Author Archives: GRTR! HQ

Album review: DWORNIAK BONE LAPSA – Fingers Pointing At The Moon

Posted on April 23, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Platinum Pursuits/Proper Records [Release date 09.03.18] I’m not quite sure why this album, originally released in 2014, by Winchester-based three piece Joe Dworniak (bass/backing vocals), Greg Bone (lead and rhythm guitars/backing vocals), and Chris Lapsa (lead vocals/guitars and keys), who … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, DBL, Dworniak Bone Lapsa, Pink Floyd, prog, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: AURI – s/t (Tuomas Holopainen)

Posted on April 23, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Nuclear Blast [Release date 23.03.18] Auri – a side project of Nightwish pair Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards) and Troy Donockley (acoustic guitars, Uilleann pipes, vocals) – is one that’s been a while in the gestation. The oldest song in the set, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, ambient, Auri, Celtic, Johanna Kurkela, Nightwish, review, Troy Donockley, Tuomas Holopainen | Leave a comment

Album review: MY INDIGO (Sharon den Adel)

Posted on April 23, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

MVKA [Release date 20.04.18] Suffering writer’s block and personal problems after Within Temptation’s Hydra world tour, lead singer Sharon den Adel sought solace in writing songs for herself. My Indigo, her first solo album, is the result. But don’t get … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, My Indigo, pop, review, rock, Sharon den Adel, Within Temptation | Leave a comment

Gig review: MARILLION – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 20 April 2018

Posted on April 21, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

It’s been a while (over 10 years, by my reckoning, or ‘about fuckin’ time’ as one local punter eloquently put it) since Marillion last played Liverpool, and there’s something different about this leg of their ongoing FEAR tour. Seats! Giving … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Leave a comment

Interview: Bearded Theory Festival (Rich Bryan)

Posted on April 20, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Hollie Latham writes… Held at Catton Hall at the end of May each year, (2018 dates are 24 – 27 May) Bearded Theory music festival is a favourite and summer must do for so many people, myself included. The full … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS | Tagged 24-27 May 2018, acoustic, Bearded Theory, Catton Hall, Derbyshire, festival, folk, interview, Robert Plant, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: FOREIGNER – With the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus

Posted on April 13, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

earMUSIC [Release date 27.04.18] 2-CD As rock gets old, anniversaries and special editions are the order of the day. I can’t see the current crop of younger rock bands having this luxury 40, or even 25, years on. But, for … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, chorus, Foreigner, Jeff Pilson, Kelly Hansen, Mick Jones, orchestra, orchestral, review, rock, with the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus | Leave a comment

Quick plays: TRACK DOGS, ULTAN CONLON, FUNNY COW

Posted on April 12, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

TRACK DOGS Kansas City Out Groove Mondegreen Records [Release date 01.06.18] Made up of two Irishmen, an Englishman and an American (no, it’s not the opening line of a joke), Track Dogs came together in 2011 when the four folk … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Americana, Corrine Bailey Rae, folk, Funny Cow, Kansas City Out Groove, Last Days Of The Night Owl, review, Richard Hawley, roots, soundtrack, Track Dogs, Ultan Conlon | Leave a comment

Album review: BLACK SEDAN – Adventure Lit Their Star

Posted on April 12, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

[Release 15.06.18] A ‘collective’ project ‘orchestrated’ by journalist/author/publisher Mark Hodkinson, sees him bring together five vocalists and upwards of 30 contributing musicians to create an eclectic and challenging record. A bit like walking into an indie record shop and going … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Leave a comment

Album review: SUBSIGNAL – La Muerta

Posted on April 12, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Gentle Art Of Music [26.05.18] Or, translated to English – The Dead, by German progressive rock outfit Subsignal. Their fifth studio outing, I was expecting something a bit ‘blitzkrieg’, but was pleasantly surprised to find that despite some modestly aggressive … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Leave a comment

