Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: JAKKO M. JAKSZYK – Secrets & Lies

Posted on October 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

On Sunday 11 October, in the first hour of his weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, David Randall chatted to Jakko M. Jakszyk about his career with tracks from the new album. InsideOut Music [Release date 23.10.20] Jakko … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: OGD, DAYS BETWEEN STATIONS, SUN KING RISING

Posted on October 5, 2020 by jason

OGD The Big Game Bandcamp [Release date 25.08.20] The Big Game is the debut release from OGD who feature Derek Olivero (guitars, lead vocals), Bobby Gavin (drums), and Dave DeRanieri (bass). OGD recorded the album with legendary drummer Jerry Marotta … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Americana, Billy Sherwood, blues, Days Between Stations, Delta Tales, Giants, melodic, OGD, power metal, prog rock, progressive, Quick Plays, review, rock, Sun King Rising, The Big Game, Them, thrash metal, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: ASHLEY CAMPBELL – Something Lovely

Posted on October 5, 2020 by jason

Vacancy Records [Release date 09.10.20] It’s not the first time on these pages I’ve mentioned that in country music, pedigree is pretty important. They don’t come much more iconic than Glen Campbell – so being the youngest of Glen’s eight … Continue reading →

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Album review: DARWIN – Darwin 2: A Frozen War

Posted on October 4, 2020 by jason

Indie [Release date 06.11.20] A follow-up to 2018’s highly enjoyable ‘Origin Of Species’ and this latest album certainly proved challenging for the band, as they explain – “The writing for the album continued as we wrapped ‘Origin of Species’ in … Continue reading →

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Album review: TRAGIK – Faith Healer

Posted on October 4, 2020 by jason

Rock Company [Release date 03.11.20] Album number nine from Tragik by my reckoning? It is another band that features the musician that never sleeps – Phil Vincent. With Tragik he handles vocals, bass and keyboards on the album. Tragik also … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Faith Healer, hard rock, melodic rock, metal, Phil Vincent, review, Tragik | 1 Comment

Album review: DAVE EDMUNDS – 5 Originals

Posted on October 4, 2020 by jason

Floating World Records [Release date 6.11.20] This new 3CD set comprises five Dave Edmunds solo albums. It kicks off with 1975’s “Subtle As A Flying Mallet”, his second solo effort, which consists of covers of late 1950s and early 1960s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged box set, CD, classic rock, Dave Edmunds, Originals, pop rock, re-issue, review, rock 'n' roll | Leave a comment

Album review: BLACK SABBATH – Paranoid (50th Anniversary Super Deluxe)

Posted on October 3, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Black Sabbath - Paranoid - 50th Anniversary Edition

BMG [Release date 09.10.20] Another year. Another anniversary. At the dawn of heavy metal as we know it, 1970, Black Sabbath released their second album which went on to achieve multi-million selling status. A fan favourite it yielded a handful … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 50th anniversary, album, Bill Ward, Black Sabbath, box set, Doom, Geezer Butler, heavy metal, interview, Ozzy Osbourne, Paranoid, review, super deluxe, Tony Iommi | Leave a comment

Album review: CIRCULINE – CircuLive New View (DVD/Blu-ray)

Posted on October 2, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Inner Nova Music [Release date 09.10.20] Starting out covering Yes, Genesis, ELP, Gentle Giant, King Crimson, UK, Jethro Tull, Rush, and Pink Floyd, three members of New York based tribute band Downing Grey decided to form Circuline in 2014 as … Continue reading →

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Album review: DAVID MINASIAN – The Sound Of Dreams

Posted on October 2, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Golden Robot Records [Release date 11.09.20] An American film producer, screenwriter, director, and a musician, singer and songwriter, David Minasian’s work includes music videos and concert films for Camel, and Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward. Which goes some way to … Continue reading →

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Album review: BLUES PILLS – Holy Moly!

Posted on October 2, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Nuclear Blast [Release date 21.08.20] Blues Pills have always scored highly with GRTR! reviewers. John Stefanis was bowled over by their ‘next best thing [to the 70s]‘ 2014 eponymous debut, while Jason Ritchie considered their 2016 follow up Lady In … Continue reading →

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News: Albums of the Month (July 2020 – September 2020)

Posted on September 27, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

MAGENTA Masters Of Illusion (Tiger Moth) It turns back the years without ever being ‘retro’ and I would suggest is comfortably the best Magenta album since Home. Masters Of Illusion – The Musical, anyone? ***** (Pete Whalley) WALTER TROUT Ordinary … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS | Tagged 20/20, albums of the month, AOR, Arctic Rain, August, blues, blues rock, classic rock, Deep Purple, hard rock, July, Kat Riggins, Legacy Pilots, Magenta, melodic rock, Progressive Rock, September, Walter Trout | Leave a comment

