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Our star rating
***** Out of this world
**** Pretty damn fine
*** OK, approach with caution unless you are a fan of the band or genre
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Latest Album Reviews
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Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON – Dirty Rockers, Dudley, Saturday 24 October 2020
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Gig review: MARK MORRISS- Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 3 October 2020
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Gig review: GARY FLETCHER AND NICK RITCHIE – Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, 2 October 2020
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Gig review: COLLATERAL – Leo’s, The Red Lion, Gravesend, Friday 4 September 2020
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Gig review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON – The Victoria, Swindon, Thursday 27 August 2020
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Featured Album Reviews
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Single & EP Reviews
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DVD Reviews
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News
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Features
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Feature: Collectible Collections – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND – 40th Anniversary Box Set
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Feature: Albums that time forgot … NATIVE CAIN – The Primitive Soul
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…EUROPE – Secret Society
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…JAMES LABRIE – Elements Of Persuasion
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…DON DOKKEN – Up From The Ashes
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Feature: Albums that time forgot … CODE OF SILENCE – Dark Skies Over Babylon
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Tag Archives: SPARKS
Album review: VARIOUS – Oh! You Pretty Things Glam Queens And Street Urchins

Cherry Red [Release date 26.02.21] Oh! You Pretty Things is a 3 disc, 66 track Glam (and more) boxfest, which disappointingly, despite its title, doesn’t feature the late David Bowie song. And ironically, nothing from Hermans Hermits, who turned it … Continue reading
EP review: THE LICKERISH QUARTET – Threesome Vol. 1

Lickerish Quartet/Label Logic [Release date 15.05.20] The Lickerish Quartet formed in 2017, featuring former Jellyfish members Roger Manning Jnr. (Imperial Drag), Eric Dover (Slash’s Snakepit, Alice Cooper, Imperial Drag) and Tim Smith. All three of them toured in support of … Continue reading
Posted in All Posts, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Cheap Trick, ELO, EP, Jellyfish, melodic, pop rock, power pop, quirky pop, review, SPARKS, the Lickerish Quartet
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Album review: SPARKS – A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip

BMG [Release date digital 15.05.20; physical 03.07.20] There are not many artists that have been going for over fifty years and still regularly tour and release good new music, and Sparks are one of those few. Their last album, 2017’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts
Tagged album, BMG, pop, quirky pop, review, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, snyth pop, SPARKS
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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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Album review: REDD KROSS – Beyond The Door

Merge [Release date 23.08.19] Amazingly this year marks the fortieth year that Redd Kross have been playing live (albeit originally under the name Red Cross) and it is the band’s first new album in seven years. The band are still … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts
Tagged album, alt rock, Beyond The Door, Melvins, pop rock, power pop, punk, Redd Kross, review, SPARKS
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Album review: ULYSSES – On Safari

[Release date 21.06.19] Ulysses released their first album in 2002 and since then they have been building up a loyal and growing following, along with some positive reviews in the music press. Ulysses consist of Luke Smyth (vocals, guitars), Jimmy … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts
Tagged 70's rock, album, funk, glam rock, Jellyfish, melodic, On Safari, pop rock, power pop, Psychedelic Rock, review, rock, SPARKS, The Beach Boys, Ulysses
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Album review: GLAS – Blue

The Last Music company [Release date 30.03.18] South Wales band Glas describe themselves as a: “blues rock n’ roll roots band”, which is a handy ‘catch all’ banner with which they explore their naturally eclectic style. Glas is that rare … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile)
Tagged album, Bill Kirchen, Blue, blues, boogie, Brian Setzer, Bruce Springsteen, Commader Cody, country, David John, Deke Leonard, George Harrison, Glas, guitar, James Oliver, Jason Ricci, John David, Love Sculpture, psychedelia, review, rock, rockabilly, Sam Andrew, SPARKS, Steve Gibbons, swing, The Yardbirds
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Album review: SPARKS – Hippopotamus

BMG [Release date 08.09.17] ‘Hippopotamus’ is a triumph of pop’s true potential over the usual clichéd familiar fare. It’s a cross genre album bursting with creativity, humour and stylistic diversity. The lyrical word plays, eclectic themes and nuanced melodies are … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), All Posts, The Best of 2017
Tagged album, art rock, chamber pop, disco, glam, Hippopotamus, lounge, New Wave, pop, pop art, Rebecca Sjöwall, review, rock, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS, spoken word
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Gig review: SPARKS – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 28 September 2017

Sparks breezed into an extra second night at a packed London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire to deliver a thematically driven show – right down to the band’s sailor tops – to promote the new ‘Hippopotamus’ chart album. The Mael brothers have … Continue reading
Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017
Tagged art rock, disco, Frank Zappa, gig, Hippopotamus, lounge, Mr. Goodnite, review, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS
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Gig review: SPARKS Album Launch Party – ICA, The Mall London, 7 Sept 2017

In many respects the ICA provides the perfect backdrop for the album launch party of ‘Hippopotamus’, Sparks’ 23rd album. The LA based brothers Ron and Russell Mael have long reached beyond the simple rock and roll format to realize their … Continue reading
Posted in All Posts, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Album Launch, Bob Harris, electro, funk, Hippopotamus, ICA, Joseph Wallace, Matt Everritt, Muff Winwood, opera, review, rock, Ron Mael, Russell Mael, SPARKS, spoken word, Tony Visconti
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Gig review: SPARKS – Union Chapel, London, 2 December 2013

“When the whole world is running headlong towards the precipice, one who walks in the opposite direction is looked on as being crazy.” T.S. Elliot could have been talking about Sparks. Their restless stop-start career has occasionally brushed the mainstream … Continue reading
Album review: SPARKS – New Music For Amnesiacs – The Essential Collection

Lil Beethoven Records (2CD) This two CD, 40 song best of is a condensed version of the recent box set, which features 83 songs. Sparks may be masters of pop yet they have had an influence in the rock world … Continue reading