earMUSIC [Release date 27.11.15]

Released originally back in 1995, Generation 13 is a concept album based on a storyline by Jim Crichton inspired in part by the book ’13 GEN abort retry ignore fail’ by Neil Howe and Bill Straus. It centres around a social outcast called Sam and how he views life and how others view him.

This album saw the band move away from the previous synth/polished 80′s sounding albums of the previous few albums. The songs are interlinked by short passages of music and/or spoken word with the band members taking on various character roles. It would hold together as a soundtrack to any film made to accompany the album’s storyline as the music is very cinematic in sound and feel.

I must admit I never got into this album on its first release and time hasn’t altered that view. For me the weakest Saga album they have released, although many of the band’s fans love this album. The bonus song is a recent live recording of ‘Humble Stance’. **1/2

Steel Umbrellas was originally released in 1994 and harked back to the band’s synth led mid/late 80′s output. They cover rock in ‘Why Not’, then offer up the listener some smooth AOR in the form of ‘Say Goodbye To Holiday’.

This album does show the band’s more overtly AOR leanings, with the emphasis on slower numbers and ballads including the rather good ‘I Walk With You’. The band’s classic line-up was still intact on this one, although they utilized three backing vocalists to help expand the vocal harmonies.

The two live bonus songs are two certifiable Saga classics in ‘Wind Him Up’ and ‘The Flyer’, both recorded in April 2015.

Good to see this album back out there as like many of the band’s 90′s output it seemed to not get much coverage at all and this is one well worth hearing.  ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

Album review (The Beginner’s Guide To Throwing Shapes/The Security Of Illusion)

---

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.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

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 November 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 29 October 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 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)

---

---

Popular (last 10 days)

---