Monthly Archives: November 2020

News – NEAL SCHON, HEART, MAGNUM, THE DARKNESS (December 2020)

Journey’s Neal Schon (pictured) releases his new album ‘Universe’ this month. Dream Theater have started work on their new album. In the meantime they have released a seasonal medly ‘The Holiday Spirit Carries On’, available for download at dreamtheaterofficial.bandcamp.com Magnum … Continue reading

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Album review – VOLBEAT – Rewind, Replay, Rebound (Live in Deutschland)

Volbeat

Republic Records [Release date 27.11.20] Live music has been absent in all our lives for far too long throughout 2020 so the chance to relive the German leg of Volbeat’s 2019 tour is an enticing package to anyone starved of gigs. The … Continue reading

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Album review: RUNRIG – One Legend – Two concerts (Live At Rockpalast 1996 & 2001)

RUNRIG

MiG Records [Release date 30.10.20] A year or so ago I went along to the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow for the world premiere of the Final Dance DVD which was recorded at the band’s final show in Stirling. It … Continue reading

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Album review: HEAVY PETTIN – Best Of

HEAVY PETTIN - Best Of

Burnt Out Wreckords/Cherry Red Records (Release date 27/11/20) Heavy Pettin never quite made it to the inside of the glittering shop window of fame. Along with Scotland’s other great white melodic rock hopes, Strangeways, they had the talent, the ability, … Continue reading

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Album review: PICTUREHOUSE – 1999 Live in Dublin

PICTUREHOUSE – 1999 Live in Dublin

Website [Release date 27.11.20] Ahhh live music we miss you so and even someone like me who isn’t normally a big fan of live albums has been playing a lot of live tracks this year. So when of the many … Continue reading

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Album review: GRYPHON – Get Out Of My Father’s Car!

GRYPHON - Get Out Of My Father's Car!

Talking Elephant/Gryphon [Release date 20.11.20] Gryphon will always occupy a small but significant place in my musical heritage.  Coinciding with my interest in (and performance of) early music, in the early 1970s they became a cross-genre novelty act.  And with … Continue reading

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Interview: TIM ARNOLD

ta2

Tim Arnold recently released his latest album ‘When Staying Alive Is The Latest Craze‘  – “An album of times, created in the current pandemic and although it may not have answers to end the virus, it does contain an underlying … Continue reading

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Album review: MAJESTICA – A Christmas Carol

MAJESTICA – A Christmas Carol

Nuclear Blast [Release date 04.12.20] ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens is one of my all-time favourite books and has been adapted for TV and film many times. Now we have Swedish symphonic metal band Majestica giving their take on … Continue reading

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Album review: JEFF SCOTT SOTO – Wide Awake (In My Dreamland)

JEFF SCOTT SOTO- Wide Awake In My Dreamland

Frontiers Records [Release Date 6.11.20] After going in a more modern metal direction with his Soto project and fronting prog rock supergroup Sons of Apollo, the latest album from the ever prolific Jeff Scott Soto sees him return to the … Continue reading

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Quick plays: ANNA ELIZABETH LAUBE, PEACH & QUIET

ANNA ELIZABETH LAUBE  Annamania

ANNA ELIZABETH LAUBE  Annamania (Ahh…Pockets! Records) [Release date 22.01.21] You’ll find reviews of Americana singer songwriter Anna Laube’s last two releases – ‘Anna Laube’ (2015) and ‘Tree’ (2016) buried in the Get Ready to ROCK! archives.  Sufficient to say the … Continue reading

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Album review: REB BEACH – A View From The Inside

REB BEACH – A View From The Inside

Frontiers Records [Release date 12.11.20] Reb Beach’s (Winger/Whitesnake) choice of musicians with whose help he recorded “A View From The Inside” is revealing: David Throckmorton, primarily known as a jazz drummer, especially for Maynard Ferguson; bassman Philip Bynoe worked extensively … Continue reading

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Album review: THE QUESTIONNAIRES – Atlantic Ridge

THE QUESTIONNAIRES - Atlantic Ridge

Boom Chang Records [Release date 15.01.21] It seems a bit disingenuous in the PR blurb to refer to Jane Wade and Steve Hall, aka The Questionnaires, as having been ‘around a bit’.  For most, me included, their formative bands – … Continue reading

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Album review: RICH YOUNG – Nonsense of the Heart

RICH YOUNG - Nonsense of the Heart

North Star Music [04.09.20] We often miss the big picture whilst staring directly at one aspect. In that way we may see a particularly bright colour whilst failing to notice the multitude of hues that also make up the rest … Continue reading

