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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: FISH – Cambridge Junction, 18 November 2021
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Gig review: KIP WINGER – The Black Heart, Camden, London, 27 November 2021
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Gig review: THE DARKNESS – Reading Hexagon, 26 November 2021
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Gig review: MARILLION – Hammersmith Apollo, London, 26 November 2021
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Gig review: SKERRYVORE – Arlington Arts Centre, Friday November 26 2021
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Featured Album Reviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
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Book review: On Track…ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA by Barry Delve
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Book review: On track – Decades – ERIC CLAPTON, PORCUPINE TREE, LED ZEPPELIN, GENESIS, YES
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Book review: ERUPTION – CONVERSATIONS WITH EDDIE VAN HALEN by Brad Tolinski and Chris Gill
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Book review: Please Please Tell Me Now – The Duran Duran Story by Stephen Davis
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News
Features
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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to Christmas (rock) Music
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Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to GIANT
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…CALVERT FLEMING PROJECT – Shotgun Pixie
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Feature: Albums that time forgot…THE STORM (Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, Steve Smith)
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Feature: Collectible Collections – FAMILY – Old Songs New Songs (The Definitive Box Set)
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Feature: Collectible Collections – CAMEL – Rainbow’s End An Anthology 1973-1985
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Category Archives: ALL POSTS
Book review: On Track…ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA by Barry Delve
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 03.12.21] After a highly readable book on Queen a couple of years ago Sonicbond now publish a book based on my other all-time favourite band the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Wisely Barry Delve focusses solely on … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged Barry Dalve, Bev Bevan, book, classic rock, Electric Light Orchestra - Every Album, ELO, Every Song, Jeff Lynne, melodic, pop, pop rock, review, Roy Wood, Sonicbond Publishing
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EP review: THIRD LUNG – Dialogues Of The Fatal Few
Facebook [Release date 26.11.21] We enjoyed Reading four piece Third Lung’s 2019 EP ‘Sooner Or Later’ here at Ritchie towers and I was delighted to read they have a new EP out. The EP is a compilation of singles, plus … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged album, Dialogues Of The Fatal Few, EP, indie, melodic, review, rock, Third Lung
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Album review: DAVID CROSS & ANDREW KEELING – October Is Marigold
Noisy Records [Release date 03.12.21] David Cross releases fine instrumental music via his own Noisy Records imprint. Cross was with King Crimson in the 1970s whilst Keeling has scored new versions of the band’s repertoire. You’d expect that their music … Continue reading
Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to Christmas (rock) Music
Christmas comes but once a year, and with it the usual mixed bag of toons. But not for us the familiar stylings of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ or ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’. We like to dig deep, a bit like … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES
Tagged Alan Davey, album, carols, Christmas, feature, Hawkestrel, Hawkwind, instrumental, Jethro Tull, review, Rick Wakeman, Thea Gilmore, Thijs van Leer, Xmas
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Album review : STAHLMANN – Quarz
AFM Records [release date: 10.12.21] 7th album from German band, Stahlmann. When Rammstein released their first album, in 1995, the German music press coined a new phrase, Neue Deutsch Harte. NDH became a cutting edge calling card for other bands … Continue reading
Album review: MERCURY X – Imprisoned
Frontiers [release date 10.12.21] In straddling the border between Progmetal and Symphonic Rock, Swedish band, Mercury X have staked out a fertile chunk of territory. This is their debut album (excluding two independent releases). It remains to be seen if … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Frontiers, Marillion. Pink Floyd, Mercury X, prog metal, review, Sweden, symphonic rock, The Flower Kings
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News: The Best of 2021 – Get Ready to ROCK! reviewers choose their Top Albums of the Year
2021 has been another horrendous year for live music, largely silenced by the coronavirus pandemic. In August, live events in the UK started cautiously with several festivals and, with restrictions lifting for smaller venues, some semblance of live music returned … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, The Best of 2021
Tagged albums, Best of 2021, blues rock, breakthrough acts, classic rock, hard rock, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, reissues, singer songwriter
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EP review: ROLY WITHEROW – Down By The River
Website [Release date 03.12.21] Roly Witherow is a prolific and acclaimed composer in the world of film, theatre and TV. Roly released his debut album ‘Ballads and Yarns’ in 2020, which he now follows-up with this new five-track EP. Roly … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged acoustic, Down By The River, EP. Singer songwriter, folk, review, Richard Thompson, Roly Witherow
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Gig review: FISH – Cambridge Junction, 18 November 2021
After four decades, four studio albums with Marillion and eleven solo albums it’s drawing close to Fish winding down a long and storied musical career that has seen the towering Scotsman touch the hearts of countless thousands around the globe. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 18 November 2021, Cambridge Junction, Doris Brendel, Fish, gig, John Mitchell, Marillion, prog rock, review, rock, Weltschmerz
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Album review: JAMES WHITE & THE WILD FIRE – Live at Saffron Hall
Facebook [Release date 19.11.21] James White & The Wild Fire formed in 2020 and musically are a blend of country, bluegrass, indie and Americana, hailing from Saffron Walden, Essex. The group consists of James White (vocals and guitar), Brooke Bond … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, bluegrass, country, folk, folk rock, James White & the Wild Fire, live album, Live at Saffron Hall, review
