Category Archives: ALL POSTS

Album review: ANN WILSON & TRIPSITTER – Another Door

Posted on October 12, 2023 by jason

Dualtone [Release date 29.09.23 US, 13.10.23 ROW] Ann Wilson, best known for Heart with her sister Nancy, decided that prior to starting the 2023 tour with her band Tripsitter, they would record an album of all-original material. This album also … Continue reading →

Gig review: BYWATER CALL – The Grace, London, 9 October 2023

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Davoski

I had seen Meghan Parnell and Dave Barnes, the driving force behind Bywater Call, supporting Robert Jon and The Wreck back in February. I was mightily impressed, and particularly bowled over by Meghan’s voice. So this tour with the full, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 9 October 2023, blues, Bywater Call, Dave Barnes, gig, live, London, Meghan Parnell, review, roots, soul, The Grace | Leave a comment

Gig review: WISHBONE ASH – Islington Academy, London, 5 October 2023

Posted on October 12, 2023 by andynathan

Wishbone Ash’s autumn tour with its London date at the Islington Academy has been a fixture on the gig calendar for many years, and more often than not these days seems to mark a significant milestone. I was one of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 5 October 2023, Andy Powell, Bob Skeat, gig, Islington Academy, Live Dates, London, Mark Abrahams, Mike Truscott, Wishbone Ash | Leave a comment

Album review: LONG ROAD HOME – Are We Invisible?

Posted on October 11, 2023 by petefeenstra

Long Road Home - Are We Invisibe album cover

Self Release [Release date 31.10.23] ‘Are We Invisible?’ is a promising debut album by Long Road Home, a new British guitar and keyboard driven veteran rock-blues band, with bluesy, proggy, AOR and occasional southern rock influences. They don’t so much … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Are We Invisible?, Billy Gibbins, blues, boogie, Dave Norman, Deep Purple, Derek White, Ian Salisbury, Lee Morell, Long Road Home, Mike Sebbage, Procol Harum, review, Robin Trower, rock, Scott Hunter, southern rock, Steve Summers, ZZ Top | Leave a comment

Album review: THUNDER – The Thrill Of It All, Giving The Game Away, Shooting At The Sun (Reissues)

Posted on October 10, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

WIN These reissues! Click or tap here! BMG [Release date 20.10.23] As our retrospective feature in ‘The GRTR! Grotto’ series attests Thunder have firmly entrenched themselves with fans in the millennium, in spite of a couple of stop-starts. It’s fair … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged Ben Matthews, classic rock, Danny Bowes, Giving The Game Away, hard rock, Harry James, Luke Morley, reissues, Shooting At The Sun, The Thrill Of It All, Thunder | Leave a comment

Album review : NITRATE – Feel The Heat

Posted on October 9, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 23.09.23] Nitrate’s founding member and bassist, Nick Hogg has again opted for vocalist Alexander Strandell and the Martin (Vega) brothers (who also produce) to round out the band on his latest, (and fourth) album, Feel The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alexander Strandell, AOR, Danger Danger, Glen Frey, Heart, Issa, John Waite, Martin Brothers, New Wave, Nick Hogg, Nitrate, Paul Laine, review, Vega | Leave a comment

Album review: TREVOR RABIN – Rio

Posted on October 9, 2023 by david.wilson

InsideOut Music [Release date 06.10.23] Rio is the first vocal led album Trevor Rabin has released since ‘Can’t Look Away’ in 1989. He has been busy in the interim with both solo instrumental releases and he has also become a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 6th Oct 2023, album, Big Mistake, country, Insideout Music, National Treasure, Oklahoma, Owner Of A Lonely Heart, progressive, Push, review, Rio, rock, Trevor Rabin, Yes | Leave a comment

Gig review: BLACK STONE CHERRY – Islington Assembly Hall, 29 September 2023

Posted on October 8, 2023 by andynathan

Black Stone Cherry have for the last decade been big enough to headline arenas in the UK- in contrast to their still middle ranking status back home. The Kentucky foursome are constantly on tour here and must be up there … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Ben Wells, Black Stone Cherry, Chris Robertson, gig, John Fred Young, southern rock, Steve Jewell | Leave a comment

