The J. Geils Band
– The J. Geils Band (1970) 3.50 stars
– The Morning After (1971) 3.50 stars
– Bloodshot (1973) 4.00 stars
– Ladies Invited (1973) 3.50 stars
– Nightmares…and Other Tales From the Vinyl Jungle (1974) 4.00 stars
– Hotline (1975) 3.50 stars
– Live! Blow Your Face Out (1976) 4.50 stars
– Monkey Island (1977) 3.00 stars
– Sanctuary (1978) 4.00 stars
– Love Stinks (1980) 3.00 stars
– Freeze-Frame (1981) 2.50 stars
Jack Lancaster & Robin Lumley
– Marscape (1976) NOT RATED
Jack Potter
– Celestial Adventures (2012) NOT RATED
– Pride Before the Fall (2018) NOT RATED
Jack Yello
– Xeric (2009) 4.50 stars
Jacklyn
– Marble Rose (1996) 3.50 stars
Jackson Heights
– King Progress (1970) NOT RATED
– Ragamuffins Fool (1972) NOT RATED
– The Fifth Avenue Bus (1972) NOT RATED
– Bump ‘n’ Grind (1973) NOT RATED
Jackyl
– Jackyl (1992) 3.50 stars
– Push Comes to Shove (1994) 3.50 stars
Jaded Heart
– Inside Out (1994) 4.00 stars
– Mystery Eyes (1998) 4.00 stars
– IV (1999) 4.50 stars
– The Journey Will Never End (2002) 4.50 stars
– Helluva Time (2005) 4.00 stars
– Perfect Insanity (2009) 4.00 stars
– Common Destiny (2012) 4.00 stars
– Fight the System (2014) 4.00 stars
Jade Warrior
– Released (1971) NOT RATED
Jadis
– More Than Meets the Eye (1992) 3.00 stars
– Across the Water (1994) 3.50 stars
– Somersault (1997) 3.50 stars
– As Daylight Fades (1998) 3.50 stars
– Understand (2000) 3.50 stars
– Medium Rare (2003) 3.00 stars
– Fanatic (2003) 3.00 stars
– Photoplay (2006) 3.00 stars
Although I always found Jadis’s albums pleasant enough, I could never get overly excited about them. For the most part, Jadis is a talented group of instrumentalists, but the music isn’t quite as Progressive as I had originally anticipated when first investigating the band, at least not enough (in my eyes) to have them labeled primarily as a Neo-Prog band. To me, Jadis is more like an AOR band that adds Prog-Rock touches (similar to early Marillion or IQ) into several tracks, much the same as a band such as Saga does these days, only just not as exciting or attention-grabbing. Many of the songs seem similar in tempo, mid-tempo for the most part, with not much to thrill me in the way of unusual and abrupt time changes, no bouncier or racing rhythms to get the blood pumping. Occasionally, especially on some of the earlier albums, Jadis had some songs where the arrangements caught my attention, had me near the edge of my seat, but those moments are unfortunately all too rare for my liking. Additionally, there’s something about the lead vocals that I find rather lackluster—accurate for certain, but somewhat bland and not at all recognizable enough or emotionally charged enough to really draw me into the material.
Therefore, the albums contain pleasant and well-played material in general, just nothing overly complex or diverse or memorable enough to truly set Jadis apart from their contemporaries or to have me rate the albums higher than around the average mark. A “safe,” non-offensive, mostly non-adventurous band with the potential to be so much more if only the band dared to stretch its musical muscles.
Jag Wire
– Made in Heaven (1985) 3.00 stars
Jaime Kyle
– Back From Hollywood (1996) 3.50 stars
James Christian
– Rude Awakening (1994) 4.00 stars
– Meet the Man (2004) 4.00 stars
– Lay It All on Me (2013) 4.00 stars
James Gang
– Yer’ Album (1969) 3.50 stars
– Rides Again (1970) 4.00 stars
– Thirds (1971) 3.00 stars
– Bang (1973) 4.00 stars
– Miami (1974) 4.00 stars
James LaBrie
– Elements of Persuasion (2005) 3.50 stars
– Static Impulse (2010) 3.50 stars
The singer from Dream Theater who released several solo albums. Neither of them are as Progressive as the Dream Theater material.
