Tag Archives: AOR

Album review: ONE DESIRE – Midnight Empire

Posted on May 20, 2020 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release date 22.05.20) Three years ago young Finns One Desire suddenly emerged with a very impressive first album which made many people’s end of year melodic rock lists. It has taken a long time but they hope to … Continue reading →

Album review: DENNIS DE YOUNG – 26 East, Volume 1

Posted on May 19, 2020 by andynathan

Frontiers Records (Release Date 22.05.20) This album marks a welcome rock comeback for former Styx singer Dennis De Young. For much of the time either side of his departure from the band he seemed more interested in Broadway inspired or … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Dennis De Young, Jim Peterik, Julian Lennon, melodic rock, Styx | Leave a comment

Album review: FM – Synchronized

Posted on May 18, 2020 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release Date 22.05.20] It’s now a whole decade since FM returned to stay with their comeback album ‘Metropolis’. Though from time to time they look back, rerecording ‘Indiscreet’ and most recently celebrating ‘Tough It Out’s anniversary on the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, FM, Jem Davis, Jim Kirkpatrick, melodic rock, Steve Overland | Leave a comment

Album review: PAUL SABU – Sabu/Kidd Glove

Posted on May 14, 2020 by jason

PAUL SABU – Sabu Rock Candy Records [Release date 24.04.20] 1980: After building a name for himself as a producer of slicked back, funk-lite disco music, Paul Sabu took an out-of-the-blue offer from MCA Records to record a melodic rock … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, AOR, Kidd Glove, melodic rock, Motown, Paul Sabu, re-issue, review, Rock Candy, Sabu | Leave a comment

Album review: CHRIS ROSANDER – King Of Hearts

Posted on May 10, 2020 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 26.06.20] Christian Rosander is a 22-year-old musician and songwriter from Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. Since he was 14 years old, he’d been writing songs in the AOR/Melodic and Westcoast genre. To be fair you’d been pretty certain the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, AOR Heaven, Chris Rosander, King Of Hearts, melodic rock, review, synth pop, Toto | Leave a comment

Feature: Bands that time forgot – BAD COMPANY (1986-1996)

Posted on May 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

For most, Bad Company conjures up the classic seventies line-up fronted by Paul Rodgers and with Mick Ralphs, Simon Kirke and Boz Burrell. The eponymous and classic first album yielded a handful of airplay and chart hits and set the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Bands that time forgot, FEATURES, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged 1986-1996, AOR, Bad Company, Brian Howe, classic rock, Dave 'Bucket' Colwell, feature, hard rock, interview, melodic rock, Mick Ralphs, review, Robert Hart, Simon Kirke | Leave a comment

Feature: Albums that time forgot – NEAL SCHON – Late Nite

Posted on May 6, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Columbia [1989] Years ago there was a very good record store in the Liverpool area and with a branch in my nearby shopping bolthole Chester. Penny Lane Records yielded a fine selection of import albums at a reasonable price. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged album, AOR, Bob Marlette, interview, Journey, Late Nite, melodic rock, Neal Schon, review, Santana, Sheryl Crow | Leave a comment

Album review: CHAMPLIN WILLIAMS FRIESTEDT – 2

Posted on May 5, 2020 by andynathan

Black Lodge [Release Date 15.05.20] In that genre of the softest and smoothest AOR given the shorthand ‘West coast’, CWF are something of a superstar collaboration. Former Chicago singer and keyboard player Bill Champlin and Joseph Williams, singer with Toto … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Champlin Williams Friestedt, Chicago, CWF, Michael McDonald, soft rock, Toto, West Coast | Leave a comment

Single reviews: THE DARKER MY HORIZON, MILTON HIDE, ALLAN CLARKE, CWF, THE LICKERISH QUARTET

Posted on May 3, 2020 by jason

THE DARKER MY HORIZON Carpe Diem Another band utilising their lockdown time wisely are the Darker My Horizon, who made the video with help from their fans with all proceeds going to the NHS charities. Nice riff-tastic tune with lyrics … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Allan Clarke, AOR, classic rock, CWF, folk, Jellyfish, melodic rock, Milton Hide, modern rock, New releases, pop, power pop, review, rock, singles, the Darker My Horizon, The Hollies, the Lickerish Quartet, Toto | Leave a comment

