Album review: KONGOS – Egomaniac
RCA [Release date 10.06.16]
When your Dad is the hit single selling Lennon-lookalike John Kongos (He’s Gonna Step On You Again, Tolokoshe Man) there’s a double-edged sword to potentially fall on with your (third) album release. Firstly unfair bunk up due to DNA and secondly do the offspring live up to heightened expectations?
Thankfully Johnny, Jesse, Dylan, and Danny deliver an enjoyable album which maintains father’s pop sensibilities and his world music flavours which – in the early seventies – were fairly unique at the time but are now commonplace. This band’s roots may be in South Africa but they are repurposed via Phoenix, Arizona.
Throughout there is an infectious pop/alt-rock/rootsy vibe, ably demonstrated on tracks like ‘Take It From Me’, ‘I Want It Free’ and the insanely catchy ‘I Don’t Mind’ which even throw an accordion in to the mix whilst ‘The World Would Run Better’ and ‘Autocorrect’ evidence wider political and social awareness albeit in somewhat coy fashion.
Overall, the album isn’t too challenging but if the brothers fail to repeat the chart success of their father that’s purely down to changed circumstances. He can still be proud of them. ***1/2
Review by David Randall
David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections