C’mon. We’ve all been there (and if we haven’t, this is about to get embarrassing!). Lights out, headphones on, heart rate elevated, breathing laboured. There you are, triumphant, taking the plaudits of the ecstatic audience. “Thank you Wembley (gotta think…
View More Mystery – Lies and Butterflies
Although I generally make a point of spending significant amounts of time with the albums I review, nevertheless it is rare that I find myself quite so resistant to putting pen to paper or, more accurately, fingers to keyboard. Getting…
View More Southern Empire – Civilisation
What’s not to like about a good conspiracy theory? The anticipatory whiff of scandal, the pervading sense of menace, the uncovering and bringing in to the light of secretive, hidden knowledge and the trumpeting justification of supposedly outlandish claims; ours…
View More The Paradox Twin – The Importance Of Mr Bedlam
O2 Arena, London Monday, 2nd July 2018 I have waited many, many years to see Queen. From my late teens onwards, events always seemed to conspire to prevent me making it to one of their concerts: illness, exams, parents! But…
View More Queen + Adam Lambert
‘Epic’ has unfortunately joined the ubiquitous throng of overused words in our everyday language to the point that we hardly notice it is there any more. Frequently, humorously – and wrongly – used to describe everything commonplace from hangovers, car…
View More Yuka & Chronoship – Ship
There are times when people, actions and events come together in such a way that we are simply forced to stop, step back, take stock and have a good, long, hard look at ourselves, at what we’ve become and the…
View More My Indigo – My Indigo
Beautiful and Monstrous, released in 2009, is a wonderful showcase for the restless and creative spirit which lies at the very heart of progressive rock. Soaring melodies which fondly linger in the memory are cradled in layers of delicious harmonies,…
View More Subsignal – La Muerta
To the Bone Tour: St. David’s Hall, Cardiff – Weds 21st March 2018 Royal Albert Hall, London – Weds 28th March 2018 Cardiff by Mel Allen On a reasonably pleasant evening the faithful began to gather for the latest Steve…
View More Steven Wilson
Death is bewildering. Something beautiful, precious, is gone never to be seen again. Our cries of anguish, the wrenching pain of our dejection, the awful agony of our newly discovered and unwanted aloneness is a heartbroken call to anyone and…
View More Believe – Seven Widows
In the hustle and bustle of daily life it is all too easy to become distracted, overwhelmed and in the ceaseless noise which perpetually surrounds us, to lose our way. The continual clamour of social media, the relentless bewitchment of…
View More Victim of Illusion – Invisible Light