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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
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Gig review: SQUEEZE – Roundhouse, London, 22 November 2024
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK – Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO – London Palladium, 13 November 2024
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Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-9 November 2024
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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET, CHANTEL MCGREGOR, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES – Dingwalls, London, 7 November 2024
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Gig review: DEEP PURPLE – 02 Arena, London, 6 November 2024
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Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS
Album review: DIRTY HONEY – EP/LP
Dirt Records [Release date 20.05.22] Dirty Honey release this fourteen song album which sees them add 2019’s self-titled EP with their self-titled album released in 2021. It is a timely release to coincide with the band’s summer UK and European … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged AC/DC, album, Dirty Honey, EP/LP, hard rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd, review, rock, southern rock, The Black Crowes
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Album review: GODLEY and CREME – Frabjous Days, The Secret World Of, 1967-69
Cherry Red/Grapefruit [Release date: 10.06.22] Kevin Godley and Lol Creme didn’t know what they were doing. Well, that’s not strictly true. To be accurate : There’s a thrill in not knowing what you’re doing but aiming high anyway and that, … Continue reading
Album review: HANNAH RARITY – To Have You Near
www.hannahrarity.com [Release date 03.06.22] Three years on from her debut album, ’Neath the Gloaming Star’, Scottish singer songwriter Hannah Rarity releases the follow-up. Hannah won BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year in 2018, along with touring with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, Boo Hewerdine, folk, Hannah Rarity, jazz, melodic, review, To Have You Near, traditional
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Album review: GRACE – Hope
Frontiers Music [Release date 10.06.22] Under the Grace moniker, Hope is an album put together by twenty year music biz veteran, Isra Ramos, and it’s a genre hopping blast. Ramos has toured to support Europe, Nightwish, The Scorpions, Angra and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ANGRA, Eletcronic, Europe, Isra Ramos, metal, Nightwish, pop, Queen, review, Robby Valentine, rock, Scorpions, symphonic, T-Ride
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Album review: NICK FLETCHER – The Cloud Of Unknowing
Rough Draft Audio [Release date 02.09.22] Nick Fletcher’s latest album is a departure from the previously reviewed ‘Cycles Of Behaviour’ It gives free rein to his jazz rock tendencies whereas its predecessor added a bit more prog in the mix, … Continue reading
Album review: SEVENTH WONDER – The Testament
Frontiers [Release date: 10.06.22] Sixth album from Swedish Prog Metal band Seventh Wonder, for whom life began at the turn of the century. The band is full of virtuoso musicians. Guitarist Johan Liefvendal and bassist, Andreas Blomqvist are the driving … Continue reading
Album review: CHUCK WRIGHT – Chuck Wright’s Sheltering Sky
On Sunday 5 June, David Randall chatted to Chuck Wright about the new album. On Sunday 12 June – as part of ‘The Eclectic Mix’ – there was a more in-depth look at Chuck’s career based on the recent interview … Continue reading
Album review: DEF LEPPARD – Diamond Star Halos
UMC {Release date 27.05.22] Def Leppard are back after a seven year gap (pretty fast by their standards!) since 2015′s self-titled album, which was rather good. ‘Take What You Want’ starts the album off with all the things you love … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alison Krauss, classic rock, Def Leppard, Diamond Star Halos, glam rock, hard rock, Joe Elliott, melodic, review, rock
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Album review: BROOKS WILLIAMS & AARON CATLOW – Ready For The Times
Red Guitar Blue Music [Release date 24.06.22] A chance meeting a few years ago while on tour in The Netherlands led to collaboration of acoustic guitarist Brooks Williams (Boo Hewerdine, Rab Noakes) and violinist Aaron Catlow (Hawes and Catlow, Mad … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Aaron Catlow, album, blues, Brooks Williams, folk, Ready For The Times, review, traditional
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Album review: BRAVE RIVAL – Life’s Machine
www.braverival.com [Release date 06.05.22] The debut album from Portsmouth rockers Brave Rival places them in a trajectory from Abba via Heart and Fleetwood Mac to Zeppelin. This should mean at least that the band will appeal to a wide age … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2022
Tagged album, blues rock, Brave Rival, classic rock, Life's Machine, review
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Album review: ART GRIFFIN’S SOUND CHASER – The Seven Ages Of Starlight
Artsounds Music [Release date 08.04.22] A self-confessed sucker for a bit of jazz rock/fusion, I couldn’t really resist the latest offering from Canadian bassist Art Griffin. Ably assisted by his band including violinist Victoria Veh and Saga drummer Steve Negus, … Continue reading
Album review: LIV KRISTINE – Enter My Religion (bonus tracks)
Liv Kristine chatted to David Randall for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio in June 2022. This hour special includes a track from each of her solo albums. First broadcast 10 July 2022. Allegro Talent Media [Release date 19.08.22] There … Continue reading
Album review: RAVEN – Rock Until You Drop (the 4CD Over The Top Edition)
Cherry Red/Sanctuary [release date : 27.05.22] Raven, the legendary heavy metal band from England’s industrial North East, have the perfect resume. They have recorded for six different labels (and never been without one) including major and major-ish imprints like Atlantic, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews
