Music Blog

All the music-related posts gathered together in one place.

#NowPlaying: Chrissie – Carriageworks – An instrumental albim of effects-laden violin and electronica, streaming from the artist’s website.

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Tim Hall | Comments Off

This week on The Song Bar: Upbeat Breakup Songs

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Tim Hall

The third topic on The Song Bar is upbeat breakup songs The theme is songs about the end of relationships or band breakups that still have a positive note. Another poster has nominated Peter Gabriel’s “Solisbury Hill” in which he celebrates his new-found freedom having left Genesis.

My choice is Mostly Autumn’s “Violet Skies” from Olivia Sparnenn’s first album as lead singer. It’s a tribute to Heather Findlay who had just left the band to go solo, and fits the topic perfectly.

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#NowPlaying: Jamie Williams & The Roots Collective: Live’n'Kickin’ at the Brasenose Arms.  Blues and Americana recorded at the Cropredy fringe in 2015.

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Tim Hall | Comments Off

Support Bands Announced for the Panic Room Convention

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Tim Hall

Panic Room have announced rwo of the support bands for the Panic Room Convention at Bilston Robin 2 on May 21 and 22, joining Panic Room’s acoustic side-project Luna Rossa on the bill.

First, Panic Room guitarist Dave Foster with his own band, including drummer Leon Parr and vocalist Dinet Poortma, along with one or two members of Panic Room, playing material from his two solo albums “Gravity” and the forthcoming “Dreamless”.

And on the Sunday Night, Halo Blind, the project from singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Chris Johnson, featuring Panic Room’s Gavin Griffiths on drums. Although she wasn’t on their most recent album “Occupying Forces”, Anne-Marie Helder was a member of an earlier version of the band, and it would not be a surprise for her to join them on stage.

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RIP Piotr Grudzinski

Posted on February 21, 2016 by Tim Hall

Terrible news posted on Riverside’s Facebook Page.

In our deepest pain and disbelief we would like to inform you that our dearest friend and brother Piotr Grudzinski has passed away this morning. We kindly ask you to respect the privacy of his family and friends.

Sad and shocking. Riverside are one of the best contemporary bands in progressive rock to emerge in recent years. One of the highlights of last years’ Ramblin Man festival, and their album “Love, Fear and The Time Machine” was my album of the year for 2014. Piotr Grudzinski distinctive less-is-more style was a key part of their sound, with more than a hint of Rush’s Alex Lifeson about his playing

A terrible, tragic loss.

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The first week of The Song Bar

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Tim Hall

Under the Guruship of Treefrogdemon, The Song Bar has its first playlist, Songs about moving oo.

I’m honoured to get one of my nominations in the very first A-list of our community’s new home, Karnataka’s “The Gathering Light”.  Treefrogdemon reports that the chorus became something of an earworm. I’m not surprised; I remember seeing the band before they’d recorded the album but were playing a lot of new materal live, and woke up one morning with that chorus in my head, several days after the gig.

It’s also appropriate that the first playlist for a Guardian column in exile contains a song by a band snubbed in the Readers end-of-year poll.

This weeks’ subject is songs that trigger dancing. I have nominated something by King Crimson, which isn’t an obvious dance number. You will need to read the comments thread to find out why.

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Knifeworld news

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Tim Hall

Kavus Torabi’s psychedelic rockers have produced a teaser video for their forthcoming third album “Bottled out of Eden”. They’ve also announced an album launch gig at Bush Hall on Thursday 12th May

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Life as a female rocker

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Tim Hall

Chantel McGregor at Dorking Halls

Interesting interview with Chantel McGregor, Life as a female rocker, in The Daily Telegraph. Though it’s publised in the “Women’s and Lifestyle” pages, it’s still more about music than half the stuff published in The Guardian’s music pages nowadays.

Chantel explains one reason why there aren’t as many female lead guitarists as their should be; many electric guitars are designed by and for men, and are an awkward shape. As she says, “My guitar’s squashed my boobs for as long as I can remember“.

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Steve Rothery Band announce two UK shows

Posted on February 15, 2016 by Tim Hall

Marillion guitarist Steve Rothery has announced the final two Steve Rothery Band shows of 2016 before Marlllion begin their world tour in April.

The dates are Montgomery Hall in Wath on Saturday March 5, and The Junction in Cambridge on Sunday 6th. Titled “The Ghosts and Garden Parties”, they’ll be playing his instrumental solo album “The Ghosts of Pripyat” and Marillion’s “Misplaced Childhood”, which he has previously played in full with Martin Jakubsk from the tribute band Stillmarillion on vocals.

With former Marillion frontman Fish also touring Misplaced Childhood, finishing at Islington Assembly on 20th April, the coming months will see a classic album peformed by two different bands, both of which contain one original member of the band that originally recorded it. Has that ever happened before?

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The Deen Street Brothers

Posted on February 14, 2016 by Tim Hall

A few pictures of The Deen Street Brothers, the six-piece band who supported Chantel McGregor at Dorking Halls. Continue reading →

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