Tag Archives: review

Gig review: STEVE HACKETT – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 29 October 2013

Steve Hackett - Liverpool, 29 October 2013

Perhaps because he’s never been the archetypal flashy rock guitarist, and perhaps because he’s largely plied his solo career away from the spotlight, Steve Hackett’s almost become  the ‘forgotten man’ from the classic 1971 to 1977 Genesis line up.  Until … Continue reading

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Album Review: MOTHER BLACK CAP – Energy

Mother Black Cap

Cyclops Records [Release Date 17.06.13] If classic/prog rock, well played with clever, insightful lyrics is the sort of thing that lights up your musical world you really should have a closer look at this little gem from Mother Black Cap. … Continue reading

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Album review: MANFRED MANN – EP Collection

Manfred Mann EP Collection

Brollyeps [Release date 04.11.13] Manfred Mann has been well served by recent reissues, not least 2011′s splendid box set.  However, it is left to this latest collection to showcase the sixties incarnation of his band when he had Paul Jones … Continue reading

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Album review: Released! – The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1998

Released - The Human Rights Concerts 1986-1998

Eagle Records [Release date: 28.10.13] 6-DVD set, 4 CDs 10th December 2013 marks the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights  – instigated after World War II and adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.  It provided the … Continue reading

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Quick Plays: DAVID GATES, MISTRESS, CRASHDIET, REINXEED, SAVATAGE

MISTRESS  Loveteaser www.reverbnation.com/mistressrockband New Zealand band Mistress wants to bring back that 80’s hair metal sound…on a £2.53 budget judging by the sound. Mind you legendary producer Beau Hill does remix one song on here, ‘She’s A Sinner’. Siggy Signal … Continue reading

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Album review: SAXON – Live In Germany 1991

Saxon - Live In Germany 1991

Edsel Records [Release date 28.10.13] You could argue: why do we want another Saxon live album from a time when arguably they were past their peak?  Don’t be so miserable.  Recorded in Germany in 1991 the band had just recorded … Continue reading

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Album review: STATUS QUO – In Search Of The Fourth Chord/Quid Pro Quo (reissues)

Status Quo - In Search Of The Fourth Chord

Edsel [Release date 28.10.13] There’s something quite irresistible about Quo, perhaps the more so since they’ve recently reformed with the classic line-up and re-discovered their seventies mojo.  Yes, they have had their fair share of naff-ness (recently consolidated by their … Continue reading

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Album & DVD review: JIMI HENDRIX – Hear My Train A Comin’/Miami Pop Festival

Jimi Hendrix - Hear My Train A Comin

Sony Music [Release date 04.11.13] It’s several years now since the Hendrix back catalogue was acquired by Sony Music and since then together with the Hendrix Estate (Experience Hendrix) they have been reinventing the legendary performer via a series of … Continue reading

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Album review: SHHH…APES! – The Shape of Apes to Come

  Matchbox Records   [Release date 14.10.13] Shhh…Apes!  is a welsh combo steered by their effervescent founder member Mark Foley, who don’t so much compose songs, as paint aural landscape and populate them with a subtly crafted mix of harmonies, percussion … Continue reading

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Gig review: FIREFEST X, Nottingham Rock City, 18-20 October 2013

Firefest X

Firefest’s status as almost a world convention for melodic hard rock seems to grow with each passing year. This year’s Festival was virtually sold out months in advance, reflecting the strongest line up to date and a festival that has … Continue reading

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Album review: AYREON – The Theory Of Everything

Inside Out  [Release date 28.10.13] Telling a story through music is a tried and tested method and is certainly as old as Rock itself. Examples are too many to mention, but the most celebrated works would undoubtedly have to be … Continue reading

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Album review: ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN – Drive

Inside Out – Out Now I have always been a strong supporter of the idea that the boundaries which separate the average musician from the real artist are strict and always clearly defined. Those who belong in the former category … Continue reading

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Album review: BADFINGER – Badfinger,Wish You Were Here,BBC In Concert

