Monkey Room Music [Release date 21.01.19]

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this sax toting singer songwriter debut produced by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice bassist and a founder member).  Perhaps, a cross between Maria McKee and Rindy Ross (Quarterflash)?

Sadly, no.  Helen Rose has a great voice, and Trouble Holding Back is beautiful sounding record – particularly on a decent hi-fi set up, but it’s a very rootsy part blues, part country album.

With influences from New Orleans to Nashville,  it opens with ‘Love & Whiskey’ – an  R&B boogie with Rose’s dirty Clarence Clemence like sax giving it a seventies Linda Ronstadt vibe, while a deliberately a Bobbie Gentry/Ode To Billy Joe groove is applied to strip-mining inspired ‘Flatlands Of North Dakota’.

Iconic imagery abounds – a stripped back cover of ‘When The Levee Breaks’, the beguiling ‘Mississippi Moon’, the poignant piano/vocals minimalist’ The Mountain’, and the Rickie Lee Jones style cover of John Coltrane’s ‘On The Jukebox’.

Interestingly, the credits reveal that Etzioni – who also plays mandolin – features far more prominently than Rose in the songwriting with two self-penned originals, and a hand in five others.  In contrast Rose co-writes on just four of the latter, with two covers (‘When The Levee Breaks’, and ‘The Mountain’ (Steve Earle)) making up the remainder of the ten track set.

‘Oh Glory B’e [naturally] adds a layer of gospel with a hook that pays tribute to Creedence Clearwater, the soulful ‘A Dangerous Tender Man’ is Isaac Hayes-inspired, and the evocative set closer ‘Love On Arrival’ features just Etzioni on a kickboard and Telecaster with Rose on vocals and sax.

There’s some powerful, classy, performances here, but from a broader appeal perspective the material errs on the roots side of the crossover line, making it one for those with a predilection for the blues.   ***1/2

Review by Pete Whalley

---

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 20 October 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 22 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)
RIOGHAN Hands (Inverse 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)

---

---

Popular (last 10 days)

---