Album review : KINGS CROWN – Closer To The Truth

Posted on October 7, 2023 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 13.10.23] Melodic Hard Rock’s European union of British vocalist, Lee (Shy/Sweet) Small and Swedish Guitarist Martin (Gypsy Rose/Phenomena) Kronlund looks like being a huge success. Small’s voice is the kind of thing which prompts awe not … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anders Skoog, Frontiers, Glenn Hughes, Kings Crown, Lee Small, Martin Kronlund, melodic hard rock, Phenomena, review, Seventies Rock, Shy, Sweet | Leave a comment

Quick plays: HASSAN BIN RASHID, LOUIS DE BERNIERES, RYAN YOUNG

Posted on October 7, 2023 by jason

HASSAN BIN RASHID My 21 Grams [Release date 06.10.23] Not everyday you get offered to review an album by a proper prince, in this case Bahraini Prince, Hassan bin Rashid. ‘My 21 Grams’ is his fifth studio album as he … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged alternative, folk, Hassan bin Rashid, Louis de Bernieres, melodic, My 21 Grams, Pearl Jam, pop, Quick Play, review, rock, Ryan Young | Leave a comment

Album review: GARRET T. WILLIE – Same Pain

Posted on October 6, 2023 by petefeenstra

Self release [Release date 15.09.23] Canadian rock bluer Garret T. Willie has a wise head on young shoulders and it goes some way to explaining his song craft. His 7 studio cuts co-written with bassist Parker Bossley are full of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Brendan Perry, David Bacha, Dead Can Dance, Elmore James, Garret T. Willie, George Thorogood, Johnny Cash, Parker Bossley, review, rock, Rolling Stones, roots, Same Pain | Leave a comment

Album review: BLACKLIST UNION – Letters From The Psych Ward

Posted on October 6, 2023 by jason

BLACLIST UNION - Letters From The Psych Ward

Cargo Records [Release date 15.09.23] Big, slick, dark and dirty, “Letters From The Psych Ward” is the latest album from Blacklist Union, the band’s sixth, and first for eight years. The album embraces decades of musical influences and therefore sounds modern … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Leave a comment

Album review: WARD KNUTUR TOWNES – Unanswered

Posted on October 5, 2023 by jason

Betty Beetroot Records [Release date 06.10.23] Ward Knutur Townes found their sound when the world fell silent in 2020. These three singer-songwriters, (Lucy Ward, Svavar Knutur and Adyn Townes) were selected to take part in a virtual global music sharing experiment … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Adyn Townes, album, alt folk, folk, Lucy Ward, melodic, review, Svavar Knutur, Unanswered, Ward Knutur Townes | Leave a comment

Gig review: KATRINA LESKANICH- Half Moon, Putney, London, 28 September 2023

Posted on October 4, 2023 by andynathan

Now only really remembered for two major singles, in the second half of the eighties Katrina and the Waves were one of my guilty pleasures. Their sixties inspired guitar based sound stood out among the then dominant synthesisers in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Darren Loveday, gig, Half Moo, Katrina and the Waves, Katrina Leskanich, Nicki French, pop rock, power pop | Leave a comment

Book review: Decades – MANFRED MANN’S EARTH BAND in the 1970s by John Van der Kiste

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Davoski

Book review: Decades - Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in the 1970’s (John Van der Kiste)

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date: 27.01.23] After seeing the Earth Band live this Summer and being very pleasantly surprised, I found this book in my pile of review material and so I’m following up that excellent gig in Budapest with a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged 1970's, book, Manfred Mann, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, prog, review, Sonicbond | Leave a comment

Album review: IMPELLITTERI – The Complete Beast 1987-2009 (6 CD Boxset)

Posted on October 2, 2023 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date: 06.10.23] Every Impellitteri album from 1988 to 2009. Nine in all, and the band’s 2 EPs. Plus a score of bonus tracks. All shoehorned into 6 jampacked CDs. (Such was the weight of heavy metal contained … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues | Tagged album, boxset, Chris Impellitteri, Graham Bonnet, Impellitteri, Michael Wagener, review, Rob Rock, The Complete Beast | Leave a comment

