Album review: AVAWAVES – Chrysalis (Anna Phoebe/Aisling Brouwer)

AVAWAVES - Chrysalis

One Little Independent Records [Release date 08.10.21]

The return of Anna Phoebe!! She contributed a track to our Rising Stars sampler in 2007. She has performed with Trans-Siberian Orchestra. She was special guest of Jethro Tull (2009) and gave Ian Anderson a run for his money. Well, to be honest she looked more appealing. Then she married BBC Newsnight presenter (and prog rock fan) Gavin Essler. And then, like Essler, she slipped off the radar.

Now with pianist/film composer Aisling Brouwer she has fashioned a rather wonderful instrumental album (save for one track ‘Midnight Bird’ with singer YVA). It’s full of drama and twists and turns, with Phoebe providing the reflective and stirring string sounds to electronic beats and tinkly piano supplied by Brouwer.

It works really well. At times I was reminded of Ed Alleyne-Johnson, famed for his city centre busking and work with New Model Army. Lovers of violin led rock should check out his Oxford Suite but his own erudite bowing sometimes palls over an extended period and the initial listener euphoria (and novelty) soon wears off.

Avawaves on the other hand doesn’t outstay its welcome and the violin/piano is a good combination providing an irresistible emotional heft. The duo actually released their debut ‘Waves’ in 2019 having met up several years earlier.

There is a certain sameness to some of the Avawaves tracks, in fact melded together they could form a suite; ‘Chrysalis’, ‘Danu’ and ‘Before The Wake’ for example (although all standouts). But overall the album succeeds by offering an immersive melancholic soundtrack to our current malaise and uncertainty. ****

Review by David Randall

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

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 24 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 26 November 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 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)