Tag Archives: review

Feature: GRTR!@20 – The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness – THE DARKNESS (January 2023)

Posted on January 1, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

The band that put the fun back into rock… Photo: Darren Griffiths Launching our anniversary series in January 2023, a band whose rise we followed from 2003 when they released their debut album ‘Permission To Land’. A year later the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, The GRTR! Grotto of Greatness | Tagged album, classic rock, festival, gig, glam rock, hard rock, interview, Justin Hawkins, review, The Darkness | Leave a comment

Album review: TANGERINE DREAM – The Bootleg Box Set Vol.2 (7 CDs, Remastered)

Posted on December 31, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date 13.01.23] As the instigators of sequenced electronica, and pioneers of German ‘Kosmische’ music, Tangerine Dream have no equal. Add to that their 60 plus movie scores – cultural statements as well as music to match the … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, boxset, Christopher Franke, Edgar Froese, electronica, Fassbiner, Frankfurt, Komische, live, Near Dark, new age, Newcastle, Nottingham, Peter Baumann, prog, review, Sorcerer, Tangerine Dream, Tatort series, Washington | Leave a comment

Album Review: LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III – 2 Classic Albums on 1 CD

Posted on December 30, 2022 by brianmc

Cherry Red [Release date: 13.01.23] A musical family where each member is a successful, well known artist in their own right is very rare. That’s the way it is with the Wainwrights… Loudon, daughters Martha and Lucy, son Rufus, and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 2 on 1 CD, Kate McGarrigle, Lucy, Martha, review, Rufus, singer songwriter | Leave a comment

Album review: KELLY BAYFIELD – Wave Machine

Posted on December 27, 2022 by jason

Self-released [Release date 27.01.23] ‘Wave Machine’ is the debut album from Kelly Bayfield following on from the release of two singles, ‘Vapour Trails’ and ‘John Mahoney’. The songs gathered on this album arrived at some of the most significant points … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Anmericana, country, folk, Kelly Bayfield, Paul Sartin, Phil Beer, pop, review, singer songwriter, Wave Machine | Leave a comment

Album review: AUTUMN’S CHILD – Starflower

Posted on December 23, 2022 by jason

Pride & Joy Music [Release date 20.01.23] Autumn’s Child return with their fourth album ‘Starflower’, the second one released by Pride & Joy Music. The band still features Michael Erlandsson on vocals, keyboards & guitars, Pontus Åkesson on lead guitar, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Autumn's Dream, hard rock, melodic rock, Michael Erlandsson, Queen, review, Starflower, Styx, theatrical | Leave a comment

Album review: DOKKEN – The Elektra Albums 1983-1987

Posted on December 23, 2022 by jason

BMG [Release date 27.01.23] Formed in the late 70s by vocalist and guitarist Don Dokken, the band Dokken shot to fame in the 80s, with their very enjoyable (and successful) blend of hard rock, glam and AOR. BMG continue their … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews, Reissues | Tagged box set, Dokken, Don Dokken, George Lynch, glam metal, hard rock, melodic metal, metal, reissue, review, The Elektra Albums 1983-1987 | Leave a comment

Album review: URIAH HEEP – Sweet Freedom, Return To Fantasy (vinyl reissues)

Posted on December 23, 2022 by jason

BMG [Release date 20.01.23] BMG continue their marvellous reissue campaign, and these heavyweight discs not only feel and look as good as they sound, but fit in perfectly with the current trend for some quality vinyl. Prog legends Uriah Heep … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Reissues | Tagged 70's rock, classic rock, coloured vinyl, David Byron, John Wetton, Mick Box, re-issues, Return To Fantasy, review, rock, Sweet Freedom, Uriah Heep | Leave a comment

Gig review: ALTER BRIDGE – 02 Arena, London, 12 December 2022

Posted on December 23, 2022 by Davoski

A combination of bitter weather and transport snarl ups meant I missed opening act and Wolfgang Van Halen’s current project, Mammoth WVH. I was, however, in plenty of time to see Halestorm’s fiery, combative set. Plenty of others were too. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 12 December 2022, ALTER BRIDGE, gig, gig review, Halestorm, live, Lzzy Hale, Mark Tremonti, metal, Myles Kennedy, Pawns and Kings, review, rock | Leave a comment

