Tag Archives: review

Album review: W.E.T.- Rise Up

Posted on March 3, 2013 by andynathan

Frontiers Records [Release date 22.02.13] In a genre whose natural tendency is to look backwards, few new melodic rock acts have been as eagerly anticipated as W.E.T. Their 2009 debut, fusing the talents of prolific and versatile ex Malmsteen, Talisman … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best Of 2013 | Tagged album, Eric Martensson and Robert Sall, Jeff Scott Soto, melodic rock, review, Rise Up, W.E.T. | Leave a comment

Album review: JIMI HENDRIX – People, Hell & Angels

Posted on March 2, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Experience Hendrix/Sony [Release date 04.03.13] Can there be any more Hendrix wine to tease from an ageing vine? It seems that with each new distribution deal (now with Sony Legacy) the opportunity is used to recycle and repackage material for … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, blues, funk, guitar, guitarist, Hell & Angels, Jimi Hendrix, People, review, rock | Leave a comment

Gig review: VIRGIL & THE ACCELERATORS – RNCM,Manchester,23 February 2013

Posted on February 28, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Virgil & The Accelerators - Manchester, 23 February 2013

RNCM (Royal Northern College of Music) was rather a strange venue for what could potentially be a lively gig. While the sound was excellent and the lighting was perfectly acceptable the layout was for a theatre and an all seated … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 23 February 2013, blues rock, gig, guitar, guitarist, Manchester, review, Royal Northern College Of Music, Virgin & The Accelerators | Leave a comment

Album review: THE PETER ULRICH COLLABORATION – The Painted Caravan

Posted on February 27, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Market Square Records [Release date 11.03.13] www.marketsquarerecords.co.uk There is a certain ethereal quality in this album, an eclectic mix for sure from the percussionist Peter Ulrich who featured in cult bands Dead Can Dance and This Mortal Coil. If Ulrich’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Dead Can Dance, folk, percussion, Peter Ulrich Collaboration, review, rock, The Painted Caravan, This Mortal Coil | 1 Comment

Album review: JADE VINE – Nothing Can Hide From Light

Posted on February 26, 2013 by alanjones

(Self-released: 7.1.13) There is an old adage that states that you should never judge a book by the cover. I think another maxim should be never judge an album by its first track. ‘Last Day Of Apathy’, the opening track … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Anathema, Danny Cavanagh, Jade Vine, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Album review: GATE 6 – God Machines

Posted on February 25, 2013 by alanjones

. (Self-release: September 2012) What is it about Europe and fine progressive rock music at the moment? The likes of Poland (with Riverside, Believe, Satellite et al), Sweden (with Airbag, Katatonia, Aoria, etc.) and Germany (Frequency Drift, InVertigo, etc.) are … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Gate 6, God Machines, Progressive Rock, review | Leave a comment

Gig review: URIAH HEEP – The Tivoli, Buckley, 21 February 2013

Posted on February 22, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Virgil & The Accelerators - Buckley, 21 November 2013

That anyone can pay £20 to see one of the UK’s most enduring rock bands, and then gawp at their phone looking at the football results, may say more about the state of music in 2013 and – moreover - … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 21 February 2013, blues rock, Buckley, gig, hard rock, North Wales, review, The Tivoli, Uriah Heep, Virgil And The Accelerators | Leave a comment

Album review: DAN REED – Signal Fire

Posted on February 18, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Zero One Music [Release date 18.02.13] Let’s get one thing clear. Don’t expect another ‘Tiger In A Dress’ and start thinking semi-acoustically. Dan Reed’s previous album, 2010′s ‘Coming Up For Air’, dispensed with the funk metal of his late-eighties big … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Dan Reed, Dan Reed Network, pop, review, rock, Signal Fire, singer, songwriter | 1 Comment

