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Gig review: BLACK EYED SONS- The Lexington, London, 16 December 2024
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Gig review: BRAVE RIVAL – Thames Side Brewery, Staines, 8 December 2024
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Gig review: STRAY – The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 7 December 2024
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Gig review: THE SHEEPDOGS, THE COMMONERS – Islington Assembly Hall, London, 5 December 2024
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Gig review: GUN – Barrowlands, Glasgow, 14 December 2024
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Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – The Grace, London, 26 November 2024
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Yearly Archives: 2024
Gig review: THE VAN MORRISON ALUMNI BAND – The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 25 November 2024
Few artists have gained the stature of Van Morrison, the Belfast born troubadour a true legend whose blend of soul, jazz, blues and rock is oft imitated but seldom bettered. Whilst his recorded output has never been less than industrious … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 25 November 2024, blues, Bury St Edmunds, jazz, Jo Harman, pop, rock, soul, The Apex, The Van Morrison Alumni Band, Van Morrison
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Album review: MOGGS MOTEL – Moggs Motel
Steamhammer/SPV [Release date: 06.09.24] When frontman Phil Mogg called a halt to UFO’s Last Orders European tour in 2022 on Doctor Doctor’s orders, I thought that was the end of the road. I was disappointed, not only because I was … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, classic rock, hard rock, Moggs Motel, Neil Carter, Phil Mogg, review, UFO
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Album review : LAZY DAYS – The British Progressive Sounds of 1975 (3-CD set)
Cherry Red [Release date : 06.12.24] 1975: all around the UK, a huge variety of rock and pop genres, sub genres, splinter groups and so forth were fighting it out for recognition, and ultimately, sales. The summer of love was … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
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Single review : AUDIO 54 – Good To Me
Bandcamp [Release date : 19.10.24] ‘Good To Me’ is the latest stand alone groundbreaking single release from the Audio 54 stable. Leicester born singer, songwriter and musician Craig Marshall has quietly, but confidently emerged as an innovative producer who fashions … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Audio 54, Craig Marshall, Dave Larder, funk, Good To Me, gospel, hip hop, jazz, Jimi Hendrix, Mick Pini, R&B, singer, single review, songwriter, soul, vocal
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Album review: BRAZEN ABBOT : Eye Of The Storm and Bad Religion
Frontiers [Release date : 13.12.24] Prior to his Rock Opera project, Nostradamus (2001), classically trained Bulgarian multi-instrumentalist, Nikolo Kotzev had founded Brazen Abbot. The band’s second and third releases, Eye Of The Storm (1996) and Bad Religion (1997), have now … Continue reading
Album review: CORY MARKS – Sorry For Nothing
Century Media [Release date 06.12.24] Album number three from Cory Marks, with his last album, 2020’s ‘Who I Am’, making the UK and Australian country charts, plus number 16 in the album charts in his native Canada. The single of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bad Wolves, Cory Marks, country, country rock, hard rock, Mick Mars, Motley Crue, Nickelback, review, rock, Sorry For Nothing
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Album review: ELECTRIC TEMPLE – High Voltage Salvation
Eonian Records [Release date 06.12.24 ] An interesting trend in recent years has been for vocalist/frontmen to spread their largesse, perhaps due to economic as much as creative reasons. So, for example, we have that arch moonlighter Ronnie Romero in … Continue reading
Feature: Box Sets are for life, not just for Christmas…(December 2024)
The reissues and recycling still come thick and fast, not least in the unashamed “reissue” of vinyl – another income stream for the record labels designed to extract more wedge from our hard-pressed wallets. Here is our round-up of recommended … Continue reading
Album review : POWELL PAYNE – Voila
Frontiers [Release date 6.12.24] There really should have been some kind of fanfare, a blaze of publicity, to accompany the release of Voila, debut album from Adam Payne, ex Airrace, and Mark Powell, ex Psycho Kiss. In this post-AOR age, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Airrace, AOR, Frontiers, melodic rock, Peter Cetera, Powell Payne, Psycho Kiss, review, Richard Marx, Voila
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Single review: SPLEEN – Making Plans For Nigel
YouTube Spleen have been around since 2019 and now comprises Samuele Riccucci on guitar and vocals, Matteo Innocenti on drums and backing vocals, Olmo Fantini on guitar and backing vocals, and Alberto Sanna on bass. A brave move to cover … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Covers, Making Plans For Nigel, New Wave, pop, punk, punk pop, review, Robbie Williams, single, Spleen, XTC