Feature: Albums that time forgot – ELEKTRADRIVE – Living 4

Posted on April 17, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Valery Records (2009) Elektradrive is one of the more significant Hard Rock/AOR bands to emerge from Italy. At the very start, in 1983, the name of the band was Overdrive and they had a four-piece line up without keyboards; after … Continue reading →

Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES | Tagged album, AOR, Elektradrive, hard rock, Italian, Italy, Living 4, melodic rock, review | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to NIGHT RANGER

Posted on April 15, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Night Ranger - HRH AOR – Pwllheli, Wales, Friday 9 March 2018

Andy Nathan favourites Night Ranger remained a largely USA-based phenomenon until their reformation in the late 1990s. Their UK gigs from 2011 onwards would make grown men cry… When Night Ranger played their first-ever headline show in England at the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged AOR, Brad Gillis, feature, introduction, Jack Blades, Jeff Watson, Joel Hoekstra, Kelly Keagy, melodic rock, Night Ranger, review | Leave a comment

Album review: ZON – Astral Projector/ORPHAN – Salute

Posted on April 5, 2020 by jason

Rock Candy [Release date 20.03.20] ZON – Astral Projector + 4 The band members’ post Zon experiences are arguably more colourful than their brief, 2 album grab at fame and fortune. And yet, the 1978 debut, “Astral Projector” promised so … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, AOR, Astral Projector, melodic rock, Orphan, pomp rock, re-issue, review, Rock Candy, Salute, Zon | Leave a comment

News: QUEEN, MARILLION, HELLOWEEN, DEVIN TOWNSEND (April 2020)

Posted on April 1, 2020 by jason

Quireboys - Giants of Rock, Butlins, Minehead, 26 January 2020

Hawklords release a new live album ‘Hawklords Alive’ on May 29. Marillion have started work on a new album during the current lockdown and are posting regular updates on their social media. Pattern-Seeking Animals (who feature current and former members … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, Re-issues/special editions | Tagged AOR, classic rock, Devin Townsend, folk, Marillion, metal, new albums, news, prog, Queen, rock, tours | Leave a comment

Album review: THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA – Aeromantic

Posted on March 26, 2020 by andynathan

Nuclear Blast [Release Date 28.02.20] One of the unlikeliest phenomena in the rock world in recent times have been the Night Flight Orchestra, their reputation and exposure growing over what is now a five album career. Many artists have drawn … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Aeromantic, album, AOR, Arch Enemy, Bjorn Strid, Night Flight Orchestra, soft rock, Soilwork | Leave a comment

Album review: RETURN – V

Posted on March 24, 2020 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 27.03.20] Classy Norwegian four man melodic rock band, Return, released their fifth album in 1992. That year, the rock’n’roll world shifted on its axis, and a lot of great melodic rock albums suffered commercially as a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged album, AOR, AOR Heaven, Chris Lyne, Dave Reynolds, melodic rock, re-issue, Return, review, V | Leave a comment

Gig review: ROMEO’S DAUGHTER – Nells Jazz and Blues, West Kensington, London, 29 February 2020

Posted on March 5, 2020 by andynathan

February 29th in a leap year is, by tradition, the one day where a woman can propose to a man. So there was a neat symmetry that a rare gigging opportunity on this day was for a band both named … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Andy Wells, AOR, Craig Joiner, gig, Leigh Matty, melodic rock, Romeo's Daughter, Steve Drennan | Leave a comment

Album review: NEWMAN – Ignition

Posted on March 4, 2020 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 27.03.20] Steve Newman formed the band Newman way back in 1997, with the last Newman album ‘Aerial’ released in 2017. Since then he’s been busy writing songs with the likes of Toby Hitchcock, joined the band … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, AOR Heaven, hard rock, Ignition, melodic rock, NEWMAN, review, Steve Newman, Toby Hitchcock | Leave a comment

News: KANSAS, FISH, HEATHEN, OZZY, BRIAN WILSON (March 2020)