Album review: WEEND’O – Time Of Awakening

Posted on April 12, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Sonicbond [Release date 25.04.18] Prog – metal. Umm. I don’t mind a bit of the former, but, for me, metal needs to be tempered with a healthy dose of melody to float my boat. And decent female vocals don’t go … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Leave a comment

Gig review: STEVE THOMPSON – The Georgian Theatre, Stockton, 25 March 2018

Posted on April 10, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

STEVE THOMPSON - Georgian Theatre, Stockton, 26 March 2018

Inspired by the passing of two close friends and wonderfully talented musicians, Tyneside-born songwriter Steve Thompson reflects and celebrates a career that truly illustrates the ups and downs that have been the songwriters lot to him. Only three shows old, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 25 March 2018, Bullet, Georgian Theatre, gig, review, rock, singer, songwriter, Steve Thompson, Stockton, Terry Slesser | Leave a comment

Album review: COLIN CARTER – One

Posted on April 6, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

The first ever solo album by one-time vocalist with prog rockers Flash. This was a band who shared some similarities with early Yes not least because their guitarist Peter Banks was the original Yes guitarist. Sadly Banks died in 2013 … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, classic rock, Colin Carter, Flash, Mike Hough, One, Progressive Rock, review, Solo | Leave a comment

News: MARILLION – Royal Albert Hall release and UK tour starts 8 April

Posted on April 6, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Marillion’s triumphal first time performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall is celebrated on a CD/DVD/Bluray – ‘All One Tonight’ – and released prior to their UK tour. In two parts, ‘All One Tonight’ firstly showcases the band’s acclaimed 2016 studio … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS | Leave a comment

Album review: SPIRIT – It Shall Be (The Ode & Epic Recordings 1968-1972)

Posted on April 5, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Esoteric [Release date: 16.03.18] Life is not fair. Were it to be, this 60′s US outfit would be up there along with the much-feted likes of fellow West Coast time-liners, Love. Yes, ‘Forever Changes’ is a wonderful album; in this … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, blues, classic rock, Ed Cassidy, fusion, It Shall Be (The Ode & Epic Recordings 1968-1972), Jay Ferguson, Mark Andes, psychedelic, Randy California, review, Spirit, West Coast | Leave a comment

Album review: GUS G – Fearless

Posted on April 4, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

AFM Records [Release date 20.04.18] Gus G will always be quizzed about his tenure with Ozzy’s touring band and the return of Zakk Wylde. But, in the grand scheme of things, the Ozzy episode will eventually assume more normal proportions … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Leave a comment

Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) April 2018 – June 2018

Posted on April 3, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie April 2nd MARILLION ‘All One Tonight’ (DVD) 6th THE AMORETTES ‘Born To Break’ Steamhammer/SPV BLACK RAINBOWS ‘Pandaemonium’ BLACKBERRY SMOKE ‘Find A Light’ Earache Records CALIBAN ‘Ich Blute Für Dich’ Century Media CHICAGO ‘VI Decades Live’ (4CD/DVD) … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, NEWS, Upcoming (Tours & Releases) | Tagged 2018, album, AOR, April, Bluray, CD, DVD, heavy rock, June, May, melodic rock, metal, New releases, progressive, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: THE GARDENING CLUB – The Riddle

Posted on April 2, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Advance copy [Release date: tbc] www.martinspringett.com The Gardening Club’s debut album dating back to 1983 is something of a minor prog classic. Canadian illustrator and musician Martin Springett, English expat and absorber of distinctly English prog stylings, has now unleashed … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Martin Springett, neo prog, prog, Progressive Rock, review, The Gardening Club, The Riddle | Leave a comment

Album review: THE KUT – Valley Of Thorns

Posted on April 1, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Cargo Records [Release date 13.04.18] Formed in 2005 by frontwoman and self-taught multi-instrumentalist Princess Maha (she sings and plays guitar, bass, drums and piano), this London based all-female 3 piece have been frequently mentioned in the same breath as Courtney … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, metal, punk, review, The Kut, Valley Of Thorns | Leave a comment

