Atomic Opera were one such outfit playing music that, in a way, was out of this world, fusing the progressive elements of days gone by while charting a contemporary path to future glory. Led by talented frontman and guitarist Frank Hart, this enigmatic quartet were very much part of the spiritually inclined Houston cabal assembled by mogul, manager and producer Sam Taylor; a man who had discovered and nurtured Kings X to worldwide attention. Atomic Opera were, it must be said, cut from the very same musical cloth as Kings X, laying down a sound that was thick and boisterous but embedded with subtlety and intelligent arrangements. It was also a sound that fused the popular grunge movement with traditional hard rock styling.

This is a criminally underrated album that seemed to disappear without trace at the time. I think this is mainly due to RCA not believing in them because hard rock albums were hard to come by in the late nineties and it’s amazing that their second album actually saw the light of day. Formed by Scott Gorham in ’90 after the death of Phil Lynott in ’86 it was obvious Scott still had a lot of music in him and needed a vehicle to do it. For me, this is the better of the two albums they put out and if it was released today it would be hailed as a classic.

Stellar guitarist Scott Gorham (ex-Thin Lizzy) started in the mid-Eighties his own band project with the aim to the current melodic hard rock sound from that time. During his recording contribution to the Phenomena Project, Gorham met bass/keyboard player Leif Johansen and drummer Mike Sturgis (ex Far Corporation, Asia) and they joined: 21 GUNS born.

Pointing out that Girl swam against the grubby grain is almost an act of cruelty. After all, these are the guys who whipped out the lipstick just as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene started to take off. In addition, writers who'd embraced the band's music-or-makeup foppery had now begun dismissing it. There's an unmistakable make-or-break aura that retreats from the glorious trash-brat territory so confidently exploited on Sheer Greed. The simpler view is that Girl's newfound tightness required a different sort of delivery – which is a grimier, grittier sound befitting the "back to basics" mood here. Like its predecessor, Wasted Youth boasts two drop-dead classics in "Overnight Angels" and "Old Dogs," which gives the Phil Collen-Gerry Laffy guitar team ample opportunity to shine. The romping title cut and "Ice in the Blood" are also worth further investigation, and remain firm fan favorites.

Girl exploded into the UK scene in the early ’80s, a scene that was almost exclusively primed for down and dirty hard rock, but these guys were a completely different beast.
Hard rock bands during the very early ’80s complied with a strict in-vogue youth uniform of denim, leather and greasy long hair. The NWOBHM, as it was labelled, may have been a force for good but it certainly wasn’t tolerant of aesthetic deviation… something that Girl found to be a major stumbling block.

After having its share of R&B and funk triumphs in the 1980s, the SOS Band hit a creative low point with 1991's One of Many Nights. The departure of Mary Davis (whose robust lead vocals enriched "Take the Time (Do It Right)," "Just Be Good to Me" and other major hits) had been quite a loss, and while her successor, Chandra Currey, was far from a bad singer, she wasn't in a class with the great Davis. Nights does have a few strong points, including the silky "How Can We Ever Get Back Together," the driving "Get Hyped On This" and the melancholy "Broken Promises." But on the whole, the songs are mediocre, pedestrian and not very memorable. Only SOS' more devoted fans should obtain this CD; those who don't have any SOS albums in their collection would be better off starting out with a compilation of the Atlanta band's 1980s output with Davis.

The Hollies are an English pop group formed in Manchester in the early 1960s. Most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and early-1970s. They enjoyed considerable popularity in many countries, although they did not achieve major US chart success until 1966. Along with the Rolling Stones, they are one of the few British pop groups of the early 1960s that have never officially broken up and that continue to record and perform. The Hollies were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Hollies are an English pop group formed in Manchester in the early 1960s. Most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and early-1970s. They enjoyed considerable popularity in many countries, although they did not achieve major US chart success until 1966. Along with the Rolling Stones, they are one of the few British pop groups of the early 1960s that have never officially broken up and that continue to record and perform. The Hollies were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Her debut album "Piece of My Soul" made a significant impact on the contemporary jazz scene, earning her the title of 'Best New Artist' at the Smooth Jazz Awards. Cole's unique blend of jazz, soul, and pop, coupled with her powerful vocals, has made her a favorite among jazz enthusiasts. Over the years, she has collaborated with some of the industry's most respected artists, further solidifying her standing in the music world. Cole's passion and dedication to her craft are evident in every performance, making her concerts a must-see for any music lover. Stay tuned to ConcertFix for updates on Khani Cole's upcoming performances. Experience the magic of her music live and immerse yourself in the enchanting world of jazz.

This Scottish heavy AOR quartet was put together in 1985 by brothers Ian (guitar) and David Stewart (bass) after demise of China White. With Jim Drummond (drums) and Tony Liddell (vocals), they debuted with a self-titled album in 1985. This offered a blend of Americanized, melodic AOR comparable with the work of Boston, Journey or Kansas. Produced by Kevin Elson (of Journey fame), it surpassed many expectations, but was ignored by the British public. Terry Brock (from Atlanta, USA) replaced Liddell on Native Sons, which saw the band consolidate their style and progress significantly as songwriters. It remains one of the sadly neglected albums of the pomp-rock/AOR genre. Walk In The Fire was not as immediate, with Brock’s vocals sounding hoarse and less sophisticated. He left to audition for Deep Purple in 1989, but was unsuccessful. Further albums were released with Ian Stewart on lead vocals.

This Scottish heavy AOR quartet was put together in 1985 by brothers Ian (guitar) and David Stewart (bass) after demise of China White. With Jim Drummond (drums) and Tony Liddell (vocals), they debuted with a self-titled album in 1985. This offered a blend of Americanized, melodic AOR comparable with the work of Boston, Journey or Kansas. Produced by Kevin Elson (of Journey fame), it surpassed many expectations, but was ignored by the British public. Terry Brock (from Atlanta, USA) replaced Liddell on Native Sons, which saw the band consolidate their style and progress significantly as songwriters. It remains one of the sadly neglected albums of the pomp-rock/AOR genre. Walk In The Fire was not as immediate, with Brock’s vocals sounding hoarse and less sophisticated. He left to audition for Deep Purple in 1989, but was unsuccessful. Further albums were released with Ian Stewart on lead vocals.

Pulp were an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 1978. Their best-known line-up from their heyday (1992–1997) consisted of Jarvis Cocker (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Candida Doyle (keyboards), Russell Senior (guitar, violin), Mark Webber (guitar, keyboards), Steve Mackey (bass) and Nick Banks (drums, percussion).

UK digitally remastered two CD set features their 1998 album which includes the hit singles 'Help The Aged', 'A Little Soul' and 'This Is Hardcore' plus a bonus disc which brings together a collection of bonus material (personally selected by leader Jarvis Cocker) which features single b-sides and previously unreleased versions of 'Cocaine Socialism' & 'Tomorrow Never Dies' along with six more previously unreleased demo recordings! The package comes complete with picture booklet containing previously unreleased photos and extensive sleevenotes written by Jarvis!

30 classic tracks on 2 CDs from the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Ayers, Gretchen Parlato, Flora Purim, Bobby Womack and Sabrina Malheiros.

Complete your journey to the heart of smooth jazz. Following on from Pacific Cost Highway and Ocean Drive comes the final instalment in the jazzfm records Road trilogy. Featuring more smooth jazz favourites as featured in many of jazzfm’s daytime shows, including Fourplay, Brenda Russell, Kirk whalum, Al Jarreau, Paul Hardcastle and the very sought after and previously unreleased track Theme from Love Is Not Enough (Live Version) by David Sanborn.