Posted on March 2, 2020 by jason

HEART - O2 Apollo, Manchester, 30 June 2016

Ozzy Osbourne’s latest album ‘Ordinary Man’ debuted at number 3 in both the US Billboard and UK album charts. Fish is now hoping to release his long-awaited final studio album ‘Weltschmerz’ in July. Carcass have named their new album ‘Torn … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged AOR, Brian Wilson, classic rock, Fish, gigs, Heathen, Kansas, March 2020, melodic rock, metal, news, pop, rock, tour dates | Leave a comment

Album review: WAITING FOR MONDAY – S/T

Posted on March 1, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 14.02.20] Few bands are less famous than their producer. Walter Ino, 6 years with Survivor, touring keyboard player with The Babys, and currently holding down lead guitarist spot with The Eagles of Death Metal, produced this self … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, debut, DENNIS DeYOUNG, Jeff Scott Soto, melodic rock, review, Waiting For Monday, Walter Ino | Leave a comment

Book review: ON TRACK…Toto/The Solo Beatles/Steely Dan (“Every album, every song”)

Posted on February 19, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Sonicbond Pubishing [Publication date January/February 2020] Liked and loathed in equal measures by the music press in the 1970s and 1980s, ultimately the band may have had the last laugh. As author Jacob Holm-Lupp reiterates, their latest offering – XIV … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, book, classic rock, Donald Fagen, fusion, George Harrison, Jazz rock, John Lennon, melodic rock, On Track, Paul McCartney, pop, review, Ringo Starr, Steely Dan, The Solo Beatles, Toto, Walter Becker | Leave a comment

Album review: RICHARD MARX – Limitless

Posted on February 12, 2020 by jason

BMG [Release date 07.02.20] Richard Marx returns with his first new album in over five years, produced in part by himself and featuring co-writes with Sara Bareilles, Matt Scannell (Vertical Horizon), Darrell Brown (Dolly Parton, Keith Urban), his son Lucas and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Jana Kramer, Limitless, melodic, modern pop, review, Richard Marx | Leave a comment

Album review: ROBERT HART – Pure

Posted on February 6, 2020 by jason

Escape Music [Release date 20.02.20] Vocalist Robert Hart sang on one of my all-time favourite albums, ‘Under The One Sky’ by The Distance, added to his solo album ‘Cries & Whispers’ is still revered in AOR circles. He has also … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Bad Company, classic rock, FM, funk, Power Station, Pure, review, Robert Hart, rock, synth pop, Tommy Denander | Leave a comment

Album review: MICHAEL THOMPSON BAND – High Times, Live In Italy

Posted on January 30, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 24.01.20] Michael Thompson’s reputation as the rock world’s original “go to guitarist” is unassailable. Though none is needed, he provides ample proof of his skill and virtuosity here. And understandably cashing in his cultural stock in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged album, AOR, Boston, DVD, Foreigner, Frontiers, guitarist, High Times Live In Italy, Larry King, live, melodic rock, Michael Thompson Band, review, Soleil Moon, Unruly Child | Leave a comment

News: FM, SKAGARACK, AIRRACE, NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA (January 2020)

Posted on January 5, 2020 by jason

Compiled by Jason Ritchie Got news? We want to hear it! Contact us now FM (pictured) have completed work on their new album and it will be released on Frontiers in April. THE DOGS D’AMOUR are planning to release a … Continue reading →

Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, Re-issues/special editions, RIP | Tagged Airrace, album, AOR, classic rock, FM, gigs, January 2020, melodic rock, metal, Neil Innes, New releases, NEWMAN, news, Night Flight Orchestra, RIP, Skagarack, the Brothers | Leave a comment

Album review: AUTUMN’S CHILD – Autumn’s Child

Posted on December 24, 2019 by jason

AOR Heaven [Release date 31.01.20] With Last Autumn’s Dream on hiatus due to the band members’ various commitments, vocalist Mikael Erlandsson has put together Autumn’s Child, which is a bit of a Swedish melodic rock ‘supergroup’. Joining him are HEAT’s … Continue reading →