Category Archives: Music

Queen, News of the World. Album Review (2011 Remastered Edition).

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 28th 2011.

As part of the next batch of re-releases to celebrate Queen’s 40th anniversary celebrations, Universal Music have released four studio albums and the soundtrack from the film Flash Gordon.

In 1977 the band released News of the World with much expectation after the mixed reviews the band got over their previous release A Day at the Races. If there were any doubts or misconceptions about the forthcoming album during the summer of 77 then by the time the first songs hit the airwaves in the autumn of that year they were soon forgotten and omitted from people’s memories as the double A side of We Will Rock You/ We are the Champions stormed up the charts to a peak of number 2 in the British singles charts and number 4 in America.

Queen, News of the World. Album Review (2011 Remastered Edition). full post

(489 words, 1 image, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)

Queen, Jazz. Album Review (2011 Re-mastered Edition).

Originally published by L.S. Media June 29th 2011.

Queen’s remarkable ability of writing and producing a new album every year showed no signs of stopping as they approached the latter end of 1978. Prolific even for the time they were nurtured in, the band had spent the last few years churning out classic albums and some great quality tunes time and time again. The year 1978 was no different, after reaching a high note, critically and commercially with News of the World, the band sought to retain the position at the top of the Rock family tree with the eclectic and all most free spirited Jazz.

Queen, Jazz. Album Review (2011 Re-mastered Edition). full post

(425 words, 1 image, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Queen, The Game. Album Review (2011 Remastered Edition).

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 29th 2011.

The start of the 1980’s saw Queen return to recording and publishing music after what seemed an eternity for them without an album to showcase for their fans. A lot had happened in the intervening period, a change of Government, Punk icon Sid Vicious had died and disco for a short while reigned supreme in the charts and in cinemas.

Queen, The Game. Album Review (2011 Remastered Edition). full post

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

Queen, Flash Gordon Original Soundtrack. Album Review, (2011 Re-Mastered Edition)

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 29th 2011.

After the marked success of Queen’s previous eight studio albums, it seemed quite natural for the band to be offered the prestigious chance to provide the soundtrack for the Science Fiction movie Flash Gordon. The comic book turned television and now celluloid blonde herowas finally getting the big screen treatment and was too star Sam J. Jones as the eponymous champion of the oppressed alongside British stars Brain Blessed, Timothy Dalton and the Canadian actor Melody Anderson.

Queen, Flash Gordon Original Soundtrack. Album Review, (2011 Re-Mastered Edition) full post

(391 words, 1 image, estimated 1:34 mins reading time)

Queen, Hot Space. Album Review, (2011 Re-mastered Edition)

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 29th 2011.

Every band, regardless of their genre, long standing or ability will eventually make the album that shows they are fallible to their fans and elevates everything else they do to another level. With Queen that album has long been considered to be the 1982 studio release Hot Space. Its arrival had long been coming with elements being heard on The Game, Jazz and the lamentable Flash Gordon. However Hot Space plumbed new depths as the band finally departed from their roots completely and delved full force into the world of disco and pop music.

Queen, Hot Space. Album Review, (2011 Re-mastered Edition) full post

(381 words, 1 image, estimated 1:31 mins reading time)

Queensryche, Dedicated to Chaos. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 4th 2011.

Dedicated to Chaos is the new album from Queensryche, always touted as one of the finest bands to come out of Seattle, and unfortunately for the best Prog Metal band in existence the album actually describes the album perfectly. Coming on the back of the highly rated, imaginative and committed album American Soldier, Dedicated to Chaos seems a very poor and stunted relation.

Queensryche, Dedicated to Chaos. Album Review. full post

(359 words, 1 image, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

Yes, Fly From Here. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 5th 2011.

For the first time in 10 years, Progressive Rock pioneers Yes have delivered an album onto the British Public and the outcome is nothing short of marvellous.

Fly from Here is the band’s first studio album since the release of 2001’s Magnification and even though the personnel has once more changed, it comes across as superbly arranged and decently produced and with none of the whispers of pretension that has dogged the band over the years. Whether this is down to the influence of producer Trevor Horn, who as a former Yes member, albeit briefly, understands the point that the musicians always try to get across or the band gelling superbly and rallying round to come up with a fine album.

Yes, Fly From Here. Album Review. full post

(382 words, 1 image, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)

Kaiser Chiefs, The Future is Medieval. Album Review

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 5th 2011.

The Kaiser Chiefs can never be accused of conforming or becoming stale. After the first three albums went top ten in the British charts and even did respectively well in the American market, the Yorkshire band have released their fourth album, The Future is Medieval.

The Future Is Medieval started out as one of the most unique promotional efforts in the history of recorded music. In early June the band put out over 20 tracks on their website with the offer of downloading the songs that you wanted, to create your own perfect Kaiser Chiefs compilation of new tracks, and even in these austere times the response was outstanding. On the back of that the band released a tangible copy for their fans consisting of 13 of those tracks.

Kaiser Chiefs, The Future is Medieval. Album Review full post

(314 words, 1 image, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

Jo Bywater, Cycle Grace Pulse Break. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 5th 2011.

Yorkshire born but most certainly Liverpool influenced Jo Bywater’s debut album, Cycle Grace Pulse Break may have been out for a short while now but it is an album of incredible maturity that deserves to be visited and enjoyed no matter how late or by what means you come to this very talented woman.

Liverpool has been blessed in recent years with the quality of recording artists that have either come here to study and stay and making their home in the city or by those that have been born and raised here, brought up on possibly the best and most diverse range of music to be associated with one area.

Jo Bywater, Cycle Grace Pulse Break. Album Review. full post

(307 words, 1 image, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)

Megadeth, Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying, 25th Anniversary Edition. Album Review

Originally published by L.S. Media. July 17th 2011.

It is a sad fact, but Heavy Metal albums age quickly; they corrode and wither, some die of neglect after being hailed as the best thing to ever hit the market, some stagnate for a while before only selling to true fans of the genre. Not for them the security of say Progressive Rock’s Pink Floyds Wish You Were Here or the timeless musings of Soul legend Marvin Gaye’s seminal What’s Going On. There are so few examples of timeless quality pure Heavy or Thrash Metal albums that 25 years after the release date still sound fresh and exciting.

Megadeth, Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying, 25th Anniversary Edition. Album Review full post

(429 words, 1 image, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)