Category Archives: ALBUM REVIEWS

Album review: VARIOUS – Come On Let’s Go! (Power Pop Gems from the 70s and 80s)

Posted on August 12, 2019 by jason

Big Beat/Ace [Release date 26.07.19] Every few years a label attempts a new “Power Pop” collection, and this time it’s the turn of Ace Records via their Big Beat imprint. Dave Burke presents an impressive selection of 70′s and 80′s … Continue reading →

Album review: THE KENTISH SPIRES – Sprezzatura

Posted on August 12, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

White Knight [Release date 08.08.19] The Kentish Spires debut – The Last Harvest – released just 12 months ago only narrowly missed out, to Laura Meade, as my album of 2018, so the band’s ‘quick fire’ turnaround with their follow-up … Continue reading →

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Album review: MISS VELVET & THE BLUE WOLF Feat. GEORGE CLINTON – Feed The Wolf

Posted on August 11, 2019 by jason

Isotopia Records [Release date 23.08.19] In the nicest possible way, the first word that comes to mind as ‘Super Bon Bon’ the opening track of ‘Feed The Wolf’ unfolds is “sweaty”. Miss Velvet & The Blue Wolf’s second album feels … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Feed The Wolf, funk, George Clinton, Living Colour, Miss Velvet & the Blue Wolf, Parliament Funkadelic, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: PHIL LANZON – 48 Seconds

Posted on August 10, 2019 by jason

Phil Lanzon Ditties/Cargo Records UK [Release date 02.08.19] Hot on the heels of last year’s ‘If You Think I’m Crazy’ Uriah Heep’s keyboards player Phil Lanzon is back with another solo album, which again sees him working with producer Simon … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, big band, classic rock, Grand Prix, John Mitchell, keyboards, melodic rock, Mick O'Donohue, Miriam Grey, Phil Lanzon, pomp rock, review, Richard Cottle, Simon Hanhart, Uriah Heep | 2 Comments

Album Review: BILLY SHERWOOD – Citizen: In The Next Life

Posted on August 9, 2019 by alanjones

Frontiers Music [Release date: 12.07.2019] The prolific Mr Sherwood is a busy man. Not only is he now ensconced as bass player in the ever-revolving door of personnel that is Yes and also as the wonderful John Wetton’s replacement in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Asia, Billy Sherwood, Citizen: In The Next Life, Progressive Rock, review, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: MY LIFE STORY – World Citizen

Posted on August 8, 2019 by jason

Exilophone [Release date 06.09.19] To my musical shame My Life Story have completely passed me by until this album arrived for review, which means a lot of catching up for me as they are masters of lush pop and are … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, chamber pop, indie pop, Jake Shillingford, melodic, My Life Story, Nick Evans, pop, review, The Divine Comedy | Leave a comment

Album review: GOSPELBEACH – Let It Burn

Posted on August 8, 2019 by jason

Alive Records [Release date 04.10.19] As a genre, Americana is a very broad church of influences and flavors from beards, banjo’s and BBQ to fiddles, flannel shirts and flared pants but possibly it’s most engaging allure is that it is … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE REMBRANDTS – Via Satellite

Posted on August 8, 2019 by jason

Blue Elan Records [Release date 23.08.19] The Rembrandts – Danny Wilde and Phil Solem – return with their first new album in eighteen years. Forever known to many for the hit ‘I’ll Be There For You’ from the US TV … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, melodic rock, pop, power pop, review, the Rembrandts, Tom Petty, Via Satellite | Leave a comment

Album review: LAURENCE JONES – Laurence Jones Band

Posted on August 6, 2019 by petefeenstra

Top Stop Music [Release date 27.09.19] ‘Laurence Jones Band’ is a career departure for the former rock-blues hero who makes a major pitch for the pop market. They say the most significant thing about the blues genre is that historically … Continue reading →

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Album review: STEVE IGNORANT’S SLICE OF LIFE – Don’t Turn Away

Posted on August 6, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

Overground Records [Release date 23.08.19] Sculptor, Music Hall historian, Punch & Judy performer, volunteer life boatman, and perhaps most significantly – from a musical perspective – vocalist and co-founder of seminal 1970′s punk band Crass, Steve Ignorant is a man … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE HOLD STEADY – Thrashing Thru The Passion

Posted on August 4, 2019 by jason

Frenchkiss Records [Release date 16.08.19] Whilst frontman Carif Finn has been busy releasing a trilogy of solo albums, the Hold Steady have been mainly seen in the live arena, until this new album ‘Thrashing Through Passion’ was announced earlier this … Continue reading →

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Album review: CARAVAN – The Decca/Deram Years (An Anthology) 1970-1975

Posted on August 3, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

Decca/UMC [Release date 06.09.19] Caravan The Decca/Deram Years may not look quite as handsome as the previous 4 disc anthology (2010), and notwithstanding the 2-disc compilation (2000), it is nevertheless the most complete introduction to the band. Presented in a … Continue reading →

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Album review: IAN McNABB – Our Future In Space

