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Tag Archives: pop
EP review: ANDY PARTRIDGE – My Failed Songwriting Career Vol. 1

Ape House [Release date 23.7.21] When XTC was put on hiatus following 2000’s “Wasp Star”, Andy Partridge decided it was time to write for other artists. A number of successful co-writes came to fruition (Steven Wilson, Pugwash, Miles Kane), along … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Andy Partridge, Dukes of Stratosphear, EP, melodic, My Failed Songwriting Career Vol. 1, pop, pop rock, quirky pop, review, XTC
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EP review: COUNCIL – It Runs In The Blood

Facebook [Release date 17.09.21] Council is made up of the 3 brothers Reeves (Andy, Doug and Pat) who traded in a life of farming to pursue their true dream: writing and performing music. Last year’s EP was highly impressive and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Council, electronica, EP, Imagine Dragons, It Runs In The Blood, melodic, pop, pop rock, review
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Album review: JOE JACKSON & TODD RUNDGREN feat. ETHEL – State Theater, New Jersey 2005 (CD/DVD)

Purple Pyramind [Release date 18.06.21] Back in 2005 the pairing of Joe Jackson and Todd Rundgren may have seemed rather incongruous. I remember thinking at the time that Rundgren had just released an excellent solo album ‘Liars’ and it would … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged album, CD, classic rock, concert, DVD, Ethel, interview, Joe Jackson, live, New Jersey 2005, pop, quartet, review, State Theater, strings, Todd Rundgren
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Album review: VARIOUS ARTISTS – Rockets Of Love! Power Pop Gems From The 70s, 80s & 90s

Big Beat / Ace [Release date 25.6.21] Power pop collections are never going to be top sellers, so it’s encouraging to find Ace’s Big Beat imprint following up 2019’s “Come On Let’s Go” and last year’s “Girls Go Power Pop” … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Cheap Trick, compilation, Josh Rouse, pop, pop rock, power pop, review, Rockets Of Love!, the Knack
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Album review: DUFFY – Scruffy Duffy (remaster w/bonus tracks)

Cherry Red [Release date 25.06.21] An undiscovered gem of an album. That’s a familiar phrase, and one that too often disappoints when exposed to the light. Scruffy Duffy doesn’t let us down. This was Brit band, Duffy’s second album, recorded … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 1973, album, Beatles, bonus tracks, Cherry Red, pop, prog, remaster, review, rock, Rush, Uriah Heep
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Album review: THE MERSEYBEATS and THE MERSEYS – I Stand Accused, The Complete Sixties Recordings

Grapefruit / Cherry Red [Release date 11.6.21] The output of The Merseybeats and The Merseys has been relatively poorly served on CD over the years. Cherry Red’s Grapefruit imprint now rectify this with a definitive 63 track collection. The … Continue reading
Album review: MICHAEL ARMSTRONG – Ojai

www.michaelarmstrongmusic.co.uk [Release date 25.06.21] London-born, singer songwriter Michael Armstrong releases his third studio album, which going by the press releases is a modern take on the ‘Yacht Rock’ genre. As Michael explains – “In 2018 I was invited to join … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Ben Folds, melodic, Michael Armstrong, Ojai, pop, review, soft rock, Yacht rock
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Album review: IAN McNABB – Utopian

www.ianmcnabb.com [Release date 05.03.21] Utopian is the final part of a trilogy Ian McNabb began with ‘Star Smile Strong’ (2017), and continued with ‘Our Future In Space’ (2018). Recording took on a very different approach during 2020’s global pandemic, with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Ian McNabb, Icicle Works, indie, melodic, pop, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, singer songwriter, Solo, soul, Utopian
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Book review: Alice Cooper in the 1970’s by Chris Sutton

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 28.03.21] There is no denying that the1970’s was the decade that the Alice Cooper band went from virtual nobodies to household names, but it was also a decade of massive upheaval for the band as front … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged Alice Cooper in the 1970’s, Bob Ezrin, book, Chris Sutton, classic rock, pop, review, rock 'n' roll, shock rock, Sonic Bond Publishing
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Album review: QUINN SULLIVAN – Wide Awake

