Monthly Archives: October 2021

Album review: IAN McNABB – Ascending

IAN McNABB – Ascending

Website In 1981 the Icicle Works released a cassette of their earliest demos., which went to John Peel and the like and was sold at gigs. As the band developed, songs would get left behind and replaced with newer ones. … Continue reading

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Album review: RACHEL FLOWERS – Bigger On The Inside

RACHEL FLOWERS - Bigger On The Inside

www.rachelflowersmusic.com [Release date 01.10.21] For an artist influenced by Coltrane and Zappa you may think that Rachel Flowers’ music will be a bit abstract, quirky and at times inaccessible.  But, Rachel was mentored by Herbie Hancock and infuenced by the … Continue reading

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Album review: SANTANA – Blessings and Miracles

SANTANA – Blessings and Miracles

BMG [Release date 15.10.21] To gain insight into how Santana is well respected in the music industry, one need only take a quick glance at the varied list of collaborators he’s assembled on his new album. From his early 70s … Continue reading

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Gig review: ROBERT HART AND DAVE ‘BUCKET’ COLWELL – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 14 October 2021

ROBERT HART AND DAVE 'BUCKET' COLWELL- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 14 October 2021

There have been some enjoyable ‘evening with’ nights of songs and stories at the Cavern this year – including Spike, who opened his show in July bantering with Dave ‘Bucket’ Colwell who was seated near him. In a neat piece … Continue reading

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Album review: LEVERAGE – Above The Beyond

leverage-above-the-beyond

Frontiers [Release date 15.10.21] AOR, Melodic Rock, Power Metal, Progmetal … Leverage are none of these yet they are all of these. On their 5th album now and the music gets harder to define and easier to admire. It’s perhaps … Continue reading

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Album review: ASKING ALEXANDRIA – See What’s On The Inside

ASKING ALEXANDRA

Better Noise Music [Release date 01.10.21] Formed in 2006, in York, North Yorkshire, by Ben Bruce, Asking Alexandria are now back to their original line-up as a 5 piece band. There’s no doubting that Asking Alexandria have achieved success over … Continue reading

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Gig review: VEGA – Camden Underworld, London, 9 October 2021

P1200808 - Copy

Vega are one of those bands with a lot of lost time to make up as live music resumes. Since the beginning of the pandemic one of the UK’s premier melodic rockers have recorded not one but two albums, with … Continue reading

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Album review: THE GRANDMASTER – Skywards

Grandmaster-Skywards-cover2021

Frontiers [Release date 15.10.21] Grandmaster is vocalist Nando Fernandez of Brazilian metal band, Sinistra, paired with incomparable metal guitarist Jens (Edguy) Ludwig. It’s a match made in Frontiers’ HQ. The songs have been written by, and the album produced by … Continue reading

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Gig review: Quarantune Rocks Party, The Old Dairy Farm, Cropredy, 9 October 2021

The Darker My Horizon - Quarantune Rocks Party, The Old Dairy Farm, Cropredy, 9 October 2021

6 Bands, 1 stage, 1 day: The Darker My Horizon Ryders Creed Shades Of Seattle King Awesome Skinny Knowledge More Human Than Human Quarantune Rocks was set up in March 2020 to support rock music fans, bands and venues in … Continue reading

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Album review: THE HONEYRUNNERS – Everything Is On Fire

THE HONEYRUNNERS – Everything Is On Fire

Gypsy Soul Records [Release date 22.10.21] This is the debut albums from The Honeyrunners, a four-piece Toronto group (expanding to eleven members for larger shows) consisting of singer/songwriter Dan Dwoskin (keys, lead vocals), audio-engineer/producer, Guillermo Subauste (bass, vocals), Conor Gains … Continue reading

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Book review: Please Please Tell Me Now – The Duran Duran Story by Stephen Davis

Please Please Tell Me Now - The Duran Duran Story by Stephen Davis

Hachette Books [Publication date 15.07.21] Renowned American music biographer Stephen Davis is probably best known for the excellent “Hammer of The Gods” Led Zeppelin biography, but he has also written outstanding books on the likes of Aerosmith, Guns n Roses … Continue reading

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Quick plays: LA LUZ, SAM CARTER, MASS

LA LUZ

LA LUZ S/T Hardly Art/Sub Pop [Release date 22.10.21] La Luz are, according to their bio, a “surf-rock / psych / 60’s pop trio”, fronted by guitarist and songwriter Shana Cleveland, who is joined by bassist Lena Simon, and keyboardist … Continue reading

