Tag Archives: album

Album review: BILLY WALTON BAND – Soul Of A Man

Billy Walton Band - Soul Of A Man

Vizztone Records [Release date 12.01.18] Not to be confused with the Blind Willie Johnson song, the Billy Walton Band’s ‘Soul Of A Man’ album strikes the perfect balance between their natural exuberance and nascent song craft. If you include a … Continue reading

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Album review: ZOE SCHWARZ BLUE COMMOTION – The Blues And I Should Have A Party

ZOE SCHWARZ BLUE COMMOTION – The Blues And I Should Have A Party

33 Records [Release date 02.03.18] ‘The Blues And I Should Have A Party’ is as much a thematic statement of the band’s musical intent – let alone history – as it is a specific title track about a troubled relationship. … Continue reading

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Album review: SPREADING THE DISEASE – Insurrection

Facebook page [Release date 26.01.18] I reviewed Spreading The Disease’s EP a couple of years ago and that featured the awesome song ‘Bulldozer’ – a song that did what it said on the tin, namely rolling over the listener with some … Continue reading

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Album review: LONG DISTANCE CALLING – Boundless

LONG DISTANCE CALLING - Boundless

Inside Out [Release date 02.02.18] Germany’s Long Distance Calling – guitarists David Jordan and Florian Füntmann, bassist Jan Hoffman and drummer Janosch Rathmer – have been around since 2006 and although their last album featured guest vocalists, on this album … Continue reading

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Album review: DOWN ‘N’ OUTZ – My ReGeneration/The Further Adventures Of

DOWN

Frontiers [Release date 01.12.17] The Down ‘N’ Outz were formed by Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, when he was asked to be involved in the Mott The Hoople reunion shows in 2009. For this he was backed by Quireboys’ members Paul Guerin … Continue reading

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Album review: FIVE GRAND STEREO – Sex & Money

FIVE GRAND STEREO – Sex & Money

Five Grand Stereo [Release date 26.01.18] Five Grand Stereo are Chris Singleton (vocals/guitar/piano), Jane Fraser (vocals), Stelios Kalisperides (guitar), Michael Kirkland (sax/synths), Zane Maertens (bass) and Ben Woollacott (drums). Chris Singleton has of course released a series of excellent pop/rock … Continue reading

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Album review: THE DELLA GRANTS – Live Sessions

THE DELLA GRANTS – Live Sessions

Self release [Release date 22.11.17] Whether or not The Della Grants take their name from Muddy Waters grandmother or the American roots reggae singer Della Grant, there’s certainly a musical meeting of minds on an album that references blues, soul … Continue reading

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Album review: JONO – Life

JONO - Life

Frontiers [Release date 01.12.17] Jono joining Frontiers will be good for both parties, as Jono will get greater exposure to their marvellous mix of pomp, rock and prog, whilst Frontiers have a band who I am sure as Mr Halford … Continue reading

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Album review: THE DARK ELEMENT (featuring Anette Olzon & Jani Liimatainen)

THE DARK ELEMENT (featuring Anette Olzon & Jani Liimatainen)

Frontiers Records [Release date 10.11.17] After Anette Olzon’s unceremonious departure from Nightwish in 2012 she took stock, brushed herself down, and fashioned the beginnings of a solo career. ‘Shine’ was released in 2014 and was one of my favourite albums, … Continue reading

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Album review: MICHAEL LANDAU – Rock Bottom

MICHAEL LANDAU – Rock Bottom

Provogue [Release date 23.02.18] From the free form intro of ‘Squirrels’ to the Noirish spoken word intro and melodic resolution of ‘Speak Now, Make Your Peace’, Michael Landau takes up on a complex musical journey that promises much and delivers … Continue reading

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Album review: MICHAEL SCHENKER – A Decade Of The Mad Axeman

MICHAEL SCHENKER - A Decade Of The Mad Axeman

[Release date 28.01.18] A completely mad axeman indeed, Michael Schenker is one of the world’s shining lights when it comes to rock and metal guitar. Whether with Scorpions, UFO, the Michael/McAuley Schenker Group, UFO again, solo or his own Temple … Continue reading

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Album review: SAXON – Thunderbolt

SAXON - Thunderbolt

UDR [Release date 02.02.18] Bastions of British heavy metal, NWoBHM stalwarts, basically if you like trad heavy metal, Saxon are where it’s at and have been for longer than I can remember. Album number 22 comes two and a half … Continue reading

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Album review: LEAVES’ EYES – Sign Of The Dragonhead

