Tag Archives: AOR

Album review: ROADCASE ROYALE – First Things First (Nancy Wilson, Liv Warfield)

Posted on September 9, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Loud & Proud Records [Release date 22.09.17] When the first track released by Roadcase Royale was circulating earlier this year it became an instant favourite on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio and bode well for the band’s debut album. ‘Get … Continue reading →

Album review: SCHERER/BATTEN – BattleZone

Posted on September 4, 2017 by jason

MelodicRock Records [Release date 22.09.17] Scherer/Batten is vocalist Marc Scherer (who released an album with Jim Peterik in 2015) and guitarist Jennifer Batten, who has worked with Jeff Beck and Michael Jackson amongst others. Former Survivor member Jim Peterik wrote … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Battlezone, Jeff Beck, Jennifer Batten, Jim Peterik, Mark Scherer, melodic, MelodicRock Records, Michael Jackson, review, rock, Scherer/Batten, Survivor | Leave a comment

Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) October-December 2017

Posted on August 30, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Compiled by Jason Ritchie October 6th AUTOGRAPH ‘Get Off Your Ass’ EMP JEFF BECK ‘Live at the Hollywood Bowl’ JON BODEN (ex-BELLOWHEAD) ‘Afterglow’ THE DARKNESS ‘Pinewood Smile’ Cooking Vinyl LIAM GALLAGHER ‘As You Were’ HEAVEN & EARTH ‘Hard To Kill’ … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, NEWS, Upcoming (Tours & Releases) | Tagged album, AOR, Bluray, CD, DVD, heavy rock, melodic rock, metal, New releases, October-December 2017, progressive, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: BOULEVARD – IV Luminescence

Posted on August 19, 2017 by jason

MelodicRock Records [Release date 22.09.17] Here’s a band I thought I’d never hear new music from and I am very glad to be proved wrong. Boulevard are a Canadian band who released two albums – 1988′s self-titled debut and 1990′s ‘Into … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged album, AOR, Boulevard, Chicago, IV Luminescence, melodic, review, rock, Toto | Leave a comment

Quick plays: MARTIN SIMPSON, RIVERDOGS, HIRSH GARDNER

Posted on August 9, 2017 by jason

MARTIN SIMPSON Trails & Tribulations Topic Records [Release date 01.09.17] Trails & Tribulations’ is Martin Simpson’s twentieth album in a career spanning over 40 years. As he says the album “is a collection of songs about nature, about travels and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged albums, AOR, California, Def Leppard, Dio, Escape Music, folk, Frontiers, Hirsh Gardner, Martin Simpson, melodic rock, New England, Quick Play, reviews, Riverdogs, rock, songwriter, Vivian Campbell | Leave a comment

Quick plays: DA VINCI, LEPROUS

Posted on August 3, 2017 by jason

DA VINCI Ambition Rocks AOR Heaven [Release date 25.08.17] It has been a mere 25 years since Da Vinci last released an album, the rather good ‘Back In Business’. The 2017 version of the band appears to only feature guitarist … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, Ambition Rocks, AOR, Da Vinci, LEPROUS, Malina, melodic, metal, progressive, review, rock | Leave a comment

Gig review: SUMMERFEST – Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, 28 June-9 July 2017

Posted on July 25, 2017 by andynathan

In a world of constant change in popular music, for a festival to celebrate its 50th year, as Milwaukee’s Summerfest did this year, represents a lifetime. I’d been to the festival certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s biggest … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017 | Tagged AOR, Bad Boy, Blackberry Smoke, Bob Dylan, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Dennis De Young, festival, Foghat, gig, Greta Van Fleet, Huey Lewis and the News, Jason Isbell, John Waite, July 2017, June 2017, melodic rock, Milwaukee, Paul Simon, Peter Frampton, progressive, REO Speedwagon, review, rock, Sheryl Crow, Shinedown, Soul Asylum, Summerfest, Tesla, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Toto, Wisconsin | Leave a comment

Album review: ALL 4 1 – The World’s Best Hope

Posted on July 18, 2017 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 07.07.17] All 4 1 are another Frontiers project, with this one overseen by Alessandro Del Vecchio, who produced the album as well as playing keys and co-writing a few songs. The band consists of half of Alliance (about time … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Del Vecchio, All 4 1, Alliance, AOR, Frontiers, melodic, Nigel Bailey, review, Robert Berry, rock, Strangeways, Terry Brock, The World's Best Hope | Leave a comment

