Tag Archives: review

Album review: NIGHT RANGER – 35 Years and A Night In Chicago

Frontiers [Release date 02.12.16] Night Ranger celebrate 35 years together with this double live CD and DVD set, recorded back in May this year at the House Of Blues in Chicago. Having been lucky enough to have seen them live … Continue reading

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Gig review: 2016 ROADSTARS – 02 ACADEMY, Islington, London, 7 December 2016

Federal Charm – 02 ACADEMY, Islington, London, 7 December 2016

The 2016 Roadstars triumvirate is a triumph of musical hunger and passion over cultural and musical diversity. Mancunian powerhouse Federal Charm have a punk like fervour that taps into classic rock sensibilities with an occasional bluesy undertow. Aaron Keylock is … Continue reading

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DVD review: JOAN ARMATRADING – Me Myself I – World Tour Concert

429 Records [Release date 11.11.16] Hardly the most ‘original’ of titles for Joan Armatrading’s globetrotting swansong, but befitting as, believe it or not, her ‘farewell’ tour which lasted almost two years, and saw her play 235 dates across four different … Continue reading

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DVD review: DEEP PURPLE – California Jam 1974

DEEP PURPLE - California Jam 1974

earMUSIC [Release date 09.12.16] I was beginning to think that ‘remastering’ is a marketing ‘con’ and not about bringing consumers a truly superior product.  After all, is it really possible to make a sow’s purse out of a pig’s ear … Continue reading

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Gig review: STATUS QUO – Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, 2 December 2016

STATUS QUO - Parc Y Scarletts, Llanelli, 27 August 2016

Let’s put some background markers down first – I first saw Quo in Sheffield in 1977 and assuming an average of a gig per tour since and then throw in the ad-hoc promotional stuff like the first Aquostic gig at … Continue reading

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Gig review: BLACK STONE CHERRY – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 5 December 2016

The Best of 2016

To say Black Stone Cherry deliver the kind of impassioned Southern tinged classic rock that their fans demand, is to grossly underestimate the versatility of a remarkable performance and the strength of their songs. Tonight they lyrically bare their soul … Continue reading

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Single & EP reviews: RED CAIN, MICHAEL ARMSTRONG, BLINK

Red Cain

RED CAIN [Release date 25.11.16] Hailing from Alberta, Canada Red Cain consist of Evgeniy Zayarny (vocals), Nik Ryzhenkov (guitar), Rogan McAndrews (bass), William Lancaster (synths/orchestration) and Samuel Royce (drums). This is a self-released EP and of very good standard it … Continue reading

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Album review: METALLICA – Hardwired…To Self- Destruct

METALLICA – Hardwired…To Self- Destruct

Blackened Records [Release date 28.11.16] Before I plunge into a review of Metallica’s latest opus I would like to offer up a cautionary tale to all aspiring bands, be afraid…. Once upon a time there were two snotty nosed teens … Continue reading

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Gig review: KING KING – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 29 November 2016

KING KING - Islington Assembly Hall, London, 29 November 2016

In an even more crowded than ever November gig schedule, it was still important to find time for this enticing double bill of two up and coming bands, both offering a fresh take on blues-influenced rock. If 2015 was when … Continue reading

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Gig review: DAN REED – Lymm Golf Club, Cheshire, 3 December 2016

DAN REED - Lymm Golf Club, Cheshire, 3 December 2016

What started out as a belated 40th birthday treat has become a bit of an obsession for Steve Perrone.  For the past five years he’s put on a variety of gigs with Dan Reed, and in various shapes and forms, … Continue reading

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Album review: ALTAVIA – Kreosote

ALTAVIA - Kreosote

White Knight Records [Release date: 07.10.16] Following in the giant footsteps of all those great Rock Progressivo Italiano pathfinders such as PFM, Le Orme, Celeste and Finisterre come AltaVia with their own take on the genre. I say their own … Continue reading

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Gig review: WINTERSTORM FESTIVAL – Concert Hall, Troon, 25/26 November 2016

Troon

The town of Troon is better known for its championship links golf course rather than as a hub for all things rock, but one man with a vision, Iain McCaig, is set to change all that. Going by the old … Continue reading

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Album review: ENUFF Z’NUFF – Clowns Lounge

