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Album review: LUKE JAMES WILLIAMS – Limes Hotel
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Album review : GENERATION RADIO – Take 2
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Album review: SOMETHING FOR THE LONGING – Scottish Independent Pop 1985-1999 (3 CDs)
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Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS
CIRCUS MAXIMUS – Nine
Frontiers 2012 www.frontiers.it These Norwegians formed way back in 2000 as a covers band interpreting Symphony X, Dream Theater and the like. Debut album “The 1st Chapter” was released in 2005 with follow up “Isolate” seeing the light of day … Continue reading
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Tagged Circus Maximus, Frontiers
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GARBO DASTROG – Black Sheep Syndrome
2012 www.garbodastorg.com French producer and musician Garbo Dastorg has been making music since the ’80’s and new album “Black Sheep Syndrome” would have fitted the late end of the decade’s glam rock nicely. However, the album is also indie rock … Continue reading
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Tagged Black Sheep Syndrome, GARBO DASTROG
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BEGGARS OPERA – Lose A Life
Repertoire 2012 Subtitled ‘a nano opera based on a true story’, this concept piece from the veteran Scottish progressive act tackles the theme of living with the condition of ‘electrical sensitivity’ – or put another way an inability to live … Continue reading
THE BREW – The 3rd Floor
Big in Europe, this is The Brew’s 4th studio album. A band with a massive reputation for great live music have produced a monster of a studio album. This release on Jazzhaus records was produced by the British trio with … Continue reading
ASIA – XXX
Frontiers 2012 www.frontiers.it The original Asia releases their third album since they reconvened back in 2006. Unlike the last two albums ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Omega’, both of which were enjoyable but had a couple of mid paced fillers, this album is … Continue reading
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Tagged Asia, Frontiers, Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, XXX
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Luca Turilli’s RHAPSODY – Ascending To Infinity
Nuclear Blast 2012 The tail end of 2011 saw my heart break in two – as that’s exactly what happened to one of my favourite bands. Song writers and founder members of Rhapsody (Of Fire) keyboard player Alex Staropoli and … Continue reading
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Tagged Luca Turilli’s RHAPSODY
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MOTORHEAD – Classic Album Selection (6CD Box)
Universal/Sanctuary 2012 Another year, another Motorhead set, but the packaging on these albums makes for a wonderful item. This set includes Motorhead’s six Bronze albums (not including compilations), from Overkill, Bomber, Ace Of Spades, No Sleep ‘Till Hammersmith, Iron Fist … Continue reading
PAUL CASEY ‘Big World’
Paul Casey Music 2012 www.paulcaseymusic.com This is Paul Casey’s debut release here in the UK although he has already drummed up an impressive following in his native Northern Ireland and Ireland. What is even more impressive after hearing the album … Continue reading
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Tagged Coldplay, Dave Gilmour, David Gray, Paul Casey, Pink Floyd
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Quick Plays: BITING ELBOWS, BEZOAR, HERMAN FRANK, SANGUINE
Robin George and Vix “You” (Angel Air) Originally recorded and released in 1990, established guitarist Robin George is joined by Vix, who at the time had just disbanded the relatively successful Fuzzbox . “You” is very much a pop rock … Continue reading
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Tagged Accept, At Vance, Bezoar, Biting Elbows, Herman Frank, Judas Priest, Robin George, Sanguine, Thunderstone, Vix
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OXYGEN – Final Warning
Escape Music 2012 This is the band’s debut album, although vocalist Tony Niva has previous musical history with Niva and Lion’s Share amongst others. They play unashamed 80′s flavoured Scandi melodic rock/AOR and it is one to be played loud. … Continue reading
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Tagged Escape Music, Oxygen
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THE FLOWER KINGS – “BANKS OF EDEN”
THE FLOWER KINGS – “BANKS OF EDEN” INSIDE OUT (2012) The expression “put on ice” is one that is much dreaded by any music fan. However, these were the words used by Roine Stolt when the Swedish melodic Progsters The … Continue reading
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SANGUINE HUM – Diving Bell
Antenna 2012 Sanguine Hum: cute name, rightly suggestive of prog, and a vast improvement on previous moniker, The Joff Winks Band. The Oxford, UK-quartet’s first effort did the rounds before in a low key way last year but Cherry Red’s … Continue reading
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Tagged Diving Bell, prog, progressive, Sanguine Hum
