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NELS ANDREWS Pigeon And The Crow
Probably the most interesting thing about this fourth studio endeavour by Californian singer songwriter Nels Andrews is that it was recorded at Whispering Pines Studio in LA which was originally built for Sam Cooke in the Sixties, and turned into a funk / soul place in Seventies, before being abandoned in the Eighties and being rehabilitated by indie rockers Lord Huron.
But Pigeon And The Crow pays homage to none of those genres – it’s a sparse and introspective set harking back to early acoustic troubadours like Donovan, Clifford T Ward, Paul Simon and the like.
Low key and understated throughout, this is a mournful, ethereal collection with texture provided by the Irish flute of producer Nuala Kennedy, cello and violin. But frankly, unless you’re into minimalistic, bleak song craft, it’s a bit of dirge. **
Review by Pete Whalley
GENTLEMEN’S ACADEMY Joy
With Cats In Space having so successfully reinvented the classic pop rock of the Seventies, it was probably only a matter of time before some bright sparks decided to take a punt on reinventing ‘soft rock’ with an album full of, err yes … love songs.
A ‘collective’ in the true sense of the word, the Gentlemen’s Academy project includes players from The Lizards – a US hard rock outfit whose connections to GRTR! date back to at least 2006 when David Randall interviewed Randy Pratt (the main lyricist here) and reviewed the band’s then current album Against All Odds (an effort that doffed a hat to the likes of Trapeze, Free, and Deep Purple, and featured vocals by none other than Glen Hughes).
The fact that ‘connection’ (and David Randall’s review of the band’s last album Reptilicus Maximus in 2015) passed me by, and I suspect many other readers, tells its own story, but hey, the fact that The Lizards – while I suspect largely unknown, certainly over here, – have routinely managed to attract ‘guest’ players like Hughes, Frank Marino and Vinnie Moore surely bodes well for a project like this?
Alongside Pratt, Lizards bandmate Patrick Klein are Mike Markowitz (who share guitar and bass duties, and with Markowitz doing most of the music writing), and Rich Zukor (drums and percussion) are the main protagonists. There’s then a plethora of supporting players including three keyboard players, and six different lead vocalists.
Sadly, Joy is anything but joyful. Or much by way of a celebration of the soft rock ballad era. Instead it’s a pale, limp and somewhat flaccid pastiche. To be fair, the playing isn’t bad, but there’s a not a single song here that would have made it (or got anywhere near close) ‘back in the day’, and with much of the lyrical content bordering on cringe worthy. You could almost be forgiven for thinking it was a satirical piss take of the genre. Perhaps it is? **
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.
Latest session: Sunday 14 April
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 7 April 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 2 April 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 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
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