Jan Hammer
– The First Seven Days (1975) 3.50 stars
– Beyond the Mind’s Eye (1992) 3.00 stars
The Jan Holberg Project
– Sense of Time (2011) NOT RATED
– At Your Service (2013) NOT RATED
Jane
– Together (1972) 3.50 stars
– Here We Are (1973) 3.50 stars
– III (1974) 2.00 stars
– Lady (1975) 3.50 stars
– Fire, Water, Earth & Air (1976) 3.50 stars
– Between Heaven and Hell (1977) 3.50 stars
– Age of Madness (1978) 3.50 stars
Typically, Jane gets primarily labeled as a Progressive Rock band, with Hard Rock being a secondary genre. I find the opposite to be true, although please note I am unfamiliar with much of the band’s later output. But to me, based on the albums I own, the band is basically a bluesy Hard Rock band (mostly simple chord patterns, nothing too adventurous) with only mild Progressive Rock touches mainly within several longer “jammier” songs. Typically, I find Jane no closer to Progressive Rock than, say, bands such as Mountain or Wishbone Ash, flirting with the genre only on a handful of occasions. I may change my opinion, however, as I delve further into the band’s catalogue.
Janis Joplin
– I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama! (1969) 4.00 stars
– Pearl (1971) 4.50 stars
– Farewell Song (1982) 4.00 stars
– Janis (1993) 4.00 stars
Janison Edge
– The Services of Mary Goode (1998) 4.00 stars
Janus
– Gravedigger (1972) 4.00 stars
Jay Ferguson
– All Alone in the End Zone (1976) 3.50 stars
– Thunder Island (1978) 3.50 stars
– Real Life Ain’t This Way (1979) 3.50 stars
– White Noise (1982) NOT RATED
Jean-Luc Ponty
– King Kong: The Music of Frank Zappa (1970) 4.00 stars
– Upon the Wings of Music (1975) 3.50 stars
– Aurora (1976) 3.50 stars
– Cosmic Messenger (1978) 4.00 stars
– Fables (1985) 4.00 stars
– Storytelling (1989) 3.50 stars
– Tchokola (1991) NOT RATED
– No Absolute Time (1993) NOT RATED
– Live at Chene Park (1997) NOT RATED
Jeavestone
– Mind the Soup (2005) 3.50 stars
– Spices, Species and Poetry Petrol (2008) 3.50 stars
– 1+1=OK (2010) 3.50 stars
– Human Games (2016) NOT RATED
Jeff Beck
– Blow by Blow (1975) 4.50 stars
– Wired (1976) 4.00 stars
– Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop (1989) 3.50 stars
Jeff Beck Group
– Truth (1968) 4.00 stars
– Beck-Ola (1969) 3.50 stars
– Rough and Ready (1971) 4.00 stars
– Jeff Beck Group (1972) 4.00 stars
Jeff Green Project
– Elder Creek (2014) 4.00 stars
Jeff Scott Soto
– Lost in the Translation (2004) 4.00 stars
Jeff Watson
– Lone Ranger (1992) 4.00 stars
Jefferson Airplane
– Surrealistic Pillow (1967) 3.50 stars
– Crown of Creation (1968) 4.00 stars
– Bless Its Pointed Little Head (1969) 3.50 stars
– Volunteers (1969) 4.00 stars
– Bark (1971) 3.50 stars
– Jefferson Airplane (1989) 3.50 stars
– Jefferson Airplane Loves You (1992) 4.00 stars
Jefferson Starship
