-
Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
-
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
-
Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024
-
Featured Album Reviews
Features
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Monthly Archives: October 2024
Album review : CASANDRA’s CROSSING – Garden Of Earthly Delights
Frontiers [Release date: 25.10.24] George is back. Has he ever been away? George Lynch, ex-too many to mention, returns in tandem with up and coming vocalist/songwriter, Casandra Carson. Their debut is called Garden Of Earthly Delights … the cover art … Continue reading
Book review: THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE ROCK SOUND SYSTEMS, VOLUME 4 by Chris Hewitt
Dandelion Books [Publication date 23.10.24] You might imagine that this being Volume 4 of ‘The Development of Large Rock Sound Systems’, that there would be a natural chronology at play. Not so, for having dealt with the history of the … Continue reading
Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – The Wilde Theatre, Bracknell, 16 October 2024
First time in the Wilde Theatre, part of the South Hill Park complex that includes a small cinema and cellar bar (where on my first visit to South Hill Park enjoyed a gig by folk duo Ninebarrow). Despite being all … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 70's rock, Bracknell, Cats In Space, classic rock, gig, piano, pop rock, review, rock, the Wilde Theatre, Time Machine, Wednesday 16 October 2024, Willie Dowling
Leave a comment
Book review: GET YER ‘AIR CUT by Alan Clayson
Oldcastle Books [Publication date 17.09.24] They say you should always try and start a book with a bang, or at least a significant event. Alan Clayson’s ‘Get Yer Air Cut’ most certainly does that, opening with a 15 year old’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged Ace Keffor, Alan Clayson, Black Sabbath, book, Dave Berry, Dick Taylor, Frank Zappa, Get Yer 'Air Cut, Jim Simpson, John Lennon, Lennart Wrigholm, Mick Pini, Phil May, PJ Proby, review, Screaming Lord Such, The Beatles, The Move, The Pretty Things, The Rolling Stones, The Walker Brothers
Leave a comment
Album review: LAYLA ZOE – Into The Blue, Live In Concert
Layla Zoe Music [Release date: 13.09.24] To say Layla Zoe warms to the notion of being an independent artist, is to understate her willingness to both dig deep for her emotions in a concert situation, and fly in the face … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bob Dylan, Elizabeth Cotten, Felix Dehmel, Janis Joplin, Josh Rigal, Krissy Matthews, Layla Zoe, live, Lowell George, review
Leave a comment
Album review: RUBY DAWN – Blood On Water
Self-released [Release date 01.11.24] Hailing from Wokingham in the UK, Ruby Dawn are a rather fine progressive/art-rock band consolidating their progressive credentials with this follow-up to 2023’s ‘Beyond Tomorrow’, which, from all accounts, was an excellent debut in itself. Fronted … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Blood On Water, Progressive Rock, review, Ruby Dawn
Leave a comment
Album review: ARIES DESCENDANT – The Ashes Of Deceit
Frontiers [Release date 18.10.24] An amazing sense of musical ambition can often be found among European Rock and Metal bands. Often that ambition is rooted in the classics, or at least how the classics have been interpreted by contemporary musicians. … Continue reading
Album review : STEVE HOWE – Guitarscape
HoweSound [Release date: 27.09.24] With more than one hundred albums featuring his name in the recording credits, to offer guitarist Steve Howe the title of a truly accomplished musician should come as no surprise to anyone – still, it does … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Asia, Dylan Howe, guitarist, Guitarscape, instrumental, progressive, review, rock, Solo, Steve Howe, Yes
Leave a comment
Album review : FATE – Reconnect ‘N Ignite
Frontiers [Release date: 18.10.24] As Frontiers Records powers up its fourth quarter release schedule for 2024, it’ll be interesting to see if the label can maintain the quality we have become used to. Already with good stuff from Fans Of … Continue reading
Album review: WILLIE DOWLING – The Simpleton
Bandcamp [Release date 01.11.24] A new Willie Dowling album, whether it be under his own name or as part of one of his many fine groups like the Grip, Honeycrack, the Dowling Poole et al, is always a treat. On … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, classic rock, review, The Simpleton, Willie Dowling
Leave a comment
Album review: BOBBY ‘BORIS’ PICKETT – The Monster Mash
Decca [Release date 11.10.24] Bobby Pickett, a comedian and singer/songwriter, recorded this track after fronting a band called the Cordials by night, while attending auditions by day. Part of his act would include a monologue imitating Boris Karloff (probably best … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett, classic pop, Decca, HaLLoween, pop, review, The Monster Mash
Leave a comment
Gig review: SAMANTHA FISH – Koko, London, 6 October 2024
The splendid Koko was brimming full for the return of Samantha Fish to these shores with her own band, following last year’s shows with Jesse Dayton. And great to see the crowd that welcomed The Zac Schulze Gang’s support slot … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 6 October 2024, band, blues, gig, guitarist, Koko, review, rock, Samantha Fish, Zac Schulze
Leave a comment
Album review: STEVE KNIGHTLEY – The Winter Yards
Website [Release date 04.10.24] With Show of Hands on ‘an indefinite break’, Steve Knightley releases this, his first solo studio album in 17 years. Guest artists on the album include his Show of Hands partner-in-crime Phil Beer, Phillip Henry (Edgelarks), Madrid-based Track … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, contemporary music, folk, melodic, review, Show Of Hands, songwriter, Steve Knightley, The Winter Yards