Album review: BRYAN ADAMS – Wembley 1996 Live

Posted on July 12, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Eagle Rock [Release date 30.06.17 ] Back in 1996 Bryan Adams was riding the crest of a wave, some might say a tsunami. The placement of ‘(Everything I Do) I Do It for You’ in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Bryan Adams, Melissa Etheridge, pop rock, review, rock, Wembley 1996 Live | Leave a comment

Album review: DON BARNES – Ride The Storm

Posted on June 29, 2017 by jason

MelodicRock Records [Release date 20.06.17] Hats off to MelodicRock Record’s Andrew McNeice who finally got this long lost album released. Don Barnes, of southern rockers .38 Special fame, recorded this album back in 1989, however due the time honoured label … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged .38 Speical, album, AOR, Don Barnes, melodic, MelodicRock Records, review, Ride the Storm, rock, southern rock | Leave a comment

Interview: CORNERSTONE

Posted on June 27, 2017 by jason

We caught up with Alina Peter (Vocals/Guitars) and Michael Wachelhofer (Bass/Keyboards/Vocals) of Cornerstone to see what they have planned for this year and beyond, plus how their latest album ‘Reflection’ has been doing… Have you been pleased with the response … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions, Interviews/Rising Stars | Tagged AOR, Austria, Cornerstone, Fleetwood Mac, interview, melodic, melodic rock, Quarterflash, Refections, Rising Stars | Leave a comment

Album review: THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA – Amber Galactic

Posted on May 15, 2017 by jason

Nuclear Blast [Release date 19.05.17] There are a good number of bands paying homage to the classic 70′s and 80′s hard rock/AOR/pop sound, with Brother Firetribe (another band who’s members are drawn from heavier sounding bands) and Cats In Space being … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Amber Galactic, AOR, Arch Enemy, disco, Night Flight Orchestra, pop, review, rock, Soilwork, Survivor | Leave a comment

Album review: HONEYJACK – 8 Track

Posted on May 8, 2017 by jason

www.honeyjackband.com Honeyjack are a duo of Mark Summerlin (vocals/guitars) and T.J. Scarlett (guitars). Mark Summerlin has been the guitarist and musical director for Seal and he was planning this to be a solo album, that was until he hooked up … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars | Tagged .38 Special, 8 Track, album, AOR, Honeyjack, interview, Mark Summerlin, melodic, review, Rising Stars, rock, Seal, southern rock, TJ Scarlett | Leave a comment

Album review: BOBBY KIMBALL – We’re Not In Kansas Anymore

Posted on April 27, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra Records [Release date 21.04.17] For many, Bobby Kimball is the definitive voice of Toto and performed with that band during the halcyon years of 1978-1984 (rejoining and touring 1998-2000). Since that time he has forged a semi-cabaret existence … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Bobby Kimball, Derek Sherinian, melodic rock, review, soft rock, Toto, We're Not In Kansas Anymore | Leave a comment

Album review: LITTLE RIVER BAND – The Big Box (6 Disc incl DVD)

Posted on April 11, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

The Store For Music [Release date 28.04.17] The only problem with this welcome 5-CD/DVD boxed set is repetition. In more recent years Little River Band have seemingly sought to reinvent their past with not a lot of new material. (Some … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, CD, collection, DVD, LITTLE RIVER BAND, live, MOR, One Night In Mississippi, Rearranged, retrospective, review, Revisited, soft rock, Test Of Time, The Big Box, Wayne Nelson, Where We Started From | Leave a comment

Album review: DIRTY WHITE BOYZ – Down And Dirty

Posted on March 23, 2017 by jason

Escape Music www.escape-music.com [Release date 24.03.17] Not the classic one album band from the late 80′s featuring Earl Slick and David Glenn Eisley, this is a new band and they have a ‘z’ on the end of their name. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, DEMON, Dirty White Boyz, Down And Dirty, Escape Music, Kiss Of The Gypsy, LAWLESS, melodic, Nigel Bailey, review, rock, Tony Mitchell | Leave a comment

