Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: TODD RUNDGREN – Global

Posted on April 4, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

Esoteric Antenna [Release date 13.04.15] I think it’s fair to say that with the release of a new Todd Rundgren album no-one – not even his hardcore fans – quite know what to expect. In the case of ‘Global’ Rundgren … Continue reading →

Quick plays: CHITRAL SOMAPALA, MARK SLAUGHTER

Posted on April 2, 2015 by jason

CHITRAL SOMAPALA – Sinhabumi [Release date 23.01.15] Chitral Somapala is a big name in his home nation of Sri Lanka and on this album he sings in his native language. Rock fans will know him from his time in Power … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged ALBUM REVIEWS, Chitral Somapala, Escape Music, Firewind, Mark Slaughter, melodic, pop, power metal, Power Quest, Quick Play, rock, Sinhabumi | Comments Off

Album review: LAURENCE JONES – What’s It Gonna Be

Posted on April 1, 2015 by petefeenstra

Ruf [Release date 13.04.15] Laurence answers his own question on ‘What’s It Gonna Be’ by filling his own blank canvas with heartfelt, meaningful songs fleshed out with an impressive variety of harmony vocals, burning solos and tight ensemble playing that … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, America, Bad Company, blues, Dana Fuchs, guitar, Jools Crudgings, Laurence Jones, Mark Knopfler, Miri Miettinen, Piers Mortimer, review, rock, Roger Inniss, Sandi Thom, What's It Gonna Be, Wishbone Ash | Leave a comment

Album review: KARIBOW – Addicted

Posted on April 1, 2015 by alanjones

Rock Werk Records [Release date: 26 October 2014] Hailing from Germany, Karibow is the brainchild – and, as far as I can make out, the sole preserve of – Oliver Rüsing, an exceptional multi-instrumentalist – who, again as far … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile) | Tagged Addicted, Karibow, Oliver Rüsing, Pop/Rock, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: ANNABELLE CHVOSTEK – Be The Media

Posted on March 31, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

Those expecting a folk roots album from former Wailin’ Jenny singer songwriter Annabelle Chvostek can think again. After releasing two albums on Canada’s most foremost folk label Chvostek has gone back to her independent roots, picking up a 1957 Kay … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Annabelle Chvostek, Be The Media, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The Wailin' Jennies | Leave a comment

Album review: PISTOLS & VULTURES – Seven

Posted on March 31, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

It’s rare that a PR blurb says so little, and it takes some digging to discover that Pistols & Vultures are an Ipswich/Colchester based ‘alternative’ rock band formed in 2009 whilst Carnell Cook: (vocals), Alex Green (guitars, bass, percussion and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Pistols & Vultures, review, rock, Seven, soul | Leave a comment

Album review: THE PRETENDERS – Reissues (Box set)

Posted on March 31, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

Edsel [Release date 16.02.15] ‘Icon’ is an overused word in the entertainment industry. But not so in the case of Chrissie Hynde the driving force behind, and in all but name, The Pretenders – one of the most successful bands … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, box set, Chrissie Hynde, DVD, Get Close, Isle Of View, Last Of The Independents, Learning To Crawl, Packed!, Pretenders, reissue, review, rock, Viva El Amor | Leave a comment

Album review: LESOIR – Luctor Et Emergo

Posted on March 30, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

The PR blurb for their latest release would have you believe Transience received rave reviews beyond their homeland. If that’s true, they’re well hidden from Google’s search engine. The sessions for Luctor Et Emergo sees the band (Maartje Meessen – … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Lesoir, Luctor Et Emergo, Netherlands, review, symphonic metal | Leave a comment

Quick plays: NATALIE MACMASTER & DONNELL LEAHY, DANNY SCHMIDT

Posted on March 30, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

NATALIE MACMASTER & DONNELL LEAHY One You might well ask why GRTR! is reviewing a Celtic / Breton fiddle album? And it would be a reasonable question to ask. But there are ‘rock’ connections. Firstly, one half of the main … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged acoustic, Aggravated, country, Danny Schmidt, Decade Dance, Elliot Smith, folk, Grant Langston, Hope You're Happy Now, Irish, Leather Leaf, Natalie Macmaster and Donnell Leahy, One, Owls, Seth Avett & Jessica Lea Mayfield, singer, songwriter, Telesma | Leave a comment

