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Album review: SELWYN BIRCHWOOD – Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 14 March 2026
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Tag Archives: pop
Book review: ON TRACK…Toto/The Solo Beatles/Steely Dan (“Every album, every song”)

Sonicbond Pubishing [Publication date January/February 2020] Liked and loathed in equal measures by the music press in the 1970s and 1980s, ultimately the band may have had the last laugh. As author Jacob Holm-Lupp reiterates, their latest offering – XIV … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged AOR, book, classic rock, Donald Fagen, fusion, George Harrison, Jazz rock, John Lennon, melodic rock, On Track, Paul McCartney, pop, review, Ringo Starr, Steely Dan, The Solo Beatles, Toto, Walter Becker
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Album review: RUSS BALLARD – It’s Good To Be Here

On Thursday 20 February at 22:00 GMT Get Ready to ROCK! Radio replays a two-part special when David Randall chatted to Russ Ballard about his long career. BMG [Release date 21.02.20] If you’ve done any world travelling, out of desire … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, It's Good To Be Here, Kiss, melodic rock, pop, pop rock, Rainbow, review, rock, Russ Ballard
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Album review: THE KENDALL CONNECTION – The Kendall Connection

Pete Feenstra chatted to Nick Kendall for his Feature show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 15 March 2020. Vibratown Music Records [Release date 10.01.20] Nick Kendall is a UK based South African session guitarist and a contemporary of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged 10CC, Al Stewart, album, blues, Caravan, Dan Patlansky, funk, Glenn Tilbrook, Greg Hagger, interview, Joe Bonamassa, Led Zeppelin, Nick Kendall, pop, Pye Hastings, review, Robben Ford, rock, soul, Squeeze, Steve Holness, The Kendall Connection, Tom Clare
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Album review: SQUIRE – Get Ready To Go!/September Gurls

Hi-Lo Records [Release date 26.10.19] Squire formed around the time of the Mod revival in the late 70’s and were fronted by Anthony Meynell. They went on to release five studio albums, before relocating to the US in 1985 and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Anthony Meynell, Big Star, cover versions, Get Ready To Go!, mod, pop, power pop, review, Septembur Girls, Squire
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Gig review: BILLY LOCKETT – O2 Academy 2, Oxford, 2 February 2020

We have ventured into the Academy a few times but have never been to the more compact upstairs Academy 2, which was the venue for Billy Lockett’s show. He’s certainly taking a big step and gamble by going out on … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 2 February 2020, acoustic, Billy Lockett, gig, live music, Mabes, melodic, Oxford, piano, pop, review, singer songwriter
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Album review: JORN – Heavy Rock Radio II

Frontiers [Release date 24.01.20] Jorn Lande is back with his second volume of songs he grew up with or influenced him – making this his fourth covers album to date. These songs get the Jorn heavy rock treatment or as … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Black Sabbath, classic rock, Covers, Deep Purple, Dio, Eagles, Foreigner, Jorn, Jorn Lande, pop, review, rock, Russ Ballard, Trond Holter
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Album review: SANANDA MAITREYA – Fallen Angel Tour 2019 Live From The Ruins

TreeHouse Publishing [Release date 13.12.19] In 2001 the singer known as Terence Trent D’Arby legally changed his name to Sananda Maitreya, telling The New Yorker at the time that he had meditated for “a new spirit, a … Continue reading
Album review: JEFF LYNNE’S ELO – From Out Of Nowhere

Big Trilby/Colombia Records [Release date 01.11.19] Since relaunching ELO back in 2014 Jeff Lynne’s ELO have completed sell out world tours, been inducted to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and 2015’s comeback ‘Alone In The Universe’. Despite the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, classic rock, ELO, From Out Of Nowhere, Jeff Lynne, melodic, pop, pop rock, review, Richard Tandy, rock 'n' roll
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Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – The Tivoli, Buckley, 20 December 2019

As we near the end of 2019, and indeed another decade, Cats In Space should be cherished. In fact, our year was bookended by the band, an appearance at Giants Of Rock in January and a “Christmas in Narnia” tour … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 20 December 2019, Buckley, Cats In Space, classic rock, gig, pop, pop rock, review, The Tivoli
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Book review: NOW That’s What I Call A Quiz: Puzzle Your Way Through Sixty Years of Pop by Michael Mulligan

Trapeze [Publication date 31.10.19] Based on the bestselling series of NOW compilation albums this is a good all-round music quiz book. Split into sections that include decades, the themed NOW compilations (e.g. Disney, football anthems) and genres (rock, classic rock … Continue reading
Album review: DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION (DBA) – Live In England (CD/DVD)

