Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews

THE GAMBLERS – One More Time / You Keep Me Hangin’ On

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Music obsessives keeping an eye on the underground at the beginning of 2025 might have already spotted The Gamblers making a few waves. The reggae band – fronted by punk band Booze & Glory vocalist Mark – rush released a couple of singles in January and February which not only provided an early showcase for the still new band’s writing talents, but coupled with great cover tunes, also suggested these were also musicians with great taste.

This third instalment from The Gamblers follows the exact same format as their previous releases, in that it pairs original piece with a well chosen cover. Hey, if it worked before, it’ll work again…right? Unfortunately, in this case, the answer is no.

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Listen: Jaime Kyle puts her own spin on the classic ‘I Hear You Knocking’

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‘I Hear You Knocking’ is one of those tracks that’s always felt as it were part of the music fans’ collective consciousness. Originally recorded by Smiley Lewis in 1955, it has been covered by dozens of musicians, from Fats Domino to Billy Swan, from James Last to reggae vocalists The Pioneers. Status Quo dropped it into their ‘Anniversary Waltz’ medley, and even hard rock veterans Thunder have put their own stamp on the classic track. For most British listeners, though, it remains most familiar via the Dave Edmunds recording. With its trebly sound and slightly echoey vocal, the Edmunds recording has pretty much become the definitive take, reaching the number one spot in November 1970 and staying at the top for an impressive six week run.

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THE QUIREBOYS – Hey You!: The Parlophone Years 1989-1993

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Somewhere near the beginning of 1990, Tommy Vance broadcast a live show by The Quireboys as part of his Friday Night Rock Show on Radio 1. The live set – recorded at Wembley Arena when the still relatively new band opened for the legendary Aerosmith on their ‘Pump’ tour in 1989 – presented the boys in great shape. Numbers like ‘Misled’ and ‘Man On The Loose’ captured a Faces-obsessed swagger in a way that few bands had managed since 1975; ‘Seven O’Clock’ – already known and loved by Vance’s devoted listeners – and the soon to be released as a single ‘Hey You’ showed the crowd pleasing power Spike and the boys already had from the off, whilst the country strains of ‘Sweet Mary Ann’ suggested the Quireboys had the potential to stretch out if required. Although short, this live show was, and remains, a great document of the band firing on all six.

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SILVER DOLLAR ROOM – Gilded Echoes: The Acoustic Sessions

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With their debut release ‘Gilded Echoes’, Scotland’s Silver Dollar Room delivered one of the finest albums of 2024. Its mix of hard rock and grunge drew from classic sources, including Smashing Pumpkins (with better vocals) and Bush (but with better songs), creating something that sometimes felt a little nostalgic but still relevant in the present.

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MAGANA – Bad News EP

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Released during the first quarter of 2024, Magana’s ‘Break Free’ single shared some very interesting musical ideas. Billed as “witchy rock”, the track managed to convey a hard edge, but retain a sense of the atmospheric. With the aid of droning keys and percussive rhythms, the performance conveyed a spooky vibe, but was also unafraid to take detours into harder edged sounds. Like a strange hybrid of 90s goth, classic Cocteau Twins and a deep dive into middle period Lush, it wasn’t for everyone, but for those with a love of various 90s and 00’s alternative sounds, it brought a welcome new slant to genre-specific sounds that often felt familiar.

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