Tagged 4 CDs, albums, Atlantic Records, boxset, Brute Force, John Gallagher, John Tucker, Lead Weight, Mark Gallagher, Megadeath, Megaforce, Metallica, Motorhead, Neat Records, NWOBHM, Proto Thrash, Sasso Marconi, SPV
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Album review: STRANGEWAYS – Complete Recordings Volume 1, 1985-1994
Cherry Red/HNE [Release date: 27.05.22] The clamour for reissues of the first 3 Strangeways albums rose to fever pitch in the late 90s, as AOR made an attempt to get back on its feet. All 3 had been received with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, And The Horse, AOR, Bonaire, Complete Recordings Volume 1 1985-1994, Hangdog Records, Hard RoxX, Ian Stewart, John Lee, John Punter, Kevin Elson, melodic rock, Mike Shipley, Native Sons, review, Strangeways, Terry Brock, Walk Into The Fire
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Album review: LAZARUS DREAM – Lifeline
Pride & Joy Music [Release date 17.06.22] Second album from Lazarus Dream, which was put together by vocalist Carsten “Lizard” Shulz (Evidence One, Domain, Devoid) and guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Markus Pfeffer (Scarlett, Winterland). Drummer Markus Kullmann (Sinner, Glenn Hughes), percussionist Thomas Rieder, … Continue reading
Album review: JAMES LABRIE – Beautiful Shade Of Grey
InsideOut Music [Release date 20.05.22] The latest solo offering from James LaBrie stems from his involvement on the Eden’s Curse track “No Holy Man’ (a real highlight on their 2011 album ‘Trinity’) and a subsequent support slot for the band … Continue reading
Album review: LEE ROGERS – Gameblood
Zenith Café/Membran [Release date 13.05.22] This is Carrickfergus based Lee Rogers long awaited second album (his debut album, ‘Clocks’, was released way back in 2006). Produced by Gareth Dunlop (who also plays guitar, piano, synth and percussion on the album), … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, Foy Vance, Gameblood, Lee Rogers, pop, review, singer songwriter
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Album review: PAUL WALKER & KAREN PFEIFFER – Auf Wiedersehen, Me Duck
Crazy Moose Records [Release date 30.04.22] Paul Walker and Karen Pfeiffer are a folk duo who have been writing and performing since 2012. Karen is originally from Stuttgart, however, her southern German accent is already tinged with a ‘Staffordshire oatcake … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Auf Wiedersehen Me Duck, folk, Joan Baez, Karen Pfeiffer, Paul Walker, Potteries, review, traditional
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Album review: WINTER IN EDEN – Social Fake
Firestreak Media [Release date 25.03.22] This is Winter In Eden’s fourth studio album and you may well be thinking: “I’ve never heard of them before”. You’re not alone. Although to be fair we were aware of their previous release ‘Court … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, progressive, review, rock, Social Fake, symphonic metal, symphonic rock, Winter In Eden
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Album review: BRIDEAR – Aegis Of Athena
Setsuzoku Records [Release date 13.05.22] All girl band, Bridear, from Fukuoka, Japan has created a global fanbase since its inception in 2014. Aegis of Athena is its third album. The band’s skilful merge of Melodic Metal and J-Pop might not … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Amaranthe. Operatic, Epica, Evanescence, heavy metal, J-Pop, melodic metal, progrock, review, rock, symphonic metal, Within Temptation
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Album review : SKILLS – Different Worlds
Frontiers Music [Release date: 13.05.22] Skills … “Supergroups” often deflate our expectations pretty quickly. Good to to be able to say that this bunch of seasoned professionals – Brad (Night Ranger) Gillis, David (Giant) Huff, Billy (Mr Big) Sheehan plus … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Billy Sheehan, Brad Gillis, David Huff, Electric Mob, Frontiers, Giant, melodic rock, Mr Big, NightRanger, Renan Zonta, review
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Album review: KENTUCKY RUCKUS – Space Is A Place
Website [Release date 29.04.22] Kentucky Ruckus, as their name suggests, hail from Kentucky featuring the Reed brothers – guitarist Kelly and drummer – vocalist Matt Red Moore and bassist Mack Keiffer. The album was recorded and engineered by Tom Tapley … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, hard rock, Kentucky Ruckus, review, rock, southern rock, Space Is A Place
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Album review: LETTUCE – Unify
Round Hill Records [Release date 03.06.22] I have to again confess a weakness for jazz funk and fusion. And when I sometimes wrestle with the possible ignominy of such a statement on a rock-oriented website I recognise that it probably … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bootsy Collins, funk, fusion, intsrumental, jazz funk, Lettuce, review, Unify
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Album review: GRAHAM BONNET BAND – Day Out In Nowhere
Frontiers Music [Release date 13.05.22] Bonnet’s back catalogue gets frequent outings via the world’s ever popular reissue/ remaster labels. So it’s good to hear some new material from him and this “elegant, late career outfit”, The Graham Bonnet Band. He’s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alcatrazz, Conrad Pesinato, Graham Bonnet, melodic hard rock, metal, MSG, Rainbow, review
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Album review: JEFF SCOTT SOTO – Complicated
Frontiers [Release date 06.05.22] Like his last solo album, 2020′s ‘Wide Awake (In My Dreamland)’, Jeff Scott Soto has teamed up with Frontiers ‘go to’ songwriter/musician Alessandro Del Vecchio. Del Vecchio also adds keys, bass and backing vocals, being joined … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Complicated, Frontiers, hard rock, Jeff Scott Soto, Journey, melodic rock, review, rock, Sons Of Apollo, Talisman, WET
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