Album review: EAST TEMPLE AVENUE – Both Sides of Midnight

EAST TEMPLE AVENUE- Both Sides of Midnight

AOR Heaven (Release Date 27.11.20)

East Temple Avenue sees Australian songwriter Darren Phillips, whose project under his own name featured a star studded cast, join forces for a whole album with Robbie Le Blanc, the Blanc Faces singer whose combination of smoothness and grit has over the past few years made him the go to voice for AOR projects.

In contrast to the overly keyboard heavy approach of the best known of those in Find Me, there is more of a balance this time as a great anthemic opener  in ‘Mountain’ is more guitar heavy including some fine solos from another current unsung hero of AOR in Philip Lindstrand. The keys are still present, but in a supporting role.

‘Don’t Make Believe’ sounds great and while the songwriting is not as tightly focused there is a lot to admire including some spot on harmonies to close. A couple of mid-tempo songs then follow- ‘Fool for Love’, despite its Journey-esque piano intro is not a ballad as such but a vehicle for Robbie’s voice which in a couple of places draws comparisons with the great Mickey Thomas, and ‘Take My Last Breath’ feature more passionate vocals and a quality guitar solo.

‘Everything’, with shades of Honeymoon Suite, is a little generic but it is easy to see the guitar heavy ‘Forever Yours’ working well as a live track should this collaboration ever get to this stage.

The latter part of the album has an unusual pacing to it.  Two of the best and certainly most straightforward rockers are back to back in ‘Fly High’ (with its lyric ‘live to win, fuelled by adrenalin’) and ‘When I’m With You’- both have an optimistic, good time vibe and you can imagine Robbie’s face muscles contracting as he belts them out with real gusto.

Yet it closes with a pair of admittedly contrasting ballads  in ‘The End of Me and You’ and ‘Where Love Is’, the former rather melodramatic and the latter featuring Robbie singing over an acoustic backing with a very Lou Gramm- ish tinge to his voice.

I initially found the album a little bland, but after three plays it is still growing on me which is a good sign in a genre that often only offers an instant fix. It’s a beautifully constructed album of old school AOR with a set of songs that show Robbie Le Blanc at his finest.  **** 1/4

Review by Andy Nathan


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.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 25 February
Next 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 3 March 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 5 March 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 18 March 2024

GYPSY’S KISS We’ve Come To Play
FM Out Of The Blue (Frontiers)
SHOTGUN MISTRESS Shot Down (indie)
ATTIC THEORY Violent Delight (indie)
FLOYA Yume (FiXT)
SAHAJI Tell Me All Your Feelings (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 18 March 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 LEAVES’ EYES Myths Of Fate (AFM Records)
14:00-16:00 HOLLY LERSKI Sweet Decline (indie)


To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply