-
-
If you can't find what you're looking for - or wish to refine your search to include only references to the key search term - try putting inverted commas around the search term e.g. "Steve Lukather" or "Black Star Riders"
For example if you enter Black Star Riders the results will include all instances of "Black" "Star" and "Riders". The search will also be slower.
Switch site
Upcoming Gigs & Albums
-
Our star rating
***** Out of this world
**** Pretty damn fine
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan of the artist or genre
** Instant bargain bin fodder
* Ugly, just ugly
Latest Album Reviews
-
Latest Gig Reviews
-
Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK – Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
-
Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – London Palladium, 13 November 2024
-
Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-9 November 2024
-
Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET, CHANTEL MCGREGOR, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES – Dingwalls, London, 7 November 2024
-
Gig review: DEEP PURPLE – 02 Arena, London, 6 November 2024
-
Gig review: ELLES BAILEY- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 2 November 2024
-
-
Featured Album Reviews
-
Album review: MOTORHEAD – Louder Than Noise… Live In Berlin
-
Album review: D’VIRGILIO, MORSE AND JENNINGS – Sophomore
-
Album review: MASS – When 2 Worlds Collide
-
Album review: WILL LAWTON & WEASEL HOWLETT – Fossils Of The Mind
-
Album review: RAMSEY LEWIS – Les Fleurs / Fantasy / Keys To The City (Remasters)
-
Album review: BAD TOUCH – Bittersweet Satisfaction
-
-
Features
Single & EP Reviews
-
DVD Reviews
-
Book Reviews
-
News
-
Features
-
Quick Categories
Categories (All)
Tag Archives: Escape Music
Album review: ATLANTIC – Another World
Escape Music [Release date 21.06.24] Atlantic is the brainchild of guitarist and songwriter Simon Harrison, who released their debut album ‘Power’ back in 1994 (re-issued by Escape in 2008). It was originally planned to be a one-off – until now … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Another World, AOR, Atlantic, Dare, Escape Music, FM, Grim Reaper, Journey, Lionsheart, Mark Grimmett, melodic rock, review, Simon Harrison, Steve Grimmett
Leave a comment
Album review: REMEDY – Pleasure Beats Pain
Escape Music [Release date 24.05.24] Remedy released their debut album at the tail end of 2022 and it earned rave reviews (including from this reviewer!), although being independently released it didn’t get the full coverage it deserved. Enter Escape Music … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Erik Martensson, Escape Music, hard rock, melodic rock, Pleasure Beats Pain, Remedy, review
Leave a comment
Album review: TURKISH DELIGHT – Volume 1
Escape Music [Release date 21.10.22] Turkish Delight celebrates the joy that Escape Music co-owner Khalil Turk has for the kind of music he loves so much, namely AOR and melodic rock. This selection was personally chosen by Khalil, with material … Continue reading
Album review: CIRCLE OF FRIENDS – The Garden
Escape Records [Release date 25.03.22] ‘The Garden’ is the album put together by Bruce Mee (of Fireworks magazine) as a tribute to his mother, who died of cancer in 2020. The studio project is called Circle of Friends because the … Continue reading
Album review: BITE THE BULLET – End of the Line
Escape Music [Release date 22.01.22] Bite the Bullet trace their origins back to 1986 and still feature the original duo of Mick Benton (Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards) and Graham Cowling (Drums). They released a strong comeback album, ‘Black and White’, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bite The Bullet, End Of The Line, Escape Music, FM, hard rock, melodic rock, Mr Mister, review
Leave a comment
Album review: DANNY DANZI – Tribulations
Escape Music [Release date 24.09.21] Danny Danzi is back with his third album (hardly prolific as his debut was released back in 1999!). His 2003 album ‘Danziland’ still gets regular plays by this reviewer. This album has been ten years … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged album, Danny Danzi, Escape Music, hard rock, interview, melodic rock, review, rock, Tribulations
Leave a comment
Album review: VINCE DICOLA – Only Time Will Tell
Escape Music [Release date 11.06.21] Vince DiCola is a musician / songwriter from Pennsylvania and relocated to LA in 1981 to advance his career. In the early to mid-eighties Vince was involved in some well-known film scores such as ‘Staying … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bobby Kimball, Chicago, Escape Music, Kansas, melodic rock, Only Time Will Tell, prog rock, review, Steve Walsh, Toto, Vince DiCola
Leave a comment
Album review: BITE THE BULLET – Black & White
Escape Music [Release date 27.11.20] Bite The Bullet were originally formed in 1986 by singer songwriter Mick Benton and drummer Graham Cowling (who are also the only two musicians on this album) and they released their debut album in 1989. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bite The Bullet, Black & White, Escape Music, melodic rock, Mr Mister, pop rock, review, The Outfield
Leave a comment
Album review: HEARTWIND – Strangers
Escape Music [Release date 20.11.20] Heartwind formed around keyboard player Mikael Rosengren and guitarist Goran Engvall (who also played bass on the album). Since their debut release they have changed vocalists bringing in not one, but two vocalists – Nina … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Eclipse, Escape Music, hard rock, Heartwind, melodic rock, review, Strangers, W.E.T.