– Blows Against the Empire (1970) 3.00 stars
– Dragon Fly (1974) 4.00 stars
– Red Octopus (1975) 4.00 stars
– Spitfire (1976) 4.00 stars
– Earth (1978) 3.00 stars
– Freedom at Point Zero (1979) 4.50 stars
– Modern Times (1981) 4.50 stars
– Winds of Change (1982) 4.00 stars
– Nuclear Furniture (1984) 3.50 stars
Jelly Fiche
– Tout Ce Que J’ai Rêvé (2008) NOT RATED
The Jelly Jam
– Profit (2016) NOT RATED
Jericho
– Jericho (1972) NOT RATED
Jerry Goodman
– It’s Alive (1988) 4.00 stars
Jerry LaCroix
– The Second Coming (1974) 3.00 stars
Jerusalem (UK)
– Jerusalem (1972) 3.50 stars
Jerusalem (SW)
– Those Were the Days (1997) 3.50 stars
Jerusalem Slim
– Jerusalem Slim (1992) 4.00 stars
Jeseter
– Siddhartha (2016) 4.00 stars
Jesse Strange
– Jesse Strange (1992) 3.50 stars
Jet
– Jet (1975) 3.00 stars
Jet Black Sea
– The Path of Least Existence (2013) NOT RATED
– Absorption Lines (2017) NOT RATED
Jetboy
– Feel the Shake (1988) 3.50 stars
– Damned Nation (1990) 3.50 stars
Jethro Tull
– This Was (1968) 3.50 stars
– Stand Up (1969) 3.50 stars
– Benefit (1970) 4.00 stars
– Aqualung (1971) 5.00 stars
– Thick as a Brick (1972) 5.00 stars
– Living in the Past (1972) 4.00 stars
– A Passion Play (1973) 4.50 stars
– War Child (1974) 4.00 stars
– Minstrel in the Gallery (1975) 4.50 stars
– Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young to Die! (1976) 3.50 stars
– Songs From the Wood (1977) 4.00 stars
– Heavy Horses (1978) 4.00 stars
– Live: Bursting Out (1978) 4.50 stars
– Stormwatch (1979) 4.00 stars
– A (1980) 4.00 stars
– The Broadsword and the Beast (1982) 4.50 stars
– Under Wraps (1984) 2.50 stars
– Crest of a Knave (1987) 4.00 stars
– 20 Years of Jethro Tull (1988) 5.00 stars
– Rock Island (1989) 3.50 stars
– Catfish Rising (1991) 3.50 stars
– Nightcap: The Unreleased Masters 1973-1991 (1993) 4.50 stars
– Roots to Branches (1995) 4.00 stars
– J-Tull Dot Com (1999) 4.00 stars
This is one band that can claim it has no other group that sounds exactly like it. Sure, other bands (especially those that feature flute) are often compared to Jethro Tull, but none of them are an exact clone. So with Ian Anderson as the band’s leader, with his unique vocal timbre and skills as a flutist being unrivaled in the genre, not to mention having Martin Barre’s unique guitar tones at its core, Jethro Tull has always remained completely unique in the genre of Prog-Rock. Without question, this is one of my all-time favorite acts, with each album (even the “worst” albums) being high-quality releases. Fans of Prog-Rock who do not have copies of the albums Aqualung, Thick As A Brick, Passion Play and a host of others in their musical collection should be ashamed to call themselves Prog-Rock lovers 🙂
Jet Red
– Jet Red (1989) 4.00 stars
Jim Griffin
– To A Far Cry (2017) NOT RATED
Jim Gilmour
