Category Archives: Music

The Steve Miller Band, Bingo!. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 29th 2010.

It has been 17 years since the last time Steve Miller decided to go into a studio and record an album. Some artists would consider that to be against their work ethic and would rather retire and walk away from it all forever than to tease any loyal fan base in this way…but the Godson of the last great Les Paul can be excused any travesty of recording timing when he pulls out an album of superb blues covers from out of the half hidden music locker.

The Steve Miller Band, Bingo!. Album Review. full post

(347 words, 1 image, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Ed Harcourt, Lustre. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 29th 2010.

L.S. Media Rating * * * *

Sometimes you approach an album by an artist that you respect and adore with a certain amount of trepidation and concern. Questions flutter round your brain like lost piano notes floating in the ether. Will it be as good as the last album? Have they lost their touch? What has influenced them this time? In the case of Ed Harcourt’s latest album Lustre these questions are answered and a few well worn reservations thrown out.

Ed Harcourt, Lustre. Album Review. full post

(346 words, 1 image, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Feeder, Renegades. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 6th 2010.

Welsh rock music is very much on a high right now, what with the Stereophonics having released their best album in years, The Manic Street Preachers on the verge of yet another sell out tour and even older stalwarts like The Alarm enjoying a huge renaissance with new audiences, add to this the rollercoaster band that is Feeder and you have got the making of one hell of a line up at Millennium Stadium.

Feeder themselves have released their seventh studio album and it is bar far the best album that the band have released since the untimely death of drummer Jon Lee in 2002.

Feeder, Renegades. Album Review. full post

(365 words, 1 image, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

Ozzy Osbourne, Scream. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 11th 2010.

After the sad news that heavy metal lost one of its shining lights earlier this year, with the death of Ronnie James Dio it is perhaps fitting that one of the best metal albums to have come out in years is by the man who Ronnie replaced as lead singer with the band that started it all.

Love him or loath him, genial brummie or cartoon caricature, devoted family man or establishment loose cannon, it is hard to pin down exactly what Ozzy Osbourne is. What there can be no doubt over is the man’s capability to pull a great album out of the fire and introduce himself to a brand new set of fans.

Ozzy Osbourne, Scream. Album Review. full post

(339 words, 1 image, estimated 1:21 mins reading time)

Live in the U.S.A, Touchstone. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 31st 2010.

Live albums can be a bit or miss, in one respect there is a call from the bands faithful to have that experience, a memory of a gig that they have attended and enjoyed. There are also those fans who cannot make a certain concert, whether it is because of lack of money, they may have been working that particular night or they may feel uncomfortable in such large crowds.

Live in the U.S.A, Touchstone. Album Review. full post

(452 words, 1 image, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

Iron Maiden, The Final Frontier. Album review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. August 17th 2010.

Four years may not sound like a long time but in music terms it can be an absolute eternity, especially when you have been riding high for the best part of 30 years as one of Britain’s finest metal exports.

Iron Maiden have constantly lived up to their billing, (even forgiving a few turbulent years in the late 90’s when they were in danger of becoming an irreverence) no matter what, they knew what their fans wanted and even led the way in new musical ideas.

Iron Maiden, The Final Frontier. Album review. full post

(497 words, 1 image, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)

Barry Briercliffe, The Alive E.P. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 9th 2010.

The name Barry Briercliffe might not be one that immediately roles of the tongue outside of his native city of Liverpool but that could all change with his stunning new work.

On the 27th August Barry launched his new E.P; this set of four songs goes under the album title of The Alive and contains the tracks Hold On, Alive, Time Is Standing Still and The Real You. All these tracks will demand the complete attention of the listener as it offers an insight into one of the bright young things of the Liverpool scene, alongside Stephen Langstaff and adopted Scouser Richard O’ Flynn.

Barry Briercliffe, The Alive E.P. Album Review. full post

(251 words, 1 image, estimated 1:00 mins reading time)

ArK, Wild Untamed Imaginings. Album Review.

It may be hard to believe but there was a time when Progressive Rock was considered past its sell by date, the emergence of punk in the seventies had done its best to dismantle it but it was the era of the nineties music scene which seemed to finally kill off the behemoth. Thankfully you can never keep a good seven minute song down for too long and the genre was soon flourishing once more with the likes of Touchstone and The Reasoning.

ArK, Wild Untamed Imaginings. Album Review. full post

(349 words, 1 image, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)

Marseille, Unfinished Business. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. September 14th 2010.

Marseille are finally back and kicking in the best way possible. After a couple of years touring and ironing out any frustrations they may have felt along the way, the band have at last released their fourth studio album and the first one since 1984’s Touch The Night.

Craftily calling their new album Unfinished Business is a reminder to all the fans of the band that when the group dismantled there was indeed something left unsaid. Indeed within certain rock circles it has always been a game of what if and how far could they have gone within the ranks of others that came under the banner of NWOBHM.

Marseille, Unfinished Business. Album Review. full post

(346 words, 1 image, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Paul Heaton, Acid Country. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. Sept 22nd 2010.

Acid Country is the new studio album by one of music best wordsmiths. Paul Heaton has made a living from his use of intelligent and interesting lyrics set alongside some of the most upbeat music over the last couple of decades, whether from his time in the eighties with the Housemartins or in later years with the impressive and chart toppers The Beautiful South.

Now on his second solo album, Paul has once more reached the musical highs that are associated with him and produced an album full of charm and his own personnel stamp emblazoned throughout.

Paul Heaton, Acid Country. Album Review. full post

(371 words, 1 image, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)