"15th Century Rock and Roll."  That was the best description I've heard yet of Mannheim Steamroller's music. It's not quite rock, not quite folk, not quite jazz, not quite classical... but a wonderful fusion of all of them.

I first heard this album at a stereo speaker demonstration sometime during my teen years. The speakers were ok, but I really hung around the demonstration for the better part of an hour just so I could listen to the music. I've loved the album ever since!

Actually, I like all of Mannheim Steamroller's albums, but these two are the best of the best. Both Fresh Aire II and Fresh Aire III have a bit of a little bit of a medieval feel to them. That may be why I like them best of all the Fresh Aire albums. I don't know, really. I just know that both albums make me feel relaxed and energized at the same time. Good music!  

Over two decades before Metallica mixed orchestra with rock on their "S&M" album, the Moody Blues paved the way by joining with the London Symphony Orchestra to create this masterpiece. Best known for the hits "Nights In White Satin" and "Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)", this album takes you through a day in a life, starting at dawn and taking you through into the night. Listening to the songs one at a time is great - but to get the most enjoyment, this album is best listened to in its entirety from beginning to end.

Off all the progressive rock bands I like, I think Pink Floyd is among the best. Of all the Pink Floyd albums, this is probably my favorite.  It's relaxing and thought provoking at the same time.

And just to show the broad appeal of this album, my children consider it one of their favorites as well.

I watch a lot of Japanese anime. A few years ago, a friend gave me some tapes of an anime called Macross 7. What's that got to do with this album? Well, not much really, except that the main vocalist of this group, Yoshiki Fukuyama, happened to be the singing voice for the show's main character. It was in a search for more that Fukuyama-san had done that I found, and fell in love with, the music of Humming Bird.

"Timeless" is the title of this album and also a good description of the songs on the album. The album is 10 years old now... and 10 or 20 years from now, it will still sound just as good. This band has many very good albums, but this is definitely their best.

After all those years with Humming Bird, Fire Bomber, etc., Fukuyama-san finally recorded a solo album. It's no secret that I am a fan of his, so I fully expected to like the album when it was released. What I had not expected, was that this album would be fully equal to Humming Bird at its best!

The word "sakebu" means "shout" or "cry out". The album's title means "portrait of a shouting man", but the songs on the album reflect "sakebu" in all it's meanings... addressing love, depression, separation, and hope with full depth and power. It took around a year and a half from the time it was announced for him to complete this album... and it was well worth the wait! 

Paul Williams is better known as a songwriter than a singer. The title song, "Just An Old Fashioned Love Song" was a big hit for Three Dog Night. "We've Only Just Begun", sung by the Carpenters, was probably played at nearly every wedding reception from 1971 on. I could go on and on about songs he's written that other people have made famous... yet not as many people have heard his versions of those same songs and others. That's too bad because his voice is raspy, a bit unusual, yet strangely warm and soothing... very pleasant. 

It says on the album jacket, "There are those who listen, and those who wait to talk. This album is dedicated to the listeners." This album is meant for listening.

I probably have around a dozen or so John Denver albums. Like Paul Williams, many of his songs have been made famous by other people; but unlike Paul Williams, John Denver became equally well known for his singing too.

According to the liner notes, this album is a collection of his most requested songs at the time (circa 1973), except for "Rhymes and Reasons" which "nobody requested" but was one of his personal favorites. Mine too. Listening to this album makes me feel good about the earth and about life itself! I can never listen to it too much!

This was his second solo release after the break-up of the Beatles. For some reason, many critics didn't like this album. I don't know why. I think it's absolutely great!

Clearly, Paul ("Sir Paul" now) and his wife, Linda, had a lot of fun making this album. The music, like the jacket artwork, done by Paul, has a sort of homegrown appeal... rock with a folk music feel to it, experimental but not weird,  professional but not cold. It's a pleasure to listen to!

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of Black Sabbath's albums... but for this one album, they were absolutely awesome! If this is what they are capable of, why are the other albums so mediocre? This album has depth in both sound and lyrics... "War Pigs", "Hand of Doom", "Paranoid", etc. are all great songs.

"Fairies Wear Boots"? Well... I guess this album isn't perfect, but it was worth buying and is still very much worth listening to.

This collection of folk songs aimed at children is equally appealing to us adults who like to have a little fun. All of us in the Harrison house like to sing along with this album.

Just plain good rock and roll! Enough said.