Tag Archives: review

Album review : ROB MORATTI – Sovereign

Posted on December 16, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 12.12.25] Rob Moratti’s all star cast is arguably more famous than he is : Joel Hoekstra, Tony Franklin, Felix Borg, Fredrik Bergh and Pete Alpenborg. Alpenborg’s written stuff for Harry Hess, Robin McAuley, Kee Marcello, Tommy Heart … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Epica, Fredric Bergh, Frontiers, Joel Hoekstra, melodic rock, Pete Alpenborg, review, Rob Moratti, Sovereign | Leave a comment

EP review: AXMINSTER – Mad Hatters

Posted on December 14, 2025 by jason

Website [Release date 25.07.25] Axminster first started out in 1983 – then known as Axminster Molly – and they were indeed named after the carpet/rug manufacturer based in the UK town of the same name! Only vocalist/guitarist Steve Sera remains … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Axminster, EP, hard rock, Mad Hatters, melodic hard rock, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review : BRAZEN ABBOT – Live And Learn and Guilty As Sin (CD reissues)

Posted on December 13, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 12.12.25] Classically trained Bulgarian multi-instrumentalist, Nikolo Kotzev founded Brazen Abbot in 1995. He could play every stringed instrument known to rock’n’roll mankind, but needed a singer. Over these two reissues, released simultaneously, the cream of European … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Brazen Abbot, Bulgaria, Frontiers, Glenn Hughes, Goran Edman, Joe Lynn Turner, Jorn Lande, melodic rock, Nikolo Kotzev, review, Thomas Vikstrom | Leave a comment

Album review : GRAHAM BONNET – Lost In Hollywood Again (Live)

Posted on December 11, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 12.12.25] Old Rock Stars never die, and judging by Lost In Hollywood Again, they never fade away either. A 77 year old Graham Bonnet is testament to that. Recorded in the legendary Whisky A Go Go, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Frontiers Music, Graham Bonnet, live, Lost In Hollywood, Rainbow, review, Schenker, Sunset Strip, Whisky A Go Go | Leave a comment

Album review: HENGE – Journey to Voltus B

Posted on December 10, 2025 by jason

Website [Release date 31.01.2025] Thanks to occasional GRTR! live reviewer Matt Curtis my interest was tweaked by the band that is Henge, an intergalactic electronic, electro and space rock musical juggernaut. Henge consists of Zpor (vocals, guitar), Goo (bass, synth … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, EDM, electro, electronic music, Henge, Journey to Voltus B, prog rock, review, sci fi, space rock | Leave a comment

Album review : JIMI JAMISON – 1998 Live Hits

Posted on December 8, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date 12.12.25] A live Nashville gig in 1998 from the late Jimi Jamison, who died in 2014, aged 63. Survivor’s fifth album, Vital Signs (1984), the first with Jamison on board as the band’s vocalist, was a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Jimi Jamison, Nashville, review, Survivor, Too Hot To Sleep, Vital Signs, When Seconds Count | Leave a comment

Album review: DEWOLFF – Fuego!

Posted on December 8, 2025 by jason

Website [Release date 05.12.25] What do Redbone, Leon Russell, Lowell George, Bad Company, Link Wray, Henri Garella, Cray Fox and Dr. John have in common ? They all crafted masterpieces which have inspired the ridiculously fertile imaginations of Dutch blues/soul/psychedelic … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, blues rock, DeWolff, Fuego!, Leon Russell, psychedelic, review, rock, southern rock | Leave a comment

Album review : COUSINS & WILLOUGHBY – The Bridge

Posted on December 4, 2025 by brianmc

Witchwood Records [Release date 28.11.25] Brian Willoughby, a sought after session guitarist, worked with many musicians, most notably Dave Cousins and Mary Hopkins, ultimately joining Cousins in the Strawbs. The Bridge, a collaboration between Cousins and Willoughby, was recorded in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Blue Weaver, Cousins, Mary Hopkins, review, Roberto Cacciapaglia, The Bridge, The Strawbs, Venice, Willoughby, Witchwood | Leave a comment