Magical Thinker Records [Release date 29.11.19] Geoff Downes has been involved in a whole range of projects over the years, outside of Asia and Yes. His collaboration with UK born, LA-based Chris Braide seems to be one of the more … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged album, Chris Braide, DBA, Downes Braide Association, Geoff Downes, Live In England, pop, progressive, review, rock
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Album review: SPARKS – Past Tense: The Best Of Sparks

BMG [Release date 08.11.19] For many people of a certain age Sparks are famed for the high vocals and scary looking bloke on the keyboards, yet there is so much more to their music aside from the big hits ‘This … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, best of, classic rock, dance, Franz Ferdinand, pop, quirky, review, rock, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS, synth pop
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Album review: SPARKS – Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins

BMG [Release date 01.11.19] ‘Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins’ originally came out in 1994 and came after a six year gap by Sparks since 1988’s ‘Interior Design’ album. The band were said to be on hiatus, something Ron Mael takes … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Christo Haydon, dance, Gratuitous Sax & Senseless Violins, pop, quirky, review, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS, synth pop, Techno
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Quick plays: WILDWOOD KIN, PAMELA SUE MANN, CATTLE & CANE, CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND

WILDWOOD KIN Wildwood Kin Silvertone/Sony [Release date 04.10.19] Alt-folkies Wildwood Kin – sisters Beth and Emillie Key, and cousin Meghann Loney follow up their 2017 debut (Turning Tides) with an altogether more ‘grown up’ sounding sophomore self-titled release. Majoring on … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, alternative, Americana, Break, Cattle & Cane, Christopher Holland, electronica, folk, Golden Hour, Navigator, Pamela Sue Mann, pop, review, Rundown, Scratches, singer, songwritrer, Wildwood Kin
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Gig review: KIKI DEE & CARMELO LUGGERI – Goods Shed Arts Centre, Tetbury, 1 November 2019

In the first part of a two part special Kiki Dee chatted to Get Ready to ROCK! Radio about her early career. First broadcast in March 2015. Part 2 is available here Kiki Dee is a Featured Artist at Get … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 1 November 2019, Carmelo Luggeri, gig, Goods Shed Arts Centre, Kiki Dee, pop, pop rock, review, Tetbury
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Album review: THE SOUL REBELS – Poetry In Motion

Rebelution Music Group [Release date 25.10.19] From the opening of notes of ‘Blow the Horns’ The Soul Rebels exude swagger and confidence, promising to “shake the world up like an earthquake”. ‘Poetry in Motion’ marks the first release in seven … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Branford Marsalis, funk, hip hop, jazz, Maroon 5, Poetry In Motion, pop, review, Robert Glasper, soul, the Soul Rebels
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Album review: THEA HJELMELAND – Kulla

Proper Music [Release date 25.10.19] The third album by Thea Hjelmeland, KULLA, is the definition of artistic freedom. Hailing from Norway, Hjelmeland is a singer, writer and a multi-instrumentalist and demonstrates a genre-hopping confidence that suggests an artist completely at … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bjork, dreamy, Kate Bush, Kulla, pop, review, singer songwriter, Thea Hjelmeland
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Gig review: SQUEEZE – New Theatre, Oxford, 25 October 2019

A packed out New Theatre were eagerly awaiting Squeeze, however before the main event we had Heaven 17, a band who had plenty of chart success in the early-mid 80’s. Still featuring two thirds of the original line-up in vocalist … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Chris Difford, classic pop, concert, gig, Glenn Gregory, Glenn Tilbrook, Heaven 17, New Wave, Oxford, pop, pop rock, review, singer songwriter, Squeeze, synth pop
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Quick plays: STEELEYE SPAN, GALLAGHER & LYLE, HUMBLE PIE

STEELEYE SPAN Live at De Montfort Hall Leicester 1977 Store For Music/Angel Air [Release date 04.10.19] One glaring error on this CD is the concert was in fact recorded in 1978 on the band’s then farewell tour (although the band … Continue reading
Gig review: THE DIVINE COMEDY – O2 Academy, Oxford, 13 October 2019

Seeing the Divine Comedy live has been top of my bands to see list and I was very happy to be able to finally see them at a sold out show at the Academy (or the Zodiac as it was … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged chamber pop, gig, indie pop, indie rock, Neil Hannon, Office Politics, pop, quirky pop, review, The Divine Comedy
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Book review: THE MOODY BLUES – Every Album, Every Song (On Track) by Geoffrey Feakes

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 22.08.19] The format follows the tried and tested Every Album, Every Song formula by tackling each album in chronological order. In this book though Feakes adds in piece about the album cover – the Moody Blues … Continue reading






