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Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: CARDINAL BLACK- Sub 89, Reading, 15 November 2024
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Gig review: SUZI QUATRO- London Palladium, 13 November 2024
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Gig review: HRH XVII, Great Yarmouth, 7-10 November 2024
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Gig review: WHEN RIVERS MEET, CHANTEL MCGREGOR, XANDER AND THE PEACE PIRATES- Dingwalls, London, 7 November 2024
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Gig review: DEEP PURPLE – 02 Arena, London, 6 November 2024
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Gig review: ELLES BAILEY- Islington Assembly Hall, London, 2 November 2024
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Featured Album Reviews
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Tag Archives: pop rock
Album review: THE SWEET – Isolation Boulevard
Website [Release date 18.12.20] First recordings by the revamped Sweet line-up that sees original member guitarist Andy Scott and long serving drummer Bruce Bisland joined by bassist/backing vocalist Lee Small (Phenomena, Shy, Lionsheart) and vocalist Paul Manzi (Cats In Space, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Digital only, Reissues
Tagged album, Andy Scott, classic rock, glam rock, Isolation Boulevard, Lee Small, Paul Manzi, pop rock, review, rock, The Sweet
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Album review: PICTUREHOUSE – 1999 Live in Dublin
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
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Album review: THE QUESTIONNAIRES – Atlantic Ridge
Boom Chang Records [Release date 15.01.21] It seems a bit disingenuous in the PR blurb to refer to Jane Wade and Steve Hall, aka The Questionnaires, as having been ‘around a bit’. For most, me included, their formative bands – … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Atlantic Ridge, pop rock, review, singer, songwriter, The Questionnaires
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Album review: ZEBRAS DON’T SMOKE – Don’t Mention The Swedes (ABBA Tribute)
Singsong Music [Release date 20.11.20] www.singsongmusic.com ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus said what he thought of streaming live music during Lockdown. He wasn’t impressed and thought kitchen gigs will never be a substitute. I wonder what he would have thought of the … Continue reading
Album review: TREMENDOUS – Relentless
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
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Album review: ANGELICA – All I Am
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
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Album review: CATS IN SPACE – Atlantis
Harmony Factory [Release date 27.11.20] On new album, “Atlantis”, it seems the new CIS line up, with vocalist Damien Edwards replacing Mark Pascall, has largely abandoned the iconoclastic tone of its predecessor, “Daytrip To Narnia” That of course, is down … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 70's rock, album, Atlantis, Cats In Space, clasic rock, Damien Edwards, glam rock, Greg Hart, melodic rock, pop rock, power pop, review, rock
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Album review: DORIS BRENDEL & LEE DUNHAM – Mass Hysteria
Sky Rocket Records [Release date 01.09.20] A new Doris Brendel album is a bit like Christmas coming early. That moment when your Aunty Doris invites you to dip blindfold into a tub of Quality Street, only to discover she’s mixed … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alternative, art rock, blues, Doris Brendel, Lee Dunham, Mass Hysteria, pop rock, progressive, review
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Album review: PADRAIG JACK – Making Sand
Website [Release date 25.09.20] Padraig Jack writes and sings in Gaelic and English, being born and raised 10 miles off the west coast of Ireland on the Aran Islands. Padraig has won second prize at the Pan Celtic National Song … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alternative, folk, indie, Making Sand, Padraig Jack, pop rock, review
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Album review: DAVE EDMUNDS – 5 Originals
Floating World Records [Release date 6.11.20] This new 3CD set comprises five Dave Edmunds solo albums. It kicks off with 1975’s “Subtle As A Flying Mallet”, his second solo effort, which consists of covers of late 1950s and early 1960s … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged box set, CD, classic rock, Dave Edmunds, Originals, pop rock, re-issue, review, rock 'n' roll
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Album review: BIG COUNTRY – Out Beyond The River, The Compulsion Years Anthology
Cherry Red [Release date 25.09.20] The late great Stuart Adamson and his band, Big Country, made an indelible musical mark on UK popular culture. Their history is well documented. This anthology focuses on a very narrow, but hugely fertile period … Continue reading
Album review: VARIOUS – Girls Go Power Pop!
