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Latest Album Reviews
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Album review: BEYOND THE BLACK – Break The Silence
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News: Albums of the Month (October-December 2025)
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Album review: MIDNITE CITY- Bite The Bullet
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Album review: CHARLOTTE SMITH & DAVID CLIFTON – The Tree In The Wood
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Album review: JUDIE TZUKE – Now Or Never
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Album review: SPOCK’S BEARD – The Archaeoptimist
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Latest Gig Reviews
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Gig review: PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS – Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden, Saturday December 27 2025
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Gig review: STEVE OVERLAND AND JIM KIRKPATRICK- The Weir, Brentford, Middlesex, 9 December 2025
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Gig review: JOHN OTWAY – Face Bar, Reading, Thursday 11 December 2025
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Gig review: CURVED AIR – The Sub Rooms, Stroud, 20 November 2025
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Tag Archives: review
Quick plays: AMANDA RHEAUME, SKYWARD, EILERA, ANDY BENNETT

AMANDA RHEAUME Holding Patterns [Release date 21.10.16] On her last release Keep A Fire (2014) we suggested that Ottawa songstress Amanda Rheaume’s song writing is more ‘popular’ than ‘pop’ and a pleasant enough Radio 2 style listen. In that sense, … Continue reading
Album review: ROD STEWART – Sir Rod Stewart and some of his early faces

The Store For Music [Release date 21.10.16] 2-CD When ‘Sir’ precedes Rod’s name, and the album artwork features a Spitting Image/ Newzoid caricature of the man, it’s natural to have some doubts about the depths that have been plumbed to … Continue reading
Album review: PETRICHOR – What We’ve Noticed

[Release date 02.01.16] Written, recorded, and produced over four years – from the middle of high school to college – What We’ve Noticed is a remarkably mature debut from Massachusetts-based seven piece band Petrichor. With three vocalists and the use … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, fusion, Petrichor, prog, Progressive Rock, review, What We've Noticed
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Album review: HOLON – The Time Is Always Now

Release date [12.08.16] The Time Is Always Now is a set of proggy ‘songs’ written over ten years by Norwegian guitarist Ronny Pedersen. Not considered suitable for his existing projects, the songs are a nucleus of a collaborative concept project. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Holon, Norway, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Ronny Pedersen, The Time Is Always Now
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Album review: BLACKBERRY SMOKE – Like An Arrow

Earache Records [Release date 15.10.16] Blackberry Smoke are back with the follow-up to last year’s ‘Holding All The Roses’, an Album of the Year selection here at GRTR! and a rare five star album from me. So no pressure then … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Blackberry Smoke, classic, country, Greg Allman, Like An Arrow, review, rock, southern
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DVD review: JOURNEY – Live In Manila

Eagle Vision [Release date 09.09.16] Back in 2009, when this gig was filmed, vocalist Arnel Pineda was still very much the new boy. Recorded in Pinel’s hometown of Manila in the Phillipines the sound and visual quality is excellent and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged AOR, Arnel Pineda, Bluray, Deen Castronovo, DVD, Jonathan Cain, Journey, Live In Manilla, melodic rock, Neal Schon, review, Ross Valory
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Album review: HOW WE LIVE – Dry Land (Steve Hogarth)

David Randall chatted to Steve Hogarth about his career in July 2014. In this hour special, tracks include How We Live and Marillion, plus Steve’s solo work. Esoteric [Release date 26.08.16] ‘How We Live’ is an important part of the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues
Tagged album, Colin Woore, Dry Land, eighties, How We Live, Marillion, pop, reissue, review, rock, Steve Hogarth
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Album review: SANTANA IV – Live At The House Of Blues Las Vegas

Eagle Rock/Universal [Release date 21.10.16] 2-CD/DVD If the classic Santana III line-up only make one ‘comeback’ album we should be thankful for this year’s ‘Santana IV’. And back in March, ahead of its release, the band played the legendary House … Continue reading
Album review: ESP – Invisible Din (Tony Lowe, Mark Brzezicki)

Sunn Creative [Release date 11.11.16] ESP is an interesting collaboration as it features producer/guitarist Tony Lowe and Big Country drummer Mark Brzezicki, the latter maybe not someone you’d associate with progressive rock. Tony Lowe composed all the music and Alison … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alison Fleming, Big Country, ESP, Invisible Din, Mark Brzezicki, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Tony Lowe
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Quick plays: FOREST FIELD, CTP (Christian Tolle Project)

FOREST FIELD Lonely Desert Rock Company [Release date 21.10.16] Thankfully this time the band have an album cover more suited to their prog rock leanings than last year’s ‘Angels’ cover. The band is focused around Peter Cox who wrote all … Continue reading
Album review: SERIOUS BLACK – Mirrorworld

