Too-Rye-Ay is now finally living up to Kevin Rowland’s vision, with extras showing the battle to get it right, here’s our review… Buy Too-Rye-Ay: As it should have sounded CD boxset…
Rick Astley – Whenever You Need Somebody review
Celebrating 35 years since the teaboy from Newton-le-Willows went global, at this remove it’s bizarre that Rick Astley was ever doubted. Sure, the perennial patronising of working class northerners in…
Liam Gallagher: C’mon You Know review – “surprises abound around almost every corner”
If Liam Gallagher’s first two solo studio albums were well judged examples of giving fans what they want while pushing the envelope just that little bit further each time, then…
ABBA Voyage – first review and setlist
ABBA VOYAGE – ABBA ARENA, LONDON Rating: 10/10 It’s hard to believe, but ABBA only ever played a handful of live gigs in Britain – and less than double figures…
Review: xPropaganda – The Heart Is Strange
Nearly 40 years after A Secret Wish, Propaganda’s frontwomen reunite with their producer to reclaim their rightful place among synth-pop’s finest… All that we see or seem is but a…
Soft Cell: *Happiness Not Included review
One of Marc Almond and Dave Ball’s joint regrets, which they’ve both told Classic Pop, is that Soft Cell didn’t follow their pop instincts enough. Ever since deciding not to…
ABBA Voyage – New album review
ABBA VOYAGE Polydor 7/10 Do they have it in them…? Well, that was the main concern when ABBA announced they’d reconvened and were back in the studio recording songs that…
The Specials: Protest Songs 1924-2012 review
Such was the excitement surrounding Terry Hall’s return to The Specials for 2019’s Encore that they swiftly reconvened in early 2020 to begin a new album. This – for obvious…
Toyah – Posh Pop review
After years of copyright wrangling, the belated reissues of her early albums has finally allowed Toyah to be reassessed. So far, Sheep Farming In Barnet and The Blue Meaning have…
Live Review – Moseley Folk And Arts Festival
MOSELEY PARK, BIRMINGHAM, 3 SEPTEMBER 2021 “We’re not strictly folk!” bellows Miles Hunt during The Wonder Stuff’s Friday evening set at the Moseley Folk And Arts Festival. It’s a statement…