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Tag Archives: songwriter
EP review: ANDY PARTRIDGE – My Failed Songwriting Career Vol. 2

Ape House [Release date 8.4.22] Following on from 2021’s excellent first volume, here are four more gems from Andy Partridge’s post-XTC period as a songwriter for hire. This is a great addition to what is building into a fascinating series. … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged Andy Partridge, EP, My Failed Songwriting Career Vol. 2, power pop, quirky pop, review, songwriter, XTC
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Album review: SARAH PERROTTA – Blue To Gold

7D Media/Third Star Records [Release date 15.10.21] Sarah Perrotta released her debut album – ‘Drink The Sky’ (2000) – with the band Outland Dreamer when 19 and it received rave reviews. Since that time she has worked with Garth Hudson … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Blue To Gold, classic rock, Jerry Marotta, review, Sarah Perrotta, singer, songwriter
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News: Albums of the Month (October 2021 – December 2021)

DEEP PURPLE Turning To Crime (earMUSIC) While the production is big, solid and bright, there’s also a live-in-the-studio feel, like it was recorded quickly and spontaneously. Listen with open ears and the album shows the band on great form, and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged Afterlight, albums, blues rock, Burntfield, classic rock, December 2021, Deep Purple, Eclipse, Leverage, melodic rock, November 2021, October 2021, Progressive Rock, review, singer, songwriter, Thea Gilmore, Thorbjorn Risager
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Album Review: AFTERLIGHT (Thea Gilmore) – Afterlight

Mighty Village Records [Release date: 01.10.21] What’s a woman to do when the life that you’ve led for over twenty years reveals itself over time to be a stifling, coercive relationship that’s dominated your life and musical career? The answer … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile)
Tagged acoustic, Afterlight, album, review, singer, songwriter, Thea Gilmore
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Album review: THREE COLOURS DARK – Love’s Lost Property

Firefly Music [Release date 10.09.21] www.threecoloursdark.com 2020 marked the musical reunion of Rachel Cohen and Jonathan Edwards founder members of long-standing prog rockers Karnataka. In the hiatus following The Reasoning (Cohen) and Panic Room (Edwards) they released an exquisite debut … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, classic rock, Dave Gregory, Jonathan Edwards, Karnataka, Love's Lost Property, Luna Rossa, Panic Room, prog, progressive, Rachel Cohen, review, singer, songwriter, Steve Balsamo, The Reasoning, Three Colours Dark
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Book review: On track…KATE BUSH, RENAISSANCE, DIRE STRAITS, JONI MITCHELL

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication dates: December 2020; January/February 2021] The On Track volumes from Sonicbond come thick and fast. I can’t help thinking that in the rush certain standards are being compromised or, at least, opportunities missed. Firstly there are a … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS
Tagged book, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Derek Taylor, Dire Straits, Joni Mitchell, Kate Bush, On Track, pop, prog, Progressive Rock, Renaissance, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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Album review: RONAN FURLONG – The King Of Leaves

Thoroughbred Music [Release date 20.11.20] Ronan Furlong’s ‘The King Of Leaves’ is an essential jagged-edged, genre bending, Celtic tinged roots rocking album of the highest order. It’s shot through with unrelenting intensity, yet understated swagger. And there’s enough musical diversity, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Celtic rock, folk, Geddy Lee, guitar.singer, Irish, Joe Bonamassa, Led Zeppelin, Minerva's Meddling, review, Robert Plant, rock, Ronan Furlong, roots, Rush, songwriter, The King Of Leaves, vocal
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Album review: DAN REED – Liftoff

Zero One Entertainment [Release date 04.12.20] At the end of a horrific year for humanity, and also for music, Dan Reed’s latest solo album arrives to provide the perfect antidote. Dan’s solo works since the “comeback” – ‘Coming Up For … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Dan Reed, Dan Reed Network, Liftoff, melodic rock, review, singer, songwriter
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Album review: THE QUESTIONNAIRES – Atlantic Ridge

Boom Chang Records [Release date 15.01.21] It seems a bit disingenuous in the PR blurb to refer to Jane Wade and Steve Hall, aka The Questionnaires, as having been ‘around a bit’. For most, me included, their formative bands – … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Atlantic Ridge, pop rock, review, singer, songwriter, The Questionnaires
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Album review: JACKIE MCAULEY– The Cherryvale Files

Red Button Records [Release date 21.02.20] ‘The Cherryvale’ Files is Jackie McAuley’s first album for about 4 years and though it’s an introspective aggregation of songs rather than a full-blown album, it’s been worth the wait. The former Them, Belfast … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Belfast Gypsies Trader Horne, blues, Celtic, folk, Jackie McAuley, Leon Redbone, Pierre Luigi Cioci, Poormouth, Randy Newman, review, rock, songer, songwriter, soul, Them
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Album review: SHANNON LaBRIE – Building

Moraine Records [Release date 25.09.20] Since when did just 7 songs make an ‘album’? And it’s not as if we’re talking prog – this is Americana. And just 27 minutes of it. But then we live in strange times. And … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, Building, review, rock, roots, Shannon LaBrie, singer, songwriter
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Album review: BEN REEL – The Nashville Calling

