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Gig review: PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS – Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden, December 27 2025
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Gig review: STEVE OVERLAND AND JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Weir, Brentford, Middlesex, 9 December 2025
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Gig review: JOHN OTWAY – Face Bar, Reading, Thursday 11 December 2025
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Gig review: CURVED AIR – The Sub Rooms, Stroud, 20 November 2025
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Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS
Album review : THE RIOTOUS BROTHERS – The Tree
Riotous Brothers [Release date 26.02.14] ‘The Tree’ is the Riotous Brothers third album and it’s a notable step forward for the Mash Sonnet/Paul Long songwriting partnership. The duo contributes 7 co-writes and 3 solo efforts that combine good melodies with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, blues, Brinsley Schwarz, Dirk Maggs, funk, Howlin Wolf, John Cipollina, Mash Sonnet, Mat Lake, Paul Jones, Paul Long, Ray Charles, review, rock, The Riotous Brothers, The Tree
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Album review: JEFF GREEN PROJECT – Elder Creek
F2 Records This is a really fine album. Full of poise, creativity and craft. It is Jeff Green’s second album and has been some while in the making since the debut ‘Jessica’ appeared in 2009. Not that Green has been … Continue reading
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Tagged Alan Reed, album, Elder Creek, Jeff Green, Jeff Green Project, Pallas, prog rock, progressive, review
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Album review : KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD – Goin’ Home
Provogue [Release date 05.05.13] Kenny Wayne Shepherd tells us that: ‘These are songs that helped shape who I am’. It might seem a little early in his career to be indulging in a ‘Goin’ Home’ scenario especially, as he’s still … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Chris Layton, Freddie King, Goin' Home, Joe Walsh, Keb Mo, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Kim Wilson, Muddy Waters, Noah Hunt, Pastor Brady Blade Snr, Paul Rogers, Rebirth Brass band, review, Riley Osbourn, Ringo Starr, Robben Ford, Robert Cray, Robert Randolph, Tony Franklin, Warren Haynes
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Album review : WALTER TROUT – The Blues Came Callin’
Provogue [release date 02.06.14] The thing that distinguishes Walter Trout from his peers isn’t just his big tone, his passionate solos, his stagecraft or his distinguished career in the blues-rock field, but simply the fact he’s always searched for meaning … Continue reading
Album review : TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON – Angels of the Apocalypse
Frontiers [Release date 16.05.14] It doesn’t seem five minutes since Timo Tolkki released “The Land Of New Hope” and now he’s back with the next instalment under his Avalon moniker. Timo has come up with a bonkers storyline where “The … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Angels Of the Apocalypse, Epica, Floor Jansen, guitar, guitarist, Nightwish, power metal, review, Simone Simons, Stratovarious, Timo Tolkki's Avalon
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Album review : NEAL SCHON – So U
Frontiers [release date 19.05.14] When the record label description uses the words “unique” and “jazz and blues-inspired” in the promotional material the alarm bells started ringing in my head. Blues I can live with but Jazz… Neal Schön (what’s with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues rock, Deen Castronova, fusion, guitar, guitarist, Jazz rock, Journey, Marco Mendoza, Neal Schon, review, rock, Santana, So U
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Album review: DAWN OF DESTINY – Forgotten, Enslaved, Admired, Released
www.phonotraxx.de [Released March 2014] If like me you’ve become a little fed up of the seemingly endless stream of power/prog metal bands releasing so-so albums then rejoice as Dawn Of Destiny have created a mighty album here. It’s a concept … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, Axxis, Dawn Of Destiny, Forgotten Enslaved Admired Released FEAR, Jon Oliva, Mats Leven, Savatage
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Album review: JONAS LINDBERG – The Other Side
ModeMusic [Release date: 23.09.13] And the prog from Scandinavia just keeps on coming… Following in the considerable footsteps of Nordic brothers such as Airbag, Katatonia, The Flower Kings et al comes Jonas Lindberg with his second foray into the studio … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Jonas Lindberg, Progressive Rock, review, Sweden, The Other Side
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Album review: ELVENKING – The Pagan Manifesto
AFM Records [Release date 12.05.14] Hmm…folk power metal…well I do like Steeleye Span and I do like power metal so let’s see how Elvenking mix the two shall we! Elvenking were formed back in 1997 in Northern Italy and The … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Elvenking, folk, metal, power metal, review, The Pagan Manifesto
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Album review: WILKO JOHNSON – The Best Of Wilko Johnson
Cadiz Records – [Release Date 14.04.14 ] And suddenly everything is Wilko, from Julian Temple’s documentary film and a live DVD and doc, to an autobiography, several high profile ‘farewell’ shows and now this definitive double album. Truth be told, … Continue reading
Album Review: THE BERMONDSEY JOYRIDERS – Flamboyant Thugs
Fuel Injection Records The Joyrider’s third album is at first blush a continuation of their previous outings: a high octane mix of power punk and dirty blues. With its instant appeal of fat hook and big riffs, it certainly fits … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Flamboyant Thugs, Gary Lammin, review, rock, The Bermondsey Joyriders
