Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album Review: THE FIRE – Supernova

Posted on February 18, 2013 by david.wilson

Valery Records (Release date – out now) Supernova is the third album from Italian AOR outfit The Fire. The band have been together for seven years and have toured with some big names including Deep Purple, Alice Cooper … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Supernova, The Fire | Leave a comment

Album review: DAN REED – Signal Fire

Posted on February 18, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Zero One Music [Release date 18.02.13] Let’s get one thing clear. Don’t expect another ‘Tiger In A Dress’ and start thinking semi-acoustically. Dan Reed’s previous album, 2010′s ‘Coming Up For Air’, dispensed with the funk metal of his late-eighties big … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dan Reed, Dan Reed Network, pop, review, rock, Signal Fire, singer, songwriter | 1 Comment

Album review: RAGE OF ANGELS – Dreamworld

Posted on February 17, 2013 by jason

Escape Music Rage Of Angels is the brainchild of original Ten keyboards player Ged Rylands and he has also worked with Danny Danzi and more recently guested on the enjoyable Love Under Cover album also on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AOR, Asia, Bad Company, Danny Vaughn, Escape Music, Ged Rylands, melodic rock, Rage Of Angels, Robert Hart, TEN, Tyketto, Vinny Burns | Leave a comment

Album reviews: KILL DEVIL HILL, HINDER, NITROGODS, KINGCROW

Posted on February 16, 2013 by jason

KILL DEVIL HILL – S/T SPV www.spv.de Where have I been? Kill Devil Hill is a new project instigated by Vinnie Appice (Black Sabbath, Dio, Rainbow) and Rex Brown (Pantera) and this work was released at … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged HINDER, Kill Devil Hill, KINGCROW, Mother Of God, NITROGODS, Starfire | Leave a comment

Album review: KROKUS – Dirty Dynamite

Posted on February 16, 2013 by jason

This is an unapologetic celebration of all that is right with blues hard rock. ‘Dirty Dynamite’ is the follow up to 2010’s ‘Hoodoo’ and pretty much picks up where that album left off. The core of the classic Krokus line … Continue reading →

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Album Review: CLIMAX BLUES BAND – Reissues

Posted on February 16, 2013 by petefeenstra

Repertoire ‘Shine On’ (REP 5202) finds the Climax Blues Band on an upward commercial curve. Their previous album had delivered a big hit ‘Couldn’t Get It Right’ on both sides of the Atlantic and featured the enduring funk of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Reissues | Tagged blues, Climax Blues Band, Colin Cooper, FM Rock, Pete Haycock, Repertoire, rock, Stafford | Leave a comment

Album Review: DAVID MIGDEN & THE DIRTY WORDS – Killing It

Posted on February 16, 2013 by petefeenstra

Promo Every once in a while you stumble something a little different and an album that reaffirms your belief in the potency of the independent release. In David Midgen case it’s not so much the wide array of musical … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile) | Tagged Americana, Arkansas, baritone, blues, David Migden, funk, soul, The Dirty Words | 1 Comment

Album Review: LORDI – To Beast Or Not To Beast

Posted on February 14, 2013 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 04.03.13] Lordi came to many people’s attention after winning the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Hard Rock Hallelujah’ and of course their eye catching onstage costumes. This is their sixth studio album … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AFM Records, LORD OF MUSHROOMS, Lordi, To Beast Or Not To Beast | Leave a comment

Album review: OCTOBER TREE – The Fairy’s Wing

Posted on February 14, 2013 by alanjones

(Canvas Productions, 2012) If there’s one thing in life that really gets up my nose it’s indulgence. Self indulgence is bad enough, but pandering to somebody else’s indulgence is just plain wrong. And this is what has … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Greg Lounsberry, October Tree, prog rock lite, review, The Fairies Wing | Leave a comment

Album review: SAILOR FREE – Spiritual Revolution

Posted on February 14, 2013 by alanjones

(Tide Records, 2012) This is definitely an album of ‘despites’. Despite not having English as their first language, despite this being a concept album and despite having a band name like a John Inman sit-com – this … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Italian, Progressive Rock, review, Sailor Free | Leave a comment

Album review: X11 ALFONSO – Charles Darwin

Posted on February 14, 2013 by alanjones

(Self-release, 2012) Every so often an album like this appears, that is so left-field, so out of kilter with the way things are, that it is extremely difficult to listen to and be totally objective. Not that it is totally … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Charles Darwin, Progressive Rock, review, X11 Alfonso | Leave a comment

Album reviews: HEXVESSEL – No Holier Temple

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Yiannis

Svart Records – Out Now. A year or so ago I remember coming across a review from a fellow journalist which was pretty complementary of “Dawnbearer”, the debut release by the Finnish Folk Metal outfit Hexvessel and even though I … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Quick Plays | Leave a comment

Album review: REBECCA PRONSKY – Only Daughter

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Rebecca Pronsky is a singer-songwriter from Brooklyn, New York whose previous outings have combined folk, jazz and country elements. ‘Only Daughter’ signals a slight shift in direction with a more adventurous Americana crossover sound. Produced by her husband and guitarist … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, Only Daughter, pop, Rebecca Pronsky, rock, roots, singer, songwriter | 1 Comment

