the sonic stagnation they were born from. Accordingly they're a true, unexpected treat for any fan of the band, constituting the most successful comeback one could have hoped for from them. While hardly the equal of the Kinks' golden age, they're certainly nothing to scoff at, comprising a sort of silver age for the group.

Foxtrot is a simply incredible album, bereft of filler and featuring many of the band's finest moments. Both the (comparatively) short songs and the side long epic fully deliver, offering one of the most consistently enjoyable and moving experiences in the band's catalogue. Despite its brilliance Supper's Ready never overshadows the other numbers, a testament to the level of effort and craftsmanship devoted to all of the material.

Strange Days is a true classic, and perhaps the group's finest hour. Between superb songwriting, exceptional performances and an irresistible all encompassing dark atmosphere the album is the very quintessence of the Doors, featuring every facet that makes them one of the greatest bands of all time with only a modicum of filler to mar the experience. The Doors were at their peak on this LP, and while the album is a mere 35 minutes it's as substantial a musical statement as they come.

The Kinks could simply do no wrong during their classic period, and Arthur is a product of that incredible streak of quality. Criminally obscure, Arthur is a necessity for any rock collection, boasting fabulous melodies and superb lyrics, not to mention anticipating phenomena like the punk movement long before their explosion onto the music scene. Arthur is quite simply an amazing musical achievement, as a soundtrack, a concept album and a simple collection of great songs.

the album is an underrated classic; while its psychedelic aspects could be construed as being rather dated, the songwriting prevails, as Jagger and Richard conjure myriad hooks and strong melodies to accompany the songs' psychedelic overtones. Their Satanic Majesties' Request is simply a very strong set of songs, a collection of tracks boasting high quality melodies that are further enhanced rather than marred by their psychedelic gimmicks. Said gimmicks never obstruct the hooks or dilute the melodies, they simply augment the charm of an already excellent album. Whether or not they're dated the psychedelic components are quite entertaining, helping to differentiate the album from anything else in the band's discography, leaving a very unique Stones listening experience.

Muswell Hillbillies is another essential Kinks purchase, a profoundly clever and entertaining outing unlike anything else in the band's discography, or even outside of it. As on The Village Green Preservation Society the album depicts Ray Davies yearning for a simpler, old fashioned life, which is reflected in the nostalgic tone of the record and the blending and implementation of dated musical forums. This has proven time and again to be a department in which Ray Davies thrives, and while his dreams of a return to these days of glory is a tad anachronistic for the young musician his delivery always imbues these anti-progress tirades with a level of conviction, sincerity and earnestness that, while obviously not fully genuine, results in a truly captivating experience, as the listener falls under the spell of the Ray Davies' words and the album's distinctive atmosphere.

Sleepwalker is a very good album, a dark, intelligent and catchy record that recaptures the Kinks vibe of old. The group once again proves why they're legends on the rock scene, revealing that their skills had by no means atrophied after their last assortment of albums.