Reviews roundup – Karl Loxley vs. Ben Poole vs. Sean Pinchin vs. Angel Forrest vs. D2UR

Reviews roundup – Karl Loxley vs. Ben Poole vs. Sean Pinchin vs. Angel Forrest vs. D2UR

KARL LOXLEY
Everything I Am
independent

Hello, it’s that Karl Loxley fellow from The Voice UK.  If you were one of the handful of people who watched it last year, you will have experienced one of Those Moments when he opened his mouth, and ‘Nessun Dorma’ came pouring out.  Willie from the Black Eyed Peas snapped him up, and he made it to the live finals, after being stolen by Sir Thomas the Jones.

Fast forward a wee bit, and post panto, he’s crowdfunded a debut album, which is now available for your listening pleasure.  And a pleasure it is. Now, I’m a sucker for a bit of classical crossover, so this was a no-brainer for me.  Chuck in some classic classics, some show tunes and the Glasgow Philharmonia Orchestra, and I’m a happy man.

So if you’re idea of a good time is swooning to ‘Nella Fantasia’, ‘Be My Love’, ‘Volare’ and. of course, ‘Nessun Dorma’, then this is definitely an album for you.  He’s also taken the advice of his erstwhile mentor and co-written an original song, which isn’t out of my place.  A very enjoyable release.

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BEN POOLE
Time Has Come
Manhaton

The time has come for some blues rock (see whaat I did there).  However, as I mentioned a couple of years back when I reviewed his live album, Ben Poole is really a soul boy. albeit with tattoos and a seemit.

And that trait continues on this release, although you might be fooled by the hard rocking opener, ‘Lying To Me’.  It’s a cracking way to start a record, but after that he heads back into soul boy territory on what is a very enjoyable release.

Songs like ‘I Think I Love You Too Much’, ‘Longing For A Woman’ and ‘Time Might Never Come’ all genuflect towards the sixties Stax songbook, even if they tend to come with some very tasty guitar solos.  There is a lot of crossover potential here, into the world of Radio 2, and if he gets the right breaks, there is no reason why young Master Poole can’t carry on for a long time to come.  Click here for tour dates.

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SEAN PINCHIN
Monkey Brain
independent

Off to the Canadian colonies now for some proper blues rock, courtesy of Sean Pinchin.  It’s a dodgy name for an album, and I speak as someone who once ate monkey brains in the Sahara.  Not recommended.  Unlike this record.

He seems to have been doing his thing over there for quite some time, with a handful of releases to his name, and he certainly likes to rock things up when he gets fired into tracks like ‘Get Burned’.  It’s definitely on the rock side of blues, which is fine by me as he channels his inner ZZ (Top not Hill) on songs such as ‘Hard Luck’ and ‘Goin Hobo’.

It’s full of hummable riffs and memorable melodies, so those of you who like their seventies blues rock with a twist, will be well served by this.

http://seanpinchin.ca/

ANGEL FORREST
Angel’s 11
Ad Litteram

We’re staying in Canada for our next offering to catch up with a singer who is multiple winner at the Maple Blues Awards in the female singer of the year category.  Which, rightly, indicates that she has a fine set of pipes.

But that would be nothing if she didn’t have the songs as well, so it’s handy that she has a singer-songwriter of the year award to keep them company.  This album sees here teaming up with eleven different guitarists on eleven original songs for some blues delights.

But it’s not just blues, as she adds in rock, pop and folk to the mix, bringing her three decades of experience to the music in fine form.  And there are plenty of good songs to enjoy, with ‘Hangman’, ‘Tumbleweed’ and ‘Touch Of My Hand’ the sounds of old friends coming back for a visit.

http://www.angelforrest.ca/

D2UR
Rev U Up
independent

And we’re finishing up the day with our third Canadian release in a row.  But this time, it’s with D2UR who, despite their name, aren’t some sort of hippity hop abomination.  No, they’re actually a rather fine classic rock band.

I say band, but it’s basically Diane & Mike Isbister augmented with some rather excellent musicians, who inclde the likes of bassist Ken “Spider” Sinnaeve (Streetheart, Tom Cochrane, Loverboy) and drummer Chris Sutherland (Kim Mitchell), amongst an array of well known Maple Leaf Wimphem performers. So, it;s that early eighties melodic rock sound they’re going for.  And they’ve pulled if off, with spades.

So wherever you drop the needle, you’re greeted with a song designed for eighties radio. ‘Rev U Up’, ‘It’s Just What You Do’, ‘Lonely Me, Lonely You’, ‘When I Call Your Name’.  They’re all perky and melodic and a pleasure to listen to.  One for the classic rock / AOR fans out there, looking for a trip down memory lane.

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