Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: SMACKBOUND – 20/20

Posted on June 24, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 12.06.20] Finland’s Smackbound paid their dues playing clubs as a covers’ band. Their debut album, “20/20” is a distillation of all the styles and stuff they performed on stage…with added songwriting. And the songwriting shines brightly. It … Continue reading →

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Album review: MANDOKI SOULMATES – Living In The Gap/Hungarian Pictures

Posted on June 24, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Red Rock Production/Cleopatra Records [Release date 06.20] 2-CD Reviewing in the millennium means that we miss out on previous decades’ lavish PR packages. If we are lucky these days we get a 320kbps download. The arrival of the re-promoted Mandoki … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Al Di Meola, album, Bobby Kimball, Chris Thompson, fusion, Hungarian Pictures, Ian Anderson, Jack Bruce, Jazz rock, John Helliwell. Leslie Mandoki, Living In The Gap, Mandoki Soulmates, Mike Stern, prog, progressive, Randy Brecker, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: SOLITUDE WITHIN – Disappear

Posted on June 23, 2020 by jason

The European metal scene has never been healthier, as each week reveals more and more bands to fall in love with. Belgium Symphonic rockers Solitude Within can rightly stake their claim as part of the leading pack with their 2017 … Continue reading →

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Album review: PINNACLE POINT – Symphony Of Mind

Posted on June 21, 2020 by jason

Escape Music [Release date 17.07.20] Pinnacle Point released their debut album ‘Winds Of Change’ back in 2017 and the band features vocalist Jerome Mazza (Angelica, Outlaw Son, Steve Walsh) and guitarist Torben Enevoldsen (Fate, Acacia Avenue, Section A). They are … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, ANGELICA, Jerome Mazza, Kansas, melodic rock, Pinnacle Point, prog rock, review, Steve Walsh, Symphony Of Mind | Leave a comment

Quick plays: ELECTRIC MOB, CHESTER KAMEN AND THE LOVES, DOHNY JEP

Posted on June 20, 2020 by jason

ELECTRIC MOB Discharge Frontiers [Release date 12.06.20] Another band making their debut, this time Brazil’s Electric Mob who feature vocalist Renan Zonta. He appeared on The Voice performing such classic rock songs as Sweet Child ‘O Mine and Highway To … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged Americanized, blues rock, Calling All Astronauts, Chester Kamen, classic rock, Dohny Jep, Electric Mob, electronica, hard rock, Quick Plays, review, rock, synth rock | Leave a comment

Album review: ERIC CHURCH – The Outsiders

Posted on June 20, 2020 by jason

Snakefarm Records [Release date 12.06.20] Church’s edgy, non conformist image smacks of authenticity, and when you hear songs like ‘The Outsider’ and ‘Devil Devil’ you wonder how long his love affair with the genre’s conventions will last. These are songs … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, arena rock, country, country rock, Eric Church, hard rock, review, rock, The Outsiders | Leave a comment

Album review: RONAN FURLONG – Minerva’s Meddling

Posted on June 16, 2020 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted to Ronan Furlong for his Feature show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, first broadcast 7 June 2020, and including tracks from the album ‘Minerva’s Meddling’. Thoroughbred Music [Release date 29.06.20] To say that Ronan Furlong’s ‘Minerva’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Celtic, David Surkamp, folk, interview, Irish, metal, Minerva's Meddling, Neil Young, Pavlov's Dog, review, rock, Ronan Furlong, roots, vocal | 1 Comment

Album review: NICK D’VIRGILIO – Invisible

Posted on June 13, 2020 by jason

English Electric Recordings [Release date 22.05.20] NDV is Nick D’Virgilio, the current drummer in Big Big Train, having also played in Spock’s Beard, Genesis and been musical director for Cirque de Soliel. This is the second solo album from Nick D’Virgilio … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Big Big Train, drummer, Invisible, melodic, NDV, Nick D’Virgilio, progressive, review, rock, Solo, Spock's Beard | Leave a comment

