Tag Archives: melodic rock

Quick plays: DREW HOLCOMB & THE NEIGHBORS, 19th STREET BAND, PHIL VINCENT

DREW HOLCOMB & THE NEIGHBORS Strangers No More

DREW HOLCOMB & THE NEIGHBORS Strangers No More Magnolia Music [Release date 09.06.23] Ninth studio album from Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors who have been gaining critical plaudits and fans in the Americana field since they formed back in 2005. … Continue reading

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Album review : STREETLIGHT – Ignition

STREETLIGHT - Ignition

Frontiers [Release date : 11.08.23] Streetlight’s debut album is filled to the brim with heart and soul AOR. Few bands have the skill and ability to make it sound this honest. Just unpretentious songs of unerring simplicity and (mostly) uncomplicated … Continue reading

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Album review : RIAN – Wings

RIAN - Wings

Frontiers [Release date 04.08.23] Third album from Swedish melodic rock band, Rian, led by exceptionally talented vocalist/ guitarist Richard Andermyer. Their second on Frontiers. The band’s label debut, titled Twenty Three, was reviewed in GRTR! back in 2021. Here’s what … Continue reading

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Album review: MITCH MALLOY – The Last Song

MITCH MALLOY- The Last Song

Godsend Records [Release date 07.07.23] After his stint fronting Great White, Mitch Malloy resumes his solo career with his first album since ‘Making Noise’ some seven years ago. Indeed, like its predecessor, this is a solo effort in every sense … Continue reading

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Album review : KENT HILLI – Nothing Left To Lose

KENT HILLI - Nothing Left To Lose

Frontiers [Release date : 04.08.23] Only one solo album under his belt, yet Kent Hilli seems to have been around forever. Three studio albums with Perfect Plan, two Restless Spirits’ albums and a stint fronting legendary melodic rock band, Giant. … Continue reading

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Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell, 20 July 2023

CATS IN SPACE- Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell, 20 July 2023

Despite latest album ‘Kickstart the Sun’ being for me their finest achievement, Cats in Space’s autumn tour in 2022 was still bedevilled by audiences a fraction of what they deserved. It therefore represented a bold gamble when, post-tour, the band … Continue reading

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Gig review: THE DAMN TRUTH – O2 Islington Academy 2, London, 21 July 2023

THE DAMN TRUTH – O2 Islington Academy 2, London, 21 July 2023

Having narrowly avoided stumbling into The Exploited’s show at the slightly larger Academy1 right next door, I was pleasantly surprised to see a pretty full venue for this early kick-off. The Cold Stares, a trio based in Indiana, are led … Continue reading

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Album review: TONY MITCHELL – Radio Heartbeat

TONY MITCHELL - Radio Heartbeat

Pride & Glory Music [Release date 21.07.23] The fourth solo album from Tony Mitchell, of Kiss Of The Gypsy & Dirty White Boyz fame. Joining him on here are Midnite City guitarist Miles Meakin, bassist Nigel Bailey (Dirty White Boyz, … Continue reading

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News: Albums of the Month (April – June 2023)

Albums of the Month (April – June 2023)

WINGER Seven (Frontiers) Winger are a great group of musicians and they write great songs.  And ‘Seven’ matches up to their very best work. ***** Review by David Randall  HOUSE OF SHAKIRA XIT (Frontiers) No question, XIT is a perfect pop … Continue reading

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Book review: ON TRACK… REO Speedwagon- every album, every song by James Romag

ON TRACK... REO Speedwagon- every album, every song by James Romag

Sonic Bond Publishing (Release Date 28.04.23) The ever growing On Track series is now spreading its wings to bands with at best cult status in the UK, in this case REO Speedwagon who, despite three big power ballad hits in … Continue reading

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Upcoming: New releases (CD/DVD) January 2023 – June 2023

BLACK STAR RIDERS- Wrong Side of Paradise

Compiled by Jason Ritchie July – December 2023 To search quickly within this page (“Find In Page”): Press Ctrl+F (on Windows PC, Chromebook, or Linux system), or Command+F (on a Mac) on the keyboard. The “F” stands for “Find,” and … Continue reading

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Gig review: MIDNITE CITY – The Black Heart, Camden, London, 17 June 2023

MIDNITE CITY- The Black Heart, Camden, London, 17 June 2023

Touring their freshly released fourth album ‘In at the Deep End’, I was delighted that Midnite City’s schedule included a relatively rare London date at the Black Heart. Perhaps as a result of long running festivals at places like Wigan … Continue reading

