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Album review: LEONI JANE KENNEDY – Synthetic
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Album review: THIRSTY QUIREBOYS – God Bless America: The Best Of Thirsty
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Album review : QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE – Who Do You Love? The Recordings 1967-1972 (7CD Boxset)
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Album review: W.A.S.P. – The Seven Savage 1984-1992
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Album review : MARTIN PAGE – The First And Last Freedom
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Album review : BRIAN ROBERTSON – Diamonds And Dirt (2 CD Reissue)
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Gig review: CHEZ KANE- Camden Underworld, London, 24 May 2026
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Gig review: THE KARMA EFFECT – The Fighting Cocks, Kingston upon Thames, 21 May 2026
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Gig review: MAYHEM ROCK FESTIVAL- The Nest, Nottingham, 16 May 2026
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Gig Review: MOONLIGHT – THE PHILIP LYNOTT ENIGMA – Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow 20 May 2026
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Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS
Album review: JACK J. HUTCHINSON – The Hammer Falls
Pete Feenstra chatted to Jack J Hutchinson for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 20 February 2022 Earache Records (Release date 04.02.22) Hard rocker Jack J. Hutchinson tells us: “We’ve thrown everything but the kitchen sink at this record.” … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged album, blues, classic rock, Jack J. Hutchinson, Josh Norton Cox, Josiah J. Manning, Lazarus Michaelides, Led Zeppelin, metal, Oasis, Ozzy Osbourne, Pink Floyd, prog, review, Rush, The Hammer Falls
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Album review: VAST CONDUIT – Always Be There
Vast Music Conduit [Release date 16.02.22] I have to admit I’ve never really been into the American prog rockers Enchant but – after hearing this – I think I should. The band flourished in the neo-prog decade of the 1990s. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Always Be There, Bill Jenkins, Enchant, fusion, jazz fusion, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Thought Chamber, Vast Conduit
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Album review: GIANT – Shifting Time
Frontiers Records (Release Date 21.01.22) In the small and incestuous world of melodic rock the release of a new Giant album has caused the liveliest controversy for many years. Their first two albums are widely seen as classics of the … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, Dan Huff, David Huff, Giant, John Roth, Kent Hilli, melodic rock, Mike Brignardello, Shifting Time
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Album review: ALAN PARSONS – One Note Symphony (Live In Tel Aviv)
Frontiers [release date: 11.02.22] This was Alan Parsons and his travelling band’s fourth time gigging in Israel, enjoying the huge honour of appearing with the highly regarded Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. Frontiers signed Parsons 4 years ago, releasing his “solo” album, … Continue reading
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Tagged Alan Parsons, album, David Minasian, Frontiers, IM3 Global, Israel, Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, Jason Mraz, Jeff Kollman, live, Lou Gramm, Paul Dukas, PJ Olsen, review, Schuman, Tel Aviv, Tom Brooks, Trinity Houston
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Album review: TRICK OR TREAT – Creepy Symphonies
Scarlet Records [Release date 01.04.22] ‘Creepy Symphonies’ is the seventh studio album from Trick Or Treat, who always entertain with their music. Like Freedom Call, Trick Or Treat like to think of their music as happy metal. Vocalist Alle Conti … Continue reading
Album review: KRIS BARRAS BAND – Death Valley Paradise
Mascot [Release date 04.03.22] Kris Barras was voted Breakthrough Act in our 2021 poll and the last couple of years have seen him – like many artists – maintaining his profile largely due to livestreaming. But it’s also given him … Continue reading
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Tagged album, alt metal, Death Valley Paradise, heavy rock, Kris Barras Band, review
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Album review: MARILLION – An Hour Before It’s Dark
Intact/earMUSIC [Release date 04.03.22] CD+DVD Digipak / CD Digipak / Jewelbox CD / Blu-ray Softbox / 2LP Gatefold / Ltd. Coloured 2LP (Orange) The past two years of pandemic has understandably pervaded album releases, the most extreme outcome is a … Continue reading
Album review: GIRISH AND THE CHRONICLES – Hail To The Heroes
Frontiers [release date: 11.02.22] Highly derivative hard rock/metal from Bengaluru, India band, Girish And The Chronicles. They are now on their third album, and first on Frontiers. The album’s title, ‘Hail To The Heroes’ suggests a bunch of declamatory stadium … Continue reading
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Tagged album, BlacknBlue, Coverdale, Frontiers, Girish, Hard Rock and Metal, India, Quiet Riot, review, Rough Cutt
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Album review: CITY OF LIGHTS – Before The Sun Sets
Frontiers [Release date: 11.02.22] Debut album from City Of Lights – Brit guitarist/writer Neil Austin and Greek vocalist Manos Fatsis (Hideaway). They are joined in the studio by members of Creye, Degreed and Art Nation. It’s clear that a passionate … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, Art Nation, Before The Sun Sets, City Of Lights, Creye, Degreed, Fatsis, Frontiers, melodic rock, Neil Austin, review
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Album review : DEGREED – Are You Ready
Frontiers [Release date: 11.02.22] Are You Ready is Degreed’s sixth album, and their first on Frontiers. Robin Erikkson, Mats Erikkson, Mikael Blanc and Daniel Johansson have come a long long way in six albums. Their focus is clearly on the … Continue reading
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Tagged album, AOR, Brother Firetribe, Degreed, eighties, Frontiers, Harem Scarem, Leverage, melodic rock, Queen, review, Robin Erikssen, Wigelius
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Album review: JACK FRANCIS – Jack Francis
Good Deeds Music [Release date: 04.02.22] In introducing his remarkably lean and confident debut album, Jack Francis manages to namecheck Bruce Springsteen, and without realising it, Paul McCartney. There are echoes of ‘Yesterday’ in his story that the song, ‘Helena’, … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, BBC radio, blues, Bruce Springsteen, country rock, Good Deeds Music, Jack Francis, Paul McCartney, review
