Author Archives: petefeenstra

Album review: JOHN NICKOLOFF – Get Out Of My Way

John Nickoloff

Independent/TSM [Release date: 02.05.13] John Nickoloff opens his debut 5 track EP/CD ‘Get Out Of My Way’ with hard rock pretensions but gradually moves towards radio friendly MOR material. Either way he’s got a great rock voice that effortlessly brings … Continue reading

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Album review: SWEETKENNY – Jennifer’s Box Of Junk

Sweet Kenny

Waterfall Records/TSM [Release date: 2013] ‘Jennifer’s Box of Junk’ is both a title and concept. As song writer/ guitarist Kenny Sutton explains: ‘each song had to be something you would put in a box of junk’. Make of that what … Continue reading

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Album review: GASTRIC BAND – Party Feel

Gastric Band

Armellodie Records [Release date: 03.06.13] With a line up comprising two drummers and three guitarists with additional synths, loops, samples and percussion, Scotland’s awfully titled Gastric Band are clearly not your ordinary beat combo. Party Feel is anything but an … Continue reading

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Album review: VIRGIL & THE ACCELERATORS – Live at Marshall 31/8/12

Virgil & The Accelerators

Mystic Records [Release date: 29.04.13] One of the hardest working and talented young kick ass rock-blues bands on the circuit, Virgil & The Accelerators are like a lightning bolt out of the starting block. Having shown their raw ability in … Continue reading

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Album review: FRANCESCO MARRAS – Black Sheep

Francesco Marras

Independent Screaming Shadows guitarist Francesco Marras’s debut solo album has enough dazzling shredding and a sense of spontaneity to gives it crossover appeal to Vai, Malmsteen and Satriani fans. But you sense that the triumvirate’s collective musical palette has already … Continue reading

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Album review: THE BLACK MARBLES – Made In Concrete

The Black Marbles

TBM productions/New Music [Release date: 08.03.13] Described as ‘a mix of swag, groove, energy, heart & soul with their own take on rock ‘n’ roll’,  70’s influenced Swedish rockers The Black Marbles wear their retro influences on their sleeve in a … Continue reading

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Album review: MOON BIRD – Signs of Illusion

Moon Bird

      Kwinch Music/TSM [Release date:04.13] Moon Bird is a great name for a band that revels in layered sounds, sweeping melodies and David Gilmour style progressions. ‘Signs Of Illusion’ is probably too derivative to break new ground, but given … Continue reading

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Album review: JULIAN SAS – Bound To Roll

Julian Sas

Cavalier Recordings Voted best blues-rock guitarist in the Benelux countries by the influential Dutch Guitarist magazine, the key to any Julian SAS CD is his tasteful, fluid soling, an array of wholesome tones and his ability to transform any given … Continue reading

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Album review: TRACER – El Pistolero

Mascot Records [Release date: 06.05.13] Take one young retro sounding Australian band and send them to Europe to make a splash and build up a following. Sign them to a Dutch label and then record them in LA under the wing … Continue reading

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DVD review: PETER FRAMPTON – Live In Detroit

When discussing the recording techniques of the six million selling ‘Frampton Comes Alive’ in the bonus interview section of this excellent DVD, Peter Frampton remembers asking: ‘Why release a live album if you can’t hear the audience?’ It was the … Continue reading

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Album review: TAYLOR’S UNIVERSE – Worn Out

Marvel Of Beauty Records [Release date: 2013] There was time many years ago when Jazz-Rock was a new, vibrant and exciting musical form and north European countries provided some of the leading talents of the genre. It’s perhaps no big … Continue reading

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Album review: BARISH KEPIC – Addiction

Independent/TSM – [Release date 05.03.13] Turkish/German guitarist, composer, song writer and producer Barish Kepic is best known for his work with the likes of Powerworld, Jaded Heart, Evidence One and Faro and this album is everything you would expect from … Continue reading

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Album review: BLONDE BLUES – Envision Nu Blues

Self-released Blonde Blues hail from the  blues heartland of North Carolina and ‘Envision Nu Blues’ finds the band having a decent stab at honing their own style. It’s an album that has its moments, but for the most part flickers … Continue reading

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Album review: STEVE BONINO – Peace Rocks

 Self release – www.stevebonino.com – out now They say you should always start with your best and balance things out afterwards. Well Steve Bonino obviously missed that initial piece of advice, as this excellent album builds from an inauspicious opener … Continue reading

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Album review: THE LIVING – The Jungle Is Dark But Full Of Diamonds

      Self release [Release date: 01.12.12] In their own words,Vancouver band The Living try to: ‘bridge the gap between Western art music and popular styles, mixing traditional rock instrumentation with classical instruments’. Their challenging music and adventurous goals are … Continue reading

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Interview with blues rock guitarist DANNY BRYANT (April 2013)

Blues-rocker Danny Bryant started playing guitar at 15 years old. He turned pro 3 years later and became Walter Trout’s protégé.  In the intervening years he followed the old school route to build a rock solid fan base on the … Continue reading

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Album review: DANNY BRYANT – Hurricane

      Jazzhaus Records [Release date 06.05.13] If ‘Night Life – Live in Holland’ confirmed Danny’s raw ability, then ‘Hurricane’ is a step up and completes his right of passage from a protégé to a fully fledged blues rocker. Having … Continue reading

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Album review: SAVOY BROWN – Songs From The Road

      RUF Records [Release date 03.13] They say if you stick around long enough your time will come. In truth, Savoy Brown have probably enjoyed at least three come backs in their 45 year career, but their last … Continue reading

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Gig review: ERIC JOHNSON – Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 3 April 2013

An Eric Johnson gig is a bit like stumbling on a secret society. He surreptitiously slunk on to the Empire stage to fill the venue with a rush of notes and an array of magical tones to restore the faith … Continue reading

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Album review: DOUG MACLOUD – There’s A Time

      Reference [Release date 13.05.13] The blues must be in reasonably good shape if there’s room for a great album like this. Doug MacLeod has lived, breathed, played, sang and written the blues for longer than most of … Continue reading

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Gig review: JOE BONAMASSA – Royal Albert Hall, London, 30 March 2013

Having spent the best part of a year planning this four-gig, four-set and four-band career retrospective, Joe Bonamassa was entitled to look a little weary after completing his London residency, performed to a grand total of 14,000 people. Given tonight’s … Continue reading

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Album review: SIDONY BOX – Rules

      Sidony Box play what they call, ‘music of the moment’, revelling in free- form spontaneity which leaves the listener wondering just where they will go next. Nothing is predictable, except perhaps the opening blast of cacophony and … Continue reading

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Album review: BLUES TRAVELER – Suzie Cracks the Whip

      Freeworld Records Blues Traveler was always a blues based jam band at heart, but with an eye on the main chance, and not much has changed on ‘Suzie Cracks the Whip’. There’s plenty of great playing, and … Continue reading

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Album review: BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST – 25th Anniversary Concert

      Voiceprint Recorded back in 1992 at the Town & Country Club in London, this 25th anniversary concert isn’t quite ‘an absolute must for any Barclay James Harvest fan’ as suggested by the brief liner notes. The budget … Continue reading

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Album review: THE NEW GROOVE – Quit Bitchin’

        The New Groove Records [Released 10:12) If passion and commitment equated money, The New Groove would be millionaires. ‘Quit Bitchin’ delivers 10 belting rhythm and blues related tracks that mix hot playing and meaningful lyrics with … Continue reading

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