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Album review: GRAHAM GOULDMAN – Love And Work
Rosala Records [2012] Graham Gouldman certainly knows his way around writing a hit tune, not only for the bands he has been in 10CC and Wax, but he has written hits for numerous other artists from the Yardbirds to Ricky Martin. This … Continue reading
HAWKWIND – Onward
Eastworld 2012 www.hawkwind.com Hawkwind return with their new album, less than two years since their last one ‘Blood Of The Earth’. Dave Brock still steers the good(space)ship Hawkwind along with Tim Blake, Richard Chadwick, Mr Dibs and Niall Hone. This … Continue reading
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Tagged Dave Brock, Hawkwind, Huw Lloyd-Langton, Onward
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RICHARD MARX – Inside My Head
FRONTIERS RECORDS 2012 Something of a forgotten man since his hit making days dried up in the mid nineties, singer-songwriter Richard Marx has been making up for lost time over the last year or two. His shows at Shepherds Bush … Continue reading
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Tagged Frontiers, Richard Marx
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LULEY – Tomorrow’s Today
AOR HEAVEN 2012 Former Tokyo and Craaft singer Klaus Luley has made a welcome return after many years in the wilderness. The German also plays all guitar and keyboards and the album has a typically clear production from his fellow … Continue reading
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Tagged AOR Heaven, Craaft, LULEY, Michael Voss
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EVERWOOD – Without Saving
Prog Rock Records 2012 www.progrockrecords.com The third album by this Hungarian band led by keyboards player Attila Tanczer. It is a loose concept album based on the finding out what life is all about and spirituality in general and for … Continue reading
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Tagged Everwood, prog metal
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PETER MATUCHNIAK – Uncover Me
The Record Label 2012 www.therecordlabel.net Peter Matuchniak is an accomplished musician who has worked with various progressive rock bands down the years. This album sees him joined by amongst others new(ish) Spock’s Beard drummer Jimmy Keegan. This is a diverse … Continue reading
HENRIK FLEISCHLADER – Still Frame Replay
First take on Henrik. Heavily influenced by Gary Moore, Freischlader is a top draw blues act. Still Frame replay is a must for fans of the genre. He manages to mix in some funk, jazz and rock into this album and moves … Continue reading
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Tagged blues rock, Henrik Freischlader, Still Frame Replay
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Quick Plays: IF ONLY, BANG TANGO, 4BITTEN, STATUS MINOR,SEPTEMBER MOURNING,PRISMA,FUEL FROM HELL
If Only – No Bed of Roses (Avenue of Allies) If Only began their story in 1988 and it turns out to be a story of tragedies. This album, after many delays, only saw a release in Europe in 1994 … Continue reading
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Tagged 4BITTEN, BANG TANGO, Fuel From Hell, IF ONLY, PRISMA, September Mourning, STATUS MINOR, The Kordz
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SANDY DENNY – Rendezvous
Universal (2 CD) 2012 This is Sandy Denny’s fourth solo album (and sadly the last she recorded before her untimely death in 1978 aged just 31) originally released back in 1977 on the Island label. This two CD re-issue is … Continue reading
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Tagged Elton John, Fairport Convention, Rendezvous, Sandy Denny, Trevor Lucas
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SAGA – 20/20
Ear Music/Edsel 2012 A lot has happened since Saga’s last studio album ‘The Human Condition’ back in 2009. The biggest news is the return of original vocalist Michael Sadler, replacing Rob Moratti. The band also have a new drummer in … Continue reading
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Tagged Michael Sadler, Saga
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The KISS Expo
Our intrepid reporter Chris Martin ventures forth into the Kiss Expo and neevr qask him top tkae part in karaoke… The year was 2004. It was about three days after my wife left, and clearly I wasn’t in much of … Continue reading
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Tagged Gene Simmons, Kiss, Kiss Expo
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HEADSPACE – I Am Anonymous
Inside Out 2012 www.insideout.de Not a name – yet – but you will doubtless know the band members: vocalist Damian Wilson (Threshold/Ayreon), Adam Wakeman on keyboards (Ozzy Osbourne), guitarist Pete Rinaldi, bassist Lee Pomeroy (Take That/It Bites) and drummer Richard … Continue reading
SYD ARTHUR – On And On
Dawn Chrorus 2012 Syd Arthur are a young up and coming band who have been described as being part of the next generation of the early ‘70’s Canterbury scene of whimsical very-English prog bands such as Caravan, Camel and Soft … Continue reading
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Tagged On And On, Syd Arthur
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