Yearly Archives: 2020

Album review: TOBY JEPSON & THE TRUTH – Ignorance Is Bliss

Posted on July 6, 2020 by jason

Website [Release date 13.07.20] Toby Jepson is a national treasure and one of the finest musicians, songwriters and producers in the country. From his time fronting Little Angels, his successful solo career, stints with Fastway, Gun and Dio Disciples through … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 25th anniversary, album, Ignorance Is Bliss, Little Angels, reissue, review, Solo, Toby Jepson & the Truth, Wayward Sons | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (April 2020 – June 2020)

Posted on July 4, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

KATATONIA City Burials Peaceville Records …what we are dealing with here is a flawless piece of work one that both critics and fans of the band will refer to as a classic in years to come. Brilliant just brilliant! ***** … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged 20/20, albums of the month, April, Bad Touch, blues, blues rock, classic rock, hard rock, House of Lords, jazz funk, June, Katatonia, Lettuce, May, melodic rock, Myrath, Ronan Furlong, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) July 2020 – September 2020

Posted on July 4, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie January – March 2020 April – June 2020 October – December 2020 July 1st DOMINATION BLACK ‘Judgement IV’ Pride & Joy Music THE QUIREBOYS ‘A Bit Of What You Fancy’ (re-recorded debut album) 3rd WEATHER REPORT … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, Upcoming (Tours & Releases) | Tagged 20/20, album, AOR, August, Bluray, CD, DVD, heavy rock, July, melodic rock, metal, New releases, progressive, rock, September | Leave a comment

Single reviews: LIONHEART, UDO

Posted on July 4, 2020 by jason

LIONHEART Thine Is The Kingdom Metalville Records A reformed Lionheart (after 30 years) recorded and released a rather fine album of American influenced Melodic Rock in 2017, “Second Nature”, reviewed here. They weren’t all original band members, but old hands, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged AFM Records, DAS MUSSIKORPS DER BUNDESWEHR, Dennis Stratton, Lee Small, Lionheart, melodic rock, metal, Peter Baltes, review, rock, single, Udo Dirkschneider | Leave a comment

Album review: MAGNUS KARLSSON’S FREE FALL – We Are The Night

Posted on July 4, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 12.06.20] Album number three from the Free Fall project fronted by Primal Fear guitarist Magnus Karlsson, who has been busy of late having had a hand in the recent Allen/Olzen album also released by Frontiers. Karlsson handles … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Freefall, guitarist, Magnus Karlsson, melodic metal, Primal Fear, pwoer metal, review, symphonic metal, Tony Martin, We Are The Night | Leave a comment

EP review: MOONLIGHT DESIRES – At The Movies

Posted on July 4, 2020 by jason

Infamous Butcher Records [Release date 17.07.20] Moonlight Desires are a covers band hailing from Canada and their 2017 release, ‘Just The Hits 1981-85′ was good fun. This time they are still on a covers theme, going back to the 1980′s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged At The Movies, Covers, Cyndi Lauper, EP, Eric Carmen, films, melodic, Moonlight Desires, Peter Cetera, review, rock, Simple Minds | Leave a comment

Single reviews: LA GUNS, GILBY CLARKE, PSSR, PHIL X

Posted on July 3, 2020 by jason

Golden Robot Records The LA Guns, PhilX & The Drills, Gilby Clarke and PSSR, all enduring talents who started life in the glow of Eighties’ Hair Metal, are all releasing albums soon on the fast growing Golden Robot Records. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged alt rock, blues, Bon Jovi, classic rock, Gilby Clarke, guitarist, Guns 'N' Roses, LA Guns, Phil X, PSSR, review, rock, singles | Leave a comment

Album review: LONELY ROBOT – Feelings Are Good

Posted on July 2, 2020 by jason

Inside Out [Release date 17.07.20] In true Douglas Adams fashion Lonely Robot are back with their fourth album in a trilogy. Actually the first three albums were part of the space trilogy, whereas ‘Feelings Are Good’ as John Mitchell explains … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Craig Blundell, Feelings Are Good, John Mitchell, Lonely Robot, melodic, pop, progressive, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: VIOLENT SOHO – Everything is A-OK

