Author Archives: brianmc

Album review: TANGERINE DREAM – The Bootleg Box Set Vol.2 (7 CDs, Remastered)

Posted on December 31, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 13.01.23] As the instigators of sequenced electronica, and pioneers of German ‘Kosmische’ music, Tangerine Dream have no equal. Add to that their 60 plus movie scores – cultural statements as well as music to match the … Continue reading →

Album Review: LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III – 2 Classic Albums on 1 CD

Posted on December 30, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date: 13.01.23] A musical family where each member is a successful, well known artist in their own right is very rare. That’s the way it is with the Wainwrights… Loudon, daughters Martha and Lucy, son Rufus, and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 2 on 1 CD, Kate McGarrigle, Lucy, Martha, review, Rufus, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Single review: REDEMPTION – I Am The Storm

Posted on December 19, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date 14.12.22] Led from the front by multi instrumentalist, Nick Van Dyk, LA’s Power/Prog Metal maestros, Redemption aren’t the most prolific. I Am The Storm, the album, due for release early 2023, is only the band’s third … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged Borealis, Evergrey, Nick Van Dyk, power metal, prog metal, Silent Skies, single, Tom Englund, Vikram Shankar | Leave a comment

Single review: ELVENKING – Rapture

Posted on December 19, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 14.12.22] ‘Rapture’ is the first trailer track / single from the forthcoming Elevenking (2023) album, Reader Of The Runes Part 2 (of 3). The band’s fascination with backing vocals that are rooted in Gregorian chants and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged cantata, Carl Orff, Carmina Burana, Classical music, Gregorian chant, Reader of The Runes, review, single | Leave a comment

Single review : FASTER PUSSYCAT – Like A Ghost and Pirate Love (Double A-Side)

Posted on December 16, 2022 by brianmc

Golden Robot Records [release date: 28.11.22] If any artists can claim to have emerged as true survivors in the post grunge period, it’s Faster Pussycat. Over two million albums sold, not a world record, but a tidy number just the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged country rock, double A-side, Glamrock 2.0, Golden Robot Records, Johnny Thunders, New York Dolls, single, Spotify, Taime Down, YouTube | Leave a comment

Album review: AFTER LAPSE – Face The Storm

Posted on December 15, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 09.12.22] Debut album from Prog Rock classicists, After Lapse. As any aficionado will tell you, Progrock bands need more time than others to tell their story. Credit to After Lapse for holding track lengths to around … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged After Lapse, album, Face The Storm, Frontiers, Mike Portnoy, power metal, progrock, review, Spain | Leave a comment

Album review : NEVENA – Nevena

Posted on December 14, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] After contributing to the Big Deal album earlier this year, with several other female singers, Nevena strikes out now as a solo performer. Her debut walks a high wire between modern pop and melodic rock, as … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Big Deal, Contemporary pop, country rock, Frontiers, Heart, melodic rock, Mike Palace, Pat Benatar, review, Serbia | Leave a comment

Album review : GERRY JABLONSKI and THE ELECTRIC BAND – 105

Posted on December 13, 2022 by brianmc

Independent [Release date: 02.12.22] Fifth album from one of the UK’s lesser known Rock’n’Blues outfits, Gerry Jablonski and The Electric Band. (Not their one hundred and fifth). Looking at the band’s incessant touring schedules, it’s a surprise they had time … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 105, album, Blues/Rock, Edinburgh, Gerry Jablonski, Gerry Jablonski And the Electric Band, heavy rock, Hendrix, review, Rory Gallagher, Russia, uk, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Album review : THE WHITE BUFFALO – Year Of The Dark Horse

Posted on December 9, 2022 by brianmc

white-buffalo-year-of-the-dark-horse-Cover-Art

Snakefarm [Release date : 02.12.22] The White Buffalo (aka Jake Smith) is hard to pin down. Aged 49, and hailing from the beautiful state of Oregon, this is his eighth studio album. So sustainability is not a problem. In fact … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, Brothers Osborne, country, Eric Church, folk, Jake Smith, Oregon, pop, review, rock, You Tube | Leave a comment

