Strawbs - Heartbreak Hill (1995)

Recorded in 1978 but not released until 1995, Heartbreak Hill included keyboardist Andy Richards in the Strawbs' lineup for the first time. Only fleeting moments of the band's patented progressive folk and rock are featured, which is no surprise since the Strawbs' final albums leading up to their late-'70s demise were also bereft of those key ingredients. With only eight tracks, continuity is definitely lacking here, other than the familiar and unique voice of Dave Cousins. While Heartbreak Hill should be of interest to die-hard fans (hence its ultimate release nearly 20 years after the studio sessions took place), the album mainly reveals that the Strawbs are neither pop hitmakers nor schmaltzy romantics.