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Gig review: BLACK STONE CHERRY – Wembley Arena, London, 23 November 2024
As they mentioned from the stage, Black Stone Cherry have been on tour for the best part of two years, touring their latest album ‘Screaming At The Sky’. Seemingly their favourite territory, the UK has seen them no less than … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Ayron Jones, Ben Wells, Black Stone Cherry, Chris Robertson, gig, Jen Ledger, John Cooper, John Fred Young, Skillet, southern rock, Steve Jewell
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Gig review: SQUEEZE – Roundhouse, London, 22 November 2024
It’s a tribute to the virtue of good songwriting and refusing to follow fashion that Squeeze have joined the select group of bands to be celebrating their 50th birthday (albeit with a few breaks apart). And yet, as Glenn Tilbrook … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 22 November 2024, Badly Drawn Boy, Chris Difford, gig, Glenn Tilbrook, London, Melvin Duffy, Roundhouse, Simon Hanson, Squeeze, Stephen Large
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Album review : RUTHLESS BLUES – Nice Work
Bandcamp [Release date 01.11.24] ‘Nice Work’ is an aptly titled album for a band who always managed to convey their natural exuberance in a straight forward mix of old school rock and blues. This is Ruthless Blues first studio album … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, bass, blues, Clive Edwards, drums, guitar, Hammind, harmonica, John Irish Earle, Martyn Taylor, Nice Work, review, Richard Taylor, rock, Ruthless Blues, sax, Stevie Smith
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Album review: PHIL VINCENT – Master of Deception
Bandcamp [Release date 22.11.24] This is Phil Vincent’s 26th solo album! That is excluding the various bands he appears with like D’Ercole and Tragik. Mastered again by Jacob Hansen (who certainly seems to have added some punch to last few … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, Master of Deception, melodic rock, Phil Vincent, review, rock
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Album review: CROSSBONE SKULLY – Evil World Machine
Better Noise Music [Release date 22.11.24] Crossbone Skully is the band formed by Alice Cooper and Hollywood Vampires guitarist Tommy Henriksen. He’s joined by guitarists Anna Cara and Sam Koltun, bassist Chris Wyse and drummer Alex Boch. That’s not all … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AC/DC, album, Alice Cooper, classic rock, Crossbone Skully, Def Leppard, Evil World Machine, hard rock, Hollywood Vampires, Johnny Depp, Motley Crue, Mutt Lange, review, rock, sleaze rock, Tommy Denander, Tommy Henriksen
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK – Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
Of all the new bands on the scene, Cardinal Black seem to be among those on the verge of a big commercial breakthrough. On this autumn tour, the London venue was at the Shepherds Bush Empire, though I couldn’t make … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged blues rock, Cardinal Black, Chris Buck, gig, New Wave of Classic Rock, soul, Tom Hollister
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Album review : FAITH NYC – Love Is A Wish Away
Good Deeds Music [Release date 22.11.24] A Motown sound that isn’t a Motown sound. Faith NYC is Felice Rosser’s band, which comprises percussionist, Fin Hunt, and guitar man, Justin Adams. Rosser sings and plays bass. Born and brought up in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Black Music, Faith NYC, Felice Rosser, Fin Hunt, Justin Adams, Motown, New York, punk, review, soul
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Album review : LUMINARE CHRISTMAS – Mistletoe Magic
Frontiers [Release date : 22.12.24] Founded by Chip Davis, leader of the 28 million selling, neoclassical ensemble Mannheim Steamroller, Luminare Christmas is a relatively new venture. Mannheim have two albums in the Top Ten Best Selling Christmas albums of all … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS
Tagged Chip Davis, Christmas, Denis DeYoung, Frontiers, Luminare, Mannheim Steamroller, Nutcracker, review, Styx, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – London Palladium, 13 November 2024
After too long sharing a bill on revival shows or out of the touring spotlight altogether, the last couple of years have seen the welcome return of Suzi Quatro as a headline live act, cementing her legacy as a trailblazing … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged gig, glam rock, Jez Davies, Suzi Quatro, Tim Smith, Tommy Schneller
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Album review : SUNSTORM – Restless Fight
Frontiers [Release date: 22.11.24] Restless Fight is Sunstorm’s third with Ronnie Romero up front, this time with a few more “progressive” musicians alongside. Influential Italian guitarist/ songwriter Aldo Lonobile – and currently Frontiers’ head of A&R for Europe – has … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Aldo Lonobile, Antonio Agate, Frontiers, hard rock, Italy, review, Ronnie Romero, Sunstorm
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