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Gig review: PAUL McCARTNEY- 02 Arena, London, 18 December 2024
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Tag Archives: melodic rock
Album review: PHIL THORNALLEY – Now That I Have Your Attention
Lojinx [Release date 02.09.22] The name Phil Thornalley may not be one you are familiar with, however, he has worked with many a household name including Bryan Adams, Thompson Twins, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs, XTC, Duran Duran, and Paul McCartney. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, ELO, Jeff Lynne, melodic rock, Now That I Have Your Attention, Phil Thornalle, pop, pop rock, review, Tom Petty
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Album review: THE PETAL FALLS – Everything About You
Website [Release date 02.09.22] The album has 10 tracks of which 2 have been released as singles, ‘Somebody to Love Me’ and ‘The Gift’ both of which were great indicators of what’s to come! I’ve been a fan of this band since their debut … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Everything About You, Keith Leahy, melodic rock, pop, review, rock, the Petal Falls
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Album review: DEF LEPPARD – Euphoria (Vinyl reissue)
Universal [Release date 05.08.22] The Sheffield rock legends’ seventh studio album, originally released in 1999, gets the vinyl reissue treatment here. It was the second full album to feature guitarist Vivian Campbell, which returned the band to a five piece … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, classic rock, Damon Hill, Def Leppard, Euphoria, hard rock, melodic rock, reissue, review, Vinyl
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Album review: HYDRA – Point Break
Frontiers [Release date: 12.08.22] Hydra is a project put together by rock’n’roll impresario, Daniel Flores, built around the songs of Swedish wunderkind, Henrik Hedstrom. Flores has brought in another highly talented musician, Andy Kravljaca, to sing and add lead and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Andy Kravljaca, AOR, Christopher Cross, Daniel Flores, Henrik Hedstrom, Hydra, melodic rock, review, soft rock, Toto
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Album review: H.E.A.T. – Force Majeure
earMUSIC [Release date 05.08.22] H.E.A.T’s seventh album has been anticipated with some curiosity. 2020’s misleadingly entitled ‘H.E.A.T II’ was a refreshing return to their trademark anthemic melodic rock sound, after the experimental ‘Into The Great Unknown’ but singer Erik Gronwall, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Dave Dalone, H.E.A.T., Jona Tee, Kenny Leckremo, melodic rock
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Album review: PALACE- One 4 The Road
Frontiers Records (Release date 15.07.22) Swedish man of many talents Michael Palace is back with his latest recreation of vintage AOR. Like its predecessor ‘Rock and Roll Radio’ 18 months ago he sings and plays all instruments himself, writes and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, melodic rock, Michael Palace, Palace
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Single reviews: JMS, COYOTE CREED, HOUSE OF LORDS, PHIL THORNALLEY
JMS (the name coming from the initials used on a highscore table in an arcade) is an Oxford musician with a penchant for pinball. He is also the frontman of quirky pop rockers Alphabet Backwards. ‘Election Day’ is a record … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Chez Kane, Coyote Creed, House of Lords, JMS, Jupiter's Beard, Lotusbliss, melodic rock, new music, Phil Thornalley, pop, review, rock, single, southern rock, Tom Webber
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Album review: DEF LEPPARD – Adrenalize (vinyl reissue)
Universal [Release date 05.08.22] Def Leppard are Britain’s most successful rock bands, whose records adorn many a collection (and radio playlist too). 1987’s Hysteria, with hits like Poor Some Sugar On Me, was such a success it’s album everyone either … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Adrenalize, album, Def Leppard, hard rock, Joe Elliott, melodic rock, reissue, review, rock, Vinyl
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Album review: OUSEY MANN – Is Anybody Listening
Escape Music (Release date 24.06.22) Both Chris Ousey and Steve Mann have been on the UK rock scene as long as I can remember –the former singing with Virginia Wolf, Heartland and Snakecharmer among others, the latter the loyal sideman … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Chris Ousey, melodic rock, Michael Schenker Group, Ousey Mann, reve, review, Steve Mann
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Album review: LESSMANN VOSS – Rock Is Our Religion
Atomic Fire Records [Release date: 22.07.22] This Lessmann Voss, Rock Is Our Religion album would be easy to write off because it seems so out of time. Bonfire’s Claus Lessmann and Mad Max’s Michael Voss are clearly not keen to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bonfire, Claus Lessmann, eighties, FM Radio, Mad Max, melodic rock, Michael Voss, review
