Yearly Archives: 2021

Album review: VARIOUS – Riding The Rock Machine

riding the rock machine

Grapefruit/Cherry Red [Release date 23.03.21] Riding The Rock Machine is a supremely enjoyable, 60 track slice of cultural history. The UK’s pop and rock legacy should be considered a National Treasure, to be protected and promoted. Grapefruit/ Cherry Red are … Continue reading

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Album review: ROBBIE LaBLANC – Double Trouble

ROBBIE LaBLANC- Double Trouble

Escape Music (Release date 16.04.21) Robbie LaBlanc is not only one of the melodic rock world’s most admired singers, but increasingly its most prolific. It’s only a few months since I reviewed the East Temple Avenue album he lent his … Continue reading

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Album review: FM – Tough It Out Live

FM Tough It Out Live

Frontiers Records (Release date 09.04.21) It already seems a long time ago but one of the gig highlights of the winter before the pandemic struck was the Big-Three-O tour in which FM, together with Dan Reed Network and Gun, celebrated … Continue reading

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Album review: SWEET OBLIVION (feat Geoff Tate) – Relentless

SweetOblivion-Relentless-cover2021

Frontiers Music [Release date 09.03.21] Another Italian job. The Sweet Oblivion (feat Geoff Tate) debut was co-written by Tate and DGM guitarist/producer, Simone Mularoni. Relentless is the follow up, and it’s been been co-written and produced by another multi-talented Italian … Continue reading

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Album review: GILBY CLARKE – The Gospel Truth

GILBY CLARKE - The Gospel Truth

Golden Robot Records [Release date  23.04.21] Later this month Gilby Clarke releases his fifth studio album “The Gospel Truth”, his first new solo album since 2001’s “Swag” and it is a welcome return. He has kept himself busy since leaving … Continue reading

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Album review: MARTY FRIEDMAN – Tokyo Jukebox 3

marty friedman tokyo jukebox 3

Mascot Records/The Players Club [Release date 16.03.21] Still mining a rich seam of J-pop, guitarist Marty (Megadeth) Friedman is now on his third Tokyo Jukebox album of instrumentals. The J-Pop genre is ubiquitous in Japan, the country Friedman has called … Continue reading

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Album review: THE TREATMENT – Waiting for Good Luck

The Treatment – Waiting for Good Luck

Frontier Records [Release date 09.04.21] “Waiting For Good Luck” is the fifth album from well-established British rockers, The Treatment and I have to say I think this is their best to date. This is simply a classic rock album with … Continue reading

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Album review: THE END MACHINE – Phase 2

end-machine-cover

Frontiers Music [Release date 09.03.21] This second The End Machine album, Phase 2, does what it would’ve said if it had been in a tin. And it says it emphatically, loudly, subtly in places and outright aggressively in others. It’s … Continue reading

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EP review: KISS KISS BANG – Hungry, High & Seeing Things

KISS KISS BANG – Hungry, High & Seeing Things

Bandcamp [Release date 26.03.21] Hailing from Bowling Green, Kentucky Kiss Kiss Bang comprises of Trevor Smith (vocals, guitars, synth, percussion), Clayton Crowder (guitars, slide guitars, vocals, percussion) and Andrew Hopper (bass, vocals, percussion) who were joined by drummer Taylor Sanders … Continue reading

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Album review: AMY SPEACE & THE ORPHAN BRIGADE – There Used To Be Horses Here

AMY SPEACE & THE ORPHAN BRIGADE – There Used To Be Horses Here

Proper Records [Release date 30.04.21] This is a very personal album from Amy Speace as she looks back on a twelve-month span between her son’s first birthday and the loss of her father. The album’s lyrical themes cover childhood memories, … Continue reading

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Album review: MARY STOKES BAND featuring SARAH MICHELLE – Comin’ Home

Mary Stokes band - Comin Home

Self release [Release date 03.12.20] Mary Stokes Band’s ‘Comin’ Home’ is for the most part a live off the floor ‘warts and all’ album culled from 2 rehearsals with a couple of additional studio cuts. Mary Stokes is an enduring … Continue reading

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Album review: MASON HILL – Against The Wall

Mason Hill - Against The Wall

7Hz Porductions [Release date 05.03.21] Mason Hill have had a proper rock ‘n’ roll rollercoaster ride to get to this point of releasing their debut album, some six years after first forming. They signed to a label, left said label, … Continue reading

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Album review: THE PALACE GUARD – All Night Long: An Anthology 1965-1966

