Tag Archives: review

Single & EP reviews: COLOUR THE ATLAS, LISBEE STAINTON

COLOUR THE ATLAS - Building Skyscrapers

COLOUR THE ATLAS Building Skyscrapers EP The new EP from Colour the Atlas, a young quartet from Swindon, is a corker. Following on from their eponymous debut EP, the band are writing and vocal partners Jess Hall (vocals) and Alex … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE LEVELLERS – Leamington Assembly, 28 June 2013

The Levellers - Leamington Assembly, 28 June 2013

I have been covering shows at The Leamington Assembly for over 4 years and this was by far the wildest night I have witnessed, the music and the crowd did not drop pace for a second after show time on … Continue reading

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Album review: STEVE HUNTER – The Manhattan Blues Project

Steve Hunter

Deacon  Records [Release date 30.04.13] ‘I wanted to look at New York in a slightly different way – I wanted to look at it in a soulful, bluesy way’. Steve Hunter’s mission statement for this album is the guitarist musical … Continue reading

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Gig review: HEAVEN’S BASEMENT – Sound Control, Manchester, 12 July 2013

Heavens Basement - Sound Control, Manchester, 12 July 2013

This must be the hottest ticket in town tonight as not only is it a sellout but it is also a scorcher in the venue, but even so the it’s over half full and the doors have only been open … Continue reading

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Album review – MEGADETH – Super Collider

    Universal Music  ( Release date – out now ) Back in the day, when thrash was at its height, of all the ‘Big Four’ I always found Megadeth  to be the weakest link. I did persevere and caught … Continue reading

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Gig review: 5 Years Of Kscope – The Garage, London, 25 July 2013 featuring Anathema

Leafblade

Main Act: Anathema Support Acts: North Atlantic Oscillation, Mothlite & Leafblade Another gig, another evening drenched in sweat. I moaned about the poor ventilation at the Garage in Highbury and Islington when I was there ten days ago for Wintersun’s … Continue reading

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Album review: OLI BROWN – Songs From the Road

Ruf [Release date 14.06.13] Anyone who has followed Oli Brown’s career so far, will hardly be surprised by the sense of adventure at the heart of this live DVD/CD. For though he was schooled in the blues at an early … Continue reading

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Gig Review: THE INTERNATIONAL SWINGERS – The Lexington, London, 19 July 2013

First a word about the venue, because on one of the steamiest New Orleans-like nights of this British heatwave, the upstairs gig had ceiling fans and a cool, chilled out lounge-bar atmosphere. It also had clear, uninterrupted sightlines, padded seating … Continue reading

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Album review: POWERWOLF – Preachers Of The Night

Napalm Records – Out Now. Fans of Heavy Metal have understood the importance of and pledged their allegiance towards the mighty riff since guitar wizard Tony Iommi first began to perfect his power chords back in the late 60s. But … Continue reading

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Album review: MAGGY SIMPSON – Lab Rat and Lobster

Voodoo Bones www.facebook.com/maggysimpsonrocks Maggy Simpson consists of Shane Counter and Bat Kinane (of Glyder fame), who have previously worked together on Bat Kinane’s solo album. That album was a singer/songwriter one with a folk feel, whereas Maggy Simpson is more of … Continue reading

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Album review: DANA FUCHS – Bliss Avenue

Ruf [Release date 22.07.13] If blues is too often predicated on the tried and tested theme of: ‘my baby done me wrong’; then Dana Fuchs cleverly extends such familiar subject matter from an autobiographical source and into universal themes that we … Continue reading

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Album review: EDENBRIDGE – The Bonding

SPV There are a lot of female fronted symphonic and progressive metal bands out there now, possibly too many and it takes something a bit special to make the listener sit up and take notice. Luckily Edenbridge are one such … Continue reading

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Album review: NEWMAN – Siren

AOR Heaven Amazingly this is the tenth studio album by Newman, which is basically Steve Newman plus long time drummer Rob McEwen. However this album features some guests in the shape of guitarists Shaun Bessant  on ‘When It Comes To … Continue reading

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Album review: REUBEN ARCHER’S PERSONAL SIN

Reuben  Archer

Toxic Arrow [Release date 19.08.13] Reuben Archer has been around the block enough times to know every doorhole, boozer and bookie by heart. The current (and previous) vocalist with hard rockers Stampede is also fronting up the Paul Raymond Project … Continue reading

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Gig review: WINTERSUN – The Garage, London, 16 July 2013

Support Acts: Bloodshot Dawn & Savage Messiah There is something truly ironic about a Finnish band visiting London on the hottest day of the year and performing at a venue that feels worse than a sauna, or the very lungs … Continue reading

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Gig review: SANTANA – LG Arena, Birmingham, 17 July 2013

Santana - LG Arena, Birmingham, 17 July 2013

There can be fewer pleasing combinations than the music of Santana on the hottest day of the year during an unexpected heatwave. With the rhythm section pumped up to the max, the always spiritual Carlos Santana would have us believe … Continue reading

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Album review: HELRUNAR & ARSTIDIR LIFSINS – Fragments – A Mythological Excavation

Prophecy Productions – Out Now. As a teenage metalhead immersed in the Heavy Metal scene of the mid 80s, I had often relied on split releases, whether in full length, EP or singles format, as a means of keeping myself … Continue reading

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Album review: PURSON – The Circle And The Blue Door

Rise Above – Out Now. Retro rock is enjoying a renewed wave of interest and, and in typical fashion for the music industry, record labels are in a rush to capitalise on it by signing as many such bands as … Continue reading

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Album review: DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD – Sticky Wickets

Duckworth Lewis Method (Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy and Thomas Walsh of Pugwash) return with their second album following on from their fantastic debut album released back in 2009. This album is one of this year’s most eagerly awaited … Continue reading

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Album review: THE POODLES – Tour De Force

Frontiers www.frontiers.it With fifth album “Tour De Force” The Poodles have come up with another quality slab of polished, melodic Euro rock. From the album’s ultimate highlight “Kings &Fools” to bonus track “En För Alla För En” (an almost Eurovision … Continue reading

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Album review: JAMES CHRISTIAN – Lay It All On Me

Frontiers Records [Release date 05.07.13] Having survived a brush with cancer, House of Lords singer James Christian is back with his first solo album in nearly a decade. Given that he is the only original member in the band these … Continue reading

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Album review: D-A-D – Dic.Nii.Lan.Daft.Erd.Ark

D-A-D - Dic.Nii.Lan.Daft.Erd.Ark

AFM Records (Deluxe Edition) [Release date 25.03.13] Following the original 2011 release of “Dic.Nii.Lan.Daft.Erd.Ark” D-A-D enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence, with the Danish band playing further afield then they had done for some years. The band’s 11th studio album in … Continue reading

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Album review: ANDY SCOTT – The Solo Singles

Angel Air www.angelair.co.uk Andy Scott made his name as the guitarist in the Sweet, a version of which he still tours with to this day. In the 80’s though after the Sweet called it a day in the early 80’s … Continue reading

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Album review: JONNY COLA & THE A-GRADES – Spitfire

[Release date 09.09.13] www.theagrades.net Second album by Jonny Cola & the A-Grades who have already released the superb single ‘Straight To Video’, which is included on here. That single recalled such greats as Mott The Hoople and this album is … Continue reading

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Album review: AOIFE O’DONOVAN – Fossils

AOIFE O

Yep Roc [Release date 24.06.13] Aoife (pronounced Ee-fuh)’s debut solo album at the age of 30 is already making something of a splash on the other side of the pond.  With a wealth of experience already under her belt as … Continue reading

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