Posted on August 1, 2019 by jason

Fairfield Records [Release date 08.03.19] I will be honest I have not really followed Ian McNabb’s musical journey since 1994’s excellent ‘Head Like A Rock’ he did with Neil Young’s band Crazy Horse. He’s been regularly releasing albums and touring … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE ALLMAN BETTS BAND – Down To The River

Posted on August 1, 2019 by petefeenstra

BMG [Release 28.06.19] The Allman Betts Band don’t so much reinvent the wheel as relive subliminal snapshots of the band’s musical antecedents. They formed on the 50th anniversary of the first Allman Brothers gig and brought with them a weight … Continue reading →

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Album review: REDD KROSS – Beyond The Door

Posted on July 29, 2019 by jason

Merge [Release date 23.08.19] Amazingly this year marks the fortieth year that Redd Kross have been playing live (albeit originally under the name Red Cross) and it is the band’s first new album in seven years. The band are still … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, alt rock, Beyond The Door, Melvins, pop rock, power pop, punk, Redd Kross, review, SPARKS | Leave a comment

Album review: IAMTHEMORNING – The Bell

Posted on July 28, 2019 by alanjones

K-scope (Release date: 02.08.19) One thing is for certain – you don’t listen to the music of iamthemorning for a laugh. Their exceptional 2016 album ‘Lighthouse’ which was based around the complexities of mental illness and which I described … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, classical, folk, Gleb Kolyakin, Iamthemorning, Marjana Semkina, Progressive Rock, review, Russia, The Bell | Leave a comment

Album review: IAN GILLAN & THE DON AIREY Band and Orchestra – Contractual Obligation Album #2 Live In Warsaw

Posted on July 28, 2019 by jason

IAN GILLAN with the DON AIREY BAND - Contractual Obligaiton #2 Live In Warsaw

earMUSIC/Edel [Release date 26.07.19] Recorded in November 2016, while Deep Purple were on some downtime, and vocalist Ian undertook this short tour with current Purple pianist Don Airey’s band. Oh, and an orchestra. Deep Purple have, with their current line-up, … Continue reading →

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Album review: FREEDOM CALL – M.E.T.A.L.

Posted on July 28, 2019 by jason

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 23.08.19] Fronted by vocalist/guitarist Chris Bay, Freedom Call have been going since 1998, several line-up changes under their belt, and Bay has overseen a few changes. And this album is as great as ever. I have championed … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Chris Bay, Freedom Call, happy metal, M.E.T.A.L., melodic metal, metal, power metal, review | Leave a comment

Album review: PISTON-s/t

Posted on July 27, 2019 by andynathan

Release date 13.09.19 Midlands rockers Piston have been going since 2012 but having gone under the radar till now, their first album finally arrives in a year where they seem to be touring extensively and belatedly attracting attention. Opener ‘Dynamite’ … Continue reading →

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Album review: ALBERT CASTIGLIA – Masterpiece

Posted on July 26, 2019 by petefeenstra

Gulf Coast Records [Release 15.07.19] It’s often said that an artist discovers their best work when they find their muse. And when Albert Castiglia tells us that his new ‘Masterpiece’ album resulted from finding a daughter he didn’t know he … Continue reading →

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Album review: MICHAEL J BOLTON – Earthrise

Posted on July 26, 2019 by GRTR! HQ

Market Square [Release date 30.08.19] www.marketsquaremusic.com Arriving to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, Michael J Bolton has fashioned his own tribute. As he outlines in the liner notes “I wanted to portray the drama and … Continue reading →

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Album review: BEN FEATHERSTONE – Prisoner To The Wind

Posted on July 25, 2019 by jason

Website [Release date 23.08.19] Ben Featherstone has been working on this album over the past decade, mostly recorded in a 400 year old abandoned chapel on a disused cemetary in the middle of nowhere on mostly a 1950′s reel to … Continue reading →

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Album review: THE NEW ROSES – Nothing But Wild

Posted on July 24, 2019 by jason

Napalm Records [Release 02.08.19] What can I say, I f’king love this album. “Nothing But Wild” is the fourth album from German band The New Roses and what an album it is, from the start this is from the heart, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Aerosmith, album, Bon Jovi, classic rock, country rock, hard rock, Napalm Records, Nothing But Wild, review, southern rock, the New Roses | 1 Comment

Quick plays: JIMI ANDERSON GROUP, HOLLOW HAZE, HUMBLE PIE

Posted on July 23, 2019 by jason

JIMI ANDERSON GROUP I Belong AOR Heaven [Release date 30.08.19] Second album from the Jimi Anderson Group, which sees singer Jimi Anderson working again with producers/musicians Sandy Jones and Greame Duffin, plus guitarist David Cuthbert. There is nothing on here … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, AOR, classic rock, Frontiers, Hollow Haze, Humble Pie, Jimi Anderson Group, melodic metal, melodic rock, power metal, Quick Play, review, Steve Marriott | Leave a comment

Album review: MORGANWAY – Morganway

Posted on July 21, 2019 by jason

Morganway/UE-Records [Release date 02.08.19] Morganway were formed in 2016 by brothers Callum (vocals, bass) and Kieran Morgan (lead guitar) along with keyboards player Matt Brocklehurst, who were in turn joined by vocalist SJ Mortimer, fiddle player Nicole J Terry and … Continue reading →

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