Album review: OCTOBER TREE – The Fairy’s Wing

Posted on February 14, 2013 by alanjones

(Canvas Productions, 2012) If there’s one thing in life that really gets up my nose it’s indulgence. Self indulgence is bad enough, but pandering to somebody else’s indulgence is just plain wrong. And this is what has … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Greg Lounsberry, October Tree, prog rock lite, review, The Fairies Wing | Leave a comment

Album review: SAILOR FREE – Spiritual Revolution

Posted on February 14, 2013 by alanjones

(Tide Records, 2012) This is definitely an album of ‘despites’. Despite not having English as their first language, despite this being a concept album and despite having a band name like a John Inman sit-com – this … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Italian, Progressive Rock, review, Sailor Free | Leave a comment

Album review: X11 ALFONSO – Charles Darwin

Posted on February 14, 2013 by alanjones

(Self-release, 2012) Every so often an album like this appears, that is so left-field, so out of kilter with the way things are, that it is extremely difficult to listen to and be totally objective. Not that it is totally … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Charles Darwin, Progressive Rock, review, X11 Alfonso | Leave a comment

Album review: ACELSIA – Don’t Go Where I Can’t Follow

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

The debut from Norwegian three piece Acelsia, has a sound far bigger than its component parts. With all songs written by vocalist / pianist Marlene Markussen and guitar, bass and synth player Odd Henning, and with Bjorn Tore Erlendsen (of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALL POSTS | Tagged Alcelsia, Don't Go Where I Can't Follow, melodic, Norway, Norwegian, review, rock | Leave a comment

Album review: LARKIN POE & THOM HELL – The Sound Of The Ocean Sound

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Edvins Records [Release date 04.03.13] 5 extended EPs and a live DVD over their two year career to date, and sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell have elected to share their first long playing outing with Norwegian songwriter Thom Hell. The … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Americana, country, Larkin Poe, Lovell, Megan, pop, Rebecca, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The Sound Of The Ocean Sound, Thom Hell | Leave a comment

Album review: 10cc – Tenology

Posted on February 13, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Universal/Mercury [Release date 19.11.12] It’s about time 10cc’s excellent back catalogue got a decent airing. Up to now all we’ve really had is a set of distinctly average re-masters. That is, with the exception of the release of their classic … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 10CC, boxed set, compilation, Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley, Lol Creme, pop, review, rock, Tenology | Leave a comment

Album Review: ERIC JOHNSON – Up Close Another Look

Posted on February 9, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Mascot Records [Release date 01.04.13] Whilst I have always been aware of Eric Johnson and his influence on a whole raft of modern guitarists I have never really investigated his music. ‘Up Close – Another Look’ should change all that. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Another Look, blues, Eric Johnson, fusion, guitar, guitarist, review, rock, Up Close | Leave a comment

Album review: PAUL RAYMOND PROJECT – Terms & Conditions Apply

Posted on February 7, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Hear No Evil Recordings [Release date 28.01.13] Paul Raymond may be best known as the quiet one in UFO and perhaps surprisingly this is his sixth solo outing. ’Terms & Conditions Apply’ will appeal to UFO fans, but more broadly … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Michael Schenker, Paul Raymond, Project, Reuben Archer, review, rock, Stampede, Terms & Conditions Apply, UFO | 1 Comment

Album review: CODE OF SILENCE – Dark Skies Over Babylon

Posted on January 27, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Mausoleum [Release date 25.02.13] Put together by Eden’s Curse bassist Paul Logue, Code Of Silence - if this debut album is anything to go by - is surely a band on the cusp of great things. Fronted by Brazilian vocalist Gus Monsanto … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, The Best Of 2013 | Tagged Adagio, Ben Randall, Code Of Silence, Dark Skies Over Babylon, Eden's Curse, Gus Monsanto, hard rock, melodic, metal, Paul Logue, Power Quest, prog, progressive, review | 1 Comment