– Great Escape (2005) NOT RATED
Jimi Jamison
– When Love Comes Down (1991) 4.00 stars
Jimmy Page
– Outrider (1988) 3.00 stars
Jimmy Page & Robert Plant
– No Quarter: Unledded (1994) 1.50 stars
Jo Jo Gunne
– Jo Jo Gunne (1972) 3.50 stars
– Bite Down Hard (1973) 4.50 stars
– Jumpin’ the Gunne (1973) 4.00 stars
– So…Where’s the Show? (1974) 4.50 stars
Joan Osborne
– Relish (1995) 3.00 stars
Joanna Dean
– Misbehavin’ (1988) 4.50 stars
Jody Grind
– One Step On (1969) NOT RATED
– Far Canal (1970) 4.00 stars
Joe Bailey
– A Price To Pay (2018) NOT RATED
Joe Lynn Turner
– Rescue You (1985) 4.50 stars
– Nothing’s Changed (1995) 4.00 stars
– Hurry Up and Wait (1998) NOT RATED
– Holy Man (2000) 4.00 stars
– Slam (2001) NOT RATED
– JLT (2003) 4.00 stars
– The Usual Suspects (2005) 4.00 stars
– Second Hand Life (2007) 3.50 stars
The Joe Perry Project
– Let the Music Do the Talking (1980) 3.50 stars
– Once a Rocker, Always a Rocker (1983) 3.00 stars
Joe Satriani
– Surfing With the Alien (1987) 3.50 stars
– The Extremist (1992) 4.00 stars
– Joe Satriani (1995) 3.50 stars
Joe Walsh
– Barnstorm (1972) 4.00 stars
– The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get (1973) 4.00 stars
Johansson
– The Last Viking (1999) 4.00 stars
John Arch
– A Twist of Fate (2003) 4.00 stars
John Cale
– Helen of Troy (1975) 3.00 stars
John Elefante
– On My Way to the Sun (2013) NOT RATED
John Galgano
– Real Life Is Meeting (2012) 3.00 stars
John Hackett
– Moonspinner (2011) NOT RATED
– Another Life (2015) NOT RATED
– We Are Not Alone (2017) NOT RATED
John Lawton
– Still Payin’ My Dues … (2000) 3.00 stars
John Lawton & Diana Express
– The Power of Mind (2012) NOT RATED
John Lawton Band
– Sting in the Tale (2003) NOT RATED
John McLaughlin
– Electric Guitarist (1978) 2.50 stars
– The Promise (1996) 3.50 stars
John Mitchell
– The Nostalgia Factory (2016) NOT RATED
John Norum
– Total Control (1987) 3.00 stars
John Parr
– John Parr (1984) 3.50 stars
– Running the Endless Mile (1986) 3.50 stars
John Schlitt
– Shake (1995) 4.00 stars
– Unfit for Swine (1996) 4.00 stars
– The Greater Cause (2012) 4.00 stars
John Waite
– Ignition (1982) 4.00 stars
– No Brakes (1984) 4.00 stars
– Mask of Smiles (1985) 4.00 stars
– Rover’s Return (1987) 4.50 stars
– Temple Bar (1995) NOT RATED
– The Hard Way (2004) 3.50 stars
– Rough & Tumble (2011) 3.50 stars
John West
– Mind Journey (1997) 4.00 stars
– Long Time…No Sing (2006) 3.50 stars
Jon Anderson
– Olias of Sunhillow (1976) 3.50 stars
The “ultimate voice” of Yes. Unfortunately, the album Olias Of Sunhillow and others that followed are not even close to being essential to a Prog-Rock lover’s catalogue. Not that anything Jon offered on his own is horrible, it’s just that there’s nothing truly innovative or (in truth) overly exciting. Pleasant material overall, yet not essential.
