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Tag Archives: soul
Album review: HARD-FI – Sweating Someone Else’s Fever
V2 Records [Release date 19.06.26] It seems only like yesterday that Hard-Fi made a big splash with their debut album, ‘Stars of CCTV’, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. Where does the time go?! Hard-Fi called it a day … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt pop, alt rock, dance, Hard Fi, indie, Latino, review, Richard Archer, soul, Sweating Someone Else’s Fever
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Album review : THORBJORN RISAGER & THE BLACK TORNADO – Live At Hotel Cecil
Provogue Records [Release date 19.06.26] Recorded in their home town of Copenhagen, Thorbjorn Risager & The Black Tornado’s ‘Live At Hotel Cecil’ is a superb album on which they reclaim blues as exciting, lyrically strong and musically adventurous. They draw on … Continue reading
Album review: HOLLIE ROGERS – Everything’s Fine
Website [Release date 05.06.26] Acclaimed singer-songwriter Hollie Rogers is back with her latest album ‘Everything’s Fine’. Hollie has been releasing music for over a decade now, however, on this album she’s given it her all and there are a number … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Beth Nielsen Chapman, blues, Elles Bailey, Everything’s Fine, Hollie Rogers, melodic, pop, review, rock, soul
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Gig review: BETH HART – New Theatre, Oxford, 4 June 2026
A few gaps in the crowd tonight as the gig was rescheduled from May 22 with some fans sadly unable to make the new date. Regardless, we knew we were in for a special evening of music, especially given the … Continue reading
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Tagged 4 June 2026, beth Hart, blues, blues rock, gig, jazz, New Theatre, Oxford, review, rock, soul, wille and the bandits
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Album review : THE 5th DIMENSION – Let The Sunshine In – The Soul City and Bell Albums (6CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date 29.05.26] The 5th Dimension, five vocalists, three male, two female, burst onto the US music scene in 1966. Nobody comes from nowhere of course, no matter what the media headlines might say. Each one, Jimmy Davis, … Continue reading
Album review: MIKE ZITO – Outside Or The Eastside
Gulf Coast Records [Release date 24.04.26] Mike Zito’s ‘Outside Or The Eastside’ is a hard hitting rock-blues album with autobiographical songs and thoughtfully chosen covers. He tells us the new album: “is an ode St. Louis and the late-night culture … Continue reading
Album review: LIGHTNING THREADS – Trinkets
https://www.lightningthreads.com/ [Release date 28.01.26/Streaming 01.05.26] The follow up to their 2023 debut album, ‘Off That Lonely Road’ the Threads new record, ‘Trinkets’ sees the band following much the same Blues rooted path but there’s a growing maturity, evident in both … Continue reading
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Tagged album, blues, blues rock, Lightning Threads, review, soul, Trinkets
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Gig review: FORTY ELEPHANT GANG – Harwell Village Hall, February 20 2026
First gig of the 2026 season of gigs hosted and promoted by Big Ginger Tom Music, which includes a sold out show by Seth Lakeman in the autumn and the Urban Folk Quartet in May. Support act is Warwickshire based Lauren … Continue reading
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Tagged Americana, blues, folk, Forty Elephant Gang, Friday 20 February 2026, gig, Harwell Village Hall, indie, Lauren South, review, soul
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Single review: JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR – Hell Or High Water
Website “Can I help you sir?” “Yes I’d like some gospel blues served up with a soupçon of acoustic guitar and banjo, with lashings and lashings of raunchy electric guitar and topped off with an economic but searing guitar solo” … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged blues, blues rock, guitarist, Hell or High Water, Joanne Shaw Taylor, review, single, soul
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Gig review: ELLES BAILEY – Wax and Beans, Bury, 19 January 2026
This is my first time attending one of these intimate record shop gigs, and what a delight it was. Elles Bailey, with her acoustic guitarist and best friend Demi Marriner in front of an audience of around fifty people. It … Continue reading