Leave a comment
Gig review: APOCALYPTICA – SWG3, Glasgow, 3 October 2024
Many years ago I attended a guitar masterclass with the legendary singer/songwriter Gordon Giltrap. It was just one man with an acoustic guitar, but the sound and sheer ferocity of riffage he managed to extract from his poor, tortured acoustic … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 3rd Oct 2024, Apocalyptica, cello, Eicca Toppinen, gig, Glasgow, James Hetfield, live, Master Of Puppets, Metallica, One, Perttu Kivilaakso, Plays Metallica Vol 2, Rob Trujillo, Sad But True, SWG 3
Leave a comment
Album review : NIGHTMARE – Waiting For The Power, The Early Years (3 CD Set)
Cherry Red [Release date : 11.10.24] French cult Metal band, Nightmare, released the album, Encrypted, last year. Their 12th since forming in 1979. We reviewed it in GRTR! a few months ago. In another scoop for Cherry Red, remasters of … Continue reading
Gig review: MARTIN TURNER – 100 Club, London, 3 October 2024
2024 has seen Wishbone Ash founder member Martin Turner tour a set based around the Live Dates Volume Two album: perhaps less heralded than its predecessor, this 1980 release shows the ‘Mark 2’ phase of the band at their finest … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 100 Club, Danny Willson, gig, Live Dates Volume Two, Martin Turner, Misha Nikolic, Sonny Flint, Wishbone Ash
Leave a comment
Album review: CLEANBREAK – We Are The Fire
Frontiers [Release date : 11.10.24] We Are The Fire is the second album from Cleanbreak, Mike (Riot/Riot V) Flyntz and Frontiers’ wunderkind, James Durbin. While Mark Reale and Rhett Forester were getting all the headlines with Riot and Riot V, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Alessandro Delvecchio, Cleanbreak, Frontiers, hard rock, James Durbin, metal, Mike Flyntz, review, Riot V, Stryper, We Are The Fire
Leave a comment
Album review: SMASH ATOMS
M-Theory Audio [Release date 11.10.24] This year SMASH ATOMS have been bubbling under, mainly from the overwhelming and surprising response the Swedish quartet have received from commercial/active rock radio. Servicing their first single/video “Down” inspired a dozen stations to immediately … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, debut, grunge, review, rock, self-titled, Smash Atoms
Leave a comment
Album review : THUNDER – The Complete EMI Recordings 1989-95 (7 CD boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date 27.08.24] Thunder rose from the ashes of Terraplane, a two album English band who never escaped from label interference. Singer Danny Bowes and guitarist, Luke Morley, along with Gary “Harry” James, Ben Matthews and Mark “Snake” … Continue reading
Gig review: VINCENT FLATTS FINAL DRIVE – Slim Jim’s Liquor Store, Islington, London 4 October 2024
Tonight is the sort of gig that restates the true staples of rock and roll, namely the holy trinity of a great band, a welcoming venue and receptive audience. Birmingham’s Vincent Flatts Final Drive is the kind kick ass band … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 4 October 2024, AC/DC, Americana, Bernard Allison, Bertie, boogie, Captain Beefheart, funk, Gary Harper, live, London, review, Rich Shelton, rock, Russ Cook, Slim Jim's Liquor Store, Starfighters, Steve Burton, The Georgia Satellites, Vincent Flatts Final Drive
Leave a comment
Album review: SUNJAY – I’m Just Like You
Website [Release date 11.11.24] This latest album by singer, songwriter and blues guitarist Sunjay is a tribute to blues legend Chris Smither. The album features 15 of Chris Smither’s original songs, it was originally recorded as a private gift for Smither’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, blues, Chris Smither, folk, guitarist, I'm Just Like You, review, singer songwriter, Sunjay
1 Comment
EP review: CLUB PARADISE – Life On TV
Facebook [Release date 11.10.24] Club Paradise is made up of school friends Ryan Young (vocals/guitar), Jackson Vert (lead guitar), Harry Webb (bass) and Nathan Hogg (drums). They have been together for over a decade and it shows in that they have a tight sound/decent production values. The EP features … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Club Paradise, EP, indie, indie pop, indie rock, Life On TV, melodic, pop rock, review
Leave a comment
Album review: RADIOACTIVE – Reset
Frontiers [Release date : 11.10.24] Swedish musician/songwriter/producer, Tommy Denander has been an integral part of the AOR/Melodic Rock scene for more than 25 years now. He’s worked closely with countless musicians in the genre, most notably Bobby Kimball, Alice Cooper … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Bobby Kimball, Jeff Paris, Jim Jidhed, Jimi Jamison, Mutt Lange, RADIOACTIVE, Reset, review, Robin McAuley, Tommy Denander, Toto
Leave a comment
Album review: SLIK – The Complete Slik Collection (2 CDs)
Cherry Red [Release date : 11.10.24] This is as much a story about two songwriters, Scotland’s Bill Martin and Irishman, Phil Coulter, as it is the story of Scottish band Slik who enjoyed a 3 year lifespan, 1975-1977. Martin and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Band Aid, Bay City Rollers, Bill Martin, Cherry Red, Live Aid, Midge Ure, Phil Coulter, review, Rich Kids, Slik, ULTRAVOX, Visage
Leave a comment
Album review: HOUSE OF LORDS – Full Tilt Overdrive
Frontiers [Release date : 11.10.24] More of a commitment than an album title, the House Of Lords 12th recording, Full Tilt Overdrive, follows through on the “in your face melodic hard rock” of their 2022 release, Saints and Sinners. It … Continue reading