Album review: PURE ASSASSINS – Questions

Posted on December 8, 2022 by brianmc

Independent [release date 25.11.22] What happens when the Pure Assassins’ drum and bass hedonist picks up a guitar and embraces existentialism? It is sometimes suggested that existentialism is just this bygone cultural movement rather than an identifiable philosophical position. But … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Buster Keaton, Calyx, Chris Rush, drum and bass, Lou Reed, Raine Maida, review, Silent Movie, Velvet Underground | Leave a comment

Album review: TOMMY DECARLO – Dancing In The Moonlight

Posted on December 4, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] Tommy DeCarlo, the singer who joined Boston in 2007, after being discovered on MySpace by Tom Scholz, is now on his second “solo” album for Frontiers. The current iteration of his studio band includes, on guitar, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Delvecchio, Black Crowes, Bon Jovi, Boston, Dancing In The Moonlight, David Julien, Denis DeYoung, George Clinton, GooGoo Dolls, Marti Jepsen Andersen, melodic rock, review, Styx, Tom Scholz, Tommy Decarlo, Tommy Shaw | Leave a comment

Single review: BROTHERS OF METAL – Berserkir

Posted on December 3, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 02.12.22] With 3 vocalists, 3 guitarists, bass, drums and anvil (!), you’re bound to have a BIG sound. And the Swedish Power Metal band who brought us the highly successful Emblas Saga (2020), The Brothers of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged Gladiator, Maximus, medieval, Norwegian Royalty, Odin, power metal, review, single | Leave a comment

Single review: ALL FOR METAL – Born In Valhalla

Posted on December 3, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 02.12.22] The All For Metal warriors claim to have been “born in Valhalla”. We’re slightly sceptical so have referred this to a Fact Checking Website. We’ll let you know. Meantime the the band have released a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged All For Metal, heavy metal, review, single, Vikings | Leave a comment

Album review: ROB MORATTI – Epical

Posted on December 2, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] Quite a line up Rob Moratti’s put together here. Tony (Blue Murder) Franklin, Joel (Whitesnake) Hoekstra, Pete (James Christian/ Robin McAuley) Alpenborg, Fredrik (Bloodbound) Bergh, with Steve (Tyketto/ Journey) Augeri on backing vocals. Moratti has been … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alias, AOR, Bloodbound, Blue Murder, Brother Firetribe, Eclipse, Fredrik Bergh, James Christian, Joel Hoekstra, melodic rock, Pete Alpenborg, review, Robin McAuley, Starship, Steve Augeri, Steve Perry, Survivor, Tony Franlin, Tyketto, Whitesnake, Work Of Art | Leave a comment

Album review : SCREAM MAKER – Bloodking

Posted on December 1, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date 9.12.22] Third album from Polish Metal band, Scream Maker. Bloodking begins where 2016′s Backs Against The World left off. This is a band who’ve spent much of their pre and post pandemic time on tour (Europe and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged Accept, album, Black Label Society, heavy metal, Judas Priest, Primal Fear, Queensryche, review, Saxon | Leave a comment

Album review: LANDFALL – Elevate

Posted on November 29, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 9.12.22] Much more assured second album from Landfall, the Brazilian band led by Eric Martin soundalike, Gui Oliver. And boy does it sound good, graced with melodic, tightly constructed songs, great playing, a lean, taut production, no … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Blue Tears, Elevate, Eric Martin, Frontiers, Gui Oliver, Journey, Landfall, Mayank, melodic rock, Mr Big, review | Leave a comment

Album review : AUTOGRAPH – Beyond

Posted on November 26, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers Records [Release date 18.11.22] We all want to love this album because it’s Autograph. Even though they’re one-hit-wonders, and even though bassman Randy Rand is/was the only remaining original member. (Rand took part in the recording sessions, but died … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Autograph, Beyond, Def Leppard, eighties, Jimi Bell, Marc Wieland, melodic rock, Our Lady Peace, Randy Rand, review, Simon Daniels, Steve Plunkett, The Beatles | Leave a comment