Leave a comment
Album review: SIMON SAYS – Spin This
Escape Music [Release date 14.08.20] Bit of a musical curio in Simon Says, a band who hail from Greenfield Park, Quebec, Canada and were formed from the ashes of Spectrum and Rawx. ‘Spin This’ was originally released back in 1991, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, AOR, April Wine, Escape Music, melodic, Queen, Queen Flash, re-issue, review, rock, Simon Says, Spin This
Leave a comment
Album review: COMPASS – Our Time On Earth
Escape Music [Release date 24.04.20] The Compass story began back in December 2017 when singer songwriter Steve Newman decided to write a few songs that musically would step outside the barriers imposed by many years writing for his own band … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Compass, Escape Music, melodic rock, Our Time On Earth, prog rock, review, Steve Newman
Leave a comment
Album review: EIGHTEENTH HOUR – Eighteenth Hour
Escape Music [Release date 23.08.19] Something a bit different on Escape Music, a label more associated with melodic rock and AOR, as Eighteenth Hour are modern rockers. This is the band’s seventh album and they have landed some prestigious support … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged album, Bon Jovi, Dave Zullo, Eighteenth Hour, Escape Music, guitarist, interview, melodic, modern rock, review, rock
Leave a comment
Album review: STRANDED – New Dawn
Escape Music [Release date 19.07.19] Stranded are the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Lewis Nitikman, who was in Stonebolt and on this album he is joined by fellow ex-Stonebolt member guitarist Ray Roper. On vocals is Troy Reid (check out his singing … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Escape Music, melodic rock, Michael Bolton, New Dawn, reviews, Stranded, West Coast AOR
Leave a comment
Album review: ALLIANCE – Fire and Grace
Escape Music [Release date 24.05.19] Robert Berry (vocals, bass, keyboards), Boston guitarist Gary Pihl and drummer David Lauser (Sammy Hagar), are back with a new Alliance album – their first in ten years. Only missing from the previous albums is … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 3, album, Alliance, AOR, Boston, Escape Music, hard rock, melodic rock, review, Robert Berry, rock, Sammy Hagar
Leave a comment
Album review: LONERIDER – Attitude
Escape Music [Release date 26.04.19] Lonerider is a new band featuring some experienced names that sees FM vocalist Steve Overland team-up again with guitarist Steve Morris (they both recorded together under the Heartland name) and Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Attitude, blues rock, classic rock, Escape Music, FM. Bad Company, melodic rock, review, Simon Kirke, Steve Overland
Leave a comment
Album review: GUILD OF AGES – Rise
Escape Music [Release date 29.06.18] Guild Of Ages are this year’s ‘Missing In Action’ band now returning to action, following on from the return of Boulevard last year. They called it a day in 2002 before being tempted back for … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, CITA, Escape Music, Guild Of Ages, hard rock, melodic, melodic rock, review, Rise, rock
Leave a comment
Album review: MASS – When 2 Worlds Collide
Escape Music [Release date 25.05.18] This is album number eight from Mass who have been making music since the mid-80′s. On this album the added keys/strings provided by Jeremy Heussi add another dimension to the band’s classy melodic hard rock … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS
Tagged album, Escape Music, hard rock, interview, Mass, melodic rock, Michael Sweet, review, rock, Stryper, When 2 Worlds Collide
Leave a comment
Album review: JON BUTCHER AXIS