Gig Review: THE BLACKOUT – Edinburgh 22 January 2013

Posted on January 24, 2013 by david.wilson

I first saw The Blackout a couple of years ago supporting My Chemical Romance at the SECC in Glasgow. That night the guys had the SECC crowd eating out of their hands by the second song, not bad for a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Birmingham, Edinburgh, Institute, January 2013, Liquid Rooms, live, proxies, review, rock, Sonic Boom Six, Start The Party, The Blackout | 1 Comment

Gig review: CARAVAN – The Lowry, Salford – 14 January 2013

Posted on January 19, 2013 by GRTR! HQ

Pye Hastings, Caravan - photo by Simon Dunkerley

The night was to start with a support slot from Garron Frith, A local Manchester singer songwriter who is building up a steady following. To describe a style is not always easy but he has been likened to Stephen Stills … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 14 January 2013, Canterbury Scene, Caravan, Geoffrey Richardson, gig, Jan Schelhaas, Lowry, prog, progressive, Pye Hastings, review, rock, Salford | 1 Comment

Gig Review – DROPKICK MURPHYS, Barrowlands, Glasgow- 16 January 2013

Posted on January 17, 2013 by david.wilson

For those of you who don’t know Glasgow, the Barrowlands venue is a stone’s throw from Parkhead, the home of Celtic Football Club. With the close proximity a lot of the bars in the area have a distinctly Irish theme, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 16/01/13, Barrowlands, Celtic, Crowns, Dropkick Murphys, gig, Glasgow, live, review, Teenage Bottlerockets | Leave a comment

Album review: THE UNION – The World Is Yours

Posted on January 6, 2013 by jason

The Union - 'The World Is Yours' sleeev artwork

Payola (Released March 4th) The Union – Thunder’s Luke Morley and Peter Shoulder of Winterville – return with their third album in as many years. Listening to the guitar playing of Luke Morley (you can see … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, classic rock, Luke Morley, Peter Shoulder, review, The Union, The World Is Yours, Thunder, Winterville | 1 Comment

Gig Review: SQUEEZE, HMV Forum, London, 12 December 2012

Posted on December 24, 2012 by GRTR! HQ

Squeeze belong squarely in a distinguished tradition of bands, from the Kinks to Madness, who have added a distinctively english dimension to popular music, particularly with their acute, socially observant lyrics. While their hit making days may be long gone, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 12 December 2012, Chris Difford, gig, Glen Tilbrook, HMV Forum, Housemartins, London, Paul Heaton, pop, review, Squeeze, The Beautiful South | Leave a comment

Album review: ROYAL HUNT – 20th Anniversary: Special Edition

Posted on December 13, 2012 by jason

Frontiers[Release date 23.11.22] Denmark – home of Hans Christian Andersen, Lego, those rather nice pastries, motor-mouth Lars Ulrich and of course…Royal Hunt. The title says it all really – this is a celebration of the last 20 years of Royal … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 20th Anniversary, 20th Anniversary Special Edition, album, Andre Andersen, DC Cooper, hard rock, John West, melodic, progressive, review, Royal Hunt, symphonic | Leave a comment

SNAKECHARMER – Snakecharmer

Posted on December 9, 2012 by GRTR! HQ

(Frontiers Records) Release date 21.01.13 It’s unusual when a ‘superband’ is greater than its constituent parts. But, if anything, Micky Moody and Neil Murray have created a wonderful vehicle – at last – for Chris Ousey (Heartland, Virginia Wolf ). His … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Adam Wakeman, album, blues, Chris Ousey, Harry James, Heartland, Home, Laurie Wisefield, Magnum, Micky Moody, Neil Murray, review, rock, Snakecharmer, Thunder, Whitesnake, Wishbone Ash | 1 Comment

FM – Only Foolin’ – EP

Posted on December 9, 2012 by GRTR! HQ

(Riff City Records) www.fmofficial.com FM were the nearly-men of AOR in the mid- to late-1980s. The past few years has witnessed their comeback, attempting to make up for lost ground and the intervening years which have never been particularly kind … Continue reading →