Album review : NEVENA – Nevena

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22]

After contributing to the Big Deal album earlier this year, with several other female singers, Nevena strikes out now as a solo performer. Her debut walks a high wire between modern pop and melodic rock, as she looks to find her forte in terms of both style and genre.

As an accomplished musician – a Berklee College of Music alumnus – and a serial competition winner in Eastern Europe – including her home country’s (Serbia) version of The Voice, Nevena’s got quite some pedigree as a singer.

Here, she’s aided and abetted by Mike Palace, a musician, songwriter, producer whose reputation is growing exponentially with each album he’s involved in.

So, given it’s a solid combination of talents, you could still argue that the duo just can’t nail down their direction of travel. Let’s assume that’s deliberate, and that they’re using this album to establish what works best, and … well, what doesn’t.

Several songs stand out. The gleaming, melodic rock immediacy of ‘Bad Sun Rising’ lifts it above the surrounding tracks. Palace’s guitar sound is pretty tough, for once. Like the dramatic ‘Miracles’, a big booming ballad, it’s done in the style of eighties’ chart ever presents, Pat Benatar and Heart. So, we’re looking back to AOR’s glory days.

Then there’s the hi-tech AOR/contemporary pop of ‘Too Late’, ‘Bulletproof’ and ‘Writers Block’. These are songs with energy to spare. You can easily imagine them climbing charts all over Europe, filling dancefloors with catchy, easily accessible hooks and rhythms.

But the one song that really cuts it here is ‘Straight Into Madness’, a country rock cracker. There are plenty of well worn country tropes trailing through the song – it’s full of dirt roads and blue collar sentiments. Palace and Nevena use that sense of familiarity to draw us in, then hook us with the music and the emotion. A signpost to the future, perhaps. ***

Review by Brian McGowan

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.