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Album review: ECLIPSE – Viva La Victouria (CD/DVD)

ECLIPSE- Viva La Victouria (CD/DVD)

Frontiers Records [Release Date 6.11.20] This package of goodies from Eclipse is very timely, as their last album ‘Paradigm’ rather got swamped in the rush of autumn 2019 releases, then after gearing up for a huge tour, it never reached … Continue reading

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Album review: LORDS OF BLACK – Alchemy Of Souls Part 1

LORDS OF BLACK – Alchemy Of Souls Part 1

Frontiers [Release date 12.11.20] Album number 4 from Spanish metallers, Lords Of Black, founded by virtuoso Spanish guitarist and songwriter, Antonio Hernandez. There’s been the usual pack shuffling as members come and go over the years since formation in 2014. … Continue reading

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Album review: ZEBRAS DON’T SMOKE – Don’t Mention The Swedes (ABBA Tribute)

ZEBRAS DON'T SMOKE - Don't Mention The Swedes

Singsong Music [Release date 20.11.20] www.singsongmusic.com ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus said what he thought of streaming live music during Lockdown.  He wasn’t impressed and thought kitchen gigs will never be a substitute.  I wonder what he would have thought of the … Continue reading

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EP review: PYLON POETS – Lucid Hallucinations

PYLON POETS – Lucid Hallucinations

Website [Release date 18.12.20] Pylon Poets are an alt rock trio from Torquay featuring Dan Hughes (Vocals, Guitars, Synths), Sam McIver (Drums, Backing Vocals) and Nathan Hughes (Bass, Backing Vocals). This EP was recorded by Barnaby Ray at Momentum Studios … Continue reading

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Album review: TREMENDOUS – Relentless

TREMENDOUS - Relentless

Facebook [Release date 20.11.20] TREMENDOUS (stand down grammar peeps as they deliberately have their name in capitals) hail from Birmingham, UK and consist of Mark Dudzinski (guitar, vocals), Ryan Jee (bass) and Dave Lee (drums). The TREMENDOUS name is taken … Continue reading

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Album review: ANGELICA – All I Am

ANGELICA – All I Am

Frontiers [Release date 12.11.20] Murder of My Sweet vocalist, Angelica Rylin goes solo again after seven years. “All I Am”, written and produced by the multi talented Daniel Flores, is only Rylin’s second solo outing since 2013. It has opened … Continue reading

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Book Review: ON TRACK (every album, every song…) – IRON MAIDEN (by Steve Pilkington) and THIN LIZZY (by Graeme Stroud)

ON TRACK (every album, every song...)- IRON MAIDEN (by Steve Pilkington) and THIN LIZZY (by Graeme Stroud)

Sonic Bond Publishing The ‘On Track’ series is a new one to me, but glancing at GRTR!’s recent book reviews it seems to be a rapidly growing collection. While more critically acclaimed artists such as the Beatles and Bruce Springsteen … Continue reading

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Album review: MARK KELLY – Marathon

Mark Kelly's Marathon

earMUSIC [Release date 27.11.20] Thirty years in the making… well, ok, thirty years in the planning, Marillion’s much sought after keyboard player, Mark Kelly at last releases his “solo” album, the appropriately titled “Marathon”. He’s enlisted the help of a … Continue reading

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Album review: LOUISE STEEL – Sideshow

LOUISE STEEL - Sideshow

Website [Release date 20.11.20] Here at GRTR! Towers we enjoyed Louise Steel’s 2017 debut ‘Heartstorm’ very much. Louise Steel’s second album has been two years in the making that has included personal tragedy and making this album has proved cathartic … Continue reading

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Album review: CATS IN SPACE – Atlantis

CATS IN SPACE – Atlantis

Harmony Factory [Release date 27.11.20] On new album, “Atlantis”, it seems the new CIS line up, with vocalist Damien Edwards replacing Mark Pascall, has largely abandoned the iconoclastic tone of its predecessor, “Daytrip To Narnia” That of course, is down … Continue reading

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Album review: ELLEFSON – No Cover

ELLEFSON - No Cover

Combat Records/earMUSIC [Release date 20.11.20] Ellefson, the solo band of Megadeth bassist and co-founder David Ellefson, have a double album of covers for your enjoyment. Even the cover artwork is a homage to Def Leppard’s ‘On Through The Night’ album … Continue reading

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Album review: HEARTWIND – Strangers

HEARTWIND - Strangers

Escape Music [Release date 20.11.20] Heartwind formed around keyboard player Mikael Rosengren and guitarist Goran Engvall (who also played bass on the album). Since their debut release they have changed vocalists bringing in not one, but two vocalists – Nina … Continue reading

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