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Tagged 19 January 2026, blues, Bury, Can't Take My Story Away, Demi Marriner, Elles Bailey, gig, melodic, review, singer, soul, Wax and Beans
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Album review: ELLES BAILEY- Can’t Take My Story Away
Cooking Vinyl & Outlaw Music (Release Date 16.01.26) Elles Bailey’s career seems to be picking up momentum at present. The Bristolian singer-songwriter’s last album ‘Beneath The Neon Glow’ reached No 12 in the charts and a European tour with Rag … Continue reading
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Tagged album, Americana, blues, Can't Take My Story Away, Elles Bailey, Ethan Johns, Luke Potashnick, review, soul
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Gig review: SANANDA MAITREYA – Shepherds Bush Empire, London, 5 November 2025
Sananda Maitreya, formerly known as Terence Trent D’Arby, returned to the UK stage after a long hiatus, bringing his eclectic blend of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelia to a devoted London crowd. With a career spanning over three decades, this … Continue reading
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Tagged 5 November 2025, funk, gig, London, melodic, pop, psychedelic, review, rock, Sananda Maitreya, Shepherd's Bush Empire, soul, Terence Trent D’Arby, the Sugar Plum Pharaohs
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Album review: ROOMFUL OF BLUES – Steppin Out!
Pete Feenstra chatted to Chris Vachon from Roomful Of Blues for Get Ready to ROCK! radio. First broadcast 19 October 2025. Alligator Records [Release date 24.10.25] ‘Steppin’ Out!’ is Roomful of Blues’ first studio album for 5 years and their … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged Al Copley, album, Big Maybelle, blues, Buddy Johnson, Candye Kane, Chris Vachon, DD Bastos, Duke Robillard, horns, jazz, Otis Grand, R&B, review, Rich Lataiile, Roomful of Blues, Smiley Lewis, soul, swing
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Album review : CARL BALDASSARRE – Deep Grooves
CB Music [Release date : 12.09.25] You have to admire Carl Baldassarre’s honesty for treating this self produced album as an academic exercise rather than a labour of love, although love of music of whatever stripe is clearly his motivation. … Continue reading
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Tagged Carl Baldassarre, funk, Jacob Dupre, Kool and the Gang, Nick D’Virgilio, review, Sly Stone, soul, Stevie Wonder
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Album review: BEN GRANFELT – It’s Personal
Pete Feenstra chatted to Ben Granfelt for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio playing tracks from the new album ‘It’s Personal’. First broadcast 27 July 2025. A1 Records [Release date 30.05.25] ‘Its Personal’ is Ben Granfelt’s 21st solo album and his … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview
Tagged Al Stewart, album, Ben Granfelt, blues, fusion, Gringos Locos, guitar, Guitar Slingers, interview, It's Personal, Jari Saminen, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, JJ Cale, Los Bastardos Finlandeses, Masa Maijanen, Pink Floyd, review, Robin Trower, rock, soul, Stoney Curtis, The Leningrad Cowboys, Wishbone Ash
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Gig review: STEVIE WONDER – British Summer Time, Hyde Park, London, 12 July 2025
(Photo: Isha Shah) Legend of soul, songwriter of countless hits, but why you may ask is Stevie Wonder being reviewed in a website dedicated to rock music? Well, many of the top singers in our world, from Glenn Hughes to … Continue reading
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Tagged 12 July 2025, British Summer Time, BST, Corinne Bailey Rae, festival, funk, gig, Hyde Park, London, soul, Stevie Wonder
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Gig review: MATT PEARCE AND THE MUTINY /JACK J HUTCHINSON – The Grace, London, 12 April 2025
There are so many musicians out there who are not household names, but significantly talented and with a love of their trade and a desire to bring their music to the people. Two who impressed me in the last year … Continue reading
News: Albums of the Month (January – March 2025)
A quarterly feature highlighting album releases rated highly by the GRTR! review team and worthy of your investigation. We try and pick out a cross-section of albums that reflect the range of genres reviewed at the website. PERFECT PLAN Heart … Continue reading
