Be-Bop Deluxe

The 1974 debut album from this often-overlooked British rock band will be nothing short of revelatory for anyone who's never heard it. Powered by truly fantastic guitar playing courtesy of mastermind Bill Nelson, Axe Victim's 10 songs are a meticulously constructed, absolutely distinctive combination of prog rock and glam that throws curve ball after curve ball. Nelson's elegant vocals are almost as big a draw as his stellar guitar playing, and although you will hear shades of Roxy Music, Pink Floyd and Hunky Dory all at once, there really is no band that ever sounded like this.