Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
A good saga is one that can broaden the mind, it also requires dedication to bring it the forefront of people’s imagination, not delivered half-heartedly as by a nervous courier to a reluctant leader but with brashness, assertive direction and a keen sense of forceful belief in what is being played out; without this, the saga becomes a cautionary tale, one driven presumption and one that can leave you cold.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
To be nominated for an award is not an every-day occurrence, to produce a haunting unique sound that gives the soul one of those what hit me moments is perhaps even rarer, and yet for Simon Thacker and his impressive musical warriors that are by his side, the drawing of and the stories learned from the spiritual sense of sound and the elemental discovery that surrounds his new exploration in the debut album of Simon Thacker’s Ritmata, the outstanding Taradh.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
There are many way to look at a cover song, the honourable mention in which the nod of a head is made at the behest of acknowledging inspiration and immortality once held, the chance for the performer to give their album a lift and to perhaps draw in a different audience in which their bank balances might take a kindly boost. What is more rare is the sense of duty, the timeless grace in which a musician who exemplifies the discerning craft and beauty to which another soul has moved along, and in which now must be reiterated because the times, the Days Of Decision, are upon us.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The concept album is one that never seems to lose its power to enthral and entertain, yet it does find itself in a position that in modern times is lost to audiences who seek the immediate rather than the tradition of the slow reveal. It may only be experience which stops Lore from taking a more direct, physical aspect on today’s times, but there is also the element of the fantastical, the extraordinary and the epic that many now dismiss as being irrelevant, as being unconnected to the era of what seems to have thrust upon us via austerity and being neglected.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
The world moves on, and there would be those who see bands such as The Who as an anathema, a curse on the modern day sentiment to which the atmosphere, the standards and the times reflect a new generation’s different belief; and yet we have to surely acknowledge that in many ways the world, its path of political discourse and absurdity, has meant that we are still fighting the same battles that took shape over fifty years ago.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Go Your Own Way, it can either be words of encouragement, filled with hope, dipped in optimism, or words placed in anger in which to dismiss, to cause derision by those with an agenda to fulfil. Yet, in a world dominated by such words of anger, to find a band willing to utilise them with humour, with the expression of Black Country dominance and the backdrop of musical history behind them; it is no wonder then that Shyyne- the enthralling four-piece from Wolverhampton, have done exactly that, gone their own way and lit a path for others now to follow.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
Optimism is just an emotion that fools people into believing that everything will be alright, that their lives will eventually mean something, or so some people would have you consider, for they are the ones who also say that to be realistic is to behave miserably, that The Inevitable Train Wreck is self-induced, that the criticism we face is earned because we don’t smile open mouthed and nod furiously to every encounter.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
A statement is only as good as its delivery and memorability, weak words are akin to the limp handshake, instantly regretted, despite their hopeful sincerity, and one that leaves the recipient wondering where they stand.
What is needed is the forcefulness of the Navigator, the directional guide who sees the display and can add their own sense of confidence to the journey; and it is a journey that the sibling duo, Joe and Helen Hammill are gearing up for in this their third studio album, a voyage of a more intimate setting but one that has the strength to stand in its Americana feel without blushing as other bands have faced over the years.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10
The live experience is one that can never be discounted as being an integral part of the framework of music, to be at a gig in which the atmosphere is buzzing, in which the songs melt into your heart and leave a lasting impression, that is the feeling of extasy and inclusion to which so many of us search for, to be part of something greater, to reconcile the emotions, of the beat which hopefully never stops.
Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
A novel written over time is no less important than the instant hit of a film brought to the screen in a matter of months, the film may be immediate but the novel will encompass the depth of each chapter poured and dissected over in a way that Time cannot ignore. The novel is to the reader as the album is to the music lover, the single release or the occasional new song performed may catch the ear initially, but it is to the album in which the themes explored knit together and become whole.