Ceol Music [Release date 03.03.20] Recorded in Nashville, produced by Will Kimbrough and Tommy Womack, and featuring E Street Band’s Garry W Tallent on bass, Ben Reel’s 9th studio album finds him paying homage to The Boss. At least, in … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Americana, Ben Reel, blues, review, roots, singer, songwriter, The Nashville Calling
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Album review: THE MIGHTY BOSSCATS – Ticket to Memphis

Self Release [Release date 24.04.20] Richard Townsend’s ‘Ticket To Memphis’ is another impressive release from a singer song writer and band leader with a world view. That said, ‘Ticket To Memphis’ isn’t quite what it appears to be. Firstly, it’s … Continue reading
Album review: MARY COUGHLAN – Life Stories

Hail Mary Music [Release date 04.09.20] Mary Coughlan’s ‘Life Stories’ is a beautifully crafted and partly autobiographical work that finds her in reflective mood, some 35 years after her breakthrough ‘Tired & Emotional’ album. In many ways she’s still “tired … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, folk, George Gershwin, jazz, Karrie O’Sullivan, Mary Coughlan, Nancy Sinatra, Paul Buchanan, Pete Glenister, review, roots, singer, songwriter, Susan McKeown, vocals
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EP review: SVEN GALI, HANNAH WICKLUND

RFL Records [Release date 12.06.20] Sven Gali started out in the late 80’s as a covers band before releasing their self-titled debut in 1992, which earned them a gold disc in their native Canada. Sadly grunge appeared to spell an … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged 3, acoustic, alt rock, EP, grunge, Hannah Wicklund, hard rock, review, roots, singer, songwriter, Sven Gali, The Inbetween
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Feature: Albums that time forgot – 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
Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES
Tagged album, feature, Ghosts Of Love, Gilly darbey, John Acock, Kevin Donnelly, Nick Magnus, Nothing By Chance, pop, review, singer, soft rock, songwriter
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Feature: Albums that time forgot – 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
Posted in Albums that time forgot, ALL POSTS, FEATURES
Tagged 1991, album, Celtic, folk, fusion, Hugh Mckenna, John Hackett, Mae McKenna, Mirage And Reality, review, singer, soft rock, songwriter, Steve Hackett
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Quick plays: WILL POUND, ANDY FLEET, BEN KUNDER

WILL POUND A Day Will Come [Release date 08.05.20] The latest album by Will Pound is based on his travels across Europe, where he is joined by many of the musicians he met on his travels. It is subtitled ‘A … Continue reading
Album review: MICHAEL McDERMOTT – What In The World

[Release date 06.05.20] I’ve been reasonably positive about previous releases by Chicago based Americana singer songwriter Michael McDermott. And if you’re looking for a singer songwriter in the great American troubadour mould, look no further. That is, so long as … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Michael McDermott, review, roots, singer, songwriter, What In The World
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Feature: Bands that time forgot… LOVE AND MONEY (James Grant)

Love And Money formed out of Glasgow-based ‘Friends Again’ in the early eighties and whilst their debut album ‘All You Need is…’ hinted at the funky tunesmithery to come it wasn’t until 1988′s Strange Kind Of Love that the band … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Bands that time forgot, FEATURES
Tagged feature, introduction, James Grant, Love And Money, pop rock, review, singer, songwriter
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Album review: THREE COLOURS DARK – The Science Of Goodbye

www.threecoloursdark.com [Release date 27.03.20] In downtime in his Panic Room/Luna Rossa schedule, keyboard maestro Jonathan Edwards has revisited his roots in pairing up once again with fellow Karnataka founding member Rachel Cohen. Following casual reminiscence just over 12 months ago … Continue reading
News: Singer songwriter JOSH TAERK plays live for Get Ready to ROCK! (Sunday 5 April, 21:00 BST, GMT+1)

Canadian singer songwriter Josh Taerk plays an exclusive live session via Get Ready to ROCK!’s Facebook page on Sunday 5 April at 21:00 BST (GMT+1) Josh was born in Toronto, Canada. He is an official Recording Academy/Grammy Member and his … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, NEWS, Video
Tagged acoustic, Facebook, gig, Josh Taerk, live, pop, rock, session, singer, songwriter, Sunday 5 April 2020, video
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Quick plays: GENTLEMEN’S ACADEMY, NELS ANDREWS

NELS ANDREWS Pigeon And The Crow Probably the most interesting thing about this fourth studio endeavour by Californian singer songwriter Nels Andrews is that it was recorded at Whispering Pines Studio in LA which was originally built for Sam Cooke … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged acoustic, album, folk, Gentlemen's Academy, Joy, Nels Andrews, Pigeon And The Crow, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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Album review: MAYA RAE – Can You See Me?

Black Hen Music [Release date 24.04.20] It’s perhaps not the smartest PR move in the book to compare the debut album (of sorts) – by an artist not yet 18 – to timeless classics such as Joni Mitchell’s Blue, and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Can You See Me?, Maya Rae, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter
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Album review: GRAHAM GOULDMAN – Modesty Forbids

David Randall chatted to Graham Gouldman in the first hour of his weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. First broadcast 5 April 2020. Lojinx [Release date 20.03.20] Graham Gouldman is a real trooper. In recent years he has … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged 10CC, album, Graham Gouldman, interview, Modesty Forbids, pop, review, Ringo Starr, rock, singer, songwriter
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