Tag Archives: soft rock

Gig review: CHRIS NORMAN- Indigo2, London, 16 October 2025

Posted on October 22, 2025 by andynathan
CHRIS NORMAN- Indigo2, London, 16 October 2025

Of those rock stars who have fallen out of consciousness in their native UK, you can file Chris Norman under the ‘Big in Europe’ category. The gravel-voiced former Smokie singer commands a devoted following abroad, particularly in Germany, but gigs … Continue reading →

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EP review: JIMMY OWEN – 10Ft Squared

Posted on October 10, 2025 by petefeenstra
Jimmy Owen - 10ft Squared

Self Release  [Release date 24.10.25] ‘10Ft Squared’ is the perfect introduction to Jimmy Owen, a guitar driven, singer-songwriter and restless artistic spirit, who straddles prog, fusion, Californian tinged soft rock, pop and unexpectedly the blues. It’s a mini album or … Continue reading →

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Album review : SEALS & CROFTS – Gold and Rainbows – The Warner Bros Years 1969-78 (5-CD Boxset)

Posted on July 13, 2025 by brianmc
SEALS & CROFTS – Gold and Rainbows – The Warner Bros Years 1969-78

Cherry Red [Release date : 18.07.25] Harmony rock and pop duo Seals and Croft’s biggest hit single came early on in their career. 1972’s ‘Summer Breeze’ (later covered by the Isley Brothers) was the title track from the duo’s fourth … Continue reading →

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Album review : JOHN MILES – The Albums 1983 – 1993 (3 CDs)

Posted on July 16, 2024 by brianmc
JOHN MILES Boxset image 150

Cherry Red [Release date : 19.07.24] Behind the John Miles’ name and his launchpad hit single ‘Music (Was My First Love)’ in 1976, there lay a musician whose full-on career in music can barely be crammed into a Wikipedia page. … Continue reading →

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Album review : PALACE – Reckless Heart

Posted on July 6, 2024 by brianmc
PALACE Reckless cover 150

Frontiers [Release date : 12.07.24] Michael Palace has long since proved that his classy debut, Master Of The Universe, was too good to be a fluke. On Reckless Heart, his fifth album, he continues to display his considerable gifts as … Continue reading →

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Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell, 20 July 2023

Posted on July 25, 2023 by andynathan
CATS IN SPACE- Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell, 20 July 2023

Despite latest album ‘Kickstart the Sun’ being for me their finest achievement, Cats in Space’s autumn tour in 2022 was still bedevilled by audiences a fraction of what they deserved. It therefore represented a bold gamble when, post-tour, the band … Continue reading →

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Album review: CERI JUSTICE – Walk In Shadow

Posted on February 4, 2023 by GRTR! HQ
CERI JUSTICE - Walk In Shadow

www.cerijustice.rocks [Release date 15.04.22] Here at GRTR! it doesn’t really matter that we are reviewing an album nearly 12 months old.  If it comes to our attention belatedly and is meritorious, we do it.  It was Pete Feenstra playing a … Continue reading →

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Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – Sub 89, Reading, 26 October 2022

Posted on November 7, 2022 by andynathan
CATS IN SPACE- Sub 89, Reading, 26 October 2022

2022 has seen the release of what for me is Cats in Space’s finest hour yet in their fifth studio release ‘Kickstart the Sun’. The double album fully justified their decision last year to curtail some tour dates to concentrate … Continue reading →

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Album review: HYDRA – Point Break

Posted on August 8, 2022 by brianmc
hydra point break

Frontiers [Release date: 12.08.22] Hydra is a project put together by rock’n’roll impresario, Daniel Flores, built around the songs of Swedish wunderkind, Henrik Hedstrom. Flores has brought in another highly talented musician, Andy Kravljaca, to sing and add lead and … Continue reading →

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Album review : ZELBO – In My Dreams

Posted on December 22, 2021 by brianmc
ZELBO - In My Dreams

Frontiers [Release date 10.12.21] Melodic Rock/AOR band, Zelbo is named for keyboard player and founding member, Dag Selboskar. This relatively unknown Norwegian musician in fact has quite a pedigree. He debuted with the legendary Da Vinci. His DV bandmate, Bjorn … Continue reading →

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Gig review: CATS IN SPACE – The Garage, Highbury, London, 2 October 2021

Posted on October 7, 2021 by andynathan
CATS IN SPACE- The Garage, Highbury, London, 2 October 2021

I will freely admit that Cats in Space are one of my very favourite bands to have emerged in the past few years. Their sound is unashamedly inspired by the second half of the seventies but the combination of lush … Continue reading →

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Album review: MICHAEL ARMSTRONG – Ojai

Posted on June 13, 2021 by jason
MICHAEL ARMSTRONG - Ojai

www.michaelarmstrongmusic.co.uk [Release date 25.06.21] London-born, singer songwriter Michael Armstrong releases his third studio album, which going by the press releases is a modern take on the ‘Yacht Rock’ genre. As Michael explains – “In 2018 I was invited to join … Continue reading →