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Album review: JAMIE’S GUNS – Sex, Drugs & Weapons of War
Facebook [Release date 04.01.22] This band was one of my lucky finds in 2021, when I spotted the debut self-titled album in the NWOCR Facebook group, and I have been sharing their music far and wide ever since, whilst eagerly … Continue reading
Album review: POCO – One Night In Nashville
Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra [Release date 28.01.22] This 2004 live recording is one of the last to feature original members Rusty Young, Richie Furay, and George Grantham together with Paul Cotton who joined the band for their third album in 1971 replacing … Continue reading
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Tagged album, country rock, live, One Night In Nashville, Paul Cotton, Poco, review, Richie Furay, Rusty Young
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Album review : BRIX SMITH and MARTY WILLSON-PIPER – Lost Angeles
Cadiz Music [Release date: 17.o1.22] This one has an interesting story behind it. Brix Smith was originally named after The Clash standard, Guns of Brixton, which is pretty cool. In the 90’s she went to a gig in her native … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Brix Smith, John Peel, Manic Street Preachers, Mark E. Smith, Marty Willson-Piper, Oasis, Pulp, review, The Clash, The Fall, The Ramones
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Album review: JOHNNY COPPIN – River Of Dreams
Red Sky Records [Release date 25.02.22] Johnny Coppin is a singer songwriter who was a member of Decameron back in the 1970′s and has released over a dozen solo albums to date. He has toured as part of a duo … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, folk, Johnny Coppin, review, River Of Dreams, Rosanne Cash, singer songwriter
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Album review: CACTUS – The Birth Of Cactus 1970
Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra [Release date 21.01.22] Following other heavyweights such as Iron Butterfly and Vanilla Fudge, Cactus fashioned their own brand of bluesy heavy rock at the turn of the sixties. It was a supergroup in the making with ex-Fudgers Carmine … Continue reading
Album review: SLADE – Alive, Slade In Flame (splatter vinyl)
BMG [Release date 26.11.21] BMG continue their excellent Slade reissue campaign. The West Midlands glam rock legends had many a hit in the 70s. Fronted by Noddy Holder, they were the face of laddish glam hard rock. After a difficult … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 70's rock, album, Alive, BMG, classic album, glam rock, hard rock, Jim Lea, Noddy Holder, reissue, review, rock, Slade, Slade In Flame
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Album review: PETER KNIGHT & JOHN SPIERS – Both In A Tune
Website [Release date 11.02.22] Peter Knight defines a progressive musician as he always seeks to further his music, be it traditional tunes given a new arrangement, or his own compositions. Famous of course as a member of Steeleye Span until … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Bellowhead, Both In A Tune, folk, Gigspanner, instrumental, John Spiers, Peter Knight, progressive, review, Steeleye Span
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Album review: EMPATH – Visitor
Fat Possum Records [Release date 11.02.22] Upon first listen to Empath’s new album Visitor, a rich blend of artistic influences jumped out within the individualistic sound the Philly foursome have to offer. Psych-rock royalty like 13th Floor Elevators, The Velvet … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Empath, Fat Possum Records, indie, psych rock, psychedelic, review, rock, Visitor
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Album review: UK SUBS – A Punk Rock Anthology 1978-2017
Edsel [Release date 28.1.22] The UK Subs back catalogue is the gift that keeps on giving, surely qualifying them as one of the most compiled groups of the punk/new wave era. The beauty of this 56 track 2CD set is … Continue reading
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Tagged A Punk Rock Anthology 1978-2017, album, Alvin Gibbs, punk, review, rock, UK Subs
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Album review: PRAYING MANTIS – Katharsis
Frontiers [Release date: 28.02.22] Only occasionally since their debut have Praying Mantis registered a decent sized blip on the radar of rock music in the UK. It was in Japan – where NWOBHM labelling was less meaningful – that the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Frontiers, Japan, Journey, melodic hard rock, metal, Pony Canyon, Praying Mantis, review, Survivor, Troy Brothers
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Album review: BETH HART – A Tribute To Led Zeppelin
Provogue/Mascot Label Group [Release date 25.02.22] A brave move by Beth Hart to take on the musical catalogue of such an iconic band, some would argue the various covers of Led Zeppelin’s music has been done to excess already. However, … Continue reading
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Tagged A Tribute To Led Zeppelin, album, beth Hart, blues rock, classic rock, Covers, Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin, review, Robert Plant, rock
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Album review: OYSTERBAND – Read The Sky
Running Man Records [Release date 04.03.22] After an 8-year gap – as the band explain “hey, we were busy” – the Oysterband return with their twelfth studio album, (fourteen including their two collaborative albums with June Tabor). Oysterband have been … Continue reading
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Tagged album, folk, folk rock, melodic, Oysterband, Read The Sky, review
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Album review: FASTER PUSSYCAT – Babylon, The Elektra Years (4 CD boxset)
Cherry Red [release date: 25.02.22] Faster Pussycat were one of a number of apparently identikit Glamrock bands who emerged from the LA Club scene in the mid eighties. Many fell by the wayside, but some stood out. Faster Pussycat … Continue reading
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Tagged album, boxset, Bret Muscat, eighties, Faster Pussycat, glam, Greg Steele, LA Club scene, metal, review, sleaze rock, Taime Down
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Album review: CLIVE MITTEN – Tales From A Misspent Youth Vol.1
Bumnote Records [Release date 28.01.22] www.twelfthnight.info Do we really need more cover versions? Do we really need to hear another take on ‘Tubular Bells’? There seems to be a trend, maybe as rock gets old, to revisit and occasionally reinterpret … Continue reading
