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Tag Archives: songwriter
Gig review: ELEANOR McEVOY – Penylan Hall, Meiford, 19 May 2017

In a lifetime of gig-going you invariably encounter unusual venues. Village halls, churches, some that are literally off the beaten track. Some that defy sat-nav. It is when you find in these places artists of a certain stature, or your … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS, The Best of 2017
Tagged 19 May 2017, acoustic, Eleanor McEvoy, gig, Meiford, Penylan Hall, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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Quick plays: UNDERHILL ROSE, STEVE MAYONE

UNDERHILL ROSE Live [Release date 30.06.17] Recorded in North Carolina in September 2016, Live finds Underhill Rose Eleanor Underhill (vocals/banjo/harmonica), Molly Rose Reed (vocals/guitar) and Salley Williamson (vocals and upright bass) delivering a stripped back ‘best of’ set culled from … Continue reading
Gig review: ELEANOR McEVOY – Alexander’s, Chester, 14 May 2017

In this hour long interview/feature David Randall chats to Eleanor McEvoy about her career. Part of The GRTR! Archive series and recorded in June 2008. (57:23) Eleanor McEvoy wowed an attentive audience on her continuing Naked Music tour – not … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 14 May 2017, acoustic, Alexanders, Chester, Eleanor McEvoy, gig, pop, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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Album review: PORTER NICKERSON – Bonfire To Ash

Weasel Records [Release date 05.05.17] When Midwest based guitarist / singer-songwriter Willy Porter started out, the success of the single ‘Angry Words’ (from his 1994 album Dog-Eared Dream) led to touring slots with the like of Tori Amos, Rickie Lee … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Bonfire To Ash, Carmen Nickerson, Porter Nickerson, review, singer, songwriter, Willy Porter
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Album review: JESSICA LEE MORGAN – Around The Block

[Release date 16.06.17] Another ‘next generation’ release – this time from the daughter of Mary Hopkin and Tony Visconti. I’ve yet to be convinced of the merits of following in the family footsteps’, although it has to be said Lisa … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Around The Block, Bowie, Holy Holy, Jessica Lee Morgan, Mary Hopkin, review, rocvk, singer, songwriter, Tony Visconti
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Gig review: ALBERT HAMMOND Album Launch Party – Regent Street Cinema, London, 29 March 2017

The swish surrounding for the official launch of Albert Hammond (OBE)’s new ‘In Symphony’ orchestral album is everything you might expect for a singer songwriter who has enjoyed 30 chart-topping hits in various pop, r&b, country, adult contemporary and Latin … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged Albert Hammond, Album Launch, Aswad, Celine Dion, Diana Ross, gig, In Symphony, interview, Johnnie Walker, Julio Iglesias, Leapy Lea, Leo Sayer, Mike Hazelwood, Pipkins, review, Rob Mathes, songwriter, Starship, The Hollies, Willie Nelson
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Album review: MALCOLM HOLCOMBE – Pretty Little Troubles

Gypsy Eyes Music [Release date 26.05.17] As a co-reviewer pointed out to me, I have previously reviewed an album by ‘old soul and modern day southern blues poet’ Malcolm Holcombe back in 2011 (To Drink To The Rain). But, falling … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, country, folk, Malcolm Holcombe, Pretty Little Troubles, review, roots, singer, songwriter
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Quick plays: HARROW FAIR, OH SUSANNA

HARROW FAIR Call To Arms Roraing Girl Records [Release date 19.05.17] Deploying that now familiar White Stripes, unaccompanied two piece modus operandi, Canadian duo Miranda Mulholland and Andrew Penner let loose a kick drum fuelled debut laced with rootsy guitar … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A Girl In Teen City, acoustic, album, Call To Arms, country, folk, Harrow Fair, Oh Susanna, pop, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, Suzie Ungerleider
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Album review: AIMEE MANN – Mental Illness

SuperEgo/Membran [Release date 31.03.17] Not exactly an uplifting title for an album? But then Aimee Mann’s never exactly been what you might call a happy singer, or a “heaven is a place on earth” composer. No, Aimee was born looking … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, The Best of 2017
Tagged acoustic, Aimee Mann, album, Mental Illness, pop, review, singer, songwriter
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Album review: KESTON COBBLERS CLUB – Almost Home

[Release date 31.03.17] An intriguing band name, as the band are named after a penniless cobbler who by playing the violin in the local tavern got everybody dancing, thereby wearing out the soles of his customers who of course needed their shoes cobbled by him. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Almost Home, folk, Keston Cobblers Club, melodic, review, singer, songwriter
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Album review: TIM GRIMM AND THE FAMILY BAND – A Stranger In This Time

Cavalier Recordings [Release date 03.03.17] As the billing suggests, multi-talented folk/country singer/songwriter and actor (the TV series Reasonable Doubts, and films including Clear And Present Danger with Harrison Ford) Tim Grimm’s latest release is something of a family affair ‘supported … Continue reading
Quick plays: MADISON VIOLET, STEVE RAVENSFIELD, BLACK ANGELS

MADISON VIOLET The Knight Sessions (Big Lake Music) With their last album Year Of The Horse (2014), Madison Violet (two piece Canadian female harmony duo Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac) shifted from their country/ folk roots to a bolder, dare … Continue reading
Album review: DREW HOLCOMB AND THE NEIGHBORS – Souvenir