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Gig review: KIP WINGER – The Black Heart, Camden, London, 27 November 2021
Kip Winger’s acoustic shows in London at the much missed Borderline became the stuff of legend with their mixture of intimate songs and storytelling and fan participation. They even achieved the ultimate accolade of being a numbered series, so this … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 27 November 2021, acoustic, Camden, gig, review Kip Winger, Robby Rothschild, The Black Heart, Winger
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Album review: DEEP PURPLE – Turning To Crime
earMusic [Release date 26.11.21] The rock legends’ 22nd studio album and it comes only a year after the critically acclaimed Whoosh (one of the band’s best albums in their 50+ years). Clearly at a loose end or two during the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, classic rock, Covers, Deep Purple, Don Airey, hard rock, Ian Gillan, Ian Paice, review, Roger Glover, Steve Morse, Turning To Crime
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Gig review: THE DARKNESS – Reading Hexagon, 26 November 2021
Never mind the hysteria that surrounded them in the early 2000’s, proof of how quickly time marches lies in the fact that it now a full ten years since the Darkness triumphantly reformed at Download. Since then they have surprised … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Dan Hawkins, Frankie Poullain, gig, Justin Hawkins, Massive Wagons, Rufus Taylor, The Darkness
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Book review: On track – Decades – ERIC CLAPTON, PORCUPINE TREE, LED ZEPPELIN, GENESIS, YES
Sonicbond Publishing The On Track series continues unabated and this – and the companion series ‘Decades’ – to a large extent reflects the enthusiasm of the publisher Stephen Lambe and his band of individual authors. Whilst we are frequently critical … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, Cardiacs, Decades, Eric Clapton, Genesis, Jefferson Airplane, Led Zeppelin, MORRISSEY, On Track, Porcupine Tree, Radiohead, review, Sonicbond, Tangerine Dream, The Bee Gees, The Damned, THE DOORS, the Smiths, Tori Amos, Yes
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Album review: JULIAN LITTMAN – Goblin Market Music
Website [Release date 01.12.21] Steeleye Span’s Julian Littman has created a concept album based on Christina Rossetti’s famous 19th Century poem ‘Goblin Market’. In addition, author John Matthews set out to adapt the themes in the poem to create a … Continue reading
News: ELLES BAILEY, STONEDEAD, URIAH HEEP (December 2021)
Elles Bailey has opened pre-orders for her next album, ‘Shining in the Half Light’, due for release on 25 February 2022. HammerFall release their new album ‘Hammer Of Dawn’ on February 25 via Napalm Records. Alan Parsons with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, release … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged alternative, blues, blues rock, Elles Bailey, festivals, folk, gigs, indie, melodic rock, metal, news, pop, prog, rock, Stonedead, tours
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Album review: THORBJORN RISAGER & THE BLACK TORNADO – Best Of
Ruf [Release date 21.09.21] If there’s still a debate about the merits of European blues as opposed to its American antecedents, then Denmark’s Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado have finally kicked the argument into touch with this stellar … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, big band, blues, compilation, country, Danish, Emil Balsgaard, funk, Harold Adamson, horns, Joachim Svensmark, Kasper Wagner, Martin Seidelin, Nat King Cole, Peter Kehl, review, rock, ruf records, soul, Søren Bøjgaard, Thorbjorn Risager &The Black Tornado, vocals
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Gig review: MARILLION – Hammersmith Apollo, London, 26 November 2021
Marillion are one of the hardest working live bands around and no surprise that they have wasted little time in getting back on the road after their enforced pandemic hiatus. Tonight was the first of a brace of gigs at … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 26 November 2021, gig, Hammersmith Apollo, live, Marillion, prog, review, Steve Hogarth, Steve Rothery
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Album review: MANIMAL – Armageddon
AFM Records [Release date 3.12.21] Armageddon is Swedish Power Metal band, Manimal’s 6th release. What it lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in bravado and sheer power, with the rough edges sanded down by a bunch of resilient, tough … Continue reading
Gig review: SKERRYVORE – Arlington Arts Centre, Friday November 26 2021
Possibly the most tartan on display south of the border outside of an Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop, Celtic folk rockers Skerryvore were in town for a Friday night to remember. Skerryvore consist of Alec Dalglish (vocals, guitar & the band’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Arlington Arts Centre, Celtic rock, country, folk, folk rock, Friday November 26 2021, gig, melodic, review, Skerryvore
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Album review: RHAPSODY OF FIRE – Glory For Salvation
AFM Records [Release date 26.11.21] Italian symphonic metal legends Rhapsody (for that is what they were originally called) return with their 13th studio album and is the second in the The Nephilim’s Empire Saga concept series, and follows on from … Continue reading
Album review: SKID ROW – The Atlantic Years
BMG [Release date 03.12.21] American rock band Skid Row, who formed in New Jersey in 1986, found fame in the late 80s and early 90s with their brand of hard rock that included elements of glam and sleaze. Signing to … Continue reading
Gig review: ELLES BAILEY – Cambridge Junction 2, Tuesday 23 November 2021
A natural born storyteller, Elles Bailey also has the sort of voice that could make angels weep and this combination is like a siren draw into her endlessly colourful and wonderful world. Back on the road now after an extended … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged acoustic, blues, blues rock, Cambridge Junction 2, country, Elles Bailey, gig, review, Tuesday 23 November 2021
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Gig review: LIFESIGNS – The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes, Tuesday 23 November 2021
Blackheart Orchestra are garnering quite a reputation for themselves, especially on the live circuit. So, unfamiliar as I was with them I was keen to catch their short support slot. The Manchester duo treated a pretty full room to a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Blackheart Orchestra, gig, John Young, Liesigns, melodic, Milton Keynes, progressive, review, rock, The Craufurd Arms, Tuesday 23 November 2021
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Album review : CORROSION OF CONFORMITY – Sleeping Martyr: 2000-2005 (3 CD digipack)
Cherry Red [Release date 26.11.21] The Sleeping Martyr digipak is a cleverly selected three album package from one of the world’s coolest metal bands, Corrosion Of Conformity. All three – America’s Volume Dealer (2000), Live Volume (2001) and In The … Continue reading
