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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review: CLAIRE HAMILL BAND – A House Among The Trees
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Album review : FAITH NYC – Love Is A Wish Away
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Album review : THE 5th DIMENSION – Let The Sunshine In – The Soul City and Bell Albums (6CD Boxset)
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Album review: VIRGINMARYS – Beyond The House of Fires
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Album review: BEGGARS BLISS – S/t
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Album review : ROBIN BECK – Living Proof
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Author Archives: jason
Album review: CLAIRE HAMILL BAND – A House Among The Trees
Bandcamp [Release date 25.04.26] Claire Hamill, the grand dame of British folk, rock and prog, who you may well have never heard of releases her 12th solo album since 1971. There are not many female survivors from this period and certainly … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A House Among The Trees, acoustic, album, Claire Hamill, Claire Hamill Band, folk, folk rock, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, prog, progressive, review, rock
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Album review: VIRGINMARYS – Beyond The House of Fires
Website [Release date 22.05.26] The Virginmarys new album is both new and old, in that is their reinterpretation of their most recent album, 2024’s ‘Beyond the House of Fires’. This time around the Virginmarys – Ally Dickaty and Danny Dolan … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt rock, alternative, Beyond the House of Fires, indie, melodic, review, rock, Virginmarys
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Gig review: LUKE JAMES WILLIAMS – Wax and Beans, Bury, 15 May 2026
This is the second time I’ve been to this venue, and I would highly recommend it for anybody in the Bury/Rochdale/Heywood area. Get to see an artist in an intimate setting whilst drinking coffee or alcohol. The first time was … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 15 May 2026, Bury, Col Anderson, gig, indie, Limes Hotel, Luke James Williams, melodic, poet, review, singer songwriter, Wax and Beans
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Single review: THE ROLLING STONES – In the Stars/Rough and Twisted
I went to a gig in a record shop and as I was waiting for the artist to come on, I spied the new Stones single In The Stars, so it was my duty to buy it wasn’t it. I’ve … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged blues, blues rock, classic rock, In the Stars, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, review, rock, Rough and Twisted, single, The Rolling Stones
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Album review: BEGGARS BLISS – S/t
Website [Release date 22.05.26] Derby based Beggars Bliss formed in 2024, with a mantra of – “if it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing.” Their line-up is Henry John (vocals, guitar), Milly Ayesha (keyboards, vocals), Dan Griffiths (bass, vocals) and Chris … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Beggars Bliss, blues rock, classic rock, debut, hard rock, review, self-titled
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Album review: W.A.S.P. – s/t
Madfish [Release date 21.05.26] Record label Madfish have been working some of the early W.A.S.P. catalogue, including The Savage 7 CD boxset. Here is the band’s 1984 debut and in line with all the other Madfish releases I’ve encountered, it … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Blackie Lawless, Chris Holmes, hard rock, metal, re-issue, review, self-titled, sleaze, W.A.S.P
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Gig review: LIGHTNING THREADS – The Half Moon, Putney, 3 May 2026
The recently refurbished Half Moon welcomed a Sheffield based double header over the bank holiday weekend with headliners, Lightning Threads, backed up by The Fargo Railroad Co. Fargo are something else! Their light hearted but infectious take on Southern Country … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 3 May 2026, Albert King, blues, blues rock, gig, Half Moon, Lightning Threads, Putney, review, rock, The Fargo Railroad Co.
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Single review: PARKER BARROW – Blinded
Blinded is taken from Parker Barrow’s forthcoming album Hold The Mash, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were listening to a new Stones single with the opening riff, as guitarist Alex Bender says the riff was given life as … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Blinded, blues, blues rock, hard rock, Hold the Mash, Parker Barrow, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, single
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Album review: LADY MAISERY AND JIMMY ALDRIDGE & SID GOLDSMITH – Wakefire
Bandcamp [Release date 01.05.26] After several years delighting audiences with their wintertime project Awake Arise, the folk supergroup of Lady Maisery (Hannah James, Rowan Rheingans & Hazel Askew) and Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith, have joined forces again to celebrate … Continue reading
News: SKINDRED, THE ROLLING STONES, BURNING ROPE (May 2026)
Accept celebrate 50 years with a new release, ‘Teutonic Titans 1976–2026‘ due on September 4 via Napalm Records. Guests on the album include Kirk Hammett, Rob Halford, Tobias Forge, KK Downing, Chris Jericho and more. The Alarm’s final album, ‘Transformation’, originally scheduled … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged albums, AOR, blues, Burning Rope, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Skindred, special editions, The Rolling Stones, tour dates
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Album review: LUKE JAMES WILLIAMS – Limes Hotel
Bandcamp [Release date 17.04.26] Some people want to be Kiss, some people Queen, some, Kyle Minogue Marvin Gaye or Britney Spears, the list is endless, fame, fortune and formula with capitol F’s .But some people have no other choice than … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Billy Bragg, James Taylor, Limes Hotel, Luke James Williams, melodic, review, singer songwriter
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Album review: JENNY COLQUITT – Pockets Full Of Rain
Bandcamp [Release date 01.05.26] Whatever else this album is, and it is many things, it is not Americana, which is what it is being promoted as. It is a pretty special collection of really well crafted songs delivered in a … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt pop, indie, Jenny Colquitt, melodic, Pockets Full Of Rain, review, West End