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Album review: ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN – The Darkest Skies Are The Brightest

Posted on February 13, 2021 by GRTR! HQ
ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN - The Darkest Skies Are The Brightest

InsideOut Music [Release date 26.02.21] There is no doubt that some of the best music is made as a result of emotional adversity.  This explains why we cannot, perhaps, expect any great emotional pull from aged rockers who are more … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – NOTHING BY CHANCE – Ghosts Of Love

Posted on May 22, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
NOTHING BY CHANCE - Ghosts Of Love

Dover/Chrysalis/Starward [1991] Bob Harris has a lot to answer for.  I am sure – like many other musical insomniacs – he influenced our choice of album purchase in the early 1990s.  As mentioned in despatches elsewhere, his overnight show for … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – MAE McKENNA – Mirage And Reality

Posted on May 22, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
MAE McKENNA - Mirage And Reality

Kadence [1991] In 1993  “old school” DJs at the BBC, such as Bob Harris and Alan Freeman, would be culled as part of a new regime at Radio 1 but that didn’t stop a “golden” period for a few years … Continue reading →

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Album review: CHAMPLIN WILLIAMS FRIESTEDT – 2

Posted on May 5, 2020 by andynathan
CHAMPLIN WILLIAMS FRIESTEDT-2

Black Lodge [Release Date 15.05.20] In that genre of the softest and smoothest AOR given the shorthand ‘West coast’, CWF are something of a superstar collaboration. Former Chicago singer and keyboard player Bill Champlin and Joseph Williams, singer with Toto … Continue reading →

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Feature: Albums that time forgot – KEATS

Posted on May 1, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
Keats (1984)

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 →

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Album review: THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA – Aeromantic

Posted on March 26, 2020 by andynathan
NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA- Aeromantic

Nuclear Blast [Release Date 28.02.20] One of the unlikeliest phenomena in the rock world in recent times have been the Night Flight Orchestra, their reputation and exposure growing over what is now a five album career. Many artists have drawn … Continue reading →

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Album review: HARRY CHAPIN – Live At The Bottom Line (The Bottom Line Archive)

Posted on February 7, 2020 by GRTR! HQ
HARRY CHAPIN - Live At The Bottom Line (The Bottom Line Archive)

Store For Music [Release date 28.02.20] Harry Chapin was tragically killed some seven months after a series of gigs at New York’s legendary Bottom Line venue.  In that sense, it marks a great songsmith and performer at the end of … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: STEELEYE SPAN, GALLAGHER & LYLE, HUMBLE PIE

Posted on October 13, 2019 by jason
GALLAGHER & LYLE - Live at De Montfort Hall Leicester 1977

STEELEYE SPAN Live at De Montfort Hall Leicester 1977 Store For Music/Angel Air [Release date 04.10.19] One glaring error on this CD is the concert was in fact recorded in 1978 on the band’s then farewell tour (although the band … Continue reading →

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Album review: AMERICA – Classic Album Collection

Posted on May 13, 2019 by jason
AMERICA - Classic Album Collection

Caroline International [Release date 24.05.19] Formed in London, UK in 1970, this Anglo American group originally consisted of Deway Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley, who met as of US Air Force personnel stationed in London, where they began performing … Continue reading →

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Album review: GLENN SHORROCK – Glenn Shorrock Sings The Little River Band

Posted on January 31, 2019 by jason
GLENN SHORROCK – Glenn Shorrock Sings the Little River Band

Social Family Records [Release date 08.03.19] Although Little River Band (LRB) still exists, there are no original members in the band and the owner of the business name refuses to allow the founding members to perform with any sign of … Continue reading →

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Gig review: THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA – Camden Underworld, London, 30 November 2018

Posted on December 3, 2018 by andynathan
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA - Camden Underworld, London, 30 November 2018

The Night Flight Orchestra are an intriguing proposition and proof that whatever their chosen musical field, musicians invariably draw on a love of other styles. In their case, singer Bjorn Strid and guitarist David Andersson of Swedish metallers Soilwork, discovered … Continue reading →

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Album review: RAINBREAKERS – Face To Face

Posted on October 16, 2018 by jason
RAINBREAKERS - Face To Face

www.therainbreakers.com  [Release date 31.08.18] The Shrewsbury based Rainbreakers have now recorded their debut album, after releasing  a couple of well received EPs and touring with the likes of Corky Laing (Mountain) and played a handful of festivals. Comprised of Ben Edwards … Continue reading →

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Quick plays: BEN KUNDER, STONE THE CROWS (Best of)

Posted on August 8, 2018 by GRTR! HQ
BEN KUNDER - Better Human

BEN KUNDER Better Human Comino Music [Release date 28.08.18] Toronto singer songwriter’s Ben Kunder’s 2015 debut Golden might have been ‘critically acclaimed’ but that doesn’t appear to have translated to a great deal of public interest if the lack of … Continue reading →

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