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Album review : ROBIN GEORGE – Ace In My Hand (2CD)

Robin George - Ace In My Hand

Cherry Red [Release date 23.06.23] What can you say about Robin George that hasn’t already been said? He seems to have been circling under rock’n’roll’s radar forever, ready to land, but never making that last critical step. Considering that the … Continue reading

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Album review: MIDNITE CITY – In At The Deep End

MIDNITE CITY- In At The Deep End

Pride and Joy Music [Releaae date 23.06.23] This is an impressive fourth release in under six years from Midnite City, confirming them as one of the most enduring of the select band of UK melodic rock acts.  It doesn’t mess … Continue reading

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Album review: PRIDE OF LIONS – Dream Higher

PRIDE OF LIONS - Dream Higher

Frontiers [Release date 16.06.23] Seventh studio album from Pride Of Lions. The “Survivor” name has been purged from all official publicity associated with Peterik for legal reasons, but anyone who is at all interested in the genre well knows Peterik’s … Continue reading

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Album review : STARDUST – Kingdom Of Illusion

STARDUST - Kingdom Of Illusion

Frontiers [Release date: 16.06.23] Hungarian band, Stardust kick off their album with ‘War’ as the opening track.  Given current events, there was always someone who’d climb on the bandwagon. Lets move on. There’s a welcome familiarity to Stardust’s melodic rock, … Continue reading

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Album review: GARDNER JAMES – No Strings

GARDNER JAMES - No Strings

Frontiers [Release date 09.06.23] Gardner James is Justin James, who has worked with Staind and Tyketto. And Janet Gardner, who was of course vocalist with Vixen. Their history is well documented online. A pithy rock band riff can be just … Continue reading

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Album review: THE GUESS WHO – Plein D’Amour

THE GUESS WHO - Plein D'Amour

Deko Entertainment [Release date 07.07.23] The Guess Who’s 2018 album, ‘The Future IS What It Used to Be’, wasn’t bad at all, maybe a bit too AOR/melodic rock for diehard fans, possibly due to Styx’s Tommy Shaw having a large … Continue reading

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Album review: VIXEN Rev It Up (remaster)

VIXEN - Rev It Up

Rock Candy Records [release date 18.05.23] Minnesota band Vixen made their major label breakthrough in 1987, after moving to Los Angeles. Two albums were recorded by the original Vixen lineup, Jan Keuhnemund, Janet Gardner, Share Ross and Roxy Petrucci. The … Continue reading

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Gig review: FM/DARE/TYKETTO – Islington Academy, London, 25 May 2023

FM/DARE/TYKETTO- Islington Academy, London, 25 May 2023

The package tour is growing in popularity in the current economic climate as a way of bands combining forces to save on overheads and play in front of maximum audiences. Announced just before Christmas, this particular triple header was most … Continue reading

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News: Melodic Rockers FM enter The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness in June 2023

The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness

The latest inductees to “The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness” are melodic rockers FM. A major retrospective tracking FM’s comeback in the millennium will be published on 1 June by rock website Get Ready to ROCK! and throughout the month Get … Continue reading

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Gig review: JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 4 May 2023

JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Cavern, Raynes Park, London, 4 May 2023

Guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick seems to have been everywhere recently. After FM’s December tour with the Dead Daisies and January dates with Band of Friends, his third solo album ‘Dead Man Walking’ was released to critical acclaim including in these pages … Continue reading

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Gig review: ROCKNYTT CRUISE- Viking Line ‘Cinderella’, Stockholm, 21-22 April 2023

ROCKNYTT CRUISE- Viking Line 'Cinderella', Stockholm, 21-22 April 2023

The rock cruise is now a well established business model in the world of classic rock, as fans of rock’s golden age reach their Saga-eligible years and are looking for new experiences and greater comfort than sleeping in tents and … Continue reading

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Album review : HOUSE OF SHAKIRA – XIT

House Of Shakira Xit

Frontiers [Release date: 19.05.23] Those melodic rock fans who mainline the uncut version of the brand might not have time for artists who add their own distinctive musical seasoning. But they might just find that this shiny new album from … Continue reading

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Album review: JIM KIRKPATRICK – Dead Man Walking

Jim Kirkpatrick - Dead Man Walking

US One Records [Release date 21.04.23] Second solo album from FM guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick, who is joined by fellow FM band member Jem Davis on keyboards and Status Quo’s rhythm section of bassist John ‘Rhino’ Edwards and drummer Leon Cave. … Continue reading

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