Album review: TIM ARNOLD – When Staying Alive’s The Latest Craze

Bandcamp [Release date 06.11.20]

It cannot be denied that lockdown and the coronavirus has been a huge strain on all of us, especially as much of the world enters a second round of lockdowns. On 23 March 2020, the day the UK went into lockdown, Tim Arnold began work on this album. Tim said of making the album “I had to just keep responding to what was happening, because it was always pretty intense”.

This is his twentieth album release and is a result of his lockdown experience and the family life that went with the territory (do watch the videos accompanying this album). Many of us back in March said we’d use this downtime to learn something new or create, but like many good intentions these fell by the wayside for many. Luckily, Tim Arnold has used this time wisely creating the music on this album and performing a series of socially distance concerts at his London home.

Tim is joined by various guests musicians who recorded their parts remotely including Buddhist monk Phra Peter Suparo (a former member and percussionist with the Penguin Cafe Orchestra) and bassist Andy Lewis, who was a member of Tim’s first band Jocasta.

Opening duo ‘Nothing On Earth’ and ‘Weird Now’ highlight many of the feelings and emotions we are all feeling this year. Missing friends, the daily routines of life we took for granted thrown upside down, live music…the list goes on.

On ‘Key Worker’ listen carefully for the background sounds and music, as Tim looks at the life of 2020’s hero the key worker. ‘Wonder’ is another one for the headphones, a gently soothing, melodic filled treat.

Before you go thinking it is all possibly a bit too much given the situation now, ‘Another Record That Changed My Life’ is a wonderful celebration of classic albums and how the power of music helps us. In a proper musical world this would be a top 10 hit, having a strong chorus and melody.

An album of times, created in the current pandemic and although it may not have answers to end the virus, it does contain an underlying message of love and hope. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

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.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 14 April

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 7 April 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 2 April 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 15 April 2024

ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)

To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account

Tweets by Get Ready to ROCK!