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Album review: SPOCK’S BEARD – The Archaeoptimist
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Author Archives: jason
Gig review: LONELY ROBOT – Sub89, Reading, 27 April 2017

Sub89 is a decent sized venue in a less than salubrious part of Reading, McD’s and Nandos being the classier places in the street! It has a decent sized stage and the only downside was the sound which wasn’t great … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017
Tagged 27 April 2017, Craig Blundell, gig, John Mitchell, Lonely Robot, Louder Still, progressive, reading, review, rock, Sub89, the Big Dream
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Quick plays: BURNT OUT WRECK, CHESS ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

BURNT OUT WRECK Swallow Cherry Red Records [Release date 24.03.17] Gary Moat was the drummer with Scottish rockers Heavy Pettin’ and for his new band, Burnt Out Wreck, he leaves his drum kit behind to head for the mic stand. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged AC/DC, album, alternative, Anna Coogan, Bo Diddley, Burnt Out Wreck, Chess, Chuck Berry, compilation, country, folk, For All Our Sins, Gary Moat, Heavy Pettin', Just Go Wild Over Rock 'N' Roll, KROKUS, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, Sound of the Sirens, Swallow, The Lonely Cry of Space and Time
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Album review: BIG BIG TRAIN – Grimspound

English Electric Recordings [Release date 28.04.17] www.bigbigtrain.com Following hot on the heels of last year’s excellent ‘Folklore’ album Big Big Train are back with another album featuring tales of national heroes, the countryside and family dramas. This album also sees … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Big Big Train, David Longdon, Fairport Convention, folk, Greg Spawton, Grimspound, Judy Dyble, prog rock, progressive, review
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Album review: HANK MARVIN – Without A Word

Demon Music Group [Release date 02.06.17] Hank Marvin is a guitar legend of that is there no doubt, having influenced many other guitar greats like Brian May, Jeff Beck, Mark Knopfler and even those not associated with guitars like Jean-Michel Jarre, who … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Cliff Richard, Dr Who, film sountracks, guitar, guitarist, Hank Marvin, instrumental, review, The Shadows, Without A Word
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Album review: AXEL RUDI PELL – Ballads V

Steamhammer/SPV [Release date 21.04.17] Axel Rudi Pell has been releasing these ballads collections since 1993 and it was six years since ‘IV’ was released. Always a good mix of previously released material, covers and few new songs, ‘V’ is no … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Axel Rudi Pell, Ballads V, Bonnie Tyler, Ed Sheeran, Hardline, Johnny Gioeli, melodic, review, rock, SPV
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Album review: BITERS – The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be

Earache Records [Release date 19.05.17] The Biters released their debut album ‘Electric Blood’ in 2015 and I was impressed, although the album did tail off with a few filler tunes. Biters are back with album number two and they have … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 70's rock, album, Biters, glam, hard rock, review, rock, Slade, T.Rex, the Future Ain't What It Used To Be
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Gig review: LED ZEPPELIN MASTERS – London Palladium, 19 April 2017

Tribute bands often divide music fans as some see them as poor imitations of the original acts, however as time takes its toll on many musicians and bands, tribute acts keep the music of these classic bands alive and well. … Continue reading
Album review: LONELY ROBOT – The Big Dream

Inside Out Music [Release date 28.04.17] After a two year wait we get the second part of the trilogy from Lonely Robot, aka John Mitchell (Frost*/Arena/It Bites). He again plays all instruments bar the drums, played by the ever reliable Craig … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017
Tagged album, Craig Blundell, Frost*, John Mitchell, Kim Seviour, Lonely Robot, melodic, prog, Progressive Rock, review, rock, the Big Dream
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Gig review: THE MAGPIE SALUTE – Under The Bridge, London, 13 April 2017

Despite having to venture way too close for personal comfort to this very interesting venue situated in the guts of Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge home, the London debut of Rich Robinson’s new travelling band of musical gypsies, The Magpie Salute, gave … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017
Tagged gig, London, Marc Ford, review, Rich Robinson, rock, southern, Sven Pipien, The Black Crowes, the Magpie Salute, Under the Bridge
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EP review: INDIA ELECTRIC CO. – ECM1

www.indiaelectricco.com [Release date 05.05.17] India Electric Co. are Cole Stacey and Joseph O’Keefe, who released their debut album, ‘The Girl Left Behind Me’ in 2015 and gained rave reviews for it, including airplay on BBC Radio 2, 3 and 6. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Cole Stacey, ECM1, electronic, EP, folk, India Electric Co., jazz, Joseph O'Keefe, review, world music
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Album review: THE MARK LANEGAN BAND – Gargoyle

[Release date 28.04.17] Not being hugely familiar with Mark Lanegan’s previous output, I was able to spin this album with neither pre-conception nor expectation…and pretty impressed I was too. Straddling between the truism that “you can only objectively critique that … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alternative, Gargoyle, Mark Lanegan, review, rock, Screaming Trees, the Mark Lanegan Band
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Gig review: SLAM CARTEL – Carlisle, Hastings, 27 March 2017