Album review: JOSE RAMIREZ – Here I Come

Posted on June 13, 2020 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 12.06.20] American based Costa Rica’s blues artist José Ramirez calls himself an interpreter of soulful blues. The aptly titled ’Here I Come’ can equally be seen as a statement of intent and announces his own considerable … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anson Funderburgh, blues, funk, guitar, Here I Come, Jimmy Pugh, José Ramirez, Memphis soul, Nate Rowe, review, Robert Johnson, Ronnie Earl, soul, T-Bone Walker, The Texas Horns, Wes Starr | Leave a comment

Album review: INTELLIGENT MUSIC PROJECT – Sorcery Inside/Life Motion

Posted on June 12, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

INTELLIGENT MUSIC PROJECT V - Life Motion

Intelligent Music [Release date 12.02.20, 24.12.18*] There must be something in the Bulgarian water. One time Uriah Heep vocalist John Lawton has also used that country’s musicians in recent years and actually appears on the first two ‘Intelligent’ releases. This … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Carl Sentance, Intelligent Music Project, John Payne, Joseph Williams, Life Motion, melodic rock, Milan Vrabevski, review, Richard Grisman, Ronnie Romero, Simon Phillips, Sorcery Inside | Leave a comment

Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Curse Of The Hidden Mirror

Posted on June 12, 2020 by jason

Frontiers Records [Release date 12.06.20] Back in the late nineties, their creativity sandbanked, Blue Oyster Cult spent 3 solid years on the road. Those years eventually sparked songwriting lightning, and assisted once more by Sci-fi/cyberpunk writer, John Shirley, the band … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, classic rock, Curse Of The Hidden Mirror, Eric Bloom, Frontiers, melodic, re-issue, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – Wide Awake

Posted on June 11, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

[Release date 14.08.20] Johnny Hates Jazz’s return in 2013 was well received, with a comeback album ‘Magnetized’ gathering airplay and even a short tour in 2016 (when we saw them in downtown Darwen Library Theatre) and a handful of festival … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged 80s, album, Clark Datchler, eighties, interview, Johnny Hates Jazz, Mike Nocito, pop, pop rock, review, synth pop, Wide Awake | Leave a comment

Album review: STRAWBS – Burning For You (Remastered & Expanded Edition)

Posted on June 11, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Esoteric [Release date: 26.6.20] In common with most rock survivors, David Cousins’ Strawbs have worked a variety of music genres over the past 50 years, segueing early folk stirrings into more conventional song structures via a progressive heyday. The last … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Burning For You, classic rock, Dave Cousins, folk, pop, progressive, reissue, remastered, review, Strawbs | Leave a comment

Album review: THE WALK-A-BOUT – 20/20

Posted on June 10, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Shred The Evidence Records [Release date 05.06.20] New York Long Islanders (East End) The Walk-A-Bout developed around the songwriting skills of Australian Darren ‘Sully’ Sullivan (vocals) and Kevin Anderson (guitars) and their debut mini-album ‘Things Are Looking Up’ came out … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 20/20, album, classic rock, review, The Walk-A-Bout | Leave a comment

Album review: BUZZCOCKS – Sell You Everything 1991-2014

Posted on June 8, 2020 by jason

Cherry Red [Release date 29.05.20] The recent release of new single ‘Gotta Get Better’ marked the beginning of “Phase 3” of Buzzcocks, now solely fronted by Steve Diggle following the death of Pete Shelley in December 2018. With most “Phase … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged box set Sell You Everything 1991-2014, Buzzcocks, Cherry Red Records, melodic, Pete Shelley, pop, pop rock, punk, punk pop, review, rock, Steve Diggle | Leave a comment

Album review: CPR (Crosby Pevar Raymond)

Posted on June 7, 2020 by jason

BMG [Release date 21.07.20] Guitarist, songwriter and vocalist David Crosby is quite a legend, all historic drug and alcohol issues aside, being a founder member of folk rock/country rock pioneers The Byrds, he has recorded with Crosby & Nash (former … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged albums, AOR, country, CPR, CSN, David Crosby, folk, James Raymond, Jeff Pevar, melodic, pop, re-issue, review, The Byrds | Leave a comment