Album review: ACELSIA – Don’t Go Where I Can’t Follow

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

The debut from Norwegian three piece Acelsia, has a sound far bigger than its component parts. With all songs written by vocalist / pianist Marlene Markussen and guitar, bass and synth player Odd Henning, and with Bjorn Tore Erlendsen (of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS | Tagged Alcelsia, Don't Go Where I Can't Follow, melodic, Norway, Norwegian, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: LARKIN POE & THOM HELL – The Sound Of The Ocean Sound

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Edvins Records [Release date 04.03.13] 5 extended EPs and a live DVD over their two year career to date, and sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell have elected to share their first long playing outing with Norwegian songwriter Thom Hell. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Americana, country, Larkin Poe, Lovell, Megan, pop, Rebecca, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The Sound Of The Ocean Sound, Thom Hell | Leave a comment

Album review: ROBERT PALMER – Heavy Nova,Don’t Explain,Ridin’ High,Honey – Reissues

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Edsel Deluxe Editions [Release date 14.01.13] Edsel Records have done a neat job with these 2 in 1 packages, brigading together Palmer’s 1988 – 1994 output in slip case outers, extensive artwork and bonus tracks. But never mind the packaging, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Don't Explain, funk, Heavy Nova, Honey, jazz, R&B, reissue, Ridin' High, Robert Palmer, rock, Vinegar Joe | Leave a comment

Quick Plays: The Val,Juruda,Chris While & Julie Matthews,Carrie Rodriguez,Annabelle Chvostek

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

The Val – Back The Val, named after vocalist Gabrielle de Val, are a truly European band. De Val herself, is German, but writes in English (although I wonder whether lyrics that refer to Humpty Dumpty and petticoats has perhaps … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged Annabelle Chvostek, Back, CARRIE RODRIGUEZ, Chris While & Julie Matthews, folk, Give Me All You Got, Infinite Sky, Juruda, Juruda Music, melodic rock, Rise, singer, songwriter, The Val | Leave a comment

Album review: 10cc – Tenology

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Universal/Mercury [Release date 19.11.12] It’s about time 10cc’s excellent back catalogue got a decent airing. Up to now all we’ve really had is a set of distinctly average re-masters. That is, with the exception of the release of their classic … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 10CC, boxed set, compilation, Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley, Lol Creme, pop, review, rock, Tenology | Leave a comment

Album: Thenewno2 – Beautiful Creatures soundtrack

Posted on February 12, 2013 by jason

When you think of The Beatles the first thing that comes to mind isn’t usually psychedelic indie rock, which is probably why Dhani Harrison (son of the brilliant George Harrison, naturally) has managed to keep his band a separate entity … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Beautiful Creatures soundtrack, Dhani Harrison, George Harrison, The Beatles, Thenewno2 | Leave a comment

Album review: KOMPENDIUM – Beneath The Waves

Posted on February 11, 2013 by alanjones

7 Stones Records (Release Date 11.2.13) Every so often, and it’s becoming ever more rare, an album comes along that is so fine it assumes iconic status. Sergeant Pepper, Pet Sounds, Led Zeppelin 4, Tubular Bells, Dark … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Beneath The Waves, Celtic rock, folk rock, Kompendium, Progressive Rock, Rob Reed, Steve Hackett | Leave a comment

Album review: TOMMY EMMANUEL & MARTIN TAYLOR – The Colonel And The Governor

Posted on February 10, 2013 by alanjones

Mesa/Bluemoon Records [Release Date 4.3.2013] So, what happens when you put together one of the finest jazz guitarists in the world with one of the greatest finger-style fretmeisters around? Well the answer is…. not quite what you would think. Martin … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, guitar, jazz, The Colonel & The Governor, Tommy Emmanuel & Martin Taylor | Leave a comment

THE BRONX – The Bronx IV

Posted on February 9, 2013 by david.wilson

ATO/ White Drugs ( Release date – out now) It has been five years since the last Bronx album. During the intervening period the band have been far from idle, touring constantly and releasing an album under their … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged The Bronx, The Bronx IV | 1 Comment

Album Review: ERIC JOHNSON – Up Close Another Look

Posted on February 9, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Mascot Records [Release date 01.04.13] Whilst I have always been aware of Eric Johnson and his influence on a whole raft of modern guitarists I have never really investigated his music. ‘Up Close – Another Look’ should change all that. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Another Look, blues, Eric Johnson, fusion, guitar, guitarist, review, rock, Up Close | Leave a comment

ALASTOR – Out Of Anger

Posted on February 8, 2013 by david.wilson

Metal Mind Records (Release date – out now) Polish thrashers, Alastor, have become something of a legend in their home country. Formed back in 1986 the band have had a mixed career, releasing four well received albums . … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Alastor, Out Of Anger | Leave a comment

DEVON ALLMAN – Turquoise

Posted on February 8, 2013 by petefeenstra

Ruf Records 1186 [Released Jan 2013] Devon Allman’s star is on the rise. After touring relentlessly and cutting a brace of albums with his own band Honeytribe, he made a deserved critical breakthrough with the excellent Royal Southern Brotherhood. Now he’s … Continue reading →