Album review: STEVE ROTHERY – The Ghosts Of Pripyat

Posted on March 30, 2015 by alanjones

Self-released - [Release date 02.02.15] What’s a reviewer supposed to do when confronted by perfection? Our whole raison d’être here at GRTR! is to give an opinion that informs the reader; (a) whether the music being reviewed is worth a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dave Foster, Marillion, Panic Room, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Steve Hackett, Steve Rothery, Steven Wilson, The Ghosts Of Pripyat, Yatim Halimi | Leave a comment

Quick plays: THE GENTLE STORM, WINDSOR DRIVE, FINLAY MORTON

Posted on March 29, 2015 by jason

THE GENTLE STORM – The Diary Inside Out www.insideout.de [Released 23.03.15] A new name but a very experienced duo behind the name, namely Arjen Lucassen of Ayreon fame and Anneke van Giersbergen, the former Gathering vocalist and last seen on … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Anneke van Giersbergen, AOR Heaven, Arjen Lucassen, Ayreon, Finlay Morton, folk, Inside Out, pop, prog, Quick Plays, review, rock, the Gentle Storm, Windsor Drive | Leave a comment

Album Review: EMPIRES OF EDEN – Architect Of Hope

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Phil Berisford

MelodicRock Records [release date 09.03.15] Empires Of Eden is the brainchild of Australian guitarist Stu Marshall who currently trades his wares alongside the mighty Ross The Boss in Death Dealer and “Empires of Eden” is the follow up to 2012’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile) | Tagged album, Architect Of Hope, Carlos Zema, Empires Of Eden, George Call, Jeff Martin, MelodicRock Records, metal, Mike Cotoia, Mike Dimeo, Ralf Scheepers, Raphael Dantas, review, Rick Altzi, Stu Marshall, Tony Webster | Leave a comment

Album reviews:THE DARKER MY HORIZON – Acquiesce

Posted on March 29, 2015 by jason

www.thedarkermyhorizon.com [Released 23.03.15] A new band maybe, but they feature two former members of Sacred Heart in vocalist/guitarist Paul Stead and guitarist Mark Stephenson. Former Crimes Of Passion bassist Simon Fearn and drummer Gavin Tester round out the line-up. One … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Acquiesce, debut album, hard rock, Mark Stephenson, modern, Paul Stead, review, Sacred Heart, the Darker My Horizon | Leave a comment

EP review: BLUEMINDED – Blueminded

Posted on March 28, 2015 by alanjones

Self-released [Release date: April 2014] Blueminded describe themselves as a ‘poprockband’ but really they are doing themselves a disservice as this debut EP definitely has a vein of progressive rock weaving its way through the four tracks on offer here. … Continue reading →

Posted in Quick Plays, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Blueminded, Blueminded EP, Progressive/Pop, review | Leave a comment

Album review: THE CROWN – Death Is Not Dead

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Yiannis

Century Media – Out Now. First formed in the picturesque city of Trollhattan (under the moniker Crown Of Thorns) back in 1990, Swedish Thrash/Metal quintet The Crown has experienced a steady influx of new and fairly talented personnel to and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Leave a comment

Album review: BLIND GUARDIAN – Beyond The Red Mirror

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Yiannis

Nuclear Blast – Out Now. With thirty one years of active service and numerous successful studio releases to show for it, German symphonic Power Metallers Blind Guardian are in the privileged position of having a major say in how the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Leave a comment

Album review: DR. JOHN – Anutha Zone/Duke Elegant (reissue)

Posted on March 27, 2015 by petefeenstra

Edsel [Release Date: 16.02.15] Anutha Zone doesn’t break any new ground, but is a celebration of all that is good about Dr. John. Cut in 1998, it’s an album full of timeless music with deeply embedded grooves and nuanced vocals … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, Anutha Zone, blues, Bobby Broom, Carleen Anderson, Clive Deamer, Dr John, Duke Ellington, funk, Hugh McCracken, jazz, John Leckie, John Martyn, Jools Holland, London Community Gospel Choir, Mac Rebennack, Martin Duffy, Matt Deighton, New Orleans, Paul Weller, Portishead, Primal Scream, reissue, review, Ronnie Cuber, Sly & Robbie, soul, The Lower 911 | Leave a comment