Album review : WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS – Covers of The Beatles 1967-70

Posted on December 3, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date [28.11.25] The Beatles are the gift to the music world that just keeps on giving. It’s a neat twist that the band who made their name initially by doing cover versions on stage in Germany in … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Aretha Franklin, boxset, Cherry Red, cover versions, fats Domino, Mike Batt, review, Richie Havens, The Beatles, Wilson Picket | Leave a comment

Feature: All Boxed Up for Christmas (December 2025)

Posted on December 2, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

The boxed sets and multi-disc reissues keep coming! First it was CDs that gave recorded rock a new lease of life, then came the revival of vinyl. But, as labels realised, they could expand individual albums with bonus material, and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS, Box sets, FEATURES, Reissues | Tagged 2025, anthology, boxsets, collections, David Lee Roth, Deep Purple, Jimmy Webb, Joe Meek, multi-disc, review, Seals & Crofts, Strapps, Wishbone Ash | Leave a comment

Album review : LYNCH MOB – Dancing With The Devil

Posted on November 30, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date 28.11.25] Now white haired and bearded, Septuagenarian Lynch had said a few years back that he would soon be retiring the Lynch Mob name, due to its racist connotations. And so, Dancing With The Devil, the second … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Dancing With The Devil, Dokken, George Lynch, hard rock, Last Waltz, Lynch Mob, review, Wicked Sensation | Leave a comment

Album review: CYTRUS – Duality

Posted on November 28, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

www.cytrusband.com [Release date 14.11.25] Cytrus are described as a psychedelic funk band, so the listener might immediately think of Parliament or more specifically Funkadelic, purveyors of the genre since 1968. This eight-piece band from Seattle are actually far more accessible … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Cytrus, Duality, funk, Progressive Rock, psychedelic, Psychedelic Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: GHOST – Skeleta

Posted on November 26, 2025 by jason

Loma Vista Recordings [Release date 25.04.25] Album number six from Ghost, produced by Gene Walker, who is actually Ghost main man Tobias Forge, as said Gene Walker name is a pun on the Swedish word gengångare i.e ghost, zombie. Interesting variety … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged album, Ghost, hard rock, melodic, metal, Papa V Perpetua, pomp rock, review, Skeleta, Tobias Forge | Leave a comment

Album review: LETTUCE – Cook

Posted on November 26, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

(Lettuce Records) [Release date 03.12.25] As we mentioned in earlier reviews U.S. jazz-funksters Lettuce are firmly rooted in the late-sixties/seventies when artists such as James Brown/Maceo Parker and Tower of Power held sway. With the popularity of disco in the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Cook, funk, jazz funk, Lettuce, R&B, review | Leave a comment

Album review : THE MEL OUTSIDER REFORMATION – Mel Goes Funky

Posted on November 25, 2025 by petefeenstra

Planet Records UK [Release date : 26.09.25] The 8 piece Mel Outsider Reformation is one of the most potent and original big band outfits in the UK. Their music is riff driven, exhilarative and has a jam like quality. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Andy Morel, blues, Dan Arnold, funk, Helen May, Karl Francis, Liam McCartan, Mark Jones, Matt Pawson, Mel Outsider, Nick Cornall, review, rock, The Mel Outsider Reformation | Leave a comment

Album review : STRYPER – The Greatest Gift Of All

Posted on November 25, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 21.11.25] The Greatest Gift Of All is Stryper’s 16th studio album. The line up remains Michael Sweet, Robert Sweet, Oz Fox and Perry Richardson, solid for 8 years now. When we reviewed their last two … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Christmas, classic metal, festive, Frontiers Music, Gene Krupa, hard rock, Michael Sweet, review, Silent Night, Stryper | Leave a comment

Album review : TREAT – The Wild Card

Posted on November 23, 2025 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 21.11.25] Wild Card is Swedish melodic rock band, Treat’s 10th studio album since the debut in 1985. They’ve enjoyed the same line up since reforming 20 years ago. There’s not a moment here that isn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Brother Firetribe, Classic Melodic Rock, Frontiers Music, Poodles, review, Treat, WET, Wild Card | Leave a comment

