Author Archives: jason

Album review: BRONA McVITTIE – Supernatural

Posted on October 3, 2026 by jason

State 51/Company of Corkbots [Release date 16.10.26] Ulster singer‑songwriter, harpist and biologist Bróna McVittie returns with ‘Supernatural’, her fourth solo album. Released to coincide with Samhain, the ancient Irish festival when the veil between worlds grows thin, ‘Supernatural’ stands at … Continue reading →

Album review: PHIL VINCENT – Passive/Aggressive

Posted on October 3, 2026 by jason

Rock Company Records [Release date 21.10.26] Seriously, does Phil Vincent ever sleep?! This is Phil’s second solo album of the year, and third overall when Tragik are included. Phil Vincent never skimps on value either, as the CD adds two … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, classic rock, hard rock, melodic rock, Passive/Aggressive, Phil Vincent, review, rock | Leave a comment

News: NO SWEAT, CLUTCH, THE FLOWER KINGS (October 2026)

Posted on September 27, 2026 by jason

Clutch release their latest album ‘Wasted Lands’ on January 22 via their own label Weathermaker Music. Credo release their new album – and first in over fifteen years – ‘We the Disconnected’ on October 23 through Gargoyle Records. Crossbone Skully, … 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 AOR, blues, Clutch, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, No Sweat, re-issues, RIP, special editions, The Flower Kings, tour dates | Leave a comment

Album review: ADMIRAL RADIO – Heirloom

Posted on September 24, 2026 by jason

Bandcamp [Release date 09.09.26] I think husband and wife team Coty Hoover and Becca Smith, aka Admiral Radio, were put on this earth to harmonise together. Throughout this whole album they lay their harmonies down like sweet butter cream on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Admiral Radio, album, Americana, Everly Brothers, folk, Heirloom, melodic, review, roots | Leave a comment

EP review: INHERITED – All 4 One

Posted on September 21, 2026 by jason

Mascot Records [Release date 02.10.26] Ah, family. Some people get the stamp collection from their dad, some inherit nasal hair, and here we have young Dutch rockers Inherited who have, um, inherited a love of thrash – and also it … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Leave a comment

Album review: DIAMOND RAIN – Chapter One

Posted on September 20, 2026 by jason

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 23.10.26] Diamond Rain are a new band led by the silver masked High Priest, who is backed by Arch Lector and The Faithful Disciples. It sounds on paper like a Lidl version of Ghost, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Chapter One, Diamond Rain, Ghost, hard rock, melodic rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: IT – The Stranger Inside The Self

Posted on September 19, 2026 by jason

Website [Release date 16.10.26] An interesting album by IT as the original album was written, recorded and produced by Nick Jackson back in 1994, and it was only ever released on self-made cassettes. Nick takes up the story, “In 2020, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, alternative, IT, It Bites, Nick Jackson, Pink Floyd, progressive, review, rock, The Stranger Inside the self | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – Waterloo Music Bar, Blackpool, 6 September 2026

Posted on September 8, 2026 by jason

Playing at one of the last sweaty bastions of rock music, The Waterloo in Blackpool, Crobot opened the show. A band of four from Pottsville Pennsylvania they blasted the good size and receptive audience with their own recipe of hard … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 6 September 2026, Blackpool, blues, blues rock, Crobot, gig, psychedelic, review, rock, soul, The Damn Truth, Waterloo Music Bar | Leave a comment

Album review: WOOD BURNT RED – Hold On Tight

Posted on September 7, 2026 by jason

Website [Release date 04.09.26] Before I get started on the album, I just want to say that given good management and keeping their shit together Wood Burnt Red could be massive. You just know something special when you hear it, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, Burnt Red Wood, country rock, Hold On Tight, review, rock, southern rock, Wood Burnt Red | Leave a comment

Album review: MAIAH WYNNE – Into The Waves

Posted on September 5, 2026 by jason

Kscope [Release date 25.09.26] Maiah Wynne has been making music since she was seven and has been an integral part of Envy of None, who also feature Rush’s Alex Lifeson and Coney Hatch’s Andy Curran amongst their line-up. On this, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alex Lifeson, alternative, Envy of None, folk, indie pop, Into The Waves, Maiah Wynne, melodic, review, Rush | Leave a comment

Album review: MIKE GUINEY – The Grace of Eloquence

Posted on September 5, 2026 by jason

Bandcamp [Release date 25.06.26] The jury is out on this I’m afraid. Guiney was born on Newfoundland, Canada’s most easterly island. So pretty remote. His first musical memory is listening to Johnny Cash on an 8 track cartridge, so must have … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Leonard Cohen, melodic, Mike Guiney, review, singer songwriter, The Grace of Eloquence | Leave a comment

Album review: RITA BLISS – One More Winter

Posted on September 1, 2026 by jason

Website [Release date 02.10.26] Feeling lonely as a pea, what an exquisitely innocent line. And this kinda describes the album by Rita Bliss in two words. For those of you who don’t know Rita, as I didn’t, as well as … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, American folk, banjo, One More Winter, review, Rita Bliss, traditional | Leave a comment

Album review: SHA-BOOM – Another Nail in the Coffin

Posted on August 28, 2026 by jason

Silver Lining Music [Release date 26.08.26] Sha-Boom appeared in 1988 and disappeared almost as quickly in 1992. Fast forward to 2005 and they released ‘The Race Is On’, then radio silence for a couple of decades until they re-emerge with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Another Nail in the Coffin, Eclipse, Erik Maternsson, Ginger Wildheart, hard rock, melodic rock, review, rock, Sha-Boom, Therion, Thundermother | Leave a comment

