Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: BIG BIG TRAIN – Grimspound

Posted on April 27, 2017 by jason

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 →

Album review: AYREON – The Source

Posted on April 26, 2017 by petefeenstra

Music Theories Recordings [Release date 28.04.17] It’s 12 years since Ayreon’s first album ‘The Final Experiment’ and the key elements of a conceptual sci-fi story with prog rock underpinnings remain at the heart of the new album ‘The Source.’ It’s … Continue reading →

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Album review: HANK MARVIN – Without A Word

Posted on April 25, 2017 by jason

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 →

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Album review: AXEL RUDI PELL – Ballads V

Posted on April 25, 2017 by jason

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 →

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Album review: BITERS – The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be

Posted on April 25, 2017 by jason

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 →

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Album review: QUINN SULLIVAN – Midnight Highway

Posted on April 19, 2017 by petefeenstra

Provogue [Release date 24.03.17] Best known as Buddy Guy’s protégé, 17 year old Quinn Sullivan’s third album ‘Midnight Highway’ takes a major step up in carving out his own niche in the crossover blues rock-world He’s got the chops, he’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Allman Brothers, blues, Buddy Guy, electro, funk, George Harrison, guitar, Jerry Garcia, Midnight Highway, Quinn Sullivan, review, Tom Hambridge | Leave a comment

Album review: LONELY ROBOT – The Big Dream

Posted on April 18, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Quick plays: MICHAEL KIWANUKA, THE DAWN BROTHERS

Posted on April 18, 2017 by jason

MICHAEL KIWANUKA Love And Hate Since my son and I are “live on Sky” football junkies, my dear lady busies herself with her own TV series and was bowled over by the opening soundtrack to “Big Little Lies” which happens to … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays, The Best of 2017 | Tagged albums, Big Little Lies, Bruce Kulick, glam, Kiss, Love and Hate, Michael Kiwanuka, pop, Quick Play, reviews, rock, Sister's Doll, Stayin Out Late, the Dawn Brothers, White Widdow | 1 Comment

Album review: THE MARK LANEGAN BAND – Gargoyle

Posted on April 18, 2017 by jason

[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 →

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Album review: ONE DESIRE- s/t

Posted on April 16, 2017 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release Date 24.03.17] The latest in a seemingly endless line of melodic rock talent from Scandinavia, a real buzz is building around One Desire, a new name but boasting former Sturm and Drang singer and guitarist Andre Linman. … Continue reading →

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Album review: KINKY WIZZARDS – Quirky Musings

Posted on April 15, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

White Knight Records [Release date 31.03.17] In recent years we’ve enjoyed several artists or bands who have purveyed an infectious brand of instrumental-based prog rock, inspired by jazz fusion or just plain inspired. Amongst them the likes of Norway’s Pymlico … Continue reading →

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Album review: MIKE + THE MECHANICS – Let Me Fly

Posted on April 15, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

BMG [Release date 07.04.17] When Mike + The Mechanics played live recently – ostensibly to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Word Of Mouth – it was clearly evident they were also promoting a new album; taking pre-release orders in the … Continue reading →

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Album review: DEBORAH BONHAM – Reissues (Looking Back At The Moon/Spirit)

Posted on April 14, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

DEBORAH BONHAM - Looking Back At The Moon

Deborah Bonham chatted to David Randall in March 2015, discussing her career and with tracks from several albums. Plus she chose some of the tracks that have influenced her over the years. Sound Discs [Release date 28.04.17] When I chatted … Continue reading →

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Album review: ECLIPSE- Monumentum

Posted on April 12, 2017 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 24.03.17] He may be the most prolific, in demand writer and producer on the melodic rock scene, but no-one could accuse Erik Martensson of neglecting his day job as lead singer and guitarist with Eclipse. Two years … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged album, Eclipse, Erik Martensson, Magnus Henriksson, melodic rock, Monumentum, review | Leave a comment

Album review: WILKO JOHNSON – I Keep it to Myself – The Best Of Wilko Johnson

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Davoski

Chess [Release date: 10.03.17] A new Wilko Johnson best of. What’s not to like? Well, despite the strength of the material, even a die-hard fan such as myself might legitimately ask whether this new collection adds anything significant to the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS | Tagged album, best of, Dr Feelgood, Dylan Howe, Keep it to Myself, Norman Watt-Roy, review, Wilko Johnson | Leave a comment

Album review: JESSICA LEE MORGAN – Around The Block

Posted on April 11, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

[Release date 16.06.17] Another ‘next generation’ release – this time from the daughter of Mary Hopkin and Tony Visconti. I’ve yet to be convinced of the merits of following in the family footsteps’, although it has to be said Lisa … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Around The Block, Bowie, Holy Holy, Jessica Lee Morgan, Mary Hopkin, review, rocvk, singer, songwriter, Tony Visconti | Leave a comment

Album review: MAGENTA – We Are Legend

Posted on April 11, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

In June 2012 Rob Reed chatted with David Randall for his weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio when the current Magenta album was ‘Chameleon’. He was also poised to release the major project ‘Kompendium’. They covered Magenta, the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview, The Best of 2017 | Tagged album, interview, Magenta, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Rob Reed, We Are Legend | Leave a comment

Album review: LITTLE RIVER BAND – The Big Box (6 Disc incl DVD)

Posted on April 11, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

The Store For Music [Release date 28.04.17] The only problem with this welcome 5-CD/DVD boxed set is repetition. In more recent years Little River Band have seemingly sought to reinvent their past with not a lot of new material. (Some … Continue reading →

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Album review: ROBBY KRIEGER – In Session

Posted on April 10, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra [Release date 24.02.17] Like the Cleopatra release before it by Joe Lynn Turner “In Session” collects together some of Robby Krieger’s session work over the years. The Doors guitarist was always a master of restraint in terms of … Continue reading →

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Album review: BLUES IMAGE feat. MIKE PINERA – Timeless

Posted on April 8, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra [Release date 31.03.17) Perhaps best known for his stint in Blues Image, Mike Pinera was also for a time a member of seminal heavy metallers Iron Butterfly. Unsurprisingly, a version of the classic ‘In A Gadda Da Vida’ … Continue reading →

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Album review: AS LIONS – Selfish Age

Posted on April 7, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Better Noise [Release date 20.01.17] We first heard As Lions when they released a four track EP featuring tracks from their forthcoming debut album. Immediately, as with the opener here ‘Aftermath’, you knew this was something special. Strong on melody, … Continue reading →

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Album review: PAUL MENEL AND THE ESSENTIALS – Spare Parts For Broken Hearts

Posted on April 6, 2017 by jason

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 →

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Album review: PROCOL HARUM – Novum

Posted on April 6, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle Records [Release date 21.04.17] What do you think of when you hear the words “Procol Harum”? “Whiter Shade Of Pale”? Symphonic rock, maybe? Robin Trower was in an early incarnation? Perhaps this demonstrates the band’s eclectism over 50 years … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Gary Brooker, Geoff Whitehorn, jazz, Novum, Procol Harum, progressive, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: HOUSE OF LORDS – Saint Of The Lost Souls

Posted on April 4, 2017 by jason

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 | Leave a comment

Album review: NIGHT RANGER – Don’t Let Up

Posted on April 4, 2017 by jason

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 →