Album review: PRETTY MAIDS – Maid In Japan

Posted on June 6, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 22.05.20] Pretty Maids have been around since the early 80’s, with original members vocalist Ronnie Artkins and guitarist Ken Hammer joined by bassist Rene Shades, Chris Laney on keyboards, guitar and drummer Allan Sørensen (who left the … Continue reading →

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Album review: SPIRIT – Tent Of Miracles (2CD Remastered & Expanded Edition)

Posted on June 6, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Esoteric [Release date: 22.05.20] The 20-year journey from the band’s 1970 career-defining ‘The Twelve Dreams of Dr Sardonicus’ to pulling back the flaps of ‘Tent Of Miracles’ had been a wayward one for this acclaimed late ‘60s West Coast psych … Continue reading →

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Album review: HOUSE OF LORDS – New World, New Eyes

Posted on June 4, 2020 by jason

Frontiers Records [Release date 12.06.20] Many critics have gone to print noting the inconsistency of the reformed House Of Lord’s 21st century releases. Maybe that would explain why James Christian (vocals/production) has brought in Mark Spiro and Tommy Denander to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Frontiers, House of Lords, James Christian, Mark Spiro, melodic rock, New Eyes, New World, review, rock, Tommy Denander | Leave a comment

Album review: PAUL KING – A Baker’s Dozen

Posted on June 3, 2020 by jason

Angel Air [Release date 22.05.20] Britpop band, Mungo Jerry had nine charting singles and two number ones, but all everyone remembers is ‘In The Summertime’. For the song’s writer and singer, Paul King, it has never been the albatross it … Continue reading →

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Album review: PHIL VINCENT – Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday

Posted on May 31, 2020 by jason

Rock Company [Release date 10.06.20] Solo album number 22(!) from Phil Vincent, who tends to indulge his love of melodic hard rock and the Beatles more on his solo efforts. The album runs the spectrum of melodic rock, from the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions | Tagged album, D'Ercole, hard rock, interview, Legion, melodic metal, melodic rock, Phil Vincent, review, rock, The Beatles, Yesterday Today Tomorrow | Leave a comment

Album review: KIERAN CONAWAY – Your Ghosts

Posted on May 31, 2020 by jason

Buoy 58 Records [Release date 29.05.20] Kieran Conaway is a singer/songwriter from Delaware, USA. Kieran began his musical studies as a classical pianist and cellist, later receiving instruction in orchestral arranging and composition. Kieran developed his acoustic guitar, piano and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, country, folk, Kieran Conaway, melodic, pop, review, singer songwriter, Your Ghosts | Leave a comment

Album review: LAURA BRANIGAN – Self Control

Posted on May 30, 2020 by jason

Cherry Red Records [Release date 05.06.20] In other circumstances, it would have been reported that Branigan’s untimely death in 2004, aged 52, brought a sparkling, hit filled career to a tragic end. But in fact, while that was true, she’d … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, AOR, Cherry Red Records, dance music, Laura Branigan, Leonard Cohen, melodic, MTV, pop, re-issue, review, Self Control | Leave a comment

Album review: BAD TOUCH – Kiss The Sky

Posted on May 29, 2020 by andynathan

Marshall Records [Release Date 19.06.20] For Norfolk classic rockers Bad Touch, a fourth album in five years, not to mention incessant touring, is testament to their hard work. It deserves to pay off, being their most accomplished to date. They … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bad Touch, blues rock, review, Rob Glendinning, Stevie Westwood | Leave a comment

Album review: ALESTORM – Curse Of The Crystal Coconut

Posted on May 28, 2020 by david.wilson

Napalm Records [Release date 29.05.20] The Perthshire pirates are back with more tales of the high seas told in their own special way, forget sea shanties we want metal! As per usual the album won’t be to all tastes, its … Continue reading →