Yearly Archives: 2024

Gig review: JANUARY BLUES FESTIVAL (Laurence Jones, Ben Poole) – The Forge, Camden, London, 23 and 24 January 2024

January Blues Festival, blues rock, Laurence Jones, Ben Poole, Guy Smeets, gig, festival

For many years now the January Blues Festival has given the traditionally quiet gig calendar a welcome boost in that most depressing of months and showcased a variety of artists old and new. The 100 Club was its traditional habitat … Continue reading

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Album review: SOUTH OF SALEM – Death Of The Party

SOUTH OF SALEM - Death Of The Party

Spider Party Records [Release date 19.01.24] Back “in the day” UK national radio would ensure that if a band crafted three or four minute ear candy there was a good chance it would be playlisted. Back then – 1970s and … Continue reading

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Album review : ALCATRAZZ – Rock Justice : The Complete Recordings 1983-1986

Alcatrazz Rock Justice 150

Cherry Red [Release date : 26.01.24] The Yngwie Malmsteen, Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo writing team on debut album No Parole From Rock’n’Roll (1983) was much more than the sum of the parts. Hard rock melodramas, ‘General Hospital’ and ‘Hiroshima Mon … Continue reading

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Album review: LITTLE LORE – Seven Stories (Parts one and two)

LITTLE LORE - Seven Stories (Parts one and two)

Bandcamp [Release date 23.02.24] Tricia Duffy, aka Little Lore, release the second part of her album in two parts/EPs. This version collates all seven songs together and is also available on CD, as well as download and streaming. Producer and … Continue reading

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Album review: THE PLEASURES – The Beginning Of The End

The Pleasures - The Beginning of The End

Self release [Release Date 04.08.23] The Pleasures are an Australian duo comprising Catherine Britt and Lachlan Bryan, supported by a fine rhythm section who always serve the song. The duo are the focal point throughout on 11 uncompromising, finely crafted … Continue reading

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Single review : KMFDM – Let Go

KMFDM Let Go 150

Metropolis Records [Release date : 12.01.24] For some musicians, a band name that describes their political aspirations takes precedent over commerciality. And so in 1984 Sascha Konietsko’s “performance art project” became Kein Mehrheit Für Die Mitleid, quickly abbreviated to KMFDM. … Continue reading

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Album review : MAMA’S BOYS – Runaway Dreams 1980-92 (5 CD boxset)

MamasBoys boxset 150

Cherry Red [Release date : 26.01.24] CD1: Official Bootleg (1980) CD2: Plug It In (1982) CD3: Turn It Up (1984) CD4: Relativity (1992) CD5: Singles, B Sides and Rarities Three boys from Co. Fermanagh conquer the world. Well no, it … Continue reading

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Album review: DAN PATLANSKY – Movin’ On

Dan Patlansky - Movin On

Pete Feenstra chatted to Dan Patlansky for Get Ready to ROCK! radio.  First broadcast 21 January 2024. Virgin Music Label And Artist Services [Release Date 01.03.24] It’s tempting to say that South African guitar slinger Dan Patlanksy is back with … Continue reading

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Album review: SAXON – Hell, Fire and Damnation

SAXON- Hell, Fire and Damnation

Silver Lining Music (Release Date 19.1.24) The fact that Saxon were one of the inductees in GRTR’s ‘Grotto of Greatness’, marking significant acts from our first 20 years, tells you all you need to know about the ability of the … Continue reading

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Album review: DYMYTRY – Five Angry Men

DYMYTRY Five 150

AFM Records [Release date : 26.01.24] Second English language album from Czech Power Metal band, Dymytry, (their sixth overall). The arrival of vocalist, Alen Lubic has made all the difference in creating an international appeal. Musically, this new album is … Continue reading

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Singles review: NIGHTMARE, ALTERIUM

AFM Records [Release date : 12.01.24] Formed in 1979, Power Metal French band, Nightmare have been worshipping the mighty riff for 11 albums now. Ex Songbird frontwoman, Barbara Mogore, is the band’s new vocalist, subsequently showing off her vocal versatility on a … Continue reading

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Album review: GOTUS – Gotus

Gotus 150

Frontiers [Release date: 19.01.24] Debut album from Gotus, an international rock/metal collective. That said, it doesn’t seem quite right calling an album recorded by ex Krokus and ex Gotthard musicians, fronted by an increasingly famous vocalist, a “debut”. (and personally … Continue reading

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Album review: RICHARD THOMPSON BAND – Live In Nottingham 1986

richard thompson band live in nottingham 1986

Store For Music [Release date 26.01.24] An archive live performance released on CD for the first time (and with the blessing of Richard Thompson, which is not always the case with these live CDs), recorded on his 1986 tour. Angel … Continue reading