AFM Records [Release date 09.09.16] European supergroup Serious Black return with their sophomore release “Mirrorworld” less than 2 years after debut “As Daylight Breaks” hit the racks. The backbone of vocalist Urban breed, Dominik Sebastian (guitars), bassist Mario Lochert and … Continue reading
Album review: MICHAEL ARMSTRONG – s/t

Harbour Light Music After a quick search on the website I realised I had reviewed a single by Michael Armstrong, ‘Radio Days’, which makes this debut album. This self-titled album has been available since last year via Amazon and the … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged ALBERT LEE, album, Elliot Randall, Michael Armstrong, Phil Palmer, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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Album review: BAD TOUCH – Truth Be Told

[Release date 02.12.16] Bad Touch hail from Norfolk, yet this album sounds like the Black Crowes jamming with Free. Their debut album, 2015′s ‘Half Way Home’ received rave reviews and they have built up a reputation as a fine live … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bad Touch, Black Crowes, Chris Kimsey, classic rock, review, rock, Rolling Stones, southern rock, Truth Be Told
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Album review: NIVA – Atmospherical

AOR Heaven [Release date 28.10.16] Tony Niva is the former Lion’s Share vocalist and also released the enjoyable Oxygen ‘Final Warning’ on Escape Music back in 2o12. On this album he is joined by Lars Chriss (who has played and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR Heaven, Atmospherical, Lion's Share, melodic, Niva, review, rock, Tony Niva
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Quick plays: ALBERT AF EKENSTAM, ROADKILL, FRACTALMIND

ALBERT AF EKENSTAM Ashes Kning Disk [Release date 14.10.16] ‘Ashes’ is the debut album from Albert af Ekenstam, who is a member of Tempel and his fellow band member Filip Leyman joins him on drums/keys/production. Singer/guitarist Sumie Nagano and trumpeter … Continue reading
DVD review: YOUTH – Sketch, Drugs & Rock n’ Roll

Cadiz Music [Release date 23.09.16] Producer, artist, poet, DJ and bass player, who has also worked as a producer and remixer for the likes of Paul McCartney, U2, Guns n Roses, Primal Scream and Boy George (and that is just … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged alternative, David Gilmour, documentary, DVD, interview, Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, review, rock, Sketch Drugs & Rock n’ Roll, Youth
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DVD review: THE EVERLY BROTHERS – Harmonies From Heaven

Eagle Vision [Release date 09.09.16] Between 1957 and 1962 Don and Phil Everly dominated the pop charts on both sides of the Atlantic. With hits like ‘Wake Up Little Susie’, ‘Cathy’s Clown’, ‘Crying In The Rain’, ‘Bye Bye Love’ and … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged 50's, 60's, DVD, Eagle Vision, Harmonies From Heaven, pop, review, rock, rock 'n' roll, the Everly Brothers
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DVD review: THE BEACH BOYS – Classic Albums Pet Sounds

Eagle Vision [Release date 23.09.16] One of the most important and significant albums in the history of popular culture, it is now 50 years since The Beach Boys released ‘Pet Sounds’, a hugely influential album that amazingly took 20 years … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged 60's, Brian Wilson, Classic Albums, DVD, Eagle Vision, Pet Sounds, pop, review, surf music, The Beach Boys
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DVD review: SCORPIONS – Forever And A Day

Eagle Vision [Release date 30.09.16] New Scorpions documentary ‘Forever and A Day’ was filmed on what was supposed to be that band’s farewell tour and climaxes with their final show in Munich, as such it is reflective, honest and insightful. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged classic, classic rock, DVD, Eagle Rock, Forever and A Day, Klaus Meine, review, rock, Rudolf Schenker, Scorpions
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Gig review: THE TUBES – Club Academy, Manchester, 8 October 2016

Interview/news item We’re being spoilt. Legendary San Francisco shock rockers The Tubes don’t play a gig in the UK for over 10 years and then we get two tours almost within the space of a year. If the Mondo Pulp … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 8 October 2016, AOR, Club Academy, Fee Waybill, gig, Manchester, review, rock, satire, The Tubes
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Album review: JON HERINGTON – Adult Entertainment

CD Baby [Release date 14.06.16] Jon Herington is best known as the guitarist in Steely Dan for the last 16 years, yet he’s also managed to carve out his own solo career that stretches back to 1992. ‘Adult Entertainment’ – … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged 10CC, Adult Entertainment, album, blues, country, Dennis Espantman, Frank Pagano, Fred B. Owens, Fred Owens, Jackson Browne, Jim Beard, Jon Herington, Neil Young, pop, reggae, review, rock, Rolling Stones, singer songwriter, soul, Steely Dan, The Beatles, The Coasters, Tom Petty, vocal
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