Tag Archives: melodic

Album review: DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION – Halcyon Hymns

Posted on January 28, 2021 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 05.02.21] Fourth album from DBA, the fruitful poprock collaboration between Geoff (Asia/Yes) Downes and uber songwriter/producer, Chris (Guetta/Aguilera) Braide. Halcyon Hymns is their living-in-the-lockdown album, and as the title more than subtly suggests, it’s a recording … Continue reading →

Album review: WORLD GOES ROUND – S/T

Posted on January 23, 2021 by brianmc

Viper Records [Release date 22.01.21] It was 30 years ago today that World Goes Round recorded their one and only album (Ed: we might be a year or two out). This supremely talented array of artists, whose names (almost) always … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, album review, AOR, melodic, melodic pop rock, pop, pop rock, review, self-titled, World Goes Round | Leave a comment

Album review: JAMIE’S GUNS – Jamie’s Guns

Posted on January 12, 2021 by jason

I picked this album up as Jamie’s Guns had shared it on NWOCR Facebook group, I had a half listen while I was working, to the initial track “Whiplash”, stopped what I was doing, immediately played the album in its … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Bruce Springsteen, debut, Gaslight Anthem, Jamie's Guns, melodic, modern rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

EP review: THE LICKERISH QUARTET – Threesome Vol. 2

Posted on January 10, 2021 by jason

Stranger Danger [Release date 15.01.21] The Lickerish Quartet return with their second four song EP. The band comprise ex-Jellyfish members Roger Joseph Manning Jr, Tim Smith and Eric Dover and like the much missed Jellyfish, they carry on that band’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged EP, indie pop, indie rock, Jellyfish, melodic, pop rock, power pop, review, the Lickerish Quartet, Threesome Vol 2 | Leave a comment

Album review: OCEAN HILLS – Santa Monica

Posted on December 23, 2020 by jason

AFM Records [Release date 27.11.20] Ocean Hills is the brain child of vocalist Zoli Teglas (ex-Ignite), having taken 30 years’ worth of experience in the music business to launch this project with some very talented, accomplished musicians - Peter Lukacs (guitars), Daniel Szebenyi … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, hard rock, Kiss, melodic, Ocean Hills, review, rock, Santa Monica, Zoli Teglas | Leave a comment

Quick plays: MARIOS POLITIS, SILENT SKIES, MOTHER ROAD

Posted on December 23, 2020 by jason

MARIOS POLITIS This Is My Story Alcyone Records [Release date 10.11.20] Marios Politis is a composer, singer and guitarist from Athens, Greece who has released an album of meaningful and thoughtful songs. The lyrics focus on introspection and personal experiences … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays | Tagged album, alt rock, cinematic, Evergrey, hard rock, indie, Keith Slack, Marios Politis, melodic, Mother Road, review, Silent Skies, Tom S Englund, Vikram Shankar | Leave a comment

Album review: THE WILDHEARTS – 30 Year Itch

Posted on December 23, 2020 by jason

Round Records [Release date 04.12.20] My initial thought when I looked at this album was, I feel old! How can it have been 30 years since the Wildhearts exploded onto the music scene?? Returning to the classic Wildhearts line up … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 30 Year Itch, album, Ginger, melodic, punk, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, the Wildhearts | Leave a comment

EP review: HATS OFF GENTLEMEN IT’S ADEQUATE – Feeling Great

Posted on December 20, 2020 by jason

Bandcamp [Release date 18.12.20] One of the better things during 2020 have been to see the rise in interest and acclaim for the progressive duo Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate. Hats Off Gentlemen It’s Adequate are Malcolm Galloway and Mark … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged album, EP, Feeling Great, Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate, melodic, prog rock, progressive, review | Leave a comment

Album review: NEAL MORSE – Jesus Christ The Exorcist: Live at Morsefest 2018

Posted on December 19, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 04.12.20] The studio album was released first as now Neal Morse and Frontiers release a live performance of ‘Jesus Christ The Exorcist’, filmed at the 2018 Morsefest. It is an all-star ensemble with regular … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Jesus Christ The Exorcist, Live at Morsefest 2018, melodic, Neil Morse, Petra, review, rock, rock opera, Spock's Beard, Ted Leonard, theatrical | Leave a comment

Album review: DAVID COURTNEY – Isolation Symphony

Posted on December 12, 2020 by jason

The Store For Music [Release date 18.12.20] Those in the know are well aware that David Courtney is a Grammy award winning composer, producer and songwriter. Over the years, his musical partnerships with Roger Daltrey, Leo Sayer, Eric Clapton, David … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, cinematic, Dave Gilmour, David Courtney, Isolation Symphony, Leo Sayer, melodic, pop, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: STEVE BALSAMO – The Millennium Tapes

Posted on December 6, 2020 by jason

Facebook [Release date 04.12.20] Steve Balsamo has unearthed these songs during lockdown that were recorded back at the start of the millennium as the album title suggests. Balsamo worked with Micky Lister on these songs. Lister was signed back in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, mellow, melodic, Micky Lister, pop, review, singer songwriter, Steve Balsamo, the Millennium Tapes | Leave a comment

Book review: Limelight: Rush in the 80’s by Martin Popoff

Posted on December 5, 2020 by jason

[Publication date 20.10.20] Martin Popoff’s follow up to ‘Anthem: Rush in the ‘70s’ he now covers the band’s 80’s albums – both studio and live. Different from the ever expanded ‘Track By Track’ books in that although Martin Popoff critiques … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged album, book, Classic Albums, classic rock, Limelight, Martin Popoff, melodic, prog rock, review, rock, Rush | Leave a comment