Gig review: HARD ROCK HELL AOR – Pwllheli, 9-12 March 2017

Posted on March 20, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

Lita Ford - HARD ROCK HELL AOR - Pwllheli, 9-12 March 2017

The HRH franchise is probably the most successful of these three day indoor events and rightly so, they found a spot in the market and have developed a fluid, tightly run operation that always delivers. The AOR weekend was slightly … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 9-12 March 2017, AOR, Bonafide, FM, gig, Hard Rock Hell AOR, Lita Ford, melodic rock, Michael Monroe, Mike Tramp, Paul Laine, Pwllheli, review, Romeo's Daughter, Slaughter, Vega | Leave a comment

Album review: UNRULY CHILD – Can’t Go Home

Posted on March 19, 2017 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 24.02.17] It’s been six long years since Unruly Child made a triumphant comeback with their original line up featuring Marcie Free, as she now is, releasing the excellent ‘Worlds Collide’ album and headlining Firefest that year. Opening … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Bruce Gowdy, Can't Go Hone, Guy Allison, Marcie Free, melodic rock, review, Unruly Child, World Trade | Leave a comment

Gig review: MIKE + THE MECHANICS – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 15 March 2017

Posted on March 16, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

With only two tracks from the album featured in the set, the Word Of Mouth Tour 2017 billing – to celebrate that album’s 25th anniversary last year, turned out to be something of a misnomer. But, let’s be honest, the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 15 March 2017, Andrew Roachford, AOR, Bridgewater Hall, Genesis, gig, Manchester, Mike & the Mechanics, Mike And The Mechanics, Mike Rutherford, pop rock, review, rock, soft rock | Leave a comment

Quick plays: VEXINE, SIREN’S SKY, NARYAN, THE VIOLET HOUR, THIRD LOVE

Posted on March 13, 2017 by GRTR! HQ

VEXINE Little Sin [Release date 30.04.16] Female fronted blues based rock bands are becoming increasingly ‘in vogue’, but Richmond, Virginia, based 4-piece Vexine have hooked a left at the crossroads and are taking the genre across country. A seasoned bunch … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged About You, album, AOR, Black Letters, Cosmic, Ignite, Little Sin, Naryan, progressive, review, rock, Siren's Sky, The Violet Hour, Third Love, Vexine | Leave a comment

Album review: PRIDE OF LIONS – Fearless

Posted on February 9, 2017 by andynathan

Frontiers [Release Date 27.01.17] They come less frequently these days, with a five year gap between each of the last two albums, but a Pride of Lions album is always worth the wait, marking the return of veteran master songwriter … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Fearless, Jim Peterik, melodic rock, Pride of Lions, review, Survivor, Toby Hitchcock | Leave a comment

Album review: LIONVILLE – A World Of Fools

Posted on February 9, 2017 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 24.02.17] Lionville are back after an extended break (their second album came out in 2012) and they are on a new label as well. Lionville’s main man Stefano Lionetti is still on board, plus Work Of Art’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A World Of Fools, album, AOR, Frontiers, Lionville, melodic, review, rock, Toto | Leave a comment

Gig review: JUST SAY YES/ARFM MELODIC ROCK FUNDRAISER – The Spot, Derby, 28 January 2017

Posted on January 31, 2017 by andynathan

VEGA - Melodic Rock Fundraiser - The Spot, Derby, 28 January 2017

From initially modest ambitions, the ‘Just Say Yes’ fundraiser is rapidly establishing itself as a must on the festival calendar for melodic rock fans, sandwiched between Autumn’s Firefest and latterly Rockingham, and Spring’s HRH. I hugely enjoyed my first festival … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, Blood Red Saints, COP UK, Dante Fox, Dirty White Boyz, festival, FM, gig, JSY, Just Say Yes, melodic rock, review, Romeo's Daughter, Steve Overland, Vega | Leave a comment

Gig review: TYKETTO – Islington Academy, London, 26 January 2017

Posted on January 28, 2017 by andynathan

2016 was meant to be a big year for Tyketto as they both celebrated the 25th anniversary reissue of their classic ‘Don’t Come Easy release and an excellent new album ‘Reach’, the first with a new line-up of the band. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged AOR, Chris Childs, Chris Green, Danny Vaughn, Ged Rylands, gig, melodic rock, Michael Clayton Arbeeny, review, Romeo's Daughter, Tyketto | Leave a comment

Quick plays: D’ERCOLE, JIM JIDHED, BEACHEADS

Posted on January 3, 2017 by jason

D’ERCOLE No Place Like Home This is the fourth album from melodic hard rock band D’Ercole and they have released it themselves having left Z Records. The album features Phil Vincent as the main songwriter and producer (does this man never … Continue reading →