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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2027
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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD/Bluray) 2026
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2027)
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Upcoming: UK & Ireland Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2027)
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Upcoming: Festivals UK & Europe (2026)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2027)
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Upcoming: European, USA & World Tour Dates and Gig Listing (2026)
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Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS
SUNSTORM – Emotional Fire
Frontiers www.frontiers.it Well, well, well. Joe Lynn Turner makes a welcome return on an album that doesn’t sound like a Deep Purple mock up! I have to say the releases I had hear JLT perform on over the last ten … Continue reading
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Tagged Emotional Fire, Frontiers, Joe Lynn Turner, Sunstorm
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DEPARTURE – Hitch A Ride
Escape Music www.escape-music.com Departure is the brainchild of American Mike Walsh, who has produced three fine melodic rock albums under this moniker. “Hitch a ride” is his fourth effort and it incorporates the vocal efforts of Andi Kravljaca (Silent Call). … Continue reading
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Tagged Departure, Escape Music, Hitch A Ride, Mike Walsh
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Charlie Shred – S/T
Liljegren Records/Doolittle Group Tommy ReinXeed is a busy man. Having been involved in his own band, ReinXeed, he has also been feverishly working on Golden Resurrection and other projects. Now, he takes more of a back seat as he plays … Continue reading
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Tagged Charlie Shred, Tommy ReinXeed
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PAUL CARRACK – Good Feeling
www.paulcarrack.net Paul Carrack is in that comfortable twilight zone at the moment. He tours regularly and releases albums on his own label. In short it’s all on his own terms and his adoring fans love him for it. Carrack has … Continue reading
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Tagged Ace, Good Feeling, Mike And The Mechanics, Paul Carrack, singer, songwriter, Squeeze
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Album review: JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR – Almost Always Never
Ruf Records RUF 1181 [Release date 17.09.12] Joanne Shaw Taylor has made much progress in the past few years, ultimately gaining a growing reputation on the other side of the pond where fans have evidently warmed to her US-influenced blues … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Almost Always Never, blues, blues rock, guitar, guitarist, Joanne Shaw Taylor, review, rock
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Will WALLNER / Vivien VAIN
www.wallnervain.com (Ed’s note: this CD will be re-issued by Metal Mind in the autumn) This guitarist and vocalist duo have produced a fine rock album, plenty of polished shred, and more name guests than the Queen’s garden party. The keyboard … Continue reading
RED JASPER re-issues
Action Replay 3.5/5 Anagramary 3.5/5 Angel Air 2012 Red Jasper were an English prog rock band who released several acclaimed yet low key albums in the late 80s and early 90s, and they are getting a decent reissue campaign here. … Continue reading
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Tagged Angel Air, Red Jasper
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BLONDIE – Live
Eagle Records 2012 This live CD was recorded back in 1999 in the Town Hall in New York, the band’s first hometown gig in 17 years. The album contains 17 tracks covering Blondie’s career from their early days through to … Continue reading
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Tagged Blondie, Debbie Harry, live
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OF MICE & MEN – The Flood
(Re-Issued) Rise Records 2012 The Flood was originally released on June 14th 2011 and was re-released July 24th 2012, featuring 4 new songs. Selling over 13,000 copies in its first week, it’s already clear that The Flood was a very … Continue reading
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Tagged Of Mice & Men, The Flood
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PAUL McCARTNEY – Ram
Deluxe Box Edition reissue (Hear Music) 2012 Originally released in 1971, “Ram” was the only album credited to both Paul and Linda McCartney and was the second solo album he released between quitting The Beatles and forming Wings. The album … Continue reading
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Tagged Paul McCartney, RAM
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FATAL SMILE – 21st Century Freaks
GMR 2012 “21st Century Freaks” is the 4th album from Fatal Smile and is good old European metal- heavy yet melodic and with big choruses thrown in. Produced by the band’s guitarist Mr Y and engineered by drummer Philthy, Fatal … Continue reading
GOTTHARD – “FIREBIRTH”
GOTTHARD – “FIREBIRTH” NUCLEAR BLAST (2012) Losing a fellow band member and a dear friend is an unbelieveably difficult situation for any musician to deal with, especially when this person happens to be as inspiring as Gotthard’s frontman Steve Lee. … Continue reading
