Tag Archives: album review

Iced Earth, Plagues Of Babylon. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

It is way too early into the start of a New Year to even suggest that whilst 2013, with a couple of notable exceptions, was a pretty poor affair for any band on either side of the Atlantic Ocean that finds itself placed into the all-encompassing Metal genre, 2014 already has the feeling of being a million times better. The notable success stories came from the lands of Scandinavia and mainland Europe, these bands took on the old guard and walloped them to all corners of the stage as easily as a one-armed Australian batsman taking apart a 100 English bowlers. Now perhaps the time has come for the retaliation and in that colossus of Iced Earth and their new album Plagues of Babylon, Metal lovers can once more see the real face of American Metal.

Iced Earth, Plagues Of Babylon. Album Review. full post

(380 words, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)

The Best Of British Blues, Krossborder Kompilation Volume One. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Compilation albums can fall into two categories. There are those that are compiled with the thought of adding almost nothing to the popular consensus of music appreciation, usually bought by a member of the family with almost no interest in which music the person they have bought it for actually listens to but it has saved them a bundle of money by buying just one album. Then there are those that are released which the keen listener knows have been put together with an almost semblance of love attached to them. The belief that comes flowing out of every track is more like an introduction at a party to the host and finding that they have heard of you and want to spend an enormous amount of their time with you.

The Best Of British Blues, Krossborder Kompilation Volume One. Album Review. full post

(375 words, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

Forthaven, Histrionic. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Some things are just worth waiting for, even if it takes four years in which to create it for all to hear. Such is the pleasure of listening to Forthaven’s Histrionic, the indomitable Jay Roberts and a host of contributing artists that four years seems not to matter at all. Never mind the time, what matters is the end result and from start to finish this collection of songs is something to be proud of.

Forthaven, Histrionic. Album Review. full post

(360 words, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

Silent Sleep, Walk Me To The Sea. Album Review,

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

There are times when you don’t need to shout too hard about what you have found, the object, the piece of music or hitherto unseen action will always find a way to make itself known and inspire those who take the time to get to understand it and sit in quiet contemplation as each word, each syllable and note floats over them and through them.  Like the sea making its presence known through each grain of sand, the infiltration is slow, meticulous and all powerful.

Silent Sleep, Walk Me To The Sea. Album Review, full post

(376 words, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

No Sinner, Boo Hoo Hoo. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Every so often you might fall in love with a voice, not just a voice but an attitude that makes the worst storm at sea, tempest driving, fear inducing, awe inspiring, feel like a grain of sand casually flicked into the remains of a puddle slowly being eaten by the hot summer sun.

No Sinner, Boo Hoo Hoo. Album Review. full post

(442 words, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Dave Clemo, Hard Times. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The diary of a person who has lived an interesting life is always so much more fun and enlightening to read but without having the nose to root through someone else’s life, be they alive or having left this mortal coil for enough time to make a journal bearable reading, the next best thing is to listen to an album by someone who has a tale to impart.

Dave Clemo, Hard Times. Album Review. full post

(393 words, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

Decade, Good Luck. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

You have to admire the tenacity in which some bands make the most of their very obvious talent, the sheer force of will to get a set of songs together that will hopefully appeal to a wide enough range of fans to have made the whole exercise worthwhile.

For the five musicians that make up Decade, the process in putting together the album Good Luck feels as though they have kept their head above water long enough to make it at least something of tangible note and one that on odd occasions will be one of those that finds itself in the C.D. player and gratefully enjoyed before being neglected for a while unless bought by one of those wonderful fans that play such albums to death.

Decade, Good Luck. Album Review. full post

(362 words, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

Royal Southern Brotherhood, Live In Germany. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

There are expectations that have to be met when listening to a live album. The first is that the sound recreated on a stage, possibly many hundreds of miles from wherever you are fortunate enough to actually listen to the gig, has to be able to make the imagination run riot, to revel in the flow and thrust of the guitar, to feel the sweat run down your neck in anticipation and to envisage the person infront of you in the audience nervously sweating along with you. The taste of the gig has to be captured just right, else it is lost and abandoned like an errant Victorian child left at the Poor House.

Royal Southern Brotherhood, Live In Germany. Album Review. full post

(416 words, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Vamos, More Songs About Circles. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Vamos describe themselves as “Ruff and ready”, judging by the powerful three chord arrangements and embracing nature of the songs on their new album, More Songs About Circles, that speak more about life in the 21st century than any Government report and media friendly social workers with a supposed good hearts could ever put into words. Vamos is just very cool and a threesome that almost anybody could hold onto without the feeling of guilt thrust upon them.

Vamos, More Songs About Circles. Album Review. full post

(368 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

Clutching At Straws, Come What May. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

All the world’s a stage and the sense of theatre can be found in almost every human interaction. For alternative Folk quartet, Clutching At Straws, their debut release of Come What May is a set of songs that glide almost effortlessly between the hard hitting conscious thought, of a different way of living and the hint of illusion in what apparently is important in modern day society. The sound of four men whose undisputed talent keeps them pace ahead of the rat race they are urging others to avoid.

Clutching At Straws, Come What May. Album Review. full post

(369 words, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)