Posted in Albums of the Month, ALL POSTS, NEWS
Tagged 2025, albums of the month, classic rock, February, hard rock, January, March, melodic rock, R&B, singer songwriter, soul
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Album review: A.J. CROCE – Heart Of The Eternal
Pete Feenstra chatted to A.J. Croce for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio including tracks from the new album. First broadcast 6 April 2025. BMG [Release date 7.03.25] ‘Heart Of The Eternal’ is an ebullient roots-rock album with a philosophical core. … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Radio interview
Tagged A.J. Croce, album, ballad, blues, Dr John, funk, Gary Nicholson, guitar, Heart Of The Eternal, interview, JOE COCKER, mambo, Margot Price, New Orleans, Paul Simon, piano, R&B, Randy Newman, review, rock, roots, Shooter Jennings, soul
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Album review : STONE FOUNDATION – The Revival Of Survival
100% Records [Release date : 28.03.25] Eleventh album from English 8 piece soul band, Stone Foundation. It’s said that you should judge people by the company they keep. If four time Grammy nominee, Melba Moore; Nina Simone soundalike, Sheree Dubois; … Continue reading
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Tagged funk, JP Bimini, Omar, Paul Weller, review, Revival Of Survival, soul, Stone Foundation
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Gig review: MILKFEST- Indigo2, London, 23 February 2025
Music shows its very best side when artists use their platform to do something for wider society. Organised by the Milk Men, Milkfest was intended as a celebration of the best of British blues but more importantly to raise funds … Continue reading
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Tagged blues, blues rock, charity, Dave Kelly, Dr Feelgood, festival, gig, Jo Harman, Milkfest, Mollie Marriott, Paul Jones, soul, the Cinelli Brothers, The Milk Men, Toby Lee, When Rivers Meet
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Album review : HUMBLE PIE – Hallelujah 1973-1983 (5 CD Boxset)
Cherry Red [Release date : 28.02.25] CD1 : Onto Victory (1980) CD2 : Go For The Throat (1981) CD3 : Pyramid Eye Chatanooga (live 1982) CD4 : Annie’s Club Cincinatti (live 1983) CD5 : Live At Winterland (1973) Initially comprising … Continue reading
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Tagged blues, Greg Ridley, Humble Pie, Iain McGonigal, Jerry Shirley, Peter Frampton, review, rock, soul, Steve Marriott, Uncut Magazine
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Album review: DORIS BRENDEL & LEE DUNHAM – Big Blue Sky
Pete Feenstra chatted to Doris Brendel about her music and her influential artists/tracks. Including tracks from her new album with Lee Dunham ‘Big Blue Sky’. First broadcast on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, 23 February 2025. Sky Rocket Records [Release … Continue reading
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Tagged album, blues, Doric Brendel, Eliza Neals, Gary Moore, gospel, interview, Lee Dunham, prog, radio, review, rock, soul, vocal
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Album review: THORBJORN RISAGER & THE BLACK TORNADO – House of Sticks
Provogue [Release date 31.01.25] Thorbjorn Risager & The Black Tornado is a soulful Danish blues-rock octet who rarely disappoint. Known for their powerhouse and entertaining shows, what makes the band different is their eclecticism, which stretches the blues template to the limit. … Continue reading
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Tagged album, blues, Danish, grooves, horns, House Of Sticks, review, rock, soul, Thorbjorn Risager &The Black Tornado, vocals
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Gig review: THE VAN MORRISON ALUMNI BAND – The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, 25 November 2024
Few artists have gained the stature of Van Morrison, the Belfast born troubadour a true legend whose blend of soul, jazz, blues and rock is oft imitated but seldom bettered. Whilst his recorded output has never been less than industrious … Continue reading
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Tagged 25 November 2024, blues, Bury St Edmunds, jazz, Jo Harman, pop, rock, soul, The Apex, The Van Morrison Alumni Band, Van Morrison
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