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Monthly Archives: February 2018
Album review: KEN HENSLEY – Rare & Timeless
In this exclusive non-broadcast extract Ken Hensley chats to Pete Feenstra about pre-Uriah Heep and beyond. The full version of this interview was first broadcast on Sunday 18 March 2018 on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, repeated Thursday 22 March … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Blackfoot, John Lawton, Ken Hensley, Rare & Timeless, review, rock, Uriah Heep, WASP
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Album review: STERLING BALL, JOHN FERRARO, JIM COX – The Mutual Admiration Society
Mascot [Release date 19.01.18] Guitarist Sterling Ball, bassist John Ferraro and drummer Jim Cox explore a musical lineage which their label tells us, is: “A celebration of up to forty years of friends making music together.” The label in this … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged ALBERT LEE, album, blues, country, Dobie Gray, funk, guitar, Jay Grayson, Jim Cox, John Ferraro, John Petrucci, pop, review, rock, Sterling Ball, Steve Lukather, Steve Morse, Steve Vai, The Jackson 5, The Mutual Admiration Society
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Album review: KATHRYN ROBERTS & SEAN LAKEMAN – Personae
IScream Records [Release date 09.03.18] Husband and wife duo Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman have been recording and performing for over two decades, during which time they have won twice Best Duo at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Their … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, folk, Kathryn Roberts, Personae, review, Sam Kelly, Sandy Denny, Sean Lakeman, Seth Lakeman, singer songwriter
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Album review: JON BUTCHER AXIS
Escape Music [Release date 19.01.18] If like me you were one of those who spent every fortnight reading Kerrang! and the Wimpwire column by Derek Oliver, Jon Butcher’s name came up quite often and indeed he got a feature in the AOR/melodic … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 80s, album, Escape Music, JK Northrup, Jon Butcher, Jon Butcher Axis, melodic, re-issue, review, rock
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Album review: DRIVE, SHE SAID – Real Life
Escape Music [Release date 23.03.18] ‘Real Life’ was originally released back in 2003 by Drive, She Said the band who featured vocalist/guitarist/bassist Al Fritsch and keyboards wizard Mark Mangold. This album has been re-mixed in 2017 by Brian Anthony and Mark … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Al Fritsch, album, Drive, Escape Music, Mark Mangold, melodic, pomp, re-mastered, Real Life, remixed, review, rock, She Said
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EP review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON – Phoenix Volume 1
Facebook [Release date 26.01.18] The Darker My Horizon duo Paul Stead (lead vocals/guitar) and Mark Stephenson (guitars & backing vocals) used to be in Sacred Heart previously and on this EP they have re-recorded four songs from that band, partly as a stop … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged EP, Mark Stephenson, melodic, modern rock, Paul Stead, Phoenix Volume 1, review, rock, Sacred Heart, the Darker My Horizon
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Album review: DAVEY LANE – I’m Gonna Burn Out Bright
Capgun [Release date 16.03.18] Introspective opener ‘Hell (A Prelude)’ hardly prepares the listener for what’s to come on Davey Lane’s second solo album. Before you know it, the belting synth epic ‘Taurus All Apart’ swirls into your head – sonically … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, Davey Lane, I'm Gonna Burn Out Bright, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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Album review: THE INNOCENTS – Teardrop Kiss
Public Records [Release date 02.04.18] Tasmania’s The Innocents have previous form. In their original guise of Beathoven, they released one of the finest (and obscure) slices of 1970s power pop in ‘Please Don’t Go’ – check it out on YouTube … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Album review: MARILLION – Holidays In Eden Live/Size Matters (reissues)
earMUSIC [Release date 19.01.18] Curious ‘mainstream’ releases for these two double CD sets, that fans will know were originally released on the band’s own Racket Records label (in fact, Size Matters is still currently available, albeit with a different sleeve), … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Holidays In Eden Live, live, Marillion, progressive, review, rock, Size Matters, Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery, weekend
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DVD review: YES – The New Director’s Cut
The Store For Music [Release date 16.02.18] Talk about milking it. It may have been a major event when Wakeman reunited with Anderson, Squire, Howe and White in time for the band’s 35th anniversary tour in 2004, but there continues … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged 2003, Alan White, Birmingham, Chris Squire, concert, DVD, Jon Anderson, live, review, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, The New Director's Cut, Yes
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Album review: THE DEAD SOUTH – Illusion & Doubt
DevilDuck Records [Release date 23.03.18] Outlaws, modern hillbillies? The opening strains of ‘Boots’ does, indeed, bring Jed Clampett and his clan to mind. And regrettably, not Elly May. No, more her half-witted half-brother Jethro, having a banjo/mandolin fuelled bluegrass hoedown … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, bluegrass, folk, Illusion & Doubt, review, rock, The Dead South