Quick plays: MICHAEL MCDERMOTT, COLD TONE HARVEST, LUCKY BONES

Posted on April 1, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

MICHAEL McDERMOTT Out From Under Pauper Sky Records [Release date 18.05.18] On the cover of his last album (Willow Springs (2016)) Illinois-based singer songwriter Michael McDermott looked like a shaven headed ex-con. Two years on, he looks like Jimmy Carr’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged After You, album, Americana, Annie Keating, Cold Tone Harvest, country, Ghost Of The Untraveled Road, Lucky Bones, Matchstick Men, Michael McDermott, Out From Under, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: ATOMIC ROOSTER – Sleeping For Years (The Studio Recordings 1970-1974)

Posted on March 20, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Esoteric [Release date: 01.12.17] Now that pretty much every noteworthy heritage release has been reissued individually on CD, labels have turned to a secondary repackaging concept: the box set (or clamshell), that conventionally takes in a selection of albums from … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Atomic Rooster, box set, Chris Farlowe, Death Walks Behind You, In Hearing Of, John DuCann, Nice And Greasy, Peter French, review, Sleeping For Years (The Studio Recordings 1970-1974), Vincent Crane | Leave a comment

Album review: SAXON – 10 Years Of Denim And Leather Live 1990/The CD Hoard (reissues)

Posted on March 19, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Edsel [Release date 27.10.17*, 16.03.18**] Saxon seem to be enjoying a resurgence even more impressive than their 2007-2010 revival. With a remarkably relevant new album ‘Thunderbolt’ and a raft of reissues and box sets, we can at least luxuriate in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 10 Years of Denim And Leather Live 1990, album, Biff Byford, box set, heavy metal, heavy rock, live, review, Saxon, The CD Hoard | Leave a comment

Gig review: HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Saturday 10 March 2018 (Day 3)

Posted on March 19, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Skid Row - HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Saturday 10 March 2018

With Night Ranger polishing off Friday with such aplomb the omens were good for the Saturday, which on paper had a stronger line up. When arriving on site on Thursday I found out that The Quireboys were to stand in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 10 March 2018, AOR, Blood Red Saints, Dare, festival, gig, hard rock, HRH AOR, Joan ov Arc, melodic rock, Midnite City, Pwllheli, Quireboys, review, Skid Row, Wales | Leave a comment

Album review: RITCHIE BLACKMORE’S RAINBOW – Memories In Rock II

Posted on March 18, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Minstrel Hall [Release date 06.04.18] 2-CD/DVD In 2017 Ritchie Blackmore returned with his harder rock hat on to a series of arena shows in the UK. Evidently buoyed up by the successful summer sojourn a year before and no doubt … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Deep Purple, DVD, hard rock, interview, live, Memories In Rock II, review, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Ronnie Romero, uk | Leave a comment

Gig review: HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Friday 9 March 2018 (Day 2)

Posted on March 17, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

Night Ranger - HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Friday 9 March 2018

Having given up the opportunity of the Thursday after-show party, a leisurely start to Friday was rewarded with Scottish rockers The King Lot. They kicked off the main stage activity and, after a successful Pledge campaign for their second album, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, Special Events | Tagged 9 March 2018, Aaron Buchanan, AOR, Cruzh, Daylight Robbery, festival, gig, HRH AOR, melodic rock, Night Ranger, Pwllheli, review, The King Lot, THE RADIO SUN, Wales | Leave a comment

News: WISHBONE ASH – Limited Edition ‘Vintage Years’ 30-CD Box Set out 20 April 2018

Posted on March 17, 2018 by GRTR! HQ

WISHBONE ASH - The Vintage Years (1970-1991)

Wishbone Ash – one of the UK’s most enduring and best-loved rock acts – are celebrated on 20 April with the release of a comprehensive deluxe 30 CD box set, The Vintage Years via Madfish. This collection – authorised by … Continue reading →