Album review: IRON SAVIOR – Firestar

Posted on October 1, 2023 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 06.10.23] Iron Savior’s 2020 album, Skycrest, signalled a new era of Power Metal. Three years later, the voyage of the mothership has apparently been sidelined temporarily, to allow a celebration of Teutonic and indeed, in places, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Firestar, Iron Maiden, IRON SAVIOR, Judas Priest, Piet Sielck, power metal, review, Saxon, Viking metal | Leave a comment

Album review: SKAGARACK- Heart and Soul

Posted on September 30, 2023 by andynathan

Thunderstruck Records (Release date 25.08.23) Skagarack were, alongside Fate, the Danish standard bearers in the original Scandinavian melodic rock explosion of the late eighties. I was a big fan, seeing them at the old Marquee and even picking up albums … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Jan Petersen, melodic rock, Skagarack, TORBEN SCHMIDT | Leave a comment

Gig review: ROMEO’S DAUGHTER – The Garage, Highbury, London, 23 September 2023

Posted on September 30, 2023 by andynathan

With good timing, as their new album ‘Slipstream’ has just been released, Romeo’s Daughter played their first show in London since the pandemic. Indeed much of the pre show talk evolved around who had retained their tickets from an original … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, Craig Joiner, gig, Highbury, Leigh Matty, melodic rock, Romeo's Daughter, Sweet Crisis, The Garage | Leave a comment

Album review: WINGER – Chapter One Atlantic Years 1988-1993

Posted on September 30, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Atlantic/BMG [Release date: 17.11.23] It had to happen. The boxed Winger story from 1988 to 1993 and “the only remasters approved by Kip Winger.” As ever, it doesn’t help those who have already indulged in previous vinyl or CD although … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview, Reissues | Tagged album, box set, Chapter One Atlantic Years 1988-1993, hard rock, Kip Winger, melodic, Reb Beach, review, Winger | Leave a comment

Gig review: HOUND – Here We Aren’t, Peterborough, 27 September 2023

Posted on September 29, 2023 by jason

An enigma, wrapped up in neon-bright packaging, Cambridgeshire punk pop metal quintet Hound are all dangerous curves, big riffs and uncontrolled energy. The fact they’re playing what must rank as one of the tiniest venues in the country, the whole … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged gig, Here We Aren’t, HOUND, melodic, Peterborough, Punk Metal, punk pop, review, Wednesday 27 September 2023 | Leave a comment

EP review: TOM WEBBER – The RAK Tracks

Posted on September 29, 2023 by jason

Website [Release date 29.09.23] Recorded at the legendary RAK Studios, Tom Webber takes another step up in his musical travels and more importantly, the musical depth and production that comes with recording at such a famous studio. If you though … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Didcot, EP, indie, Maya Lane, pop, RAK studios, RAK Tracks, review, rock 'n' roll, singer songwriter, The Korgis, Tom Webber | Leave a comment

News: BERNIE MARSDEN, THE KINKS, PALLAS (October 2023)

Posted on September 29, 2023 by jason

Alkaline Trio release their latest album, ‘Blood, Hair And Eyeballs’, on January 26 via Rise Records. The Beatles release ‘Now And Then’ on November 2, and it is being advertised as the final ‘new’ Beatles song ever. Black Sabbath release a … Continue reading →

Posted in 20th Anniversary 2003-2023, Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Interviews, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged albums, Bernie Marsden, blues, blues rock, classic rock, folk, gigs, metal, news, Pallas, prog rock, Re-issues/special editions, RIP, The Kinks | Leave a comment

Album review: CLIVE CARROLL – The Abbot – Clive Carroll plays the music of John Renbourn

Posted on September 28, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

CLIVE CARROLL - The Abbot - plays the music of John Renbourn

www.clivecarroll.co.uk [Release date 02.10.23] I have a confession to make. In the early 1970s I was heavily into “early music” and for a time performed in a duo recreating the dance music of the medieval minstrels. That band’s demise was … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, Clive Carroll, Elizabethan, folk, Jacqui McShee, jazz, medieval, Pentangle, review, The Abbot - Clive Carroll plays the music of John Renbourn | Leave a comment

Album review: SCREAMING EAGLES – High Class Rock ‘N’ Roll

Posted on September 27, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

FTF Records [Release date 06.10.23] Screaming Eagles hail from Northern Ireland and this is their sophomore album. The debut came out in 2013 which begs the question what have they been doing since? Notwithstanding the two year hiatus that is … Continue reading →