Rhino [Release date 29.09.17]
Renowned guitarist Ronnie Montrose sadly passed in 2012, having left a long hard rock legacy, best known for his work with Gamma, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter and Sammy Hagar as well as his eponymous band Montrose.
Before he died, Ronnie started work on this project, 10 songs with 10 lead vocalists, a project featuring bassist Ricky Phillips (Styx, Bad English) and drummer Eric Singer (Kiss, Alice Cooper). Phillips completed the project after Montrose died and it’s as good as it looks.
Opener Heavy Traffic, featuring Mr Big’s Eric Martin, is a track that makes the whole album worthwhile. Strong powerful clear vocals that rock sing and scream with aplomb, it’s a classic hard rock song that transcends eras, this could be 1982, 1992 or 2002.
‘Love Is An Art’ features both Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer, there’s guitar solos and rich keyboards here, and some mean and moody vocals. Bluesy hard rock at its best, and some decent saxophone too.
Even the Sammy Hagar fronted ‘Color Blind’ sounds good, Steve Lukather’s guitar standing out, and backing vocals from the likes of Jeff Scott Soto.
Montrose produces some fine guitar throughout, on some fantastic songs, it’s a moody hard rock with an edge that moves from dry to blues and back. There’s even an element of funk in the Glenn Hughes sung ‘Still Singin’ With The Band’ (a track that also features Def Leppard’s Phil Collen).
Jeff Scott Soto appears on several tracks, and guests throughout also include Davey Pattison (fantastic singer), Tommy Shaw and Joe Bonamassa. Quite an amazing line-up.
From chunky riffs to shred, bonus solos, and songs full with strong rhythms, backing vocals and occasional keyboards, it’s a hard rock album well worth searching out regardless of who’s on it. A fitting tribute indeed. ****1/2
Review by Joe Geesin
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