Big Beat/Ace [Release date 28.08.20] Ace (via their Big Beat imprint) follow 2019’s impressive “Come On Let’s Go” power pop collection with a new 25 tracker. This time, compiler Dave Burke varies the theme by focussing on female-fronted acts. As … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Ace Records, album, Girls Go Power Pop!, Go-Gos, melodic, pop rock, power pop, review, The Bangles, The Runaways, various
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Album review: ROY WOOD AND WIZZARD – Mainstreet/Eddy &The Falcons
Main Street Cherry Red Records [Release date 28.08.20] Two years later, apparently stifled by the “hit machine” expectations that weighed upon him, Wood wrote, recorded and released “Main Street”. It was his first real attempt to climb off the pop … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged albums, avnat garde, Eddy and The Falcons, ELO, jazz, Mainstreet, melodic, pop, pop rock, re-issue, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, Roy Wood, The Move, Wizzard
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Album review: JOEY MOLLAND – Be True To Yourself
Omnivore Recordings [Release date 16.10.20] As the sole surviving member of the classic line-up of Badfinger, Joey Molland’s pedigree in power pop circles is second to none. Over the years he has regularly produced solo albums, notably “After The Pearl” … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Badfinger, Be True To Yourself, Chicago, Joey Molland, Julian Lennon, melodic, Micky Dolenz, pop rock, power pop, review, Ringo Starr
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Album review: KATRINA – Hearts, Loves & Babys
Independent [Release date 28.08.20] Now a solo artist, Katrina, ex of The Waves, will always be known for her monster, worldwide hit, ‘Walking On Sunshine’. It can be an albatross as much as it can be a permanent passport to … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, country pop, Darren Loveday, Hearts Loves & Babys, Katrina, Katrina & the Waves, Kimberly Rew, melodic, pop, pop rock, review
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Book review: On track…10cc and Godley & Creme (Every album, every song) – Peter Kearns
Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 17.08.20] In the hot summer of 1976 I was checking roll-on roll-off cargo at Liverpool Docks and realised I was looking at a consignment of music gear. It turned out that 10cc were coming over from … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged 10CC, book, Eric Stewart, Godley & Creme, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley, Lol Creme, pop, pop rock, review
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DVD review: INXS – Live Baby Live
Eagle [Release date 26.06.20] INXS are one of the few bands that could blend rock, pop and dance music and successfully take it to the stadiums all over the world. They were an absolute machine of a band, and no … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged Bluray, DVD, Eagle Vision, INXS, Kick, Live Baby Live, Michael Hutchence, pop rock, review, rock, Wembley
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EP review: SEMISONIC – You’re Not Alone
Order link [Release date 18.09.20] Back in 2001 Semisonic went on hiatus before returning in 2017 with a series of shows. In between times singer and main songwriter Dan Wilson enjoyed a successful career as a songwriter and producer for … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged alt rock, EP, indie pop, melodic, pop, pop rock, review, Semisonic, You’re Not Alone
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Album review: ENUFF ZNUFF – Brainwashed Generation
Frontiers Records [Release date 10.07.20] There was a time Enuff Z’Nuff’s lineup seemed to go into an endless revolving door spin, but now, with founding member Donnie Vie apparently leaving for good, Chip Z’Nuff has assembled a solid, talented line … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Beatles, Brainwashed Generation, Chip Z'nuff, Donnie Vie, Enuff Z'Nuff, melodic, pop rock, power pop, review
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Album review: SHRED KELLY – Like A Rising Sun
Devil Duck Records [Release date 03.07.20] Where do these excellent bands keep appearing from? Shred Kelly are another one, a five piece alt folk rock band (and not a speed metal band as their name may suggest) hailing from Canada … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt folk, folk, folk rock, Like A Rising Sun, melodic, pop rock, review, Shred Kelly
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Album review: JOHNNY HATES JAZZ – Wide Awake
[Release date 14.08.20] Johnny Hates Jazz’s return in 2013 was well received, with a comeback album ‘Magnetized’ gathering airplay and even a short tour in 2016 (when we saw them in downtown Darwen Library Theatre) and a handful of festival … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged 80s, album, Clark Datchler, eighties, interview, Johnny Hates Jazz, Mike Nocito, pop, pop rock, review, synth pop, Wide Awake
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Album review: BUZZCOCKS – Sell You Everything 1991-2014
Cherry Red [Release date 29.05.20] The recent release of new single ‘Gotta Get Better’ marked the beginning of “Phase 3” of Buzzcocks, now solely fronted by Steve Diggle following the death of Pete Shelley in December 2018. With most “Phase … Continue reading
EP review: THE LICKERISH QUARTET – Threesome Vol. 1
Lickerish Quartet/Label Logic [Release date 15.05.20] The Lickerish Quartet formed in 2017, featuring former Jellyfish members Roger Manning Jnr. (Imperial Drag), Eric Dover (Slash’s Snakepit, Alice Cooper, Imperial Drag) and Tim Smith. All three of them toured in support of … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Cheap Trick, ELO, EP, Jellyfish, melodic, pop rock, power pop, quirky pop, review, SPARKS, the Lickerish Quartet
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Quick plays: DELAIN, JESSICA WOLFF, BEFORE SUNDAY
DELAIN Apocalypse & Chill (Napalm Records) [Release date 07.02.20] There was a time – around 10 years ago – when I was rather taken with Delain, and for that matter, Within Temptation. Both brought a slightly more commercial edge to … Continue reading
Feature: Albums that time forgot – KEATS
EMI [1984] Released in 1984 the eponymous album by Keats might be considered as an Alan Parsons Project off-shoot. It was produced by Parsons and includes the core band members that feature on most of the Project albums, Ian Bairnson, … Continue reading