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Album review: MISSISSIPPI STOMP – Shine
[Release date 22.04.17] Mississippi Stomp are an Americana outfit from, yes, you guessed it [northeast] Mississppi. Tupelo, to be precise the home of the King. Shine is their sophomore release. Together since the early nineties, with the focal point husband … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, Mississippi Stomp, review, rock, Shine
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Album review: FRACTAL MIRROR – Close To Vapour
Bad Elephant Music [Release date 26.01.18] My heart sinks when I see a shallow Press Release signposting a band as being of the ‘Progressive/Art Rock’ genre, and then sinks several degrees further when I see the only other information (apart … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, art rock, Close To Vapour, Fractal Mirror, prog, Progressive Rock, review
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Album review: KORBY LENKER – Thousand Springs
[Release date 16.03.18] Nashville singer songwriter Korby Lenker chose to record his seventh album, not in the studio, but in places that resonated with him his guitar and vocals being captured in places as diverse as the edge of the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Korby Lenker, review, rock, singer, songwriter, Thousand Springs
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Album review: TAUTOLOGIC – Re:Psychle
[Release date 18.01.18] If you’re into ‘prog’ and looking for something, well, ‘different’, then this release from Chicago-based sextet Tautologic could be worth exploring. It’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before, at least not on a single album. Formed back … Continue reading
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Album review: PRETTY BOY FLOYD -Public Enemies
Frontiers [Release date 01.1.17] For a band that have been together, on and off since 1987, Pretty Boy Floyd are one of the few bands from that era that pretty much sound exactly the same as they did 30 years … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Frontiers, glam, Kristy Majors, Pretty Boy Floyd, Public Enemies, review, rock, sleaze, Steve Summers
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Album review: AL DI MEOLA – Opus
earMUSIC [Release date 23.02.18] Many will remember Al Di Meola from his three-album sojourn with jazz fusionists Return To Forever. After that time Di Meola pursued a solo career frequently incorporating world flavours and collaborating with other guitar icons. His … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Al Di Meola, album, fusion, guitar, jazz, jazz fusion, Jazz rock, Opus, Return To Forever, review
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Album review: GONG EXPRESSO – Decadence
Gong Expresso [Release date 20.02.18] Once upon a time there was a band called Gong. They were hippy, trippy and certainly dippy. In their ranks was percussionist Pierre Moerlen who evidently saw an eye to the main chance. Pierre established … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Benoit Moerlen, Decadence, Gong Expresso, Hansford Rowe, jazz, Pierre Moerlen, review
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Album review: OSMOSIS (reissue)
Esoteric [Release date: 24.11.17] If the ‘assimilation of ideas’ inherent in the meaning of the term osmosis is also a process of ‘almost unconscious gradualism’, it is not reflected in the 1970 debut (and only) release by this US Bostonian … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, jazz, Osmosis, progressive, reissue, review
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Album review: STRAY – Fire & Glass (The Pye Recordings 1975-1976)
Esoteric [Release date: 24.11.17] Regulars on the 70s’ gigging circuit in the UK, Stray harnessed consistently strong and varied repertoire with colourful performances supporting the likes of Black Sabbath and Ten Years After. But they were also signed to indie … Continue reading
Album review: THE MIGHTY BOSSCATS – God Bless America
Self Release [Release date 01.12.18] ‘God Bless America’ is an album full of colourful narratives – both real and imagined – deep grooves, intricate guitar work and an array of sparkling tones. It invites us to immerse ourselves in a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Allan Kelly, Americana, blues, British Blues Awards, country, Electric, George Harrison, Glen Buck, Greg Camburn, guitar, J.J. Cale, Jerry Garcia, Mark Knopfler, Phil Wilson, Philip Ockelford, review, Richard Townend, roots, singer, songwriter, Sting, The Mighty Bosscats
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News: For Your Listening Pleasure…STEVE HACKETT, FM, DUKES OF THE ORIENT (February 2018)
Steve Hackett releases a re-recorded version of GTR’s ‘When The Heart Rules The Mind’ on February 2nd. It features a guest appearance from Marillion’s Steve Rothery. More details and tour dates here FM release their new album ‘Atomic Generation’ on … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Listening Post, NEWS
Tagged Atomic Generation, Change Your Position, Dukes of the Orient, Everlasting Love, FM. Steve Hackett, For Your Listening Pleasure..., Genesis, Ignore The Sign, Love Affair, Marillion, melodic, Michael Armstrong, music, new, news, Nordoff Robbins, progressive, rock, Steve Rothery, Tax The Heat
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