Badfinger - reissues

Edsel Records [Release date: 28.10.13] Badfinger represents one of the great tragi-histories of rock and the story is outlined again in Alan Robinson’s liner notes within this latest package.  The band were one of the first signings to the Beatles … Continue reading

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Album review: SHADES OF REMEMBERANCE – Veil

   Burn All Records [Release Date: 26.04.13] Ohio’s Shades Of Remembrance are metal band with proggy leanings on an album that straddles both genres rather than fuses the two. ‘Veil’ duly delivers enough speed, intensity, resolute playing and dark themes to … Continue reading

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Album review: THE FLOWER KINGS – Desolation Rose

Inside Out – Out Now. It was almost a year ago that I was granted a thoroughly delightful and highly entertaining interview with Roine Stolt during which I openly questioned his priorities by stating that having a band like The … Continue reading

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Album review: AOR – The Secrets Of LA

AOR - The Secrets Of LA

AOR Heaven [Release date 02.12.13] Having reviewed – somewhat disparingly I know (A slamming of Slama?) – Frederic Slama’s last offering (LA Temptation) and those of his protégées Chasing Violets  – could this latest album redeem the “veteran” LA-based French-born … Continue reading

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Album review: STRYPER – No More Hell To Pay

Stryper - No More Hell To Pay

Frontiers [Release date 04.11.13] Stryper were never one of my favourite Christian rock bands back in the days when I would seek out the new releases by Petra, Bloodgood, White Heart, X-Sinner and White Cross. The glammed up “guys” (from … Continue reading

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Album Review: RON SAYER JR. & CHARLOTTE JOYCE – Hard To Please

Self release [Release Date: 16.09.13] If ever there was an album that highlighted the way Euro blues artist are discriminated against by their American counterparts this is it. Had this album been recorded by an Austin band or indeed cut … Continue reading

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Quick Plays: ANTLERED MAN, WINDRUNNERS, PATRIOT REBEL, DEADLY CIRCUS FIRE

ANTLERED MAN – The Devil Is Them New Heavy Sounds (Release date – out now) This is the second album from the London quartet Antlered Man. The four piece released their debut album last year to great reviews and toured … Continue reading

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Album review: JONO – Requiem

www.jontheband.se Another great musical discovery from Sweden. Jono are centred around vocalist Johan Norrby who is joined by Within Temptation guitarist Stefan Hellebald and drummer Nicka Hellenberg, who appeared on the last Within Temptation album. Completing the line-up are Johan … Continue reading

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Album Review: JEFF HEALEY BAND – Live From NYC

The Jeff Healey Band - Live From NYC

Eagle Rock [Release Date: 14.10.13] It’s beginning to look like every time Jeff Healey walked onto a stage that someone, somewhere was recording the event for posterity. In the last four years alone there’s been ‘Songs From The Road’, ‘Live … Continue reading

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Quick Plays: BLACK SUCCUBI, KILLER BEE, STUNTMAN MIKE, HELHORSE

BLACK SUCCUBI – Eye Of The Beholder Gateway Music (Release Date – out now) These Danish rockers have been together since 2005 and have undergone a number of line-up changes in their time together. This is the band’s second album … Continue reading

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ELECTRO-NOMICON – Unleashing The Shadows

      No Remorse Records (Release date – out now) To many lovers of rock the passing of the great Ronnie James Dio was a sad day. The man had a unique power, strength and depth to his voice … Continue reading

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Gig review: CAMEL – RNCM, Manchester, 21 October 2013

Camel - Manchester, 21 October 2013

The original credits on the 1975 album ‘The Snow Goose’ say it all really: Doug Ferguson: bass and duffle coat.  But it was actually Camel who made the afghan coat de rigeur in the seventies, never quite shaking off their … Continue reading

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Gig review: ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN, Trillium – London Jazz Cafe, 19 October 2013

Fifteen years ago, at the now demolished Rodon Club in Athens and in the good company of another two thousand fans of atmospheric/progressive metal, the author of this review enjoyed one of the most artistically satisfying and emotionally charged performances … Continue reading

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