Frontiers [Release date 02.12.16] Been awhile since any new material from Enuff Z’Nuff, 2010′s ‘Dissonance’ to be precise. This is not quite a new release, as the songs on here were first written back in 1988-89 by Chip Z’Nuff and … Continue reading

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Album review: HANOI ROCKS – Strange Boys Box

HANOI ROCKS - Strange Boys Box

Cleopatra Records [Release date 21.10.16] Vastly underrated yet hugely influential, Finnish legends Hanoi Rocks are said to have sold one million albums back in the Eighties. That is not many when you consider that without them we would not have … Continue reading

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Album review: BIG BIG TRAIN – A Stone’s Throw From The Line

BIG BIG TRAIN - A Stone

English Electric Recordings www.bigbigtrain.com [Release date 02.12.16] Following on from their latest excellent studio album, ‘Folklore’, released earlier this year, Big Big Train deliver a live seasonal treat for their fans. This double CD was recorded from across the three … Continue reading

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Gig review: MARILLION – Manchester Academy, 28 November 2016

Marillion - Manchester Academy, 28 November 2016

Promoting their latest opus F E A R, this Marillion gig came sadly just too late to receive my ‘gig of the year’ nomination in the GRTR! Best of 2016 reviewers’ poll. Marillion are in the somewhat unique position amongst … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE ANSWER/THE DEAD DAISIES – Electric Ballroom, London, 23 November 2016

Dead Daisies

In the current live music climate, a touring double bill makes sense. As well as sharing overheads and potentially playing to double the normal audience, for the fan it helps manage an increasingly crowded calendar where often multiple gigs compete … Continue reading

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Album review: TYKETTO – Reach

TYKETTO - Reach

Frontiers [Release Date 14.10.16] Four years ago, the much-anticipated release from Tyketto’s original line up, ‘Dig In Deep’ fell rather flat – it was not a bad album in its own right, but failed to live up to the impossible … Continue reading

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Gig review: FM – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 19 November 2016

FM - Islington Assembly Hall, London, 19 November 2016

Since reforming a few years ago, Britain’s premier homegrown melodic rockers FM have steered a delicate balance between moving forward and looking backwards. The new line up with Jim Kirkpatrick on guitar has perhaps been the best in their history, … Continue reading

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Album review: PRETTY MAIDS – Kingmaker

PRETTY MAIDS – Kingmaker

Frontiers Records [Release date 04.11.16] “Kingmaker” is Pretty Maids’ 15th studio album if you include 2014’s superb “Louder Than Ever” which contained re-recordings of old tunes plus 4 newbies and it continues their run of high quality releases. The Danish … Continue reading

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Gig review: BETH HART/Colin James – Royal Festival Hall, London, 23 November 2016

BETH HART/Colin James – Royal Festival Hall, London, 23 November 2016

It isn’t just her remarkable voice and emotive songs, let alone her vivacious stage presence that marks Beth Hart out as special, it’s much more than that. She’s a force of nature and a previously troubled soul who has dragged … Continue reading

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Album review: GUS MONSANTO – Karma Cafe

GUS MONSANTO - Karma Cafe

[Release date 05.09.16] Brazilian Gus Monsanto may not be a household name in terms of wider rock recognition, but since at least 2004 his name has cropped up repeatedly on other people’s albums, mainly metal-related.  He’s worked with French band … Continue reading

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Album review: PYMLICO – Meeting Point

PYMLICO - Meeting Point

Apollon Records [Release date 07.10.16] We’ve had an obsession with all things Scandinavian in recent years and the fourth album from Norwegian instrumentalists Pymlico contributes to this Nordic sense of intrigue. Wholly instrumental, prog/jazz fusion in approach, the band is … Continue reading

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Album review: KAIPA DA CAPO – Darskapens Monotoni

KAIPA DA CAPO - Darskapens Monotoni

Foxtrot Records [Release date: 30.09.16] For all those progressive rock diehards out there who think that there has not been one note of music of any consequence written since the early seventies – prick up your ears, all your birthdays … Continue reading

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Album review: KEE MARCELLO – Scaling Up

KEE MARCELLO - Scaling Up

Frontiers [Release Date 14.10.16] Guitarist with Europe in their commercial heyday first time round, Kee Marcello’s solo career to date has been an unspectacular one, and even his otherwise enjoyable live shows made me inclined to check out his own … Continue reading

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