Author Archives: brianmc

Album review: BONFIRE – Roots

Posted on February 22, 2021 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 26.02.21] Bonfire‘s continued popularity and success confounds critics, of the genre at least, if not the band. And you could hardly describe each new album as a reinvention. They have constantly returned to their home territory … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged AFM Records, album, Alexx Stahl, Bonfire, Double album, Hans Ziller, melodic hard rock, review, roots, unplugged | Leave a comment

Album review: EVERGREY – Escape Of The Phoenix

Posted on February 19, 2021 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 26.02.21] Evergrey, led by the formidably talented writer/producer/guitarist/vocalist, Tom Englund, are now on their 12th album. Escape Of The Phoenix once again revisits the band’s idea of adult contemporary metal. It’s a dark, sinewy sound, braced … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged AFM Records, album, Evergrey, James LaBrie, Ocean Trilogy, power metal, Progressive Rock, Tom Englund | Leave a comment

Album review: VARIOUS – Oh! You Pretty Things Glam Queens And Street Urchins

Posted on February 18, 2021 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 26.02.21] Oh! You Pretty Things is a 3 disc, 66 track Glam (and more) boxfest, which disappointingly, despite its title, doesn’t feature the late David Bowie song. And ironically, nothing from Hermans Hermits, who turned it … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged boxset, Cherry Red Records, ELO, Glam Queens And Street Urchins, Glamrock, Ian Hunter, Mott the Hoople, Oh! You Pretty Things, Roxy Music, Slade, SPARKS, Sweet, Thin Lizzy | Leave a comment

Album review: SCARDUST – Strangers

Posted on February 16, 2021 by brianmc

M-Theory Audio [Release date 30.11.20] Progressive Rock’s most famous unknown band, Scardust, released their second album, Strangers, to widespread critical acclaim in November last year. It was an unauspicious time to be releasing new product. Consequently, the label has “re-released” … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, concept, Jens Bogren, M-Audio, Progressive Rock, progrock, review, Scardust, symphonic, Yonaton Kossof | Leave a comment

Album review : KREEK – Kreek

Posted on February 16, 2021 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 12.02.21] Debut album from Kreek, a new band built around ex Bigfoot vocalist, Antony Ellis. It’s produced by Night By Night & Passion vocalist/guitarist, Dan Rosall. It’s surprising that this one got past Frontiers generally on-the-ball quality … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Antony Ellis, Bigfoot, Dan Rosall, Danny Vaughn, Frontiers, Kreek, melodic hard rock, night by night, Passion, review, Steve Augeri | Leave a comment

Album review : GEORGE LYNCH & JEFF PILSON – Heavy Hitters

Posted on February 12, 2021 by brianmc

Cleopatra Records [Release date 15.01.21] Two of Dokken’s original members who left and developed into marquee names themselves are guitarist, George Lynch and bass player/vocalist, Jeff Pilson. The prediction that all rock bands will eventually do a covers’ album might … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Brian Tichy, Cleopatra Records, Covers, Dokken, George Lynch, Jeff Pilson, Lynch Mob, melodic hard rock, review, USA | Leave a comment

Album review : DURBIN – The Beast Awakens

Posted on February 10, 2021 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 12.02.21] By spinning a fourth place finish on American Idol into 4 solo albums and a stint fronting Quiet Riot, singer/guitarist James Durbin clearly had more than TV celebrity on his side.The Beast Awakens is the next … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, American Idol, Frontiers, James Durbin, Malmsteen, metal, Quiet Riot, review, rock, Schenker, The Beast Awakens, Y&T | Leave a comment

Album Review: EXPLORERS CLUB – Rarities Vol 1

Posted on February 4, 2021 by brianmc

Gold Star Recordings [Release date 05.02.21] Explorers Club dropped two acclaimed new albums last year (To Sing And Be Born Again/Explorers Club). We reviewed both. In their own way they proved that Sixties Pop is timeless. Jason Brewer, the band’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Explorers Club, Gold Star Recordings, Jason Brewer, melodic, pop, power pop, Rarities Vol 1, Retro Pop, review | Leave a comment

Album review : WALTER EGAN – Fascination

Posted on January 29, 2021 by brianmc

Red Steel Music [Release date 05.02.21] Westcoast/Americana/AOR wizard, Walter Egan is back, with a smoothed out rock’n’roll love story, Fascination, just 2 years after his Burritos’ album, Sound As Ever, created a few fresh waves. Imbued with bygone vibes, it … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, Lindsay Buckingham, review, Stevie Nicks, Walter Egan, Westcoast Rock | Leave a comment

Album review: DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION – Halcyon Hymns

Posted on January 28, 2021 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 05.02.21] Fourth album from DBA, the fruitful poprock collaboration between Geoff (Asia/Yes) Downes and uber songwriter/producer, Chris (Guetta/Aguilera) Braide. Halcyon Hymns is their living-in-the-lockdown album, and as the title more than subtly suggests, it’s a recording … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Asia, Chris Braide, Downes Braide Association, Geoff Downes, Halcyon Hymns, melodic, pop rock, review, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: WORLD GOES ROUND – S/T

Posted on January 23, 2021 by brianmc

Viper Records [Release date 22.01.21] It was 30 years ago today that World Goes Round recorded their one and only album (Ed: we might be a year or two out). This supremely talented array of artists, whose names (almost) always … Continue reading →