EP review : RONNIE ATKINS – Symphomaniac

Posted on November 25, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers Records [release date 18.11.22] There is yet to be an “orchestral” album of rock songs that outdoes Wang Chung’s Orchesography, but this EP from Ronnie Atkins gets close. In fairness, this is Symphonic Rock in all its bombastic splendour. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Danish National Concert Choir, EP, orchestral, review | Leave a comment

Album review: WIND OF CHANGE – Progressive Sounds Of 1973 (4 CD Boxset)

Posted on November 23, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date: 25.11.22] The logistics: Wind of Change comprises 4 CDs, 5 hours of music and 49 tracks. No doubt many will look at compilations like this one and think you just cannot maintain the quality level over … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 4 CDs, Al Stewart, album, boxset, Camel, Caravan, ELO, ELP, Family, Hawkwind, John Martyn, Jon Anderson, Kevin Parrish, Manfred Mann, Procol Harum, Progressive Rock, review, Roy Dyke, Tony Kaye, Traffic, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: KIDS ON THE STREET, UK POWER POP AND NEW WAVE 1977-81 (3 CD Boxset)

Posted on November 21, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [release date: 25.11.22] Kids On The Street is a great title for this 3 CD, 77 track compilation, emphasising the uncomplicated vitality of that era’s popular music. The better informed will know it’s from The Stiffs’ song of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alex Chilton, Big Star, boxset, eighties, Elvis Costello, Jellyfish, New Wave, review, seventies, The Damned, The Motors, The Records, The Ruts, The Searchers, The Skids, The Stranglers, UK power pop, XTC | Leave a comment

Album review: SARO COSENTINO – The Road To Now

Posted on November 17, 2022 by brianmc

Cat Sounds Music [Release date 18.11.22] If only we knew just how much musical talent flies below the mainstream radar. You look at the line up on this, Saro Cosentino’s third “solo” album, and you find, amongst others, Gavin Harrison, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, David Rhodes, Disney, Gavin Harrison, Karen Eden, King Crimson, Michael McDonald, Pete Hammill, Peter Gabriel, Porcupine Tree, review, Saro Cosentino, The Road To Now, Tim Bowness, Trey Gunn, Van Der Graff Generator | Leave a comment

Album review: ARC OF LIFE – Don’t Look Down

Posted on November 13, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 18.11.22] Arc Of Life is a Progrock supergroup, arguably. In order of fame : Jon (Yes) Davison, Billy (Yes/ World Trade) Sherwood, Jay (Unruly Child) Schellen, Dave (Sound Of Contact) Kerzner and Jimmy (Air Supply/ Circa) Haun. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Air Supply, album, AOR, Arc Of Life, Billy Sherwood, Circa, Dave Kerzner, Don't Look Down, Frontiers, Jay Schellen, Jimmy Haun, Jon Davison, melodic rock, Mr Mister, progrock, review, Sound Of Contact, Third Matinee, Unruly Child, World Stage, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: ENUFF Z’NUFF – Finer Than Sin

Posted on November 12, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.11.22] If there’s any band that just keeps on keeping on, it’s Enuff Z’Nuff. The band has undergone enough line up changes to fill a Wikipedia page, yet the man who started it all, Chip Z’Nuff is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Beatles, Cheap Trick, Chip Z'nuff, Enuff Z'Nuff, Finer Than Sin, Frontiers, hard rock, psychedelic pop, review, Strawberry Fields | Leave a comment

Album review: ABOUT US – About Us

Posted on November 10, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [release date: 11.11.22] It’s a pleasure to welcome a band from the Asian continent, About Us, to the world of AOR and Melodic Rock (despite the album’s Proggy cover). They are a well established, award winning band in their … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Asia, Blue Tears, Bon Jovi, Danger Danger, Dark Horse, Eclipse, India, melodic rock, review, Unruly Child, Wigelius | Leave a comment

Album review: RING OF FIRE – Gravity

Posted on November 9, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 11.11.22] Spend an hour with Ring Of Fire’s new album, Gravity, and you’re sure to find the music impossible to nail down. It’s a moving target. A neo-classical, Prog/Power Metal sub genre, or maybe that’s a a … Continue reading →