Single review: SPENCER MACKENZIE – Frozen Hearts

Posted on November 23, 2025 by jason

JUNO nominated and Maple Blues Award winner Spencer MacKenzie has just dropped his third single from his forth coming album Empty Chairs, which coincidentally was produced mixed and engineered by Ross Hayes Citrullo guitarist from The Commoners whose single I … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged blues, Frozen Hearts, guitarist, JUNO, review, rock, single, Spencer MacKenzie, the Commoners | Leave a comment

Single review: CAITLIN KRISKO & THE BROADCAST – Everything I Need

Posted on November 23, 2025 by jason

Facebook Written in response to the audience reaction on their last UK tour, American roots rockers Caitlin Krisko And The Broadcast drop their fourth single in as many months – Everything I need from their forthcoming album Heirloom. From the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged blues, blues rock, Caitlin Krisko, Everything I Need, melodic, review, rock, single, the Broadcast | Leave a comment

Single review: THE COMMONERS – Just Watch Me

Posted on November 23, 2025 by jason

The Commoners, a Canadian band from Toronto, lay their southern style rock on us in big layers with this brand new single Just Watch Me. An engaging guitar riff brings the song to life courtesy of Ross Hayes Citrullo, who … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged blues, blues rock, hard rock, Just Watch Me, review, rock, single, the Commoners | Leave a comment

Album review : URIAH HEEP – The Shadow And The Wind: 1973-74 (5 CD Boxset)

Posted on November 23, 2025 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 28.11.25] CD1: Live 1973 CD2: US Radio Show plus Radio shows, Mixes for radio, Love Machine Rock’n’Roll Medley CD3 : Sweet Freedom +5 bonus (1973) CD4: Wonderworld +6 bonus (1974) CD5 : Live At Shepperton Another … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 1974, Cherry Red, classic rock, Donald Guarisco, Malcolm Dome, review, Sweet Freedom, Uriah Heep, Wonderworld | Leave a comment

Gig review: CURVED AIR – The Sub Rooms, Stroud, 20 November 2025

Posted on November 22, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

To those of a certain age and male – most of the audience here tonight in fact – Sonja Kristina was a poster girl for rock in the early 1970s. Pre-Stevie Nicks, pre-Debbie Harry. Interestingly she told me in 2015 … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 20 November 2025, Curved Air, gig, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Sonja Kristina, Stroud, The Sub Rooms | Leave a comment

Gig review: MARTIN BARRE & FRIENDS – Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, 18 November 2025

Posted on November 22, 2025 by GRTR! HQ

Theatre Severn was a lot more salubrious than the Lomax in Liverpool 11 years before. In my recent interview with Martin Barre I reminded him of our last face to face chat before a gig he described as the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 18 November 2025, acoustic, Alan Thomson, Alex Hart, classic rock, Dan Crisp, friends, gig, Jethro Tull, Martin Barre, Progressive Rock, review, Shrewsbury, Theatre Severn | Leave a comment

Single reviews: PYLON POETS, FOARN, FORGE HOUNDS, CHOLE CHADWICK

Posted on November 22, 2025 by jason

Pylon Poets – Not to Blame (feat. Call Yourself Karma) Big fans of Pylon Poets here at GRTR! and following the release of their album ‘Demise of the Divine’ in Jun, Pylon Poets have teamed up with Call Yourself Karma … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged Americana, blues, Call Yourself Karma, Chole Chadwick, Christmas, country, Foarn, Forge Hounds, indie, Paulie Boy, pop, pop rock, power pop, punk, Pylon Poets, review, rock, singles | Leave a comment

Single review: THE SIDESHOWS – Brand New

Posted on November 22, 2025 by jason

European Phonographic Sami Yaffa has been the bass player for some mighty fine bands over the years – Hanoi Rocks, New York Dolls, Michael Monroe Band, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and several more. He has now teamed up with … Continue reading →