Jon Oliva’s Pain
– Global Warning (2008) 4.00 stars
– Festival (2010) 4.00 stars
Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side
– Pathfinder (2016) NOT RATED
Jonathan Cain
– Back to the Innocence (1995) 2.50 stars
Jonesy
– No Alternative (1972) NOT RATED
Jono
– Silence (2015) 4.00 stars
Jordan Rudess
– Rhythm of Time (2004) 3.50 stars
Jordsjo
– Jord (2017) NOT RATED
Jorn
– Starfire (2000) 4.00 stars
– Worldchanger (2001) 4.50 stars
– Out to Every Nation (2004) 4.50 stars
– The Duke (2006) 4.00 stars
– Unlocking the Past (2007) 4.00 stars
– Live in America (2007) 4.00 stars
– Lonely Are the Brave (2008) 4.50 stars
– Spirit Black (2009) 4.50 stars
– Dio (2010) 4.50 stars
– Bring Heavy Rock to the Land (2012) 4.50 stars
– Symphonic (2013) 4.00 stars
– Traveller (2013) 4.00 stars
– Heavy Rock Radio (2016) 4.00 stars
– Life on Death Road (2017) NOT RATED
Josefus
– Dead Man (1970) 3.50 stars
Joseph Magazine
– Night of the Red Sky (2011) NOT RATED
Journey
– Journey (1975) 3.50 stars
– Look Into the Future (1976) 4.00 stars
– Next (1977) 3.50 stars
– Infinity (1978) 4.50 stars
– Evolution (1979) 4.50 stars
– Departure (1980) 3.50 stars
– Dream After Dream (1980) 2.00 stars
– Captured (1981) 4.00 stars
– Escape (1981) 5.00 stars
– Frontiers (1983) 4.00 stars
– Raised on Radio (1986) 3.50 stars
– Time³ (1992) 4.00 stars
– Trial by Fire (1996) 4.00 stars
– Arrival (2001) 3.50 stars
– Generations (2005) 3.00 stars
– Revelation (2008) 4.00 stars
– Eclipse (2011) 5.00 stars
Journey is one band that altered styles drastically in its early years. The debut album was close to Progressive Rock, far from the AOR band Journey would become, but beginning with the second album Look Into The Future, the musicians offered a combination of Hard Rock/AOR with only a touch of Prog tossed in for good measure. Although the third album Next is also primarily labeled Progressive Rock on many music-related websites, it’s not, except for only small touches on several tracks, and even closer to AOR. As most fans of the group know, it’s 1978’s Infinity that placed Journey squarely in the AOR genre.
Joy Unlimited
– Overground (1970) NOT RATED
– Schmetterlinge (1971) NOT RATED
– Reflections (1973) NOT RATED
– Instrumental Impressions (1974) NOT RATED
– Minne (1974) NOT RATED
JPL
– Le livre blanc (2017) NOT RATED
– Retrospections Vol. 3 (2018) NOT RATED
Judas Priest
– Rocka Rolla (1974) 2.50 stars
– Sad Wings of Destiny (1976) 4.50 stars
– Sin After Sin (1977) 4.50 stars
– Stained Class (1978) 5.00 stars
– Killing Machine (1978) 4.00 stars
– Unleashed in the East: Live in Japan (1979) 3.50 stars
– British Steel (1980) 3.00 stars
– Point of Entry (1981) 3.00 stars
– Screaming for Vengeance (1982) 4.00 stars
– Defenders of the Faith (1984) 3.50 stars
– Turbo (1986) 2.50 stars
– Ram It Down (1988) 3.50 stars
– Painkiller (1990) 5.00 stars
– Jugulator (1997) 3.50 stars
– Demolition (2001) 3.50 stars
– Angel of Retribution (2005) 4.00 stars
– Nostradamus (2008) 3.50 stars
– Redeemer of Souls (2014) 4.00 stars
Jughead
– Jughead (2002) NOT RATED
Juke
– Chimeras’ Tale (2014) 3.50 stars
Julian’s Treatment
– A Time Before This (1970) 4.00 stars
Juliet
– Juliet (1993) 4.00 stars
Julliet
– Julliet (1990) 3.00 stars
Jumbo
– Vietato ai minori di 18 anni? (1973) 5.00 stars
– 1983 – Violini d’autunno (1992) NOT RATED
Jump
– A Man Was Made (2004) NOT RATED
– Faithful Faithless (2005) NOT RATED
– The Black Pilgrim (2013) NOT RATED
– Over the Top (2016) NOT RATED
Jungle
– Jungle (1969) NOT RATED
Junipher Greene
– Friendship (1971) 4.5 stars
Junk Farm
– Didn’t Come to Dance (2009) NOT RATED
Jupiter Society
– Terraform (2009) 3.00 stars
Jupiter’s Eye
– Cosmic Cadence (2013) NOT RATED
– Last In Space (2013) NOT RATED
– Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (2014) NOT RATED
– Worlds Apart (2015) NOT RATED
Juvaliant
– Inhuman Nature (2010) 4.50 stars
Zap Niles 