LEAVES

AFM Records [Release date 12.01.18] Back in April 2016 Leaves’ Eyes parted ways with singer Liv Kristine, which led to various accounts of how the departure came about surfacing on social media and ill feeling between both parties. So this … Continue reading

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Album review: KAYAK – Seventeen

KAYAK - Seventeen

Inside Out [Release date 12.01.18] Kayak was founded in 1972 by keyboardist/composer Ton Scherpenzeel, who is the sole remaining original member, as the band release their seventeenth studio album. Ton is joined in Kayak by singer Bart Schwertmann and guitarist Marcel Singor, … Continue reading

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Album review: BLOOD RED SAINTS – Love Hate Conspiracies

BLOOD RED SAINTS - Love Hate Conspiracies

AOR Heaven [Release date 26.01.18] Blood Red Saints return with their second album and joining the original trio of Pete Godfrey (vocals), Rob Naylor (bass) and Lee Revill (guitars) are guitarist Neil Hibbs (ex-Shy) and Andy Chemney on drums. There are a … Continue reading

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Album review: TONOCHROME – A Map In Fragments

TONOCHROME - A Map In Fragments

Bad Elephant Music [Release date 02.02.18] The debut album from London based art rock quartet, has proggy undertones, but at heart is more rooted in jazz and ambient soundscapes. The brainchild of singer and main songwriter Andres Razzini, it’s an … Continue reading

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Album review: BILLION DOLLAR BABIES – First Ever Live Show Flint 1977

BILLION DOLLAR BABIES - First Ever Live Show Flint 1977

Gonzo Multimedia [Release date 17.11.17] The ill-fated Billion Dollar Babies project is something of a holy grail amongst acolytes of the original Alice Cooper band.  And there are many, myself included. The last time this recording hit the streets was … Continue reading

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Album review: CHRIS BAY – Chasing The Sun

CHRIS BAY - Chasing The Sun

SPV [Release date 23.02.18] Vocalist and guitarist Chris Bay is best known as the founder and frontman of German power metal band Freedom Call (formed Nuremberg, 1998), whose sound has centred around catchy guitar melodies and big vocal harmonies. Inheriting … Continue reading

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Album review: STEVE LOGAN – Backstreets Of Eden

STEVE LOGAN – Backstreets Of Eden

Moondragon Records [Release date 24.03.18] Steve Logan is a Welsh roots rocker, bordering on Americana, who explores a musical arc that merges the acoustic singer songwriter mode with what he terms “high octane rock”. He’s a song writer whose relationship … Continue reading

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Album review: HEAVEN & EARTH – Hard To Kill

HEAVEN & EARTH - Hard To Kill

Quarto Valley Records [Release date 13.10.17] It would be cruel to say that ‘Heaven & Earth’ is Rainbow-by-numbers but, cripes, bandleader – UK-born Stuart Smith -  looks like Ritchie (check the CD booklet!!) and apparently was mentored by him. The … Continue reading

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Album review: ALMANAC – Kingslayer

ALMANAC - Kingslayer

Nuclear Blast [Release date 24.11.17] Second album from the band Almanac, which was formed by former Rage guitarist Victor Smolski, who utilises a trio of vocalists, namely Andy B. Franke (Brainstorm), David Readman (Pink Cream 69) and Jeannette Marchewka (Lingua Mortis … Continue reading

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Album review: CHEAP TRICK – We’re All Alright!

CHEAP TRICK - We

Big Machine Records [Release date 16.06.17] Cheap Trick really are in a purple patch in their career at the moment, with 2016′s ‘Bang, Zoom, Crazy…Hello’ a real return to form and even their Christmas album wasn’t too shabby. ’We’re All Alright!’ is the … Continue reading

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Album review: JOAN BAEZ – Whistle Down The Wind

JOAN BAEZ - Whistle Down The Wind

Proper Records [Release date 02.03.18] Joan Baez made her live debut back in 1959 at the Newport Folk Festival and now she is starting to wind down her career, touring wise at least as 2018 marks her last year of … Continue reading

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Album review: GORDON GILTRAP – Peace Will Fall

GORDON GILTRAP - Peace Will Fall

Angel Air Records [Release date 12.01.18] A bit like the proverbial bus, Gordon Giltrap’s recent albums are few and far between and then two arrive within a relatively short space of time.  Last year’s ‘The Last of England’ was a … Continue reading

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Album review: AUDREY HORNE – Blackout

Napalm Records [Release date 12.01.17] Norwegian hard rockers Audrey Horne return with their sixth album and first in three years since 2014′s ‘Pure Heavy’. Now that album and its predecessor, ‘Youngblood’ had some real first pumping anthems, however ‘Blackout’ lacks … Continue reading

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