Album review: GARRON FRITH – The Rub

October 23rd, 2026 by jason

Website [Release date 04.11.26]

Garron Frith has already had one career, releasing his first album in 2007 called The Debut, and it’s follow up Away From The Bright Lights in 2012. After touring for the next six years, which included supports for Peter Green, Graham Gouldman, Jack Bruce and in 2017 Ian McCulloch, he took a break. I imagine because he didn’t have a whole load of commercial success in this fickle business of music. It’s swallowed up many a worthy troubadour and spat them out defeated and raw. But I don’t know for sure, we are told he quit to concentrate on other things.

Whatever the reason, he has come back with one spectacular album, The Rub. Containing 10 tracks, all with their own identity and origin. On track two The Bait, you think you have walked into Coronation Street with it’s Sally Army type brass, then some Spanish trumpet hits you in track 3, Pick A Fight with a flamenco guitar to compliment it. Track seven Dead Meat, hits you with some fine acoustic blues, track 8 The Score, a little electric atmospheric blues, and all the while the fingerpicked and strummed acoustic guitar underscores his pleasant, vulnerable and unique voice which at times reminds me of Al Stewart. The strumming reminds me of Steve Stills, as does some of the song construction.

I would say Garron is a poet more than a lyric writer, slipping in lines like amanita muscaria because they sound good, not because the song has anything to do with tripping on magic mushrooms, or maybe it does. That’s the thing about poetry, the obvious is not always obvious. He does reference a black dog too, so like a lot of artists he must have experienced depression, which unfortunately goes hand in hand with the creative experience. As indeed a whole lot of uncreative people too, and if his song reaches just one person and they realise they are not alone then the world is a better place.

All in all Garron has delivered a fine set of songs, which I’ll be listening to long after this review goes out. The album was produced by Simon J Alpin an engineer at Dave Stewarts Church Studios, and a stalwart of the Frith journey, being present from his first album after a chance meeting at a gig.

This is a serious songwriter and outstanding musician, which is obvious when listening to this collection of mature, reflective, folksy, bluesy, rootsy sui generis songs. *****

Review by Andy Sharrocks

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.

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Power Plays w/c 12 October 2026

TAKIDA – Lion’s Den (Drongo Records)
SCARDUST – Symphony (Frontiers)
ANBERLIN – 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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