Single reviews: LITTLE LORE, BROTHER FIRETRIBE, KING CUJO

Posted on December 20, 2022 by jason

LITTLE LORE Birds ‘Birds’ is the latest single from Little Lore, the alter-ego of London-based Americana singer-storyteller Tricia Duffy. She is joined on this song by Oli Deakin who adds the instrumental backing. Little Lore: “I wrote ‘Birds’ at a friend’s … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews | Tagged alt rock, Brother Firetribe, folk, King Cujo, Little Lore, melodic rock, review, rock, singer songwriter, singles | Leave a comment

Single review: ELVENKING – Rapture

Posted on December 19, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 14.12.22] ‘Rapture’ is the first trailer track / single from the forthcoming Elevenking (2023) album, Reader Of The Runes Part 2 (of 3). The band’s fascination with backing vocals that are rooted in Gregorian chants and … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged cantata, Carl Orff, Carmina Burana, Classical music, Gregorian chant, Reader of The Runes, review, single | Leave a comment

Album review: RINGO STARR & HIS ALL-STAR BAND – Live at the Greek 2019

Posted on December 18, 2022 by jason

BFD [Release date 25.11.22] When you are the most famous drummer on the planet and want to tour, there really is a who’s who of musicians in your little black book to call upon. Having first started playing with his … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS | Tagged album, Beatlyes, Greg Rolie, Live at the Greek 2019, pop, review, Ringo Starr & his All-Star Band, rock, Steve Lukather | Leave a comment

Album review: BARNABAS SKY – What Comes To Light

Posted on December 18, 2022 by jason

Pride & Glory [Release date 20.01.23] The all-star rock project Barnabas Sky, led by guitarist and songwriter Markus Pfeffer (Lazarus Dream, Winterland), is back a year later with album number two. Tyketto’s Danny Vaughn and Silent Rage’s Jesse Damon are … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Barnabus Sky, Dan Reed, Danny Vaughn, Doogie White, hard rock, Lazarus Dream, Markus Pfeffer, melodic metal, melodic rock, review, What Comes To Light | Leave a comment

Gig review: JOHN OTWAY – Face Bar, Reading, Thursday 15 December 2022

Posted on December 16, 2022 by jason

John Otway, Odeon Leicester Square, London, 7 October 2012

This time last year when penning my John Otway gig I noted… “Welcome to the Brave New World/1984 as this was the first gig I was asked to show my covid pass. Sign of the times but if it keeps … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Face Bar. Thursday 15 December 2022, gig, John Otway, punk, reading, review, rock, rock 'n' roll | Leave a comment

Album review: AFTER LAPSE – Face The Storm

Posted on December 15, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date : 09.12.22] Debut album from Prog Rock classicists, After Lapse. As any aficionado will tell you, Progrock bands need more time than others to tell their story. Credit to After Lapse for holding track lengths to around … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/Album reviews | Tagged After Lapse, album, Face The Storm, Frontiers, Mike Portnoy, power metal, progrock, review, Spain | Leave a comment

Album review : NEVENA – Nevena

Posted on December 14, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] After contributing to the Big Deal album earlier this year, with several other female singers, Nevena strikes out now as a solo performer. Her debut walks a high wire between modern pop and melodic rock, as … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, AOR, Big Deal, Contemporary pop, country rock, Frontiers, Heart, melodic rock, Mike Palace, Pat Benatar, review, Serbia | Leave a comment

Album review : GERRY JABLONSKI and THE ELECTRIC BAND – 105

Posted on December 13, 2022 by brianmc

Independent [Release date: 02.12.22] Fifth album from one of the UK’s lesser known Rock’n’Blues outfits, Gerry Jablonski and The Electric Band. (Not their one hundred and fifth). Looking at the band’s incessant touring schedules, it’s a surprise they had time … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged 105, album, Blues/Rock, Edinburgh, Gerry Jablonski, Gerry Jablonski And the Electric Band, heavy rock, Hendrix, review, Rory Gallagher, Russia, uk, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Album review : WOLF MOON – How Do You See Yourself

Posted on December 11, 2022 by petefeenstra

Pete Feenstra chatted to Kelly Lethbridge and Jimmy Owen for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 6 November 2022. Lethbridge Owen Music [Release date: 21.10.22] Wolf Moon’s ‘How Do You See Yourself’ is a triumph of song craft, intuitive … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Alicia Raitt, Bob Welch, Buckingham Nicks, Christine McVie, Emily Francis, Erik Stams, Fleetwood Mac, folk, harmonies, How Do You See Yourself, interview, Jimmy Owen, Kelly Lethbridge, Noah Nelson, Peter Green, radio, review, rock, rumours, songs, West Coast, Wolf Moon | Leave a comment