Magnolia Music [Release date 21.04.17] With a Masters degree dissertation on ‘Springsteen and American Redemptive Imagination’, and tour support slots for the likes of The Avett Brothers, Ryan Adams and Los Lobo it’s not hard to guess what to expect … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Americana, Drew Holcomb And The Neighbors, folk, review, singer, songwriter, Souvenir
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Album review: EZIO – Daylight Moon

Jazzhaus [Release date 18.11.16] From Cambridge, with eight studio albums, and four live albums to their name since 1990, Ezio have built up something of a cult following over their 26 year career (both in the UK and Europe), without … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Daylight Moon, Ezio, review, rock, singer, songwriter
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News: ELEANOR McEVOY – UK tour (May 2017)

Ireland’s internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Eleanor McEvoy continues her ‘Naked… Live’ tour with the announcement of a fourteen-date tour across England and Wales throughout May 2017. Best known for her songs ‘Sophie’ and the Irish standard ‘Only A Woman’s Heart’, which … Continue reading
Posted in Gigs and Tour News, NEWS
Tagged acoustic, Eleanor McEvoy, folk, Ireland, may 2017, pop, rock, singer, songwriter, Tour, uk
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Album review: LISBEE STAINTON – Then Up

Marionet Music [Release date 21.04.17] Lisbee Stainton returns with her first new album in three years. Like previous albums she utilises skilled musicians she has worked with either in Seth Lakeman’s band – guitarist Jack Rutter and percussionist Cormac Byrne – or long … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Eleanor McEvoy, folk, Lisbee Stainton, pop, review, singer, songwriter, Then Up
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News: LISBEE STAINTON to release first album in three years ahead of a UK tour

Highly acclaimed singer-songwriter Lisbee Stainton will release her fifth studio album ‘Then Up’ on 21st April 2017 on Marionet Music, ahead of a nine-date headline UK tour throughout May. The release of ‘Then Up’ will be preceded by the release … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS
Tagged album, folk, Lisbee Stainton, Marionet Music, news, pop, singer, songwriter, Then Up, UK tour
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Quick plays: MIKE GROGAN, PELE, THE MOST UGLY CHILD

MIKE GROGAN Too Many Ghosts Poacher Records [Release date 10.02.17] Having paid his dues in the punk explosion of the 70′s, and a six piece Springsteen-esque band in the 80′s, South of England based multi-instrumentalist Mike Grogan has settled into … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays, Reissues
Tagged album, Copper And Lace, Fireworks, folk, Mike Grogan, Pele, pop, review, rock, roots, singer, songwriter, The Most Ugly Child, Too Many Ghosts, Torgeir Waldemar
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Album review: ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO – Burn Something Beautiful

Fantasy/Concord Music Group [Release date 20.01.17] Despite this being Alejandro Escovedo’s twelfth studio album I had not heard of him before, something I am glad has been rectified as this a wonderful album and has me wanting to explore his back … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Alejandro Escovedo, Burn Something Beautiful, Peter Buck, REM, review, rock, songwriter
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Album review: BRIGITTE DEMEYER & WILL KIMBROUGH – Mockingbird Soul

BDM Music [Release date 17.02.17] Brigitte DeMeyer’s last ‘less is more’ Americana release – Savannah Road (2014) – an album that transported you deep into the southern heartlands to a balmy ramshackle porch, a rocking chair and the sound of … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged acoustic, album, Americana, Brigitte DeMeyer, country, folk, Mockingbird Soul, review, singer, songwriter, Will Kimbrough
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Album review: SIMON KIRKE – All Because Of You

David Randall chatted to Simon Kirke in October 2016 for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio. The hour special features Bad Company, Free, and other related tracks. BMG [Release date 10.02.17] It may come as a surprise that the hard-hitting Free/Bad … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged album, All Because Of You, Bad Company, Free, interview, review, Ringo Starr, rock, Simon Kirke, singer, songwriter
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DVD review: JOAN ARMATRADING – Me Myself I – World Tour Concert

429 Records [Release date 11.11.16] Hardly the most ‘original’ of titles for Joan Armatrading’s globetrotting swansong, but befitting as, believe it or not, her ‘farewell’ tour which lasted almost two years, and saw her play 235 dates across four different … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, DVD REVIEWS
Tagged DVD, Joan Armatrading, Me Myself I - World Tour Concert, pop, review, rhythm and blues, rock, singer, songwriter, soul
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Gig review: DAN REED – Lymm Golf Club, Cheshire, 3 December 2016

What started out as a belated 40th birthday treat has become a bit of an obsession for Steve Perrone. For the past five years he’s put on a variety of gigs with Dan Reed, and in various shapes and forms, … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 3 December 2016, acoustic, Cheshire, Dan Reed, Dan Reed Network, gig, Lymm, Lymm Golf Club, review, rock, singer, soft rock, Solo, songwriter
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Album review: WINTER MOUNTAIN – I Swear I Flew

Astral Fox Records [Release date 18.11.16] The sophomore album by Cornish singer songwriter Joe Francis, who otherwise goes by the name of Winter Mountain (formerly a duo with Donegal’s Marty Smyth), is a mishmash of influences. Featuring contributions from Seth … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, folk, I Swear I Flew, Joe Francis, pop, review, singer, songwriter, WINTER MOUNTAIN
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