“It’s quite overwhelming having all these people singing these songs back at us,” lead singer, Gary Moffat, tells the audience at the Carlisle at one point during tonight’s gig. Clearly, the Kent-based hard rock outfit, Slam Cartel, have something of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 27 March 2017, Carlisle, gig, Hastings, live, melodic, review, rock, Slam Cartel
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Album review: PAUL MENEL AND THE ESSENTIALS – Spare Parts For Broken Hearts

www.paulmenelessentials.co.uk [Release date 14.02.17] Paul Menel will be known to many prog rock fans as the lead singer with IQ between 1985 and 1990. However, since then and on this album in particular, he takes a few prog leanings and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, IQ, Paul Menel, Paul Menel and the Essentials, pop, prog, review, rock, Spare Parts For Broken Hearts
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EP Review: MARK DUDA – Month Of Sundays

www.markdudamusic.com [Release date 14.04.17] Must admit not a name I have come across before, although Mark Duda has been the frontman of New York based rockers the Handful. This solo EP features Mark Duda on vocals and guitars, joined by … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Blue Oyster Cult, Cheetah Chrome, EP, Mark Duda, Month Of Sundays, punk, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, the Dead Boys
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Gig review: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO – Bush Hall, London, 5 April 2017

Alejandro Escovedo is playing his first European shows with a full band in over five years and tonight’s London show sees him roughly two thirds if the way through the tour. Support comes from his back-up band for these dates, … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 5 April 2017, Alejandro Escovedo, Americana, blues, Bush Hall, Don Antonio, gig, London, punk, review, rock
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Album review: HOUSE OF LORDS – Saint Of The Lost Souls

Frontiers [Release date 24.03.17] House Of Lords return with their eleventh studio album and a new bassist, Chris Tristram, who replaces the departing Chris McCarvill, who has been in the band since 2005. The other thing to note is that … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, House of Lords, James Christian, melodic, melodic rock, review, Robin Beck, rock, Saint Of The Lost Souls
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Album review: NIGHT RANGER – Don’t Let Up

Frontiers [Release date 24.03.17] Night Ranger, unlike many of their fellow 80′s melodic hard rock bands, have been consistently releasing new music and of a high quality. In fact for me they are one of the few bands who I … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Brad Gillis, Don't Let Up, Frontiers, Jack Blades, Kelly Keagy, melodic, Night Ranger, review, rock
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Gig review: HOLY HOLY – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 30 March 2017

“He’s fucking sacked us,” Spiders bass player, Trevor Bolder, was seen to mouth when David Bowie announced at the Hammersmith Odeon in October 1973 that it would be the final Ziggy show ever. Tragically, like Bowie, Bolder and his former … Continue reading
Interview: TIM ARNOLD

Tim Arnold has just released a new single ‘Change’ and here we catch-up with Tim to learn more about the single’s video that features mime artist Lindsay Kemp, plus his musical plans for the coming months. How did you get to … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions
Tagged Change, interview, Kate Bush, Lindsay Kemp, music, pop, singer songwriter, Tim Arnold
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Quick plays: THE WEEKS, ABEL RAISE THE CAIN, HAPPYNESS

THE WEEKS Easy Lightning Rod Records [Release date 07.04.17] The Weeks have been around since 2006 and they consist of Cyle Barnes (vocals), Samuel Williams (guitar/vocals), Cain Barnes (drums) and Damien Bone (bass). They have toured with the likes of Kings Of Leon … Continue reading
EP review: DAVE HANSON – Live!

www.davehansonmusic.co.uk Six String Social Records [Release date 31.03.17] Dave Hanson was the guitarist with folk pop band the Dunwells and he’s now gone solo, releasing his critically acclaimed debut album ‘Almost Horizontal’ last year. Less than a year later he … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars, Single and EP reviews
Tagged blues, Dave Hanson, EP, guitarist, interview, live, reggae, review, Santana, singer songwriter, soul, The Dunwells
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Gig review: L.A. GUNS – The Islington Academy, London, 25 March 2017
Having recently reunited after a ten year break, L.A. Guns vocalist Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns have just finished a UK tour which found the still popular band rolling back the years and sounding as good, and fresh, as they … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged gig, glam, Islington Academy, L.A. Guns, Phil Lewis, review, rock, sleaze, Tracii Gunns
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Album review: BERNIE TORME – Dublin Cowboy

Retrowrek Records [Release date 07.04.17] Bernie Torme I first came across via his days in Gillan and loving the band’s performance of ‘New Orleans ‘ on ‘Top Of The Pops’. Then I didn’t really take much notice of his solo … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Bernie Torme, blues, Dublin Cowboy, Gillan, GMT, guitar, review, rock, rock 'n' roll
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