QUICK PLAYS: High Spirits, Fear Report, Bewilderland, Bones & Comfort
High Spirits – Another Night High Roller Records Album covers can be deceiving at times. Looking at the cover of Another Night I was fully expecting an 80’s hair metal cheesefest but High Spirits are a bit harder edged than … Continue reading
NEKROFEIST – Without Reserve Or Regret
Self Release 2012 I recently reviewed Nekrofeist’s debut EP which had been kicking around for a couple of years in their native Australia and awarded it 4/5 as it contained some rather good classic thrash. The band got in touch … Continue reading
RINGO STARR & HIS ALL STARR BAND – The Anthology…So Far 1989-2000
(3CD) Eagle Rock 2012 This is a re-issue of the original 2001 release that featured songs from ‘Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band’ (1990), ‘Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Volume 2: Live From Montreux’ (1993) and ‘Ringo Starr … Continue reading
DORO – Under My Skin: A Fine Collection Of Doro Classics
(2CD) AFM Records www.afm-records.de Doro Pesch is a true metal legend who has given her all for her fans and music (a telling interview I read with her said how she gave up any idea of raising a family as … Continue reading
FLYING COLORS – S/T
Ear Music/Edel A supergroup consisting of drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater), guitarist Steve Morse (Deep Purple/Dixie Dreggs), bassist Dave LaRue (Steve Morse/Dixie Dreggs), Neal Morse (Transatlantic/ex-Spock’s Beard) on keyboards/vocals and lead vocalist/guitarist Casey McPherson. The album was produced by the … Continue reading
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Tagged ELO, Flying Colors, Mike Portnoy, Muse, Neal Morse, Queen, Steve Morse
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THE SWEET – New York Connection
www.thesweet.com The Sweet – the version fronted by original guitarist Andy Scott – return with an album of covers. The current line-up consists of the aforementioned Scott joined by Pete Lincoln (vocals/bass), Tony O’Hora (guitar/keys/vocals) and Bruce Bisland (drums/vocals). Yes … Continue reading
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Tagged Andy Scott, Dead Or Alive, New York Connection, Russ Ballard, The Sweet
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TARJA – Act I
Ear Music/Edel 2012 (Double CD) www.tarja-act1.com Former Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen releases her first solo live album (there is also a companion DVD and BluRay releases). I will admit I am not the biggest fan of her voice but freed … Continue reading
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Tagged Act I, Nightwish, Tarja
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Rock Candy Roundup: Johnny Van Zant, Lionheart, Fastway, Paris
Johnny VAN ZANT Round Two ***1/2 The Last Of The Wild Ones **** Youngest of the Van Zant family, Johnny follows an enormous legacy in Ronnie (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Donnie (38 Special). These solo albums (sometimes credited to The Johnny … Continue reading
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Tagged Fastway, Johnny Van Zant, Lionheart, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Motorhead, Paris, Rock Candy, UFO
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FM re-issues
Indiscreet **** Tough It Out **** Rock Candy Records Two classic AOR albums, where the band’s name sums up the sound perfectly. Formed by the former Samson rhythm section of drummer Pete Jupp and bassist Merv Goldsworthy, a few line-up … Continue reading
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Tagged FM, Rock Candy, Steve Overland
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VISION DIVINE – Destination Set To Nowhere
Ear Music/Edel 2012 Formed in Italy in 1998, this progressive power metal band release their seventh studio album with plenty of power and melody, Rhapsody’s Fabio Lione providing vocals with power, range and an operatic touch. From the outset the … Continue reading
RED JASPER – A Midsummer Night’s Dream/The Winter’s Tale
Angel Air 2012 www.angelair.co.uk The words ‘British’ and ‘quintessentially’ spring to mind listening to this eccentric brace of early 90’s releases from a former agitprop punk folk act that contrarily transmogrified itself into a progressive rock band. Seemingly in awe … Continue reading
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Tagged prog rock, Red Jasper
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L.A GUNS – Hollywood Forever
Deadline Music 2012 L.A Guns release their first original album in 7 years and not only will ‘Hollywood Forever’ go down as one of their best but the album also reminds me of why I liked the band in the … Continue reading
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Tagged LA Guns, Phil Lewis
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THE KENNEDYS – Closer Than You Think
www.kennedysmusic.com Husband and wide duo Pete and Maura have released a string of albums to date, as well as being part of Nanci Griffith’s backing band. This is their first album to get a proper PR push here in the … Continue reading
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Tagged Closer Than You Think, THE KENNEDYS
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