Provogue Records [Release date 04.06.21] The 21-year-old Massachusetts singer-songwriter Quinn Sullivan has been touring the world since he was 11-years-old! Appearing at venues such as Madison Square Garden, the Hollywood Bowl and RFK Stadium in Washington D.C., as well as … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, jazz, melodic, pop, Quinn Sullivan, review, rock guitarist, soul, Wide Awake
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Album review: ED COSENS – Fortunes Favour

Distiller Records [Release date 09.04.21] Ed Cosens is the guitarist and one of the main songwriters in the Reverend and the Makers (one of the band’s former members Dave Sanderson appears on this album), a band who have been around … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 60s pop, album, Ed Cosens, Fortunes Favour, melodic, pop, Reverend and the Makers, review, Richard Hawley, rock
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Album review: SERENADE THE STARS – Astronomy

Facebook Serenade the Stars are a Buckinghamshire based band consisting of vocalists Matthew Harman and Coral Smith, guitarist Damian Carruthers (who is also the band’s main songwriter), bassist James Wrigley and drummer James Burton. They formed back in 2017 and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Astronomy, Deacon Blue, Del Amitri, melodic, pop, pop rock, review, Serenade The Stars
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Album review: ONE THOUSAND MOTELS – Get In Where You Fit In

Universal Music [Release date 30.04.21] One Thousand Motels is a bit of a punk supergroup if you will, consisting of the Damned drummer Rat Scabies, and bassist/multi-instrumentalist Chris Constantinou, who has worked with Adam Ant, Sinead O’Connor, Bow Wow Wow … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Chris Constantinou, Get In Where You Fit In, gospel, One Thousand Motels, pop, punk, Rat Scabies, review, rock, The Damned
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Album review: THE FLEUR DE LYS – Circles: The Ultimate

Countdown Records / Acid Jazz [Release date 26.3.21] Formed in Southampton in 1964, The Fleur De Lys had an ever-changing line up during their short lifetime, the mainstay being drummer Keith Guster who has assisted with this new 25 track … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Circles, Fleur de Lys, Keith Guster, pop, R&B, review, soul, The Ultimate'
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EP review: RINGO STARR – Zoom In

[Release date 19.03.21] Very few people can generate the goodwill and love that Ringo Starr does globally. Sure, when you’ve been a member of the biggest band ever, you’re bound to have some support, but he just keeps putting out … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Ben Harper, classic rock, Corrine Bailey Ray, Dave Grohl, EP, Joe Walsh, Paul McCartney, pop, review, Ringo Starr, Sheryl Crowe, Steve Lukather, The Beatles, Zoom In
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Album review: THE EQUALS – Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys

Cantare [Release date 26.2.21] In the continued absence of the original recordings by The Equals on digital platforms, and with previous CDs long deleted, this collection of tracks recorded for radio broadcast is most welcome. One of the few racially … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 60s music, album, BBC, Black Skin Blue Eyed Boys, Brian Matthew, Covers, Eddy Grant, pop, review, soul, the Equals
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Album review: LEAGUE OF LIGHTS – Dreamers Don’t Come Down

Eightspace Records [Release date 12.03.21] League Of Lights, the husband and wife duo of Richard (also a member of prog metal band Threshold) and Farrah West, return with their third album. As Farrah explains, “The album is about the past, … Continue reading
Book review: OFF THE CHARTS by KAT GOLDMAN

Sutherland House [Publication date 09.02.21] Canadian singer songwriter Kat Goldman has made four critically acclaimed albums and her songs have been covered by Grammy-nominated band, The Duhks, Dar Williams, among many others. I will be honest I had not … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, folk, Kat Goldman, memoir, Off The Charts, pop, review, singer songwriter
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Album review: RADAR – Lost In The Atlantic

Escape Music [Release date 19.02.21] Escape Music have a knack of uncovering long lost albums, or in the case of Radar, one that has never had a proper release until now. Radar was formed in 1981 by David West (keyboards, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 80's pop, album, Go West, Lost In The Atlantic, Nik Kershaw, pop, Radar, review, synth pop
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