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Album review: JIM CAPALDI – The Outside Years (4 CD Boxset)

Jim-Capaldi-The-Outside-Years-Cover-150

Cherry Red [Release date : 26.01.24] CD1: Living On The Outside (2001) CD2: Poor Boy Blue (2004) CD3: 35 bonus tracks over 2 CDs, most of them unreleased until now. CD4: ditto The late Jim Capaldi, most famously a member … Continue reading

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Album review: EXIT EDEN – Femme Fatales

exit eden femme fatales

Napalm Records [Release date 12.01.24] Exit Eden are down to the trio of Clémentine Delauney (Visions Of Atlantis), Anna Brunner (League Of Distortion) and Marina La Torraca (Phantom Elite), for this, their second album, after Amanda Somerville left the band … Continue reading

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EP review: VALHALLA AWAITS – Perdition

VALHALLA AWAITS - Perdition

Facebook [Release date 08.03.24] Having seen Phil Campbell and TBS perform at Hard Rock Hell festival a couple of times I was excited to hear Andrew Hunt featured on this EP by Valhalla Awaits, so was expecting nothing less than … Continue reading

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Album review: TIMSON AOR – Forever’s Not Enough

TIMSON AOR - Forever's Not Enough

Bandcamp [Release date 12.01.24] As the Bandcamp blurb states, Timson AOR are “A band landing 40 years late!! Reviving the classic 1980s Hard Rock, Power Ballad era we all love and miss.” To be fair, many artists have tried to … Continue reading

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Album review : GRAND – Second To None

GRAND  second to none

Frontiers [Release date: 19.01.24] With the DNA of eighties AOR coursing through its veins, Swedish band, Grand compete with outfits like Wigelius, Eclipse, HEAT and WET in recreating the genre’s past glories in a post Melodic Rock world. On their … Continue reading

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News: Albums Of The Month (October – December 2023)

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HANFORD FLYOVER Source (Fruits De Mer Records) There are several bands operating in the psych/blues rock space and female fronted such as Dead Feathers and Blues Pills, and even label mate Crystal Jacqueline. But Hanford Flyover are less late sixties Jefferson … Continue reading

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Album review: METALITE – Expedition One

METALITE Expedition One pic 150

AFM Records [Release date 19.01.24] Is this 15 track, high concept sci-fi metal album meant to be fun? Because it most certainly is. Not funny, but fun. It’s high energy, as well as high concept. It’s got a slick, sophisticated, … Continue reading

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Album review: THE LONG RYDERS – Native Sons Expanded 3 CD Edition

The LONG RYDERS Native expanded 150

Cherry Red [Release Date: 19.01.24] Since its 1984 debut, The Long Ryders’ album, Native Sons has been regularly lauded by the music press. The album’s fusion of Garage, Folk and Country Rock has commonly drawn praise from high profile publications … Continue reading

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Album review: THE GRANDMASTER – Black Sun

The Grandmaster Black sun 150

Frontiers Music [Release date: 12.01.24] For The Grandmaster’s second album, mainman, guitarist and Edguy co-founder, Jens Ludwig has recruited ex Fate vocalist, Peer Johansson. Surprisingly, given the accessibility of the material they created in previous employment, much of Black Sun … Continue reading

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Album review: TEMPEST – Tempest/Living In Fear (Remaster)

TEMPEST - Tempest/Living In Fear (Remaster)

BGO Records www.bgo-records.com [Release date 06.10.23] The two albums released by Tempest in 1973/4 marked a musical departure for jazz rock drummer Jon Hiseman who – at the time – was best known for his work with Colosseum and to … Continue reading

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Album review: ATOMIC ROOSTER – Made In England/Nice ‘N’ Greasy (Remaster)

ATOMIC ROOSTER - Made In England/Nice 'N' Greasy (Remaster)

BGO Records www.bgo-records.com [Release date 06.10.23] The reconfigured Atomic Rooster have been a staple of many prog and classic rock festivals since 2016 when they received Vincent Crane widow’s blessing. Carrying the band’s flame are sometime members vocalist Pete French … Continue reading

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Single review: WALTER TROUT Feat: WILL WILDE – Bleed

Walter Trout - Bleed

Provogue Records [Release date 15.12.23] Walter Trout’ New Year single called “Bleed” featuring British blues harp player Will Wilde, is an up tempo boogie shuffle with an uplifting message. It’s an exhilarating taster of what we might expect from the … Continue reading

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