Originally published by L.S. Media. June 9th 2012.
There can be little doubt that Paul Simon’s 1986 album Graceland is one of the most important that the former folk singer ever recorded.
Not only did it give a new lease of life to a flagging career after the not well received Hearts and Bones but almost single handed introduced the wider world to the music of South Africa that was still being repressed by the apartheid regime in power at the time.
Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Orginally published by L.S. Media. June 12th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating ****
There really is one problem when it comes to a Megadeth performance at an outdoor festival and that for the most part; their set is takes place during the day. For Megadeth, for Dave Mustaine, there is no chance, by design or by choice for the band to be one of the most electric, most atmospheric thrash metal bands of all time.
Originally published on L.S. Media. June 12th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating *****
The very name opens doors, it struck horror into a generation still coping with the horrors of World War Two and the four men behind the band have been lauded ever since for bringing heavy metal to the world.
Originally published on L.S. Media. June 12th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating ****
It may be Joe Walsh’s first solo album in 20 years but Analog Man does exactly what it set out to achieve, an album full of personal musings, clever lyrics and delivered with the style and panache of man whose knows that he is good and isn’t afraid to say so.
Photograph by Ian D. Hall
Originally published by L.S. Media. June 12th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating ***
There was a general air of expectancy about the reformation of Soundgarden that buzzed around Donington and the overall weekend of Download. Plenty of T-Shirts were spotted being worn with semblance of pride; many conversations were overheard on how people were perhaps looking forward to this slot more than many others. It was therefore a shame that the hype really didn’t lend itself to time that the band were on stage.
Originally published by L.S. Media.June 12th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating *****
For some within the crowd at Download, it was plain to see on their faces that their thoughts were focused on Lamb of God on the Sunday as the band of weekend. Up against some incredible and pretty stiff opposition that’s a hell of a statement on their part, however they were excellent and worthy title fighters for the accolade.
Originally published by L.S. Media. June 19th 2012
L.S. Media Rating ****
When Richard Marx performed at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in 2011; it was easy to see, even to the untrained and blinkered casual observer, that the man and his music has touched so many lives in his 30 year sensational career.
Now the singer/songwriter has released an album, Inside My Head, that takes in songs from two of his recent albums, Emotional Remains and Sundown, some new material and some new recordings of the man’s biggest hits including Should Have Known Better, the epic story of Hazard and the song that Right Here Waiting, a song that can still knock more modern songs released into touch with its absolute depth of feeling and vocals that just are to die for.
Originally published by L.S. Media. June 19th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating ****
No matter your point of view of Lita Ford, there is no difficulty in recognising the amount of personal turmoil she manages to get out of her system in the second of her comeback albums, Living Like A Runaway.
The ex-Runaways singer/guitarist was out of the scene for so long from 1995 and the 2009 release of Wicked Wonderland that the rock world wondered whether the first woman of heavy metal would ever pick up a guitar in anger again. With this new album, the answer is most certainly yes and reading through the lyrics the anger is so intense, so dramatic and so passionate that it gives the songs that little bit of extra spice that makes you thankful that you never get on her wrong side.
Originally published on June 19th 2012. 
L.S. Media Rating ****
Unlike Slash’s debut self-titled 2010 album, Apocalyptic Love has more gravitas as a collection of songs, it is cohesive and the songs seem somehow to flow better into one another. The reason perhaps is unlike Slash, the album profits from having a stable line-up all the way through. It makes the album have more appeal than believing for a minute that the debut album was an exercise in self-indulgence.
Originally published on L.S. Media. June 20th 2012.
L.S. Media Rating *****
If you want something done with oodles of style, panache and that little something extra, then the best bet is get involved with Sandi Thom and watch and listen as she creates something extraordinarily beautiful.
For that is exactly what you get with her brand new release, Flesh and Blood, which is due to be released on August 27th. Not only do you a get a female musician who can put many others to shame with her incredible voice but you get the real, the raw and the playing of the recklessly abandoned and she is able to get under the belly of every music beast she wishes to with her sensational soulful voice.