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Album review: COMPASS – Theory Of Tides
Escape Music [Release date 22.07.22] Second album from Compass, the band formed by Steve Newman, who is more known for his melodic rock efforts in Newman, He is joined by vocalist Ben Green, Newman bassist David Bartlett and drummer Toni … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Ben Green, Compass, concept album, melodic rock, prog rock, review, Steve Newman, Theory Of Tides
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Interview: MARK MANGOLD
KEYS is a collaboration between keyboardist Mark Mangold (Touch, Drive, She Said, Michael Bolton, Cher, Paul Rogers and others) and singer Jake E (Cyhra, Amaranthe, and others). Featuring live performances with three keyboardists and a huge battery of keyboards, this … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rock Stars
Tagged AOR, Cyha, House of Lords, interview, Jake E, keyboards, keys, Mark Mangold, melodic rock, pomp rock, porg rock, Touch
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Album review: PETER GOALBY – I Will Come Runnin’
Cherry Red Records [Release date 06.05.22] Like buses, you wait ages for a Peter Goalby album, then two come along in quick succession. On this album, like last year’s ‘Easy With The Heartaches‘, it features songs originally recorded in the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, classic rock, Foreigner, I Will Come Runnin’, melodic rock, Peter Goalby, review, Robin George, rock, Uriah Heep
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Album review: CROSSING RUBICON – Perfect Storm
Frontiers [Release date: 08.07.22] Crossing Rubicon is a marriage made in the world of post Grunge AOR. That world might look and sound just like it did in the eighties, only much smaller, but there’s a greater expectation now especially … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album review, AOR, Cenk Eroglu, Frontiers, John Bisaha, melodic rock, the Babys, Winger
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Quick plays: LIPS TURN BLUE, O’KANE & BLOCK, CTP
LIPS TURN BLUE MIG Music [Release date 04.05.22] Lips Turn Blue feature Don Mancuso (a former member of Black Sheep which featured Lou Gramm who guests on this album), keyboardist Eric Bieber, bassist Mike Mullane, drummer Roy Stein and vocalist … Continue reading
Gig review: DAUGHTRY – Islington Assembly Hall, London – 13 June 2022
Though not as big as in the USA, former American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry and his eponymous band have gradually built a following in the UK, to the extent that previous London shows had been at the Roundhouse and Hammersmith … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Chris Daughtry, DAUGHTRY, gig, Josh Steely, melodic rock, modern rock
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Album review: LONERIDER – Sundown
Escape Music (Release Date 20.05.22) The concept of a quiet life sees alien to peerless singer Steve Overland who must have one of the prolific recording schedules of any artist. Barely two months after releasing ‘Thirteen’ with his main band … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bad Company, blues rock, Chris Childs, FM, Lonerider, melodic rock, Simon Kirke, Steve Morris, Steve Overland
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Album review: CATS IN SPACE – Kickstart The Sun
Harmony Factory [Release date 29.07.22] www.catsinspace.co.uk For the past few years, Cats in Space have been one of my favourite ‘new’ bands, offering something very different to the norm. These seasoned musicians have created a lavishly arranged sound inspired by … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Cats In Space, classic rock, Kickstart The Sun, melodic rock, pop rock, review
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Gig review: TEMPT – The Black Heart, London, 31 May 2022
One question I ponder occasionally is ‘whatever happened to Tempt’? Back in the mid 2010s the young New Yorkers received rave reviews in Classic Rock magazine and its AOR offshoot as the future of melodic hard rock. They even received … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged gig, Harrison Marcello, melodic rock, Tempt, Zach Allen
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Gig review: BRYAN ADAMS – Royal Albert Hall, London, 9-11 May 2022
Of all those gigs I’d already booked when the pandemic started, it was the trio of Bryan Adams shows at the Royal Albert Hall, playing an album in its entirety each night, that I’d most looked forward to seeing and … Continue reading
Album review: STRANGEWAYS – Complete Recordings Volume 1, 1985-1994
Cherry Red/HNE [Release date: 27.05.22] The clamour for reissues of the first 3 Strangeways albums rose to fever pitch in the late 90s, as AOR made an attempt to get back on its feet. All 3 had been received with … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, And The Horse, AOR, Bonaire, Complete Recordings Volume 1 1985-1994, Hangdog Records, Hard RoxX, Ian Stewart, John Lee, John Punter, Kevin Elson, melodic rock, Mike Shipley, Native Sons, review, Strangeways, Terry Brock, Walk Into The Fire
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