THE PALACE GUARD – All Night Long An Anthology 1965-1966

Omnivore Recordings [Release date 21.5.21] Garage rockers The Palace Guard may not have enjoyed the success of fellow Hawthorne natives The Beach Boys, but their entire recorded repertoire is now celebrated with this superbly remastered and restored compilation. They released … Continue reading

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Album review: THE L.A. MAYBE – Dirty Damn Tricks

THE L.A. MAYBE - Dirty Damn Tricks

Facebook [Release date 26.03.21] The L.A Maybe are a 6-piece band that originate in the Carolinas. They are a band that take inspiration from just about everything and everywhere, but I’m gonna go with Guns n Roses, AC/DC, The Black … Continue reading

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Gig review: JOE BONAMASSA – Live Stream, Austin City Limits Live, Austin, Texas – Thursday April 1, 2021

Joe Bonamassa - Live Stream, 1 April 2021

There’s almost an irony about Joe Bonamassa livestream coming from Austin, Texas, which in the late ‘80s was coined ‘live music capital of the world’ by Austin Music Network’s Ronnie Mack, before officially being designated as such in 1991. Quite … Continue reading

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Album review: THE GHOST OF LEMORA – Love Can Be Murder

THE GHOST OF LEMORA – Love Can Be Murder

Resurrection Records [Release date 12.02.21] Originally formed in London in 2001, The Ghost of Lemora have released two studio albums and a couple of EPs. This new album has been in the works for a number of years  being delayed … Continue reading

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Album review: SCREAMACHINE – Screamachine

scream machine

Frontiers [Release date 09.03.21] Screamachine comprises five experienced metallers, all of whom deserve a mention, but most notably, vocalist Valerio Caricchio and guitarists, Alex Mele and Paulo Campitelli, all of whom are veterans of the Italian/European Heavy Metal scene. The … Continue reading

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News: Albums of the Month (January 2021 – March 2021)

Albums of the Month (January-March 2021)

THUNDER All the Right Noises (BMG) Thunder fans will love this album as it touches all the band’s key strengths – memorable songs, party rockers, ballads, lyrics to make you think and above all, well-crafted hard rock tunes. An Album … Continue reading

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EP review: CAPTAIN NAYSAYER

CAPTAIN NAYSAYER

Website [Release date 13.02.21] Captain Naysayer, a Belgian rock n roll band, which started in their words, as a wet dream of Daan and Evert from rockband The DeVilles. Looking for other musicians to share in an adventure of 70’s … Continue reading

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Album review: EL COLOSSO – Forgotten Ancestors

El Colosso – Forgotten Ancestors

Bandcamp [Release date 17.12.20] This independent release containing 7 tracks is the follow up to El Colosso’s debut Album, ‘Pathways’, which was released in 2017. El Colosso are a Melbourne based heavy rock band, comprising Benny James Pertzel (Dirty York … Continue reading

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Album review: THE DUST CODA – Mojo Skyline

DUST CODA – Mojo Skyline

Earache Records [Release date 26.03.21] The Dust Coda’s latest album Mojo Skyline was recorded at Modern World Studios with the multi-platinum, award-winning producer Clint Murphy (Manic Street Preachers, Thunder, Devilskin), following on from their self-titled debut in 2017. The album … Continue reading

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Album review: BLAZE BAYLEY – War Within Me

BLAZE BAYLEY – War Within Me

Blaze Bayley Recording [Release date 09.04.21] If you like your rock of the metal variety you are in for a treat – this is a blistering, classic metal album in the making. The guitar work is simply put superb – … Continue reading

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Album review: SERENADE THE STARS – Astronomy

SERENADE THE STARS - Astronomy

Facebook Serenade the Stars are a Buckinghamshire based band consisting of vocalists Matthew Harman and Coral Smith, guitarist Damian Carruthers (who is also the band’s main songwriter), bassist James Wrigley and drummer James Burton. They formed back in 2017 and … Continue reading

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Album review: THUDWAIL – Ignition

Thudwail - Ignition

Self release [Release date 30.10.20] ‘Ignition’ is a reflective, ambient, acoustic album full of subtle moods, textures and grooves that drip with feel. It’s acoustic guitar driven music with a meditative and contemplative feel that is predicated on intricate dynamics, … Continue reading

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Quick plays: CARL VERHEYEN, THE MASTELOTTOS

CARL VERHEYEN - Sundial

CARL VERHEYEN Sundial (Cranktone Entertainment) [Release date 01.04.21] More laid back Lockdown noodlings, this time from a guitarist perhaps best known for his work with Supertramp. Verheyen’s idea was to create something varied and there were no constraints in terms … Continue reading

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