ALBUMS REVIEWS Dave Evans, Lit Soul, Joey Amenta, Mesheen, Mad Symphony, Griffin Tucker & The Reak Rock Revolution

On The Blue’s Side Joey Amenta MR Records

Review by Ken Morton Being part of the innovative Australian rock music scene, Joey Amenta has quite an epic career, best known for his participation in bands such as Taste, Moving Pictures, Redhouse and more. His solo output on MR Records is especially impressive, the latest being On The Blue’s Side, and what a vibrant adventure Amenta has in store for his fans around the world. 5 songs in all with Joey Amenta singing and strumming the blues, and it’s destined to leave the listener wanting to hear a whole lot more. From the wondrous balladry of opening selection All Sold Out to the big bad inflections of Freight Train, Joey Amenta performs the blues with a massive amount of conviction and flair. And the glorious atmosphere rages on, with the impassioned Lonely Boy followed by the wistful refrains of Save Some Lovin’. And even within the realm of an acoustic song, closing selection Hidin’ Our Love exudes a powerhouse performance that is absolutely rapturous. With On The Blue’s Side, Joey Amenta presents his take on a much-revered genre, and the results are spectacular! Definitely good company whether you are in the outback, the swamps of New Orleans, or anywhere in the great big world, On The Blue’s Side is a work of sheer artistry that is well worth seeking out. www.melodicrockrecords.com

Gypsy Woman Griffin Tucker & The Real Rock Revolution GKT Music LLC

Review by Ken Morton

Griffin Tucker & The Real

Rock Revolution are a guitar-driven, hard-hitting rock & roll band from Dallas, Texas ready to break the rebellion out of the massive confines of the Lone Star State. Griffin is best known for his amazing solo work as well as for an appearance on the iconic

American Idol competition – and with the formation of The Real Rock Revolution, Tucker and his brigade of musicians are destined for even greater glories ahead. The band has just released their debut Gypsy Woman single upon the world at large, and it’s a dynamic rock and roller that leaves the listener craving a whole lot more. It’s still very early in the year, but I fully expect this amazing recording to be on my Top 10 EP list when 2021 spins to its wild and unpredictable conclusion. Stay tuned as we will hear a lot more from this band as future days rage on. www.melodicrockrecords.com

Griffin Tucker on vocals and guitar delivers his most stunning performance to date, channeling all the rock and roll legends while bringing his own charismatic personality and flair to the song. And what a thunderous band Griffin has assembled, with the Real Rock Revolution in the making featuring Patrick Smith on rhythm guitar, Cameron Cianelli on bass, and Joshua Sloan on drums. With a song as deliciously rocking as Gypsy