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Davoski

I Oh You Records [Release date: 03.04.20] Accomplished indie/alt rock from Brisbane. I assume the title is not meant to be ironic. The album surfaced in the Spring and the recording/packaging would have been created long before the Covid-19 pandemic. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, alt, Brisbane, Everything is A-OK, indy, review, rock, Smashing Pumpkins, Violent Soho | Leave a comment

Rising Stars: BLIND CHANNEL

Posted on July 1, 2020 by jason

Niko Moilanen from Blind Channel answered our questions about playing at Wacken, the music scene in Finland and more… WHAT ARE YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES? Our music is influenced by bands like I Prevail, Bring Me The Horizon, older Linkin Park … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars | Tagged Blind Channel, Enter Shikari, interview, modenr rock, modern metal, Rising Stars, rock | Leave a comment

News: JEFFERSON STARSHIP, THE CULT, SKERRYVORE, Y&T (July 2020)

Posted on July 1, 2020 by jason

SAVOY BROWN- 100 Club, London, 18 January 2020

Jefferson Starship are planning to put out an EP, ‘Mother Of The Sun’, on 21 August via Golden Robot Records. Guitarist David Freiberg is the only original member remaining in the group, although former bassist Pete Sears plays on three … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, classic rock, country, folk, Jefferson Starship, Katie Melua, melodic rock, metal, New releases, news, pop, prog, re-issues, rock, Skerryvore, The Cult, Y&T | Leave a comment

Album review: KANSAS – The Absence of Presence

Posted on June 30, 2020 by andynathan

Inside Out Records [Release Date 17.07.20] Kansas are an object lesson in regeneration and renewal for veteran bands. Having been around since 1974, many feared for their future when lead singer Steve Walsh retired in 2014, but continuing with a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Kansas, Phil Ehart, Progressive Rock, Richard Williams, Ronnie Platt, Tom Brislin, Zak Rizvi | Leave a comment

Album review: PAUL KANTNER, GRACE SLICK & DAVID FREIBERG – Baron Von Tollboth And The Chrome Nun

Posted on June 30, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Esoteric [Release date: 27.3.20] By the early ’70s, a plethora of side projects accompanied the gentle coming-to-earth of Jefferson Airplane. A banner for socially-conscious psych-spiked folk rock, the San Franciscan ensemble was unassembling, its members distracted, often by themselves, and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Leave a comment

CHESTER KAMEN AND THE LOVES – Americanized

Posted on June 30, 2020 by jason

CHESTER KAMEN & THE LOVES - Americanized

Stoney Records [Release date 03.07.20] In another era Chester Kamen and the Loves might have shifted a ton of copies. They somehow evoke the days of New Wave/Punk, coming across like early Talking Heads, like the Buzzcocks, Eddie and the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americanized, Buzzcocks, Chester Kamen and the Loves, melodic, New Wave, Paul McArtney, punk pop, review, rock, Roger Waters | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to STEVE HACKETT

Posted on June 29, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Steve Hackett Liverpool Philharmonic Hall 7th May 2017 photo Steve Goudie 27

Alan Jones and David Randall chart the rise and revival of progmeister par excellence, Steve Hackett When we reviewed the Steve Hackett gig in October 2013 following the release of the second Genesis Revisited album, Pete Whalley summed things up. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged discography, feature, Genesis, guide, interview, introduction, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Steve Hackett | Leave a comment

Album review: BLUE OYSTER CULT – Iheart Radio Theater NYC 2012

Posted on June 27, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 08.05.20] An invited audience of 200 lucky fans saw Blue Oyster Cult live on stage at the IHeart Radio Theater in New York in 2012. The event noisily celebrated the band’s 40th year together, expertly recorded by … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Blue Oyster Cult, Buck Dharma, classic rock, Eric Bloom, Frontiers, hard rock, heavy metal, Iheart Radio Theater NYC 2012, live, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: EBBA BERGKVIST & THE FLAT TIRE BAND – Spilt Milk