EP review: HM JOHNSEN – Serenity

Posted on December 4, 2020 by jason

EP link [Release date 27.11.20] Norwegian singer songwriter HM Johnsen certainly has an interesting backstory as his 2017 debut album ‘Chased’ was funded by a small community in western Norway, which allowed the album to be mastered at Abbey Road. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged album, alt pop, alt rock, blues, EP, HM Johnsen, jazz, melodic, review, Serenity, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: PICTUREHOUSE – 1999 Live in Dublin

Posted on November 28, 2020 by jason

Website [Release date 27.11.20] Ahhh live music we miss you so and even someone like me who isn’t normally a big fan of live albums has been playing a lot of live tracks this year. So when of the many … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1999 Live in Dublin, album, David Browne, indie pop, indie rock, melodic, PictureHouse, pop, pop rock, power pop, review | Leave a comment

Interview: TIM ARNOLD

Posted on November 26, 2020 by jason

Tim Arnold recently released his latest album ‘When Staying Alive Is The Latest Craze‘ – “An album of times, created in the current pandemic and although it may not have answers to end the virus, it does contain an underlying … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/10 Questions | Tagged alternative, experimental, interview, Kate Alderton, live music, melodic, pop, Tim Arnold, When Staying Alive’s The Latest Craze | Leave a comment

Album review: REB BEACH – A View From The Inside

Posted on November 25, 2020 by jason

Frontiers Records [Release date 12.11.20] Reb Beach’s (Winger/Whitesnake) choice of musicians with whose help he recorded “A View From The Inside” is revealing: David Throckmorton, primarily known as a jazz drummer, especially for Maynard Ferguson; bassman Philip Bynoe worked extensively … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged A View From The Inside, album, Frontiers, guitarist, instrumental, melodic, Reb Beach, review, rock | Leave a comment

EP review: PYLON POETS – Lucid Hallucinations

Posted on November 22, 2020 by jason

Website [Release date 18.12.20] Pylon Poets are an alt rock trio from Torquay featuring Dan Hughes (Vocals, Guitars, Synths), Sam McIver (Drums, Backing Vocals) and Nathan Hughes (Bass, Backing Vocals). This EP was recorded by Barnaby Ray at Momentum Studios … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Interviews/Rising Stars, Single and EP reviews | Tagged album, alt rock, EP, Lucid Hallucinations, melodic, pop, Pylon Poets, review, synth | Leave a comment

Album review: TREMENDOUS – Relentless

Posted on November 22, 2020 by jason

Facebook [Release date 20.11.20] TREMENDOUS (stand down grammar peeps as they deliberately have their name in capitals) hail from Birmingham, UK and consist of Mark Dudzinski (guitar, vocals), Ryan Jee (bass) and Dave Lee (drums). The TREMENDOUS name is taken … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Cheap Trick, debut, glam rock, melodic, Mott the Hoople, pop rock, Relentless, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, TREMENDOUS | Leave a comment

Album review: ANGELICA – All I Am

Posted on November 21, 2020 by jason

Frontiers [Release date 12.11.20] Murder of My Sweet vocalist, Angelica Rylin goes solo again after seven years. “All I Am”, written and produced by the multi talented Daniel Flores, is only Rylin’s second solo outing since 2013. It has opened … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, All I Am, ANGELICA, country, Daniel Flores, Frontiers, melodic, MURDER OF MY SWEET, pop, pop rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: MARK KELLY – Marathon

Posted on November 20, 2020 by jason

earMUSIC [Release date 27.11.20] Thirty years in the making… well, ok, thirty years in the planning, Marillion’s much sought after keyboard player, Mark Kelly at last releases his “solo” album, the appropriately titled “Marathon”. He’s enlisted the help of a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, EarMusic, keyboards, Marathon, Marillion, Mark Kelly, melodic, prog rock, progressive, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: LOUISE STEEL – Sideshow

Posted on November 19, 2020 by jason

Website [Release date 20.11.20] Here at GRTR! Towers we enjoyed Louise Steel’s 2017 debut ‘Heartstorm’ very much. Louise Steel’s second album has been two years in the making that has included personal tragedy and making this album has proved cathartic … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Louise Steel, melodic, pop, review, rock, Sideshow, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: L.A. GUNS – Renegades

Posted on November 16, 2020 by jason

Golden Robot Records [Release date 13.11.20] L.A. Guns, born out of the 1980’s rock scene in Los Angeles and the Sunset Strip, have become synonymous with the Hollywood hair metal rock scene, famous for putting on amazing live shows with … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, classic rock, Golden Robot Records, Kelly Nickels, L.A. Guns, melodic, Renegades, review, rock, sleaze rock, Steve Riley | Leave a comment

Album review: BLACK STONE CHERRY – The Human Condition

Posted on November 14, 2020 by jason

Mascot Records [Release date 30.10.20] Amazing to think Black Stone Cherry (BSC) celebrate their twentieth anniversary next year, with ‘The Human Condition’ being the band’s seventh studio album. Black Stone Cherry have certainly built up an impressive following here in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Black Stone Cherry, ELO, melodic, modern rock, review, rock, southern rock, the Human Condition | Leave a comment

Album Review: KING KING – Maverick

Posted on November 2, 2020 by jason

Channel 9 Music [Release date 06.11.20] With a second lockdown, miserable British weather and little sign of something vaguely resembling normality returning any time soon a new King King album is probably just the antidote we need. Driving rhythms, fat … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Alan Nimmo, album, blues, blues rock, King King, Maverick, melodic, review, rock, Sreve Nimmo | Leave a comment

Album review: TIM ARNOLD – When Staying Alive’s The Latest Craze

Posted on November 1, 2020 by jason

Bandcamp [Release date 06.11.20] It cannot be denied that lockdown and the coronavirus has been a huge strain on all of us, especially as much of the world enters a second round of lockdowns. On 23 March 2020, the day … Continue reading →