Escape Music [Release date 19.01.18] If like me you were one of those who spent every fortnight reading Kerrang! and the Wimpwire column by Derek Oliver, Jon Butcher’s name came up quite often and indeed he got a feature in the AOR/melodic … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 80s, album, Escape Music, JK Northrup, Jon Butcher, Jon Butcher Axis, melodic, re-issue, review, rock
Leave a comment
Album review: DRIVE, SHE SAID – Real Life
Escape Music [Release date 23.03.18] ‘Real Life’ was originally released back in 2003 by Drive, She Said the band who featured vocalist/guitarist/bassist Al Fritsch and keyboards wizard Mark Mangold. This album has been re-mixed in 2017 by Brian Anthony and Mark … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Al Fritsch, album, Drive, Escape Music, Mark Mangold, melodic, pomp, re-mastered, Real Life, remixed, review, rock, She Said
Leave a comment
Quick plays: THE REMEDY CLUB, GYPSY SOUL
THE REMEDY CLUB Lovers, Legends & Lost Causes [Release date 08.10.17] ‘Lovers, Legends and Lost Causes’ is the first release under the duo’s new name The Remedy Club (they released two albums under the previous name – B & The … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged albums, Americana, country, Escape Music, Foreigner, Gypsy Soul, hard rock, JK Northrup, Johnny Edwards, reviews, rock, the Remedy Club
Leave a comment
Quick plays: MARTIN SIMPSON, RIVERDOGS, HIRSH GARDNER
MARTIN SIMPSON Trails & Tribulations Topic Records [Release date 01.09.17] Trails & Tribulations’ is Martin Simpson’s twentieth album in a career spanning over 40 years. As he says the album “is a collection of songs about nature, about travels and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged albums, AOR, California, Def Leppard, Dio, Escape Music, folk, Frontiers, Hirsh Gardner, Martin Simpson, melodic rock, New England, Quick Play, reviews, Riverdogs, rock, songwriter, Vivian Campbell
Leave a comment
Album review: DIRTY WHITE BOYZ – Down And Dirty
Escape Music www.escape-music.com [Release date 24.03.17] Not the classic one album band from the late 80′s featuring Earl Slick and David Glenn Eisley, this is a new band and they have a ‘z’ on the end of their name. The … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, DEMON, Dirty White Boyz, Down And Dirty, Escape Music, Kiss Of The Gypsy, LAWLESS, melodic, Nigel Bailey, review, rock, Tony Mitchell
Leave a comment
Album review: LAST AUTUMN’S DREAM – In Disguise
Escape Music [Release date 20.01.17] Last Autumn’s Dream are not strangers to the odd cover having covering songs by Wizzard and REO Speedwagon on past albums. This time around they opted to do a whole album of covers of songs … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Abba, album, City Boy, classic rock, Covers, Escape Music, In Disguise, Kiss, Last Autumn’s Dream, Loverboy, melodic, Mie Slammer, review, Streets, The Sweet
Leave a comment
Album review: PUNKY MEADOWS – Fallen Angel
Escape Music [Release date 20.05.16] I will admit from the start I have never really been a big fan of 70′s pomp rockers Angel. I have tried many times to get into their music as I love pomp rock, but … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Angel, AOR, Escape Music, Fallen Angel, melodic, Punky Meadows, review, rock
Leave a comment
Album review: EPIC – Like A Phoenix
Escape Music www.escape-music.com [Release date 22.04.16] Never judge a book (or in this case CD) by its cover, as the band’s name Epic and cover artwork on this album may have you expecting a power or melodic metal album. It … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, epic, Escape Music, Heart, Like A Phoenix, melodic, review, rock, Witness
Leave a comment