COME TASTE THE BAND Reignition AOR Heaven[Release date 25.01.19]

Come Taste the Band is a Norwegian classic hard rock band, founded in 1997 by guitarist Jo Henning Kaasin and singer Vidar Heldal. Since then they have released a couple of Deep Purple tribute albums (hardly surprising given the band’s name) and they have toured with former Rainbow and Deep Purple vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, who also appears on two songs on this album. Singing on the other seven songs is another former Rainbow vocalist Doogie White.

As you’d expect the album is full of Deep Purple/Rainbow sounds, be it the organ on ‘Tied Down’ or Joe Lynn Turner giving it some vocal welly over 70′s synths on ‘Don’t Let Me Bleed’. Guitarist Jo Henning Kaasin shows off his love of Ritchie Blackmore’s playing on ‘Not That Kind Of Man’, a driving hard rocker featuring Doogie White.

By no means a ‘must have’ album, Come Taste The Band will appeal to those hankering after the classic 70′s sounds of Rainbow and Deep Purple, plus with both Joe Lynn Turner and Doogie White involved it adds that extra touch of class. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

MOZES AND THE FIRSTBORN Dadcore
Burger Records [Release date 25.01.19]

Dadcore is ‘a love letter to music. An ode to being in a band’, according to band member Melle Dielson. Dutch band Mozes and the Firstborn have made an album that encompasses various musical styles – mainly in the pop punk and psychedelic meets garage rock genres – to create a mix tape feel. In between songs are short musical/spoken word pieces which to be fair wear thin after a couple of listens.

Lead single, the grunge rock of ’If I’ and the summery vibe of ‘Grow Up’ – hints of the New Radicals on this one – are the album’s stand outs.

If Weezer floats your musical boat chances are Mozes and the Firstborn will appeal and full marks to them for their musical idea/concept on this album. ***

Review by Jason Ritchie

YOUNG FAST RUNNING MAN Young Bird
Slash Zero Records [Release date 02.11.18]

Young Fast Running Man was originally the solo project put together by Munich based songwriter Fabian Hertrich, who has since been joined by backing band The Young Birds, who after two years of playing together have recently released new album “Young Bird” and ironically this German band have produced a great slab of Americana that belies their geographical location.

The album itself has several angles, from the bluesy feel of “Electrified” or “Love Bird”, the jangly pop like end of things with “Rod and Line” or the female fronted country/Americana of “Canola Sea”, each seamlessly sitting alongside the next. “Red Kite” is a short instrumental piece that features some great harmonica, “Young Bird” itself is the album’s nicely textured title track, whilst “Rising Sun” sounds like nothing else here and closes the album in style.

However, it is that recurring feel of Americana that makes “Young Bird” the album it is, whether it be nice and easy “Bina Valley Blues” or the sparse guitar and vocal of “Catch 22”, this is where the band’s strength lies. ***1/2

Review by Nikk Guns

THE LAST DAY SECT The Gothic Novel
Maniac Squat Records [Release date 30.11.18]

Last Day Sect is a London-based art rock anti super-group of Paul Cuddeford (producer, vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums (Ian Hunter, Bob Geldof, Steve Harley, Lisa Ronson)), Tom Wilcox (producer, vocals (Lisa Ronson, Gillian Glover, Maniac Squat)), and Terry Edwards (baritone sax (PJ Harvey, Gallon Drunk)) and ‘friends’ – making ‘post-synthetic’ (a hybrid of guitar and synth) music.

Loosely a concept album, each of the songs is based on gothic themes and stories, including those by HP Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe and William Beckford. And there’s some ‘heavyweight’ hitters amongst the featured special guests, including Reeves Gabrels (The Cure, Bowie), Morgan Fisher (Mott The Hoople, Queen), Mike Garson (Bowie, Nine Inch Nails), and Lisa Ronson (Earl Slick Band).

Quite a Bowie thread there, but The Gothic Novel is so much more. A galvanising collision of styles encompassing those of the likes of David Byrne / Talking Heads, Bowie from Diamond Dogs, through his Berlin / Eno and Tin Machine periods, Iggy Pop (his touring band co-wrote the single Mesmer), and many more.

It’s a collection so bewilderingly broad, it’s impossible to adequately describe, let alone pigeon hole, with even the lyrics being in a number of languages – English, French and German – and musical styles everything from rock to electro pop. Avant garde is probably the most apt description.

But there’s a magnetic vitality about much of the set that just demands repeated plays. A weird one, for sure, and one that it would be all too easy to dismiss. But there’s some inspired playing that’s as invigorating as sticking a digit in a 240v electrical socket. Well worth exploring. ****

Review bvy Pete Whalley

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)