Album Reviews

When March 2020 heralded the arrival of the first worldwide lockdown, it was as if the world’s largest reset button was pressed. Politicians aside, for a while it did feel like we were all in this together; neighbours helped neighbours, emergency services workers, and essential workers were the new heroes, …

Since 2020, UK hard rock outfit Tarraska has been gently teasing their fanbase by drip-feeding them some choice singles over the months, but now, the quartet has dipped their collective toes into the murky waters of the music industry with the recent release of their self-titled debut album. Guy Bellamy …

For this reviewer, the first time witnessing Black Stone Cherry live in the flesh was way back in June 2007 when they drew a rather sizeable crowd at one of the secondary stages (a large tent) at Hyde Park Calling Festival for Aerosmith’s remake of ‘Singing In The Rain’. They …

You know that scene in Monty Python’s Life of Brian when Brian is running up the stairs to get away from the Romans, falls off the tower, and lands in an alien spaceship, the spaceship then gets involved in an intergalactic battle, takes a hit, then crashes back in Galilee, …

Very few things in music cause a surprise anymore. Lacuna Coil getting heavier on their last few studio albums was a pleasant surprise, as was Halestorm bringing the heavy on new album ‘Back From The Dead’. The 1975 still releasing music and selling out arenas, however, not-so-pleasant a surprise. With …

Having already released the EP’s ‘Electric Kool-Aid (Part I)’ and the cunningly titled follow-up ‘Electric Kool-Aid (Part II)’ to streaming platforms, Manchester-based outfit The Blinders are gearing up to release both EPs for the first time as one collection on vinyl. Nine tracks released months apart, coming together on one …

English singer-songwriter-guitarist Jack Broadbent recently featured as part of Joe Bonamassa’s third annual Keeping The Blues Alive Stream-A-Thon (raising money for musicians affected by the pandemic) alongside such luminaries as George Thorogood, Peter Frampton, Eric Gales, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Tommy Emmanuel, and Eric Gales; the list of artists is genuinely …

‘‘I’m back from the dead’’ bellows Lzzy Hale in her own inimitable style as she signals the beginning of a new Halestorm album with the crushing title track. To be honest, though, that should read “I’M BACK FROM THE DEAD”. All caps for a good reason, for not only is …

Since returning with ‘Wonder Days’ in 2015, British rock stalwarts Thunder have gone on one almighty run of form that shows zero sign of abating. Five albums in eleven years is a pretty good return for any band (although, King Gizzard would laugh that amount off as pitiful), but what …

Edinburgh-based guitarist Ali Ferguson has had 25 years as a professional musician playing with the likes of former Stiltskin and Genesis singer Ray Wilson and folk troubadour Dougie MacLean. Largely recorded at his home studio named the Little Blue Room, this is Ali’s third solo release, slowly compiled over the last …