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Quick plays: KJETIL BY featuring ROBIN BECK,LEXIE GREEN, JON ALLEN
KJETIL BY featuring ROBIN BECK – Better Days www.kjetilby.com This is the fourth solo album from Norwegian guitarist Kjetil and the songs on this album are all co-written with Claudia Scott. His biggest coup is enlisting the help of Robin … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged ALBUM REVIEWS, AOR, Breathe, House of Lords, James Christian, Kjetil By, Lexie Green, melodic rock, pop rock, Quick Plays, Robin Beck, singer, songwriter
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Album review: YUKA & CHRONOSHIP – Dino Rocket Oxygen
Musea Records – [Release Date 2013] Great progressive rock music is appearing from all corners of the world at the moment – especially from eastern Europe, Scandinavia and South America. But now Japan are muscling in on the scene in … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Dino Rocket Oxygen, Japan, Progressive Rock, review, Yuka & Chronoship, Yuka Funakoshi
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Album review: ADMIRAL SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVELL – Check ‘Em Before You Wreck ‘Em
Rise Above – Out Now. The first time I came across an article featuring the name of the Psychedelic/Hard Rock/Heavy Metal trio…Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, I have to admit I was probably put off by it – the name, I … Continue reading
Album review: BIGELF – Into The Maelstrom
Inside Out – Out Now. Back in 2010, Prog Metal’s finest band Dream Theater went on the road in support of their then latest album “Black Clouds & Silver Linings” and with them brought us as an opening act the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Bigelf, Into The Maelstrom, progressive metal, review, rock
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Album review: EARTH CRISIS – Salvation Of Innocents
Candlelight Records – Out Now. Earth Crisis is a band whose name always aroused my curiosity but whose music, for reasons I truly cannot comprehend, I have never felt too motivated to listen to. Is it the fact that people … Continue reading
Album review: COCO MONTOYA – Songs From The Road
Ruf [Release date 17.05.14] Coco Montoya’s ‘Songs From The Road’ stands or falls by his record company’s claim that it transports you to the front of the crowd at his two appearances at The Triple Door in Seattle. Happily this … Continue reading
Album review: DORNENREICH – Freiheit
Prophecy Productions – Out Now. Even though they began life as a Melodic Black Metal act back in 1996, it was not long before Austrian trio Dornenreich started to follow a similar route to the majority of their Norwegian contemporaries … Continue reading
Album review: NAZARETH – Rock ‘N’ Roll Telephone
In this interview extract, Dan McCafferty talks about stopping touring and the new album (3:21) The feature version of the interview will be broadcast on Sunday 22 June at 13:00 GMT on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio Union Square Music … Continue reading
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Tagged album, bonus, Dan McCafferty, hard rock, live tracks, Nazareth, Pete Agnew, review, Rock 'N' Roll Telephone
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Album review: HELSTAR – This Wicked Nest
AFM Records www.afmrecords.de [Released 28.04.14] I believe the cover of Helstar’s latest release This Wicked Nest says it all really…a suit wearing skeleton complete with devil horns and a pentagram worked into the band logo. After listening…well yeah I was … Continue reading
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Tagged AFM Records, album review, Helstar, metal, This Wicked Nest, thrash metal
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Album review: IAN ANDERSON – Homo Erraticus
Calliandra/KScope [Release date: 18.04.14] Ian Anderson has certainly been getting around in recent times. A Prog God in award ceremonies and of course we now know why he reserves his firmest handshakes for trusted members. Of his inner circle that … Continue reading
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Tagged album, concept, Homo Erraticus, Ian Anderson, Jethro Tull, progressive, review, rock
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Album review: JONES – To The Bones
www.miraclemile.co.uk/store.html [Released 16.06.14] Trevor Jones is back with his new solo album (he also produces music as part of Miracle Mile). He is joined on here by Marcus Cliffe (he plays the majority of the instruments on the album) who … Continue reading
Album review: LACUNA COIL – Broken Crown Halo
Century Media [Release date 01.04.14] I’d like to say I liked this new album from Italian metallers Lacuna Coil. It’s got a huglly powerful sound, an exciting production, the songs are good and Cristina Scabbia’s vocals are pretty damn fine. … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Broken Crown Halo, Lacuna Coil, metal, review, rock
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Album review: THE BREW – Control
Jazzhaus [Release date 24.02.14] It’s sort of ironic that The Brew’s latest album should be released within spitting distance of the re-release of the Zeppelin catalogue. The Brew – a blues/rock band from Grimsby, have been around since 2006 and … Continue reading
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Tagged album, blues, Control, review, rock, The Brew
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Album review: MESSENGER – Illusory Blues
Svart Records – Out Now. Forty years ago, Britain was the epicentre of all things prog and psychedelic, but with time, it started to gradually share its unique status with other European countries, mainly those in Northern Europe. While one … Continue reading