Posted on June 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

[Release date 29.05.20] The debut album from Ebba Bergkvist & The Flat Tire Band – a Stockholm based, blues rock band featuring Ebba Bergkvist (vocals, guitar), Adam Randolph (drums), Erik Edgren (guitar)and Björn Korning (bass) – offers a bewildering smogasboard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues rock, Ebba Bergkvist & The Flat Tire Band, review, rock, roots, Spilt Milk | Leave a comment

Album review: THUNDERMOTHER – Heat Wave

Posted on June 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

AFM Records [Release date 31.07.20] Heat Wave – Thundermother’s fourth album – finds the no frills, all-female, Swedish, rock ‘n’ raunchers still in line-up transition. With all bar founder member/guitarist/songwriter Filippa Nässil quitting the band after touring their 2015 sophomore … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, Heat Wave, review, Sweden, Thundermother | Leave a comment

Album review: LARKIN POE – Self Made Man

Posted on June 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Tricki-Woo Records [Release date 12.06.20] Atlanta-bred, Nashville-based multi-instrumentalist Lovell sisters Rebecca and Megan have never been less than prolific, passing through folk, and then pop before alighting on the pop meets American South roots based format they debuted on Peach … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues rock, Larkin Poe, review, roots, Self Made Man | Leave a comment

Album review: MAGENTA – Masters Of Illusion

Posted on June 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Tigermoth [Release date 10.07.20] It seems a while since Magenta’s last studio release – We Are Legend (2017), and much as I enjoyed it, I have to confess it isn’t an album I’ve felt overly inclined to revisit at regular … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Hammer, horror, John Mitchell, Magenta, Masters Of Illusion, Peter Jones, prog, prog rock, progressive, review, Rob Reed, Troy Donockley | Leave a comment

Album review: SHRED KELLY – Like A Rising Sun

Posted on June 27, 2020 by jason

Devil Duck Records [Release date 03.07.20] Where do these excellent bands keep appearing from? Shred Kelly are another one, a five piece alt folk rock band (and not a speed metal band as their name may suggest) hailing from Canada … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, alt folk, folk, folk rock, Like A Rising Sun, melodic, pop rock, review, Shred Kelly | Leave a comment

EP review: COUNCIL, MARISA AND THE MOTHS

Posted on June 27, 2020 by jason

Website [Release date 23.06.20] Council is made up of 3 brothers and they are based out of NYC now. They have gone the organic route by building up a fan base by interacting with them, playing plenty of live shows … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged acoustic, Bastille, Council, electronica, EP, Get Numb, Imagine Dragons, Marisa And The Moths, melodic, modern rock, pop, review, rock, Stripped | Leave a comment

Album review: SMACKBOUND – 20/20

Posted on June 24, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 12.06.20] Finland’s Smackbound paid their dues playing clubs as a covers’ band. Their debut album, “20/20” is a distillation of all the styles and stuff they performed on stage…with added songwriting. And the songwriting shines brightly. It … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 20/20, album, debut, Frontiers, melodic metal, metal, review, Smackbound, symphonic metal | Leave a comment

Album review: MANDOKI SOULMATES – Living In The Gap/Hungarian Pictures

Posted on June 24, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Red Rock Production/Cleopatra Records [Release date 06.20] 2-CD Reviewing in the millennium means that we miss out on previous decades’ lavish PR packages. If we are lucky these days we get a 320kbps download. The arrival of the re-promoted Mandoki … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Al Di Meola, album, Bobby Kimball, Chris Thompson, fusion, Hungarian Pictures, Ian Anderson, Jack Bruce, Jazz rock, John Helliwell. Leslie Mandoki, Living In The Gap, Mandoki Soulmates, Mike Stern, prog, progressive, Randy Brecker, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: SOLITUDE WITHIN – Disappear

Posted on June 23, 2020 by jason

The European metal scene has never been healthier, as each week reveals more and more bands to fall in love with. Belgium Symphonic rockers Solitude Within can rightly stake their claim as part of the leading pack with their 2017 … Continue reading →