Frontiers [Release date: 30.10.26]
Here’s an unlikely coupling. Tommy Thayer KISS guitarist since 2002 and Dan Reed from Dan Reed Network. The common denominator seems to be their geographic origins: Portland, Oregon.
To these ears it’s like another Dan Reed Network album but without the rest of the band. Although Brion James does contribute a co-write. So what’s going on?
The last DRN album came out in 2022 after a glorious run of “comeback” albums and I understand Dan then broke away from music into movies. It would be easy to say that ‘Shogun Mojo’ includes songs that were destined for a Network album because it sounds just like that.
To be honest it’s a bit retro, totally out of kilter with current trends. It’s party like it’s 1975. And it’s no surprise that the opening track is called ‘Funk Party’ as it sets the scene for what follows.
‘Under The Gun’, the first single, continues the funk groove, an immediate and infectious confection, whilst ‘Gonna Raise Hell’ has a similarly irresistible chorus.
Dan Reed has a distinctive warm vocal, lyrics touch on world mores, and the rock element infused by Thayer rather than James.
The slower funk of ‘Nothing To See Here’ continues the high standard and is an album standout along with the similarly paced ‘Fight For The Light’.
Of the rest, ‘Turn It Up’ and ‘Fire With Fire’ are a little bit, let’s say, perfunktory. ‘Dog Eat Dog’ has the swagger (and riff) of Huey’s ‘The Power Of Love’. ‘Star Rider’ offers an excellent breakdown section and with it a more creative meld of rock and funk that could have been further explored and exploited.
A cover of ‘In The Air Tonight’ gets the funk treatment and will genuinely surprise as it’s nothing like the original.
The lineup is completed by Bengt Jonasson (bass) Robert Ikiz (drums) both collaborators with Dan Reed in his solo capacity whilst Rob Daiker featured in the latest DRN configuration and mixed the album.
An interesting project but I can’t help harking back to that last great Dan Reed Network album and sensing a missed opportunity. ****
Review by David Randall
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,
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Josh now hosts “Taerk’s Tracks” as part of the Singer Songwriter Sunday sequence on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.
This is the first show broadcast on 27 September. Josh presents some of his inspirational artists and tracks.
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Power Plays w/c 12 October 2026
TAKEDA – Lion’s Den (Drongo Records)
SCARDUST – Symphony (Frontiers)
AMBERLIN – Gravity (Rude Records/Equal Vision Records)
MISSING TOYS – Lifeline (Pride & Joy Music)
SWEET GORILLA – It’s Your Life (5000 Records)
ROYAL BLOOD – Dead Company (Warner Records)
Featured Albums w/c 12 October 2026
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)
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