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Album review: JOE BONAMASSA – Time Clocks

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Provogue [Release date 29.10.21] Joe Bonamassa’s ‘Time Clocks’ is infused with reflective songs – a function of a self proclaimed midlife crisis – but counterweighted by the kind of steely, restless determination that has projected him from being a child … Continue reading

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Album review: WAYWARD SONS – Even Up The Score

WAYWARD SONS - Even Up The Score

Frontiers [Release date 08.10.21] Toby Jepson is a man who never lets the grass grow under his feet. Since bursting onto the scene with Little Angels in 1984 he’s been a constantly creative whirlwind, going from the Scarsborough hard rock … Continue reading

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Gig review: MUSIC FOR THE MIND- Hammersmith Club, London, 8 October 2021

MUSIC FOR THE MIND- Hammersmith Club, London, 8 October 2021

As the old BT advert once said, it’s good to talk. Of mental health in particular. Despite growing awareness of its importance, not least with the struggles nearly all of us have faced in some way or other during the … Continue reading

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Album review: LORDS OF BLACK – Alchemy Of Souls II

lords alchemy2

Frontiers [Release date 15.10.21] Fifth album from metallers, Lords Of Black, the Ronnie Romero/ Tony Hernando band. They brand themselves as a “Progressive” Power Metal band. You can see strong hints of how this plays out when first viewing the … Continue reading

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Rising Stars: TOLOACHE

toloache

Toloache are a Switzerland/UK based progressive metal band named after a plant famously used during mystical rituals by Mexican shamans known for its intense hallucinations. Their new single ‘Watching Close’ is out now. Andrina Travers from Toloache answers our questions… … Continue reading

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Album review: ALCATRAZZ – V

alcatrazz v

Silver Lining Music [Release date: 15.10.21] Now that Doogie White and Joe Stump are onboard, Alcatrazz have abandoned all that wimpy rock stuff, and mainlined themselves into the world of heavy metal, on this, their second album with Silver Lining. … Continue reading

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Book review: BEAST – JOHN BONHAM & THE RISE OF LED ZEPPELIN by CM Kuskins

BEAST – JOHN BONHAM & THE RISE OF LED ZEPPELIN by CM Kuskins

  Hachette [Publication date 30.09.21] John Bonham had drumming in his blood it seems, having first learned to play the drums at the age of five. Despite never taking formal lessons, he began drumming for local bands immediately after leaving … Continue reading

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Album review: MOUNTAIN – Live In The 70s

MOUNTAIN - Live In The 70s

Voiceprint [Release date 12.11.21] Fronted by guitarist and vocalist Leslie West, Mountain formed in New York in 1969, taking their name from the former Vagrants West’s first solo album, and their classic line-up saw West joined by bassist Felix Pappalardi, … Continue reading

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Album review: JOSH TURNER – King Size Manger

josh turner manger

Spinefarm Records [release date 08.10.21] On his latest album, King Size Manger, Josh Turner has put his own self penned/co-written material up against famous 19th century Christmas Carols like ‘Angels We Have Heard On High’, ‘The First Nowell’ and ‘Silent … Continue reading

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Album review: EMERSON LAKE & PALMER – Out Of This World: Live (1970-1997)

EMERSON & LAKE PALMER - Out Of This World Live 1970-1997

BMG [Release date 29.10.21] Prog legends Emerson Lake & Palmer (ELP) were one of the early super groups (formed from the roots of The Nice, King Crimson and Atomic Rooster in 1970) and cemented their legacy in the first half … Continue reading

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Gig review: GENESIS – Hydro, Glasgow, 7th October 2021

GENESIS – Hydro, Glasgow, 7th October 2021

39 years ago, as a fresh faced teen, I accompanied my brother to my first gig which was Genesis at the Ingliston  Royal Highland Exhibition Centre in Edinburgh. That night sparked my love of live music, so I have a lot to thank … Continue reading

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Gig review: PRAYING MANTIS – Arlington Arts Centre, Snelsmore, 7 October 2021

pm4

A mere 581 days since I last attended an indoor concert – Jon Boden in Didcot back in March 2020. Since then live music as we know has been decimated with the fall out from the pandemic, however, you can’t … Continue reading

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Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – The Garage, Highbury, London, 2 October 2021

CATS IN SPACE- The Garage, Highbury, London, 2 October 2021

I will freely admit that Cats in Space are one of my very favourite bands to have emerged in the past few years. Their sound is unashamedly inspired by the second half of the seventies but the combination of lush … Continue reading

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