October 2014 – T P A

Rick Wakeman & The English Rock Ensemble – Out Of The Blue

Out Of The Blue along with the Live In Buenos Aires DVD serve as the first recordings of the then recently reformed The English Rock Ensemble featuring Rick Wakeman (keyboards), Damian Wilson (vocals), Ant Glynne (guitars & backing vocals), Lee…

Rick Wakeman And The English Rock Ensemble - Out There

Rick Wakeman & The English Rock Ensemble – Out There

Following on from their re-incarnation just prior to the new millennium, Rick Wakeman And The English Rock Ensemble undertook a touring schedule in 2000 which took them to South America, a process they continued into 2001 and resulted in the splendid…

Minor Giant – On The Road

I’ve now spent quite a few weeks, on and off, trying to put together a comprehensive and well considered review of this album and I have to admit that what I’ve ended up with is neither, but that’s actually a…

Jack Bruce – RIP

It is with huge sadness that we report the passing of Jack Bruce. His death was announced today on his official website and confirmed by his publicist Claire Singers who said: “He died today at his home in Suffolk surrounded…

Moraine – Groundswell

I would imagine if you were one of a mere 297 souls living on a tiny island group whose main and probably only claim to fame is that it is the most remote inhabited archipelago in the world, being some…

Marcus O’Dair – Robert Wyatt Biography

Marcus O’Dair is the writer of an authorised biography of Robert Wyatt, Different Every Time, which is out at the end of the month. He is also one half of esoteric electronica duo Grasscut, who have a new single out,…

Steve Rothery Band – Live In Rome

This much cited guitarist has waited a long time to release his first solo album, over thirty years in fact. Although there had been previous offers initially at the time of Misplaced Childhood (85) and later around the time of…

Opeth – Pale Communion

The eleventh release from Swedish chameleons Opeth, Pale Communion has been much anticipated after the change of direction that occurred with 2011’s Heritage. That album split the fanbase somewhat with a change of style towards more ’70s influenced progressive rock,…

Opeth

[With many thanks to Carl Williams for the use of his photos] O2 Academy, Bristol 10th October 2014 First night of the Pale Communion tour and Opeth are in Bristol, the third time I’ve seen them at the O2 Academy,…

Trojan Horse – World Turned Upside Down

There are some bands that only properly make sense at volume eleven in a state of altered consciousness, and Salford lads Trojan Horse are one of them. They are a new band to me, but this is their second album.…