Album review: BANGALORE CHOIR – All Or Nothing, The Complete Studio Albums (3 CD Set)

Global Rock [Release date: 11.03.22]

This 3 disc set from Bangalore Choir is outstandingly well compiled. It’s the first release from Store For Music’s new imprint, Global Rock.

As well as the band’s career albums, On Target (1992), Cadence (2010) and Metaphor (2012), there are a dozen or more live bonus tracks and several interviews with mainman, David Reece, an eloquent musician who is always worth listening to.

Few bands who break up after one album will regroup 18 years later. But that’s exactly what this band did.

Founding member, David Reece, ex Accept, formed BC in 1991. He was a shrewd operator. Of the songs he didn’t write for On Target, he chose wisely.

The album’s hard rocking standouts, ‘Loaded Gun’ and ‘Angel In Black’, each a compelling marriage of melody and drama , were written respectively by mega successful songwriters, Curt Cuomo, Harry Parress and Autograph’s Steve Plunkett.

But… it was 1992 and the melodic rock genre was teetering on the edge of its sell by date. The album stiffed and the band went their separate ways.

Reece re-assembled the band in 2010. Original guitarist Curt Mitchell came on board, but others declined. To that Reece added distinguished guitarist/ songwriter, Andy (UDO) Susemihl and drummer, Hans (China White) in ‘t Zandt.

Cadence was released in September 2010.

Again, it’s high calibre stuff. They work hard at giving their rebooted brand of heavy rock an identity, aiming to rise above the nondescript uniformity that plagued post modern hard rock.

The expertly crafted ‘Living Your Dreams’, ‘Power Trippin’ and ‘Sweet Sensation’ are tougher, grittier, bluesier. The songs are strong, constructed around a solid melodic backbone. It was a clear progression, but it just couldn’t gain critical or commercial traction.

The band’s third and final album, Metaphor, was released in 2012. It opened to mixed reviews.

After Cadence’s emphatic step up in style and presentation from On Target, more perhaps was expected.

In places the songs are surprisingly conservative. It rummages through the past sometimes, repurposing an abundance of richly melodic twists and ear-catching hooks, like the naggingly familiar stadium rock of ‘Trojan Horse’ and the lean, laid back, medium paced radio rock of ‘Silhouettes on The Shade’.

That said, the band very successfully flex the limiting structures of the melodic rock formula on ‘Don’t Act Surprised’ and ‘Always Be My Angel’, and still make it sound fresh. A good way to bow out. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

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 1 December 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 3 December 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)