-
Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
-
Gig review: PAUL McCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024
-
Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
-
Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
-
Gig review: STRAY – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
-
Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
-
Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
-
Featured Album Reviews
-
Album review: BEKI BRINDLE BLUES BAND – All Kinds Of Beki
-
Album review: COLOSSEUM – Time On Our Side
-
Album review: BRITISH BLUES INVASION TO RUSSIA FESTIVAL – On-line Invasion Anthology
-
Album review: THE WILDHEARTS – 30 Year Itch
-
Album review: MIKE ZITO & THE WHEEL – Keep Coming Back
-
Album review: ESP – Invisible Din (Tony Lowe, Mark Brzezicki)
-
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Yearly Archives: 2023
Album review: ROBIN MCAULEY – Alive
Frontiers Records [Release date 17.02.23] Robin’s last album ‘Standing On The Edge’ was my top album of 2021 so this new release has a lot to live up to. However, with Robin you know that quality is assured and with … Continue reading
Album review: LOVEBITES – Judgement Day
JPU Records [Release date 24.02.23] I first became aware of Lovebites a few years back when they opened for Dragonforce. Not knowing the band’s musical leanings, I was very surprised that night at their blend of power and thrash metal … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Asami, Dragonforce, Haruna, Japan, JPU Records, Judgement day, Lovebites, Medori, metal, Myaki, power, review, rock, Steve Harris, symphonic, Thrash
Leave a comment
Album review: THE HAYLEY GRIFFITHS BAND – Melanie
Posh & Rock Records [Release date 20.01.23] We first came across Hayley Griffiths when she fronted Karnataka for a time, including one studio album in 2015. Her departure (with others) from that band was apparently acrimonious but she has dusted … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Karnataka, Melanie, metal, prog, Progressive Rock, review, The Hayley Griffiths Band
Leave a comment
Gig review: ROBERT JON & THE WRECK – Powerhaus, London, 11 February 2023
My first visit to the renamed Dingwalls since it changed name and ownership in 2020. The venue was near its 500-berth capacity for Robert Jon & The Wreck who have sold out a good few dates on this tour. First … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 11 February 2023, blues, Camden, gig, gospel, live, Powerhaus, review, Robert Jon & The Wreck, southern rock
Leave a comment
Album review: T3NORS – Naked Soul
Frontiers [Release date: 10.02.23] So much of Frontiers’ melodic rock finds itself impervious to outside influences. There are few AOR albums from the label that have successfully taken on contemporary musical mores. The truth is – we all claim to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Blanc Faces, Giant, Kent Hilli, melodic rock, Naked Soul, Perfect Plan, Pride of Lions, review, Robbie LeBlanc, T3NORS, Toby Hitchcock
Leave a comment
Album review: WIG WAM – Out Of The Dark
Frontiers [Release date 10.02.23] Hard to believe Wig Wam began strutting their Glam/Classic Rock stuff two decades ago.Their flirtation with Eurovision is well documented, but the band’s post 2014 downtime gap is not. What we do know is that the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, comeback, Eurovision, glam rock, metal, Out Of The Dark, review, Wig Wam
Leave a comment
Gig review: BOTH SIDES NOW: Homage to the Songs of Joni Mitchell – The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, Wednesday 8 February 2023
Without doubt one of the finest and most influential songwriters and performers of the past six decades, Joni Mitchell has a unique style that has seen countless music fans fall under her spell. Since her debut performing in local clubs … Continue reading
Album review: MOTORHEAD – Bad Magic: SERIOUSLY BAD MAGIC
Silver Lining Music [Release date 24.02.23] “If the guys wanted to prove a point with this record then they have achieved that goal and then some. ‘Aftershock’ was a great album but with ‘Bad Magic’ Lemmy, Phil and Mikkey have … Continue reading
EP review: SEAMUS FOLEY – Into The Night
Website [Release date 24.02.23] Séamus Foley releases a six song EP and as Séamus explains, “This EP came about after I recorded the single (of the same name) remotely during lockdown. I realised I wanted to further explore these ways of recording, … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Americana, blues, country, EP, folk, Into The Night, melodic, review, Seamus Foley
Leave a comment
Album review: BRIAN TARQUIN & HEAVY FRIENDS – Brothers In Arms
BHP Music/Guitar Trax Records [Release date 03.02.23] Yes I wasn’t too kind to guitarist Mike Campese when reviewing his album ‘Reset’. But you only have to listen to Brian Tarquin’s latest offering to understand how a guitar based album should … Continue reading
Album review: UFO – No Heavy Petting (Remaster)
Chrysalis Records [Release date 20.01.23] Re-issues and re-masters are two-a-penny and often there’s marginal benefit in penning a review, much less making an actual purchase. This album was previously remastered in 2007. I have, though, been impressed with the series … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, CD, classic rock, hard rock, Michael Schenker, No Heavy Petting, Phil Mogg, remaster, review, UFO
Leave a comment
Gig review: KRIS BARRAS BAND – The Forum, Tunbridge Wells, 7 February 2023
If there were a prize for the hardest working band in rock, the Kris Barras Band must be in contention. This second full length tour in 10 months takes in a remarkable 25 dates and despite these difficult times has … Continue reading