Album review: PERFECT PLAN- Time For A Miracle

Posted on September 27, 2020 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release Date 04.09.20] Perfect Plan’s self titled debut was one of the revelations of 2018, these seasoned Swedes emerging from nowhere with a high quality mix of hard rock and AOR. After keeping the pot boiling nicely with … Continue reading →

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Album review: HELL IN THE CLUB – Hell of Fame

Posted on September 27, 2020 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release Date 04.09.20] Hell in the Club, whose latest album is remarkably their fifth, are one of the few bands on Frontiers Records huge roster that are actually from their native Italy- even if band members have adopted … Continue reading →

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Album review: LEAVES’ EYES – The Last Viking

Posted on September 27, 2020 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 23.10.20] Leaves’ Eyes are nothing if prolific, with eight albums, eight EPs and a live album since they formed back in 2003. ‘The Last Viking’ marks the final part of the band’s Viking trilogy, telling the … Continue reading →

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Album review: MATTY JAMES CASSIDY – Old Souls

Posted on September 26, 2020 by jason

Cargo Records [Release date 28.08.20] I do love a record that you cannot pigeon-hole to one musical genre, especially one that has a rich tapestry of influences in there too, and that is exactly what Matty James Cassidy has managed … Continue reading →

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Album review: TODD RUNDGREN – A Wizard A True Star, Live

Posted on September 26, 2020 by jason

Cleopatra Records, USA [Release date 25.09.20] Eleven Years ago this month, Todd Rundgren and his band, suitably garbed in white “coat’n’tails” played “A Wizard, A True Star” in its entirety, at the Akron Ohio Civic Theatre, one of the last … Continue reading →

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Album review: RISING STEEL – Fight Them All

Posted on September 26, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.09.20] Second album from Grenoble’s finest metal band, Rising Steel. And you can see the tongue in their cheek from space. Allegedly. The band’s amusingly phallic name is the first Freudian nod and wink. And then, endearingly, … Continue reading →

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Album review: MARTIN BARRE – 50 Years Of Jethro Tull (2-CD)

Posted on September 26, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

On Sunday 18 October, Martin Barre chatted to Pete Feenstra for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, about his time in Tull and beyond. (40:33) The Store For Music [Release date 16.10.20] The first thing to say is that the cover, … Continue reading →

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Album review: STRYPER – Even The Devil Believes

Posted on September 25, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.09.20] Stryper’s 13th studio album, “Even The Devil Believes” follows hard the heels of “God Damn Evil” (their fourth on Frontiers). When you’re hot you’re hot. Vocalist/Guitarist/producer, Michael Sweet lets loose a high pitched howl as he … Continue reading →

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Album review: SIMON COLLINS – Becoming Human

Posted on September 23, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.09.20] Fourth solo album by Simon Collins and his first since leaving Sound Of Contact, on whose 2013 debut album ‘Dimensionaut’ he handled lead vocals. Simon Collins played drums and keys on this album, along with vocals. … Continue reading →

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Album review: LANDFALL – The Turning Point

Posted on September 22, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.09.20] This is up and coming Brazilian band, Landfall’s first album with talented vocalist Gui Oliver. His high tenor has encouraged the label to compare him to Steve Perry, but his vocal timbre is often much closer … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE LAST DINOSAUR – Wholeness

Posted on September 21, 2020 by jason

Indie [Release date 23.10.20] Music can move us in so many ways, filtering through our lives in both the subtle and the obvious. It can seem to be that ever-present soundtrack to our days, a faintly heard radio, the background … Continue reading →

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Album review: SANDRA BOUZA – Falling Away From Me

Posted on September 21, 2020 by petefeenstra

Sabucedo Records [Release date 18.09.20] If Toronto has provided a creative backdrop to the recent renewed interest in all aspect of soul, Sandra Bouza takes things a step further with a cross genre, radio friendly album that is refreshingly lyrically … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Canadian soul, Falling Away From Me, funk, Hill Kourkoutis, Janis Joplin, jazz, Joni Mitchell, Motown, R&B, review, Sandra Bouza, soul, Toronto, vocal | Leave a comment

Album review: OVERLAND – Scandalous

Posted on September 20, 2020 by jason

Escape Music [Release date 18.09.20] FM vocalist Steve Overland returns with a new album, aided by Tommy Denander, along with Brian Anthony (bass, piano, Hammond) and drummer Brian Tichy (Foreigner, Whitesnake, Dead Daisies et al). The album’s contrasting styles can … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, FM, melodic rock, review, rock, Solo, soul, Steve Overland, Tommy Denander | Leave a comment

Album review: BIG COUNTRY – Out Beyond The River, The Compulsion Years Anthology

Posted on September 18, 2020 by jason

Cherry Red [Release date 25.09.20] The late great Stuart Adamson and his band, Big Country, made an indelible musical mark on UK popular culture. Their history is well documented. This anthology focuses on a very narrow, but hugely fertile period … Continue reading →