Reviews roundup – Rick Springfield vs. Refill vs. Renaissance vs. Coldshine vs. Mike Mackenzie

Reviews roundup – Rick Springfield vs. Refill vs. Renaissance vs. Coldshine vs. Mike Mackenzie

RICK SPRINGFIELD
Stripped Down
Loud & Proud

It’s Rick Springfield from the eighties!  ‘General Hospital’, ‘I’ve Done Everything For You’, ‘Jessies Girl’.  Oh, yes!

Turns out that back in 2013 Mr Springfield decided to make do without a full band, and head off on an intimate “Stripped Down” tour. Now that is usually PR speak for can’t book a tour anymore, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, seeing as how it ended up with this excellent CD / DVD combo. was created to bring an intimate yet still lively performance to fans.

It’s one of those storytelling gigs where he chats, sings and digs deeper into his back catalogue, and he comes across as a very engaging character, especially in the Q&A session.  There is one new song in the shape of ‘If Wishes Were Fishes’, but it’s when he rolls back the years that it all comes together in a fan friendly release, that is definitely worth the price of admission.

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REFILL
Let’s Break Some Hearts
independent

Off to Holland now for some seventies inspired blues tinged rock and roll, courtesy of Refill.  Of course, if they really want to break some hearts, I would suggest sacking everyone and getting some pretty boys in to mime, but if you’re looking for some blues, boogie and hard rock to get you going, then this will do.

Now they’re not reinventing wheel, and you can see the Acca Dacca, Lizzy and UFO vibes coming down the track, but they can rock it with the best of them, and on songs like ‘Nowhere To Hide’ and ‘Show Me Yours’ (fnar, fnar), they certainly seem to have potential.

Best of all is the more straightforward blues of ‘The Only One’, but Refill are a band who would get bars rocking any night of the week.

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RENAISSANCE
DeLane Lea Studios 1973 / Academy Of Music 1974
Cleopatra

Now I’m not sure how many Renaissance fans have been sitting around since the heady days of ‘Northern Lights’ waiting for three discs of vintage live material, but if they have, break the news to them gently.  After all, they’re getting on a bit.

But here they are.  A single set recorded in 1973 in front of an invited audience at DeLane Lea Studios (with a guesting Andy Powell from Wishbone Ash and Al Stewart on one somg) and a double disc recorded at the Academy of music in 1974, with a 24 pece orchestra (with Andy Powell reprising his 74 appearance).

The folk progsters had been promoting “Ashes Are Burning”, the first record to feature new guitarist Michael Dunford alongside the aforementioned Mr Powell and certainly seemed reinvigorated on these recordings.  The live in the studio set is the more pristine one, but fans would want to get the New York show just for the version of the title track from “Ashes Are Burning”.  It’s magnificent.

If you’ve only got the money for one, go for DeLane, but fans will really love everything that’s on offer.

Buy DeLane –

Buy Academy –

COLDSHINE
The Brightest Dark Day
independent

Hey everybody, it’s earnest nu-metal meets Creed time. Now, I’m not saying that in a bad way, I’m merely pointing out that you may not want to come in if you’re looking to par-tay.

Brian Morris (vocals), Greg Boykin (guitars), Dan McGann (bass) and Jim Sheppard (drums) hail from Raleigh, North Carolina, and they’re bringing some post grunge Alter Bridge meets Stone Temple Pilots tunes to the table.

And they can certainly play as songs like ‘Drawing Dead’, ‘How Far Down’ and ‘For What’s It Worth’ will attest.  A point deducted from the partially sighted, though, for an unreadable inner sleeve.

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MIKE MACKENZIE
Natural Causes
independent

Now this is a good one, assuming you are one of those people who thought that Blodwyn Pig was a tremendous idea.

Yes, it’s seventies blues rock, with a an experimental edge, coming all the way from the Canadian colonies.  Mike Mackenzie is yer man, and he takes care of everything on this release, bar the drums and some organ play, and he shows himself to be a man of singular talent.

He’s a strong vocalist as well, and can turn his hand in a more soulful direction, as he does on ‘Smoke Signal’ and ‘Empyrean Rays’.  Be warned, though, because there are a lot of instrumentals on offer, but that aside, this is well worth a listen.

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