Gig review: BLACK STONE CHERRY AND THE DARKNESS – Wembley Arena, London, 4 February 2023
When this joint headline arena tour was announced, my first thoughts were that Black Stone Cherry and The Darkness were not natural bedfellows- the earnest blue collar southern rockers from Kentucky and the eccentric English band from East Anglia who … Continue reading
Album review: PROGedia – Dioscuri
R&S Records [Release date: 24.03.23 - Digital 24.04.23 - Physical] If you want a great groove to start the New Year, head this way. Fed Conti is an Italian producer and multi instrumentalist and his latest project is quite wonderful. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, beats, Dioscuri, electronica, Fed Conti, funk, PROGedia, review, rock, trip hop
Leave a comment
Album review: GABRIELLE DE VAL – Kiss In A Dragon Night
Escape Music [Release date 17.02.23] Gabrielle de Val has been involved in the rock scene since 1987 when she created the band Yin-Yang, which would later be called D’Val. They never recorded a full album, however, fast forward to 2010 … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Gabrielle de Val, hard rock, Kiss In A Dragon Night, Mark Boals, melodic rock, Mike Oldfield, review
Leave a comment
Single review: LETITIA GEORGE – Don’t Stop Me From Loving You
Jig-Saw Music Ltd [Release date 19.12.22] ‘Don’t Stop Me From Loving You’ is the kind of climactic outing that might have appealed to Dusty Springfield all those years ago and if nothing else confirms the durability of a soulful ballad. And yet … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged ballad, country, Don't Stop Me From Loving You, Dusty Springfield, Letitia George, review, rock, single, soul, vocal
Leave a comment
Album review: WHAT A GROOVY DAY – The British Sunshine Pop Sound, 1967-72 (3 CD boxset)
Cherry Red/ Grapefruit [Release date 27.02.23] Sunshine Pop – a worldwide phenomenon, though most popular in the USA and the UK – predated the age of psychedelia only by a matter of months. Legendary but hitless sixties UK band, Tony … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 3 CD set, boxset, review, Sunshine Pop, The seventies, The Sixties
Leave a comment
Album review: MIKE CAMPESE – Reset
www.mikecampese.com [Release date 11.11.22] I’m sorry but Mike Campese exhibits all the worst aspects of “guitar virtuoso”. Guitarists may well acknowledge his technical mastery (and he has featured in several big guitar mags) but for the average listener this is … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, guitar, guitarist, hard rock, Mike Campese, Neo Classical, Reset, review
Leave a comment
Album review: CERI JUSTICE – Walk In Shadow
www.cerijustice.rocks [Release date 15.04.22] Here at GRTR! it doesn’t really matter that we are reviewing an album nearly 12 months old. If it comes to our attention belatedly and is meritorious, we do it. It was Pete Feenstra playing a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Ceri Justice, classic rock, Justified, pop, pop rock, review, singer, soft rock, songwriter
Leave a comment
Album review: KATATONIA – Sky Void Of Stars
Napalm Records [Release date: 20.01.23] Ever since Swedish behemoths Katatonia de-coupled themselves from the doom-metal train to oblivion with the ‘Night Is The New Day’ album way back in 2009, they have been the flag-bearers of a genre best described … Continue reading
Album review: RONNIE ROMERO – Raised On Heavy Radio
Frontiers Records [Release date: 27.01.23] Second “Raised On…” album from Ronnie (Rainbow, Lords Of Black, The Ferry Men) Romero. Recording cover versions of your favourite songs must be a temptation that’s impossible to resist. Many singers/bands have done it. Few … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged album, Bad Company, Chris Caffery, Foreigner, Gus G, heavy metal, Helloween, Iron Maiden, Journey, Judas Priest, melodic rock, Nozuma Wakei, Rainbow, Raised On Heavy Radio, review, Roland Grapow, Ronnie Romero, Steve Perry, Survivor
Leave a comment
Album review: JARROD DICKENSON – Big Talk
Website [Release date 03.02.23] After a major label deal-gone-bad and Covid complications left him with a life-long medical condition, Jarrod Dickenson comes out fighting with ‘Big Talk’, an album full of classy melodies and lyrics. The album features Jano Rix (The … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, Big Talk, country, Jarrod Dickenson, review, rock, singer songwriter
Leave a comment
Album review : CROWNE – Operation Phoenix
Frontiers [elease date: 27.01.23] Second album from Crowne, a high end assembly made up of members of H.E.A.T., Art Nation, Europe, The Poodles and Dynazty. Respectively, Jona Tee, Alexander Strandell, John Leven, Christial Lundqvist and Love Magnusson. The debut didn’t … Continue reading
Album review: DOCKER’S GUILD – The Mystic Technocracy Season 2: The Age Of Entropy
Website Docker’s Guild is a massive progressive metal space opera which will unfold through five “seasons” and four “books” for a total of nine albums. It is masterminded by producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Douglas R. Docker. Joining him on this … Continue reading
Feature: The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – CHANTEL McGREGOR (February 2023)
Chantel’s down to earth Yorkshire lass delivery has endeared her to fans as much as her musicianship… Photo: David Randall Yorkshire singer/songwriter/guitarist Chantel McGregor first came to our attention in May 2010 when Pete Feenstra reviewed her debut London gig … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GRTR!@20, The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness
Tagged album, blues rock, Chantel McGregor, classic rock, feature, guitar, guitarist, interview, review
Leave a comment