News: BROTHERS OSBORNE, WILLIE DOWLING, FOREIGNER (September 2026)

Posted on August 28, 2026 by jason

Bryan Adams releases his latest album ‘How’s It Goin’ on November 6 via BAD Records. Bad Company release ‘Live In London’ on November 13 which was recorded at their London show in 2016. Brothers Osborne release their new album ‘Watertown’ on October … 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 AOR, blues, Brothers Osborne, folk, Foreigner, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, special editions, tour dates, Willie Dowling | Leave a comment

Album review: THOSE MADE BROKEN – A Door You Can Never Close

Posted on August 27, 2026 by jason

Website [Release date 01.09.26] I’m always very excited when I hear of an album that is not just made for pleasing the musical mainframe, but from a place of education and awareness of situations that many may not know is happening … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A Door You Can Never Close, album, alt rock, grunge, review, rock, Those Made Broken | Leave a comment

Album review: ETERNAL – Conspiracy Of Warheads

Posted on August 24, 2026 by jason

Floga Records [Release date 02.10.26] Eternal. On being sent this I thought ‘why am I being asked to something by Eternal? Aren’t they a British pop act featuring Jamie Redknapp’s wife?’ Ah, no. THIS Eternal are a Greek four piece, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Conspiracy Of Warheads, Eternal, metal, Metallica, post-punk, review, Thrash, thrash metal | Leave a comment

Album review: SPELL SONGS – In Thin Air

Posted on August 23, 2026 by jason

Hudson Records [Release date 04.09.26] Spell Songs are a bit of a folk supergroup comprising of Karine Polwar, Julie Fowlis, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter and Jim Molyneux, who between them have had more wins and nominations … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Beth Porter, Book of Birds, folk, In Thin Air, Jackie Morris, Jim Molyneux, Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwar, Kris Drever, Rachel Newton, review, Robert Macfralane, Seckou Keita, Spell Songs, world | Leave a comment

Album review: KINDRED NORTH – Kindred North

Posted on August 23, 2026 by jason

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 21.08.26] Although melodic rock and AOR is my first musical love (along with folk music), recent albums in this genre have not made much impression. Pride of Lions, Acacia Avenue and Creye come to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andi Kravljaca, Andreas Nergård, debut, hard rock, Kindred North, melodic rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

Single review: BIG COUNTRY REDUX – Winter Sky

Posted on August 23, 2026 by jason

Website Big Country Redux return with ‘Winter Sky’, the latest single taken from their forthcoming album ‘Eastworld’, due for release on September 18. The track was originally written by Watson and Stuart Adamson during sessions for the band’s 1984 album … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Big Country Redux, Bruce Watson, indie rock, review, rock, single, Stuart Adamson, Tony Butler, Winter Sky | Leave a comment

Album review: PAUL DI’ANNO’S BATTLEZONE – Children Of Madness

Posted on August 22, 2026 by jason

Cargo/Deko Entertainment [Release date 23.10.26] Singer Paul Di’Anno found fame as Iron Maiden’s frontman on their first two albums, before recording the more AOR Di’Anno LP, and working with the supergroup Gogmagog. Then in 1986 he returned to a more … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Children Of Madness, hard rock, Iron Maiden, melodic metal, metal, Paul Di'Anno's Battlezone, reissue, review | Leave a comment

Album review: RAINBOW – In Concert 1976 Live In Nurnberg

Posted on August 22, 2026 by jason

Demon Records [Release date 28.08.26] Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow’s three German live shows, originally released on CD some years ago and long out of print, were reissued more recently as part of Demon’s Temple Of The King box set. The label … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged classic rock, Cozy Powell, Deep Purple, hard rock, In Concert 1976 Live In Nurnberg, live album, Rainbow, review, Ritchie Blackmore, rock, Ronnie James Dio | Leave a comment

Album review: EWAN MACINTYRE/HERDING CATS – On These Islands We Sing

Posted on August 20, 2026 by jason

Website [Release date 03.09.26] I do like an uncompromising artist, and Ewan Macintyre is certainly one of those. From Gaelic sung Americana, to Scottish inspired Meters type funk, he pulls no punches in his left field delivery of songs. So does … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Ewan Macintyre & Herding Cats, folk, Gaelic, On These Islands We Sing, review, singer songwriter, traditional | Leave a comment

Album review: SCOTT COOK – Troubadourly Yours

Posted on August 20, 2026 by jason

Website [Release date 21.08.26] The title track opens the album with a seven minute autobiographical, anti-capitalist, anti-racist, influence checking stream of consciousness, my mouth was dry by the end of it. What an opener, and once Jack Kerouac was mentioned I … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged acoustic, album, folk, melodic, review, Scott Cook, singer songwriter, Troubadourly Yours | Leave a comment

Album review: THE FIERCE AND THE DEAD – Regional Theatre

Posted on August 20, 2026 by jason

Bandcamp [Release date 11.09.26] A new album by the Fierce And The Dead is always a musical treat. On ‘Regional Theatre’ they have gone a bit cinematic in scope and sound yet retain their signature shoegaze meets indie rock sounds. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, grunge, indie, Regional Theatre, review, rock, shoegaze, the Fierce and the Dead | Leave a comment

Gig review: HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES – AO Arena Manchester, 18 August 2026

Posted on August 20, 2026 by jason

I was walking my dog in the park the other day, and a fellow dog walker come music enthusiast came into my space. I’m going to see The Hollywood Vampires tomorrow says I. Ooooh! Says he have you seen the … Continue reading →