Album review: EDEN’S CURSE – Live With The Curse

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Phil Berisford

AFM Records [Release date 13.03.15] “Live With The Curse” was recorded live in what can probably be classed as Eden’s Curse’s hometown of Glasgow back in late November 2014 in support of their rather excellent “Symphony Of Sin” album. This … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Code Of Silence, Eden's Curse, John Clelland, live, Live With The Curse, melodic metal, Nikola Mijic, Paul Logue, Power Quest, review, Steve Williams, Thorsten Koehne | Leave a comment

Album review: DR. JOHN – Creole Moon/N’Awlinz: Dis Dat Or D’Udda (reissue)

Posted on March 26, 2015 by petefeenstra

Edsel [Release Date: 16.02.15] Creole Moon is a return to the musical potpourri with which Dr John made his name as ‘The Night Tripper’, but the album doesn’t quite have the same magic as the latter, though it does bubbles … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged B.B. King, blues, Charlie Miller, Creole Moon, Cyril Neville, Dave Barthlomew, David Fathead Newman, Dr John, Earl Palmer, Fred Wesley, funk, jazz, Kevin Louis, Michael Doucet, N'Awlinz Dis Dat Or D'udda, R&B, Ralph Johnson Sr., Randy Newman, Sonny Landreth, soul, The Lower 9-11, The Wardell Quezergue Horns | Leave a comment

Album review: TALON – Fourplay

Posted on March 25, 2015 by jason

Escape Music [Release date 23.03.15] The fourth album from Talon and one that sees the return of the band’s original vocalist Michael O’Mara. That has been a masterstroke as he sings up a storm on this album and it is … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Escape Music, Fourplay, hard rock, John Parker, melodic, Michael O'Mara, review, rock, Talon | Leave a comment

Album review: STEVE HACKETT – Wolflight

Posted on March 20, 2015 by alanjones

David Randall chatted to Steve Hackett in early March 2015 for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, about the new album and the new tour ‘Acolyte to Wolflight’ (27:46) Inside Out [Release Date: 30.03.15] Steve Hackett’s star is definitely in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Chris Squire, Genesis, Nick Beggs, Progressive Rock, review, Rob Townsend, Roger King, Steve Hackett, Wolflight | 2 Comments

Album review: FAIRYTALE – Forest Of Summer

Posted on March 17, 2015 by david.wilson

Magic Mile Music (Release date 01.03.2015) Fairytale are a German folk trio with a heavy Celtic influence in their writing and playing. ‘German folk’ I hear you cry, where is the rock link there?? The rock … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile) | Tagged album, Berit, CD, Celtic, Fairytale, folk, Forest Of Summer, Laura, Magic Mile Music, Oliver Opperman, review, The Ordeal | Leave a comment

Album review: TATTERMASK – Carpe Noctem

Posted on March 16, 2015 by jason

[Released 24.02.15] Beyond a shadow of a doubt one of the best bands in the Charlotte NC area to see live and listen to their albums would have to be Tattermask. Within a short amount of time they have become … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Carpe Noctem, metal, review, Tattermask | Leave a comment

Album review: SOMETHING CLEVER – Season of Darkness

Posted on March 16, 2015 by jason

[Released 17.03.15] Something Clever is a band out of Charlotte, NC. They’ve been around a couple years now and have slowly moved from an alt rock sound to more of a modern hard rock/metal outfit. They’ve been on my radar … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, metal, review, Season Of Darkness, Something Clever | Leave a comment

Album review: ARCHER – Culling The Weak

Posted on March 16, 2015 by jason

[Released 05.05.15] Sometimes a band comes around that just offers an interpretation of a sound that is tried and true and make it all their own. Catching Archer on stage opening for German metal legend Doro, I got the chance … Continue reading →