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Tag Archives: melodic
Interview: PETE TREWAVAS (KINO/MARILLION)

Kino release their new album, ‘Radio Voltaire’ – their first in over fifteen years – via Inside Out on 23 March. Kino consists of John Mitchell (Frost*, Lonely Robot, Arena), Pete Trewavas (Marillion,Transatlantic) and Craig Blundell (Steven Wilson, Lonely Robot). Pete tells … Continue reading
Quick plays: ESP 2.0, ROAMER, UNRULY CHILD

ESP 2.0 22 Layers Of Sunlight [Release date 20.04.18] www.suncreative.com ESP released a very enjoyable prog rock album in 2016′s ‘Invisible Din’ and now they are back with a revamped line-up. Composer/producer/guitarist Tony Lowe and Big Country drummer Mark Brzezicki … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, alt rock, alternative, Big Country, Esp 2.0, Layers Of Sunlight, Marcie Free, melodic, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Roamer, rock, Tony Lowe, Unhinged: Live From Milan, Unruly Child, What The Hell
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Album review: DUKES OF THE ORIENT

Frontiers [Release date 23.02.18] Dukes Of The Orient is centred around vocalist/bassist John Payne and keyboards player Erik Norlander, however they have their origins in Asia featuring John Payne. In that guise John Payne has worked with guitarists Guthrie Govan, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Asia, Dukes of the Orient, Erik Norlander, GPS, John Payne, melodic, prog, review, rock
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Album review: KINO – Radio Voltaire

Inside Out [Release date 23.03.18] John Mitchell has often said in past interviews that there may be a second Kino album to follow the excellent ‘Picture’ album released back in 2005, however it never seemed that imminent until earlier this year … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Craig Blundell, Inside Out, It Bites, John Beck, John Mitchell, Kino, Lonely Robot, Marillion, melodic, Pete Trewavas, prog, Radio Voltaire, review, rock
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Album review: WILL LAWTON & WEASEL HOWLETT – Fossils Of The Mind

Supermarine Music [Release date 26.01.18] Pianist Will Lawton and drummer Weasel Howlett have been working on this album since 2015 and it gets a release thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. On top of this they signed a deal with … Continue reading
Album review: WILSON & WAKEMAN – The Sun Will Dance In Its Twilight Hour

Blacklake [Release date 16.02.18] Wilson & Wakeman – Damian Wilson on vocals and acoustic guitar and Adam Wakeman on piano, vocals and acoustic guitar – are back with a new album. They work well as a duo in the live … Continue reading
Album review: PHIL LANZON – If You Think I’m Crazy

Following the GRTR! reviewers’ choice for ‘Best of 2018′ Top Album, David Randall chatted to Phil Lanzon at the start of Uriah Heep’s UK tour in December 2018. First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. Phil Lanzon Ditties/Cargo Records … Continue reading
Album review: VOODOO CIRCLE – Raised On Rock

AFM Records [Release date 09.02.18] Inspired by the likes of Rainbow and Deep Purple, Germany’s Voodoo Circle have been delivering melodic hard rock for a decade now. Recently, Voodoo Circle underwent a metamorphosis that both of those aforementioned bands have had … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged AFM Records, album, Alex Beyrodt, hard rock, melodic, Rainbow, Raised On Rock, review, rock, VOODOO CIRCLE
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Quick plays: VARVARA, I’M WITH HER, CHIARA BERARDELLI

VARVARA Go [Release date 23.02.18] Hailing from Finland (the most exciting thing to come out of Finland since fromer Liverpool player Jari Litmanen according to one previous review), are based around guitarist/vocalist Mikko Kari. This is the band’s fourth album and is one for … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged album, Chiara Beradelli, Crooked Still, folk, I'm With Her, indie, melodic, Mikko Kiri, Nickel Cfeek, reviews, rock, Varvara
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Album review: STYX – Caught In The Act

BGO Records [Release date 09.02.18] BGO Records are re-issuing ‘Caught In The Act’, Styx’s live album originally released in 1984, as a double CD in a slip case, remastered and with sleeve notes from Neil Daniels. ‘Caught In The Act’ … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, BGO Records, Caught In The Act, classic rock, concert, Dennis De Young, James Young, Kilry Was Here, live, melodic, melodic rock, review, rock, Styx, Tommy Shaw
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Album review: JON BUTCHER AXIS

