Lady

Keyboard-laden, highly melodic, nearly prog-like in its convolution, German band Jane's music was not highly regarded by the music press in its early-'70s heyday, neither krautrock-y enough for the intelligentsia nor pop enough for commercial crossover success. In hindsight, of course, albums like 1975's LADY--issued for the first time on CD in 2007 by Brain, with extensive liner notes in German and English--put the lie to the criticism. While not groundbreaking, this album has its share of skillfully executed songs and excellent playing. Standouts include "Silver Knickers," a blues jam with desultory, Hendrix-like vocals favored by many hard-rock bands of the era, and the tuneful and dramatic "Scratches on Your Back," which wouldn't have been out of place on BAT OUT OF HELL.