Tag Archives: album review

Kate Bush, Director’s Cut. Album Review.

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

Kate Bush has long been considered an enigma, part immense talent that has inspired so many other artists and fans alike, part recluse, never really giving too much away to the point that some critics and reviewers become exasperated and ignore the music behind the woman.

It is to Kate’s credit that she has survived for so long in a business that can cruelly tear people apart just for not releasing a new album every couple of years. Kate herself hasn’t recorded a new album since 2005 with the release of the sensual Aerial and although there are rumours of a brand new set of songs that will be unleashed onto the British public at some point, Kate has decided to revisit older works and give them a new edge.

Kate Bush, Director’s Cut. Album Review. full post

(375 words, 1 image, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

Shared 2. Various Artists. Album Review.

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

It’s rare to come across an album that is so cool that you listen to it a couple of times just to make sure your ears weren’t playing tricks on you the first time round. Conceived by Miles Hunt of the Wonderstuff, Shared 2, is as it sounds, a collaboration between some of the U.K’s best musicians and although you may not have heard of some of the artists, when you hear the album it will encourage you to go and seek out these guys and hear them in their natural setting.

Shared 2. Various Artists. Album Review. full post

(363 words, 1 image, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

Sparrow and the Workshop, Spitting Daggers. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. May 31st 2011.

A band’s second album, as the phrase goes, is their most difficult, for their first they have been writing all their life. For the Sparrow and the Workshop trio, this could be the case, as any follow up to 2010’s release Crystals Fall would have to be gigantic in the extreme and have some critics actually turn on their hearing aids to appreciate what a phenomenal job the band have done in writing Spitting Daggers.

Sparrow and the Workshop, Spitting Daggers. Album Review. full post

(327 words, 1 image, estimated 1:18 mins reading time)

Journey, Eclipse. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. May 31st 2011.

Journey are, and always will be associated with the idea of stadium rock. They are heavy, musically talented and highly enjoyable to listen to and thanks (or not, depending on your own point of view) to the television programme Glee are easily recognisable to a newer, younger audience.

In 2007, the band saw the arrival of Arnel Pineda with his boyish good looks and a voice to match, fans that were still debating Steve Perry’s absence from the band were soon arguing on whether Arnel was in fact just as good as the main man that gave the world the voice behind such hits as Don’t Stop Believing, Anyway You Want It and Open Arms. The debate wasn’t helped by Journey re-recording some of these classic tracks for the Revelation album in 2008.

Journey, Eclipse. Album Review. full post

(322 words, 1 image, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)

Miles And Erica Live 2010/11. Miles Hunt And Erica Nockalls. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 7th 2011.

Occasionally, a live album comes along that fires the imagination and leaves you with a warm glow inside. Miles and Erica Live 2010/11 is an acoustic album of fantastic simplicity that showcases the talent of The Wonder Stuff‘s Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls and gives a wonderful insight into the artists’ mind when they tour with a back catalogue and strip it back to the point where the songs take on a different life and a different vibe, this gives any band a more human face and the final result is one of superb achievement.

Miles And Erica Live 2010/11. Miles Hunt And Erica Nockalls. Album Review. full post

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

Iron Maiden, From Fear To Eternity. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 7th 2011.

There can be nothing more annoying for a music enthusiast, especially one who covets every new release, every special or live album that a band may decide to put out for their “loyal fans” then when a group of such high regard as Iron Maiden put out the ever increasing compilations.

Whether it’s to cash in before the Heavy Metal behemoth’s come back to the U.K. or if it’s through a genuine need to inform their fan base of what they have achieved in the last 20 years, From Fear to Eternity does little to get the excitement and Rock juices going.

Iron Maiden, From Fear To Eternity. Album Review. full post

(445 words, 1 image, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

Paul Simon, So Beautiful Or So What. Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 14th 2011.

For the last two months American audiences have been able to appraise Paul Simon’s new album So Beautiful or So What and give it a huge ringing endorsement that has seen it climb as high as number four in the fabled Billboard Charts. British audiences however have had to wait till the middle of June before being able to hear what the fuss was about, however, this once it was worth the long and agonising wait.

Paul Simon, So Beautiful Or So What. Album Review. full post

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

Black Country Communion, 2, Album Review.

Originally published by L.S. Media. June 18th 2011.

It’s not many bands that can bring out two exceptional albums within the space a few short months, however Black Country Communion are not just any band.

Made up of one of the great guitarists of British Rock in the shape of Glenn Hughes, the much lauded and technically superb Joe Bonamassa, the son of the one of the legends of Rock, Jason Bonham and the appointed, by none other than Alice Cooper, Caligula of keyboards Derek Sherinian, Black Country Communion start album 2 the way they left off on the first offering, heavy, loaded with stand out tracks and just enough humility that will endear them forever to the public who buy the album.

Black Country Communion, 2, Album Review. full post

(342 words, 1 image, estimated 1:22 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)