Album review : THE WHITE BUFFALO – Year Of The Dark Horse

Posted on December 9, 2022 by brianmc

white-buffalo-year-of-the-dark-horse-Cover-Art

Snakefarm [Release date : 02.12.22] The White Buffalo (aka Jake Smith) is hard to pin down. Aged 49, and hailing from the beautiful state of Oregon, this is his eighth studio album. So sustainability is not a problem. In fact … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Americana, Brothers Osborne, country, Eric Church, folk, Jake Smith, Oregon, pop, review, rock, You Tube | Leave a comment

News: Albums of the Month (October – December 2022)

Posted on December 8, 2022 by GRTR! HQ

DYNAZTY Final Advent (AFM Records) What it does is incrementally fine tune the sound that’s now established as their MO. Their epic, keyboard driven symphonic/melodic metal just bursts with energy and invention, pushing them streets ahead of every other band … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS | Tagged albums, ALTER BRIDGE, Austin Gold, classic rock, December 2022, Dynazty, Generation Radio, Gun, hard rock, heavy rock, melodic rock, November 2022, October 2022, Progressive Rock, review, Threshold | Leave a comment

Album review: PURE ASSASSINS – Questions

Posted on December 8, 2022 by brianmc

Independent [release date 25.11.22] What happens when the Pure Assassins’ drum and bass hedonist picks up a guitar and embraces existentialism? It is sometimes suggested that existentialism is just this bygone cultural movement rather than an identifiable philosophical position. But … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Buster Keaton, Calyx, Chris Rush, drum and bass, Lou Reed, Raine Maida, review, Silent Movie, Velvet Underground | Leave a comment

Album review: TOMMY DECARLO – Dancing In The Moonlight

Posted on December 4, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] Tommy DeCarlo, the singer who joined Boston in 2007, after being discovered on MySpace by Tom Scholz, is now on his second “solo” album for Frontiers. The current iteration of his studio band includes, on guitar, … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, Alessandro Delvecchio, Black Crowes, Bon Jovi, Boston, Dancing In The Moonlight, David Julien, Denis DeYoung, George Clinton, GooGoo Dolls, Marti Jepsen Andersen, melodic rock, review, Styx, Tom Scholz, Tommy Decarlo, Tommy Shaw | Leave a comment

Single review: BROTHERS OF METAL – Berserkir

Posted on December 3, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [release date: 02.12.22] With 3 vocalists, 3 guitarists, bass, drums and anvil (!), you’re bound to have a BIG sound. And the Swedish Power Metal band who brought us the highly successful Emblas Saga (2020), The Brothers of … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged Gladiator, Maximus, medieval, Norwegian Royalty, Odin, power metal, review, single | Leave a comment

Single review: ALL FOR METAL – Born In Valhalla

Posted on December 3, 2022 by brianmc

AFM Records [Release date 02.12.22] The All For Metal warriors claim to have been “born in Valhalla”. We’re slightly sceptical so have referred this to a Fact Checking Website. We’ll let you know. Meantime the the band have released a … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, PURE METAL (All posts), Single and EP reviews | Tagged All For Metal, heavy metal, review, single, Vikings | Leave a comment

Gig review: THE KUT – The Six Six Bar, Cambridge, Sunday 20 November 2022

Posted on December 3, 2022 by jason

It’s been quite the year for The Kut, with leading light Princess Maha having been awarded two song writing awards and latest album GRIT having hit the Number One spot in the rock charts. Rounding off 2022 in celebratory style … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged Cambridge, gig, punk rock, review, rock, Sunday 20 November 2022, The Kut, The Six Six Bar | Leave a comment

Album review: ROB MORATTI – Epical

Posted on December 2, 2022 by brianmc

Frontiers [Release date: 09.12.22] Quite a line up Rob Moratti’s put together here. Tony (Blue Murder) Franklin, Joel (Whitesnake) Hoekstra, Pete (James Christian/ Robin McAuley) Alpenborg, Fredrik (Bloodbound) Bergh, with Steve (Tyketto/ Journey) Augeri on backing vocals. Moratti has been … Continue reading →