Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There is something about the raw sound that gives the listener a sense of purpose, a profound delight that what they are hearing is not only from the heart, but from the soul as well, it is the guttural instinct, the call of the survivor as they swim against the tide, away from the shore, because that way they know lays the cannibals of mediocrity, and they have no intention of being served up as a second course in anyone’s dietary or audio process.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
The guaranteed presence of Liverpool’s Barry Briercliffe is such that he will never be at the back of anyone’s mind, his upbeat musicianship, his personality, all combine to give any song he releases a special place in the hearts of those who have followed his pleasurable rise and dedication to music; and yet we never see our own ghosts that lurk and prowl, so how do we expect to understand those that haunt others, when we hear them say at The Back Of My Mind lays memories that play with my psyche, that leave me cold, that never leave me alone.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
To be relatable is half the battle in a world that is fixated with false presentation, that is obsessed with the comfortable lie, and who swoons over the view of someone who lacks originality, but has an ego that dominates the proceedings as though if they were to show their true face they would be held accountable for their desperation driven shallowness; hardly relatable, and always irrelevant.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Previously unreleased…two words that capture the imagination of any fan of the arts, it entertains the notion that there is something more to the universe than what we may have been permitted to observe, to witness, like being offered a glimpse of a collapsing star in the heavens, there is a moment of sheer excitement of what lays undiscovered and what it may reveal to us, what it may say about our soul, about our expectations.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
The Appalachian Mountains hold a kind of mystery, a force of enigma that is not found anywhere else within the continuous states of America, the folklore and superstitions, the sense that there is something unworldly that gives the area its chilling respect and leaves the unwary visitor clutching at anything they hold dear as if it will offer protection, offer a guard against the legends and the creatures of myth and illusion.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
There is always a worry for performer and listener alike when the construct of music takes its turn at presenting a tribute to a fallen hero, the passing of a legend to whom had achieved cult status of just how the performer sets the scene to make sure the music is not only appreciated but which will also serve up a truth to which the novice audiophile will be excited enough in which to delve deeper, to investigate the sound offered to them.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
The multitude can write a song if they so desired and in the current age it could cause some buzz, the access to a supply of listeners never greater, never more easy to find a layer of sympathetic appreciation; but at times the truth of the situation is that the song does not come from within, it may come from the heart, but it does not come from the soul, and it is to that effect which marks the difference between a song, and a soundtrack of a life, of a memoir set to music, of pain, glory, bitterness, praise, and melancholic triumph.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Australia’s classic rock history is written in stone, it is an immoveable fact that the country has produced groups that are not only fascinating and vibrant, but are to be seen as the foundation of a society that grasps the notion of diversity as a strength, not as a lip service of appeasement, and in the fires continually serviced by stone keepers and ‘Rocksmiths’ drenched in sweat and powerful musicianship, the serving up The Vendettas as they release their new album, Who’s Who In The Zoo, is yet another layer of proof that the muscle of the genre is still going strong, flourishing, and out to show no mercy to the naysayers and demonstrative pessimists.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
It is perhaps hard to imagine that the Godfather of 21st century Blues could be anything but an innovator, a creative reformer, a pioneer of the modern exposure to the craft that has seen him inspire not just his audience, but a legion of musicians who have followed in his wake and whom keep the spirit of the genre alive, keep it kicking, and making absolutely sure it never again falls prey to atrophy, to decay and wasting of talent.
Liverpool Sound and Vision 8.5/10
The original album release of Living In The Past always felt kind of out of its own time, a series of stand-alone singles, leftovers, and memories for those who upon reflection were caught up in the band’s fever following two extraordinary pieces of artistic brilliance, the sheer theatre of Aqualung and Thick As A Brick to be able to be introduced to; the first three albums, instead of being seen as a compilation act, became instead a sounding board, a resonating confidant who’s purpose was not only as a reminder, but an exploration that resolutely, confidently asked to investigated and listened to with growing inspiration.