Album review: TURKISH DELIGHT – Volume 1

Escape Music [Release date 21.10.22]

Turkish Delight celebrates the joy that Escape Music co-owner Khalil Turk has for the kind of music he loves so much, namely AOR and melodic rock. This selection was personally chosen by Khalil, with material from the likes of Steve Overland (FM), Chris Ousey (Heartland), Steve Morris (Ian Gillan/Heartland), Steve Newman and Tommy Denander.

Musician wise guests appearing include Ronnie Platt (Kansas), Billy Greer (Streets/Kansas), Billy Sheehan, Gary Pihl (Sammy Hagar/Boston/Alliance), Jeff Pilson (Dokken), Jeff Scott Soto, Mike Slamer, Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake), Mark Mangold, Mark Stanway, Mat Sinner, Marco Mendoza, Ricky Phillips (Styx), Robin Beck, Robin Mc Auley, James Christian (House Of Lords) and the aforementioned Steve Overland.

‘Live Again’ features Kansas vocalist Ronnie Platt and has a whiff of that band’s 80s sound. This is followed by ‘Crazy Days’ with Jerome Maza at the mic, a singer who sounds uncannily like former Kansas vocalist Styeve Walsh. No surprise then that the song’s sound has a nice bit of 70s Kansas pomp about it.

For a bit of straight ahead hard rock the Billy Greer fronted ‘Bad Enough’ and Jeff Scott Soto on ‘Harder They Fall’ (tasty bit of Hammond playing on this courtesy of Alessandro Del Vecchi) will do nicely.

Liking the Terry Brock performance on ‘Get Out Of Here’, shades of Strangeways and about time we had some new music from him. Lee Small takes things down a bluesier road on ‘Hangman’s Blues’, complete with a Joel Hoekstra guitar solo. Tony Harnell fits the AOR-tastic ‘Take It Away’ perfectly, a song written by Michael Landau joining Steve Overland and Tommy Denander, both of whom feature on the song.

‘Belly Of The Beast’ is the ballad moment, made a little more pomp by Mark Mangold’s keyboards flourishes. Chris Ousey gives an impassioned vocal performance too. ‘Sweet Serenity’ obviously sounds like House Of Lords given that James Christian is singing, with Robin Beck on backing vocals. Possibly the weakest song on offer but still better than many melodic rock songs released this year.

Despite the number of writers and musicians involved the whole album holds together well, helped as the theme running through the album is to create enjoyable and top quality melodic rock.

Turkish Delight indeed! Dip into this box of musical delights (for vinyl lovers this is available as a limited edtion double LP and there are two songs exclusive to this version) if you have any love of highly polished AOR and melodic rock tunes. ***1/2

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

Check out radio stream repeat on Tuesday 8th (16:00 GMT) and Thursday 10th April (21:00 GMT)
Next Session: Sunday 4 May

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 2 March 2025.

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 on 4 March 2025

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

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 live or listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 7 April 2025

SEVEN BLOOD To The Unknown (indie)
FROM FALL TO SPRING Incomplete (Arising Empire)
POP EVIL Side Effects (MNRK Heavy)
ERJA LYYTINEN Abyss (Tuohi Records)
SKY VALLEY MISTRESS Too Many Ghosts (New Heavy Sounds)
RED GIANT Free Me (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 7 April 2025

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

Our occasional Newsletter signposts latest additions to the website(s). We also include a selection of recent top albums, based on GRTR! reviewer ratings. The newsletter is sent out a few times a year.

If you’d like to register to receive this occasional mailing please complete the form:

If using a smartphone/tablet please tap here or re-orientate your device

(Note that this registration is separate from site registration which allows you to leave comments and receive daily emails about new content. If you wish to register for this – in addition or separately – please click or tap here – for more information – the form is at the foot of each page. Please read our privacy policy when opting-in to receive emails.