Escape Music [Release date 19.01.18] If like me you were one of those who spent every fortnight reading Kerrang! and the Wimpwire column by Derek Oliver, Jon Butcher’s name came up quite often and indeed he got a feature in the AOR/melodic … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged 80s, album, Escape Music, JK Northrup, Jon Butcher, Jon Butcher Axis, melodic, re-issue, review, rock
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Album review: DRIVE, SHE SAID – Real Life

Escape Music [Release date 23.03.18] ‘Real Life’ was originally released back in 2003 by Drive, She Said the band who featured vocalist/guitarist/bassist Al Fritsch and keyboards wizard Mark Mangold. This album has been re-mixed in 2017 by Brian Anthony and Mark … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged Al Fritsch, album, Drive, Escape Music, Mark Mangold, melodic, pomp, re-mastered, Real Life, remixed, review, rock, She Said
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EP review: THE DARKER MY HORIZON – Phoenix Volume 1

Facebook [Release date 26.01.18] The Darker My Horizon duo Paul Stead (lead vocals/guitar) and Mark Stephenson (guitars & backing vocals) used to be in Sacred Heart previously and on this EP they have re-recorded four songs from that band, partly as a stop … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged EP, Mark Stephenson, melodic, modern rock, Paul Stead, Phoenix Volume 1, review, rock, Sacred Heart, the Darker My Horizon
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News: For Your Listening Pleasure…STEVE HACKETT, FM, DUKES OF THE ORIENT (February 2018)

Steve Hackett releases a re-recorded version of GTR’s ‘When The Heart Rules The Mind’ on February 2nd. It features a guest appearance from Marillion’s Steve Rothery. More details and tour dates here FM release their new album ‘Atomic Generation’ on … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Listening Post, NEWS
Tagged Atomic Generation, Change Your Position, Dukes of the Orient, Everlasting Love, FM. Steve Hackett, For Your Listening Pleasure..., Genesis, Ignore The Sign, Love Affair, Marillion, melodic, Michael Armstrong, music, new, news, Nordoff Robbins, progressive, rock, Steve Rothery, Tax The Heat
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Album review: IGNORE THE SIGN – A Line To Cross

SPV/Steamhammer [Release date 23.02.18] Ignore The Sign are a new band formed around the trio of vocalist/keys/guitarist Ossy Pfeiffer, guitarist/vocalist Anca Graterol (Rosy Vista) and guitarist Steve Mann (MSG/Lionheart). The are joined by bass player Lars Lehmann (Uli Jon Roth), percussionist … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A Line To Cross, album, classic rock, debut, Def Leppard, Ignore The Sign, Lionheart, melodic, review, rock, SPV
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EP review: BAD MOTHER EARTH

Self-released [Release date 26.01.18] Bad Mother Earth are a new four piece consisting of vocalist Jacky Rogue, guitarist Joe Kash, drummer Greg Kats and bass palyer Mitch Prax. ‘Not Comin’ Home’ has been released as lead single/video and fair pelts … Continue reading
Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Chris Singleton, David Bowie, debut, Five Grand Stereo, melodic, pop, review, rock, Sex & Money
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Jono, Life, melodic, Muse, pomp, progressive, Queen, review, rock
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Quick plays: BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN, ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD, RAINTIMES

BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN Hearts Of Glass Proper Music [Release date 09.02.18] www.bethnielsenchapman.com Beth Nielsen Chapman’s latest album is nearly all her own songs, with many of them being re-recorded versions where the piano on the originals is replaced by guitar. … Continue reading
Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Andy Latimer, Camel, Kayak, melodic, prog, prog rock, Progressive Rock, review, Seventeen, Ton Scherpenzeel
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Album review: 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
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Blood Red Saints, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, hard rock, Love Hate Conspiracies, melodic, Paul Laine, review
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Album review: DAMIEN O’KANE – Avenging & Bright

Pure Records [Release date 08.12.17] Damien O’Kane’s album ‘Areas Of High Traffic’, released last year, was nominated for ‘Album Of The Year’ at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Based on this new album that is hardly surprising as in the main he takes … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Avenging & Bright, banjo, Damien O'Kane, folk, Kate Rusby, melodic, Proper Records, review
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Album review: JON BODEN – Afterglow

Hudson Records [Release date 06.10.17] ‘Afterglow’ follows on from Jon Boden’s 2009 post-apocalyptic concept album ‘Songs From The Floodplain’. Whereas that album was largely rural in its setting, ‘Afterglow’ takes the listener into the chaos of a ruined city’s street carnival, as two star-crossed lovers try to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Afterglow, album, Bellowhead, concept, folk, Hudson Records, indie, Jon Boden, melodic, review, singer songwriter
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