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Gig review: ROBERT JON & THE WRECK – Academy 2, Manchester, 16 April 2026
All the way from Orange County California, Robert Jon And The Wreck pulled a near capacity Manchester crowd, who were eager to be entertained. They started with ‘The Devil Is Your Only Friend’, but I think Manchester could be added … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Academy 2, April 16 2026, blues, blues rock, gig, Manchester, review, Robert Jon & The Wreck, rock, southern rock
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Gig review: SKINDRED – O2 Academy, Oxford, 17 April 2026
Skindred released their new album, ‘You Got This’, and their ninth overall, on the same day as they played this sold out gig in Oxford. So good to see that for once at a gig I was at the older … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Arimea, Benji Webbe, Friday April 17 2026, gig, hip hop, metal, nu-metal, O2 Academy, Oxford, ragga metal, reggae, review, rock, Skindred
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Album review: ELEGANT WEAPONS – Evolution
Exciter Records [Release date 24.04.26] Album number two from Elegant Weapons, the band formed around Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner and vocalist Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, MSG), with bassist Dave Rimmer (Uriah Heep), and drummer Christopher Williams (Accept) making their recording … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Adam Wakeman, album, Andy Sneap, heavy metal, Judas Priest, melodic metal, metal, review, Richie Faulkner, Ronnie Romero
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Album review: LONG DISTANCE CALLING – The Phantom Void
earMUSIC [Release date 10.04.26] Long Distance Calling have been around for some twenty years now and this, their ninth studio album continues their predominantly wordless approach to story telling. The core of the group remains unchanged with David Jordan and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, instrumental, Long Distance Calling, progressive, review, rock, The Phantom Void
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – New Theatre, Oxford, 12 April 2026
This fan may have just been starting out in primary school when Suzi Quatro had her first UK number with ‘Can The Can’ in 1973, however, it was still a great moment to finally see her live on stage. Big … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 12 April 2026, Alice Cooper, Chris Norman, classic rock, gig, KT Tunstall, New Theatre, Oxford, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, Suzi Quatro
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Single review: ROBERT JON AND THE WRECK – Run Back To Me
Website [Release date 27.03.26] From the opening bars of this song which is on the soulful side of southern rock, you can tell this is a band which gels. Every instrument complements each other, and then the vocals of Robert … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged blues rock, review, Robert Jon And The Wreck, rock, Run Back To Me, single, southern rock
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Album review: SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND – Good Evening Boys And Girls (21 CD box set)
Madfish [Release date 10.04.26] WOW what a magnificent box set we have here. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, quite literally a 70s theatrical rock sensation. Fronted by singer/songwriter Alex Harvey, once touted as Glasgow’s answer to Tommy Steel, Alex released … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Box sets, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged Alex Harvey, blues rock, box set, Chris Glen, classic rock, Good Evening Boys And Girls, Hugh Mckenna, Nazareth, review, rock, SAHB, Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Ted McKenna, Zal Cleminson
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Album review: Ritchie Blackmore’s RAINBOW In Concert 1976 – Live In Koln
Demon [Release date 18.04.26] This special edition release is exclusive to RSD (Record Store Day) 2026 and catches both the Rainbow and the band at their creative and blistering energetic peak. The album was originally released a few years back … Continue reading
Album review: THE SIDESHOWS
Europea Phonographic [Release date 10.04.26] The Sideshows is the new project formed by former Hanoi Rocks, New York Dolls, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and currently Michael Monroe Band bassist Sami Yaffa alongside songwriter Rich Ragany (Role Models, Rich Ragany … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Hanoi Rocks, Michael Monroe, New York Dolls, power pop, punk, review, rock, Sami Yaffa, The Sideshows
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Gig review: THE GUILTY MEN – The Stables, Milton Keynes, 1 April 2026
The origins of the Guilty Men lie back in 2021, when guitarists and old pals Clive Gregson (Any Trouble, Richard Thompson, Christine Collister) and Neil Cossar (The Cheaters) finally got around to writing a few songs together. Which one of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 1 April 2026, Clive Gregson, gig, John Lees Barclay James Harvest, melodic, Milton Keynes, Neil Cossar, review, rock, THE GUILTY MEN, The Stables
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Album review: MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP – Live & Ready 1980-1984
Chrysalis Records [Release date 03.04.26] Guitar legend Michael Schenker has had a largely wonderful career, with his own band as well as with both Scorpions and UFO. And of his eponymous band, the 1980 to 1984 period is widely considered … Continue reading
Album review: HONEY AND THE BEAR – Wish & A Tide
Website [Release date 23.04.26] Honey and The Bear is a duo consisting of husband and wife Jon and Lucy Hart. Jon plays guitar and electric guitar with Lucy as the main vocalist, and they both play double bass and bouzouki. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, folk, Honey and the Bear, melodic, review, traditional, Wish & A Tide
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Album review: HANNAH JAMES & TOBY KUHN – Where All Our Names Belong
Hannah James and Toby Kuhn [Release date 27.03.26] The duo’s second album, featuring Hannah James on vocals, accordion and sansula, Toby Kuhn on cello, revolves around the theme of belonging. Hannah is part of the talented trio Lady Maisery and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, folk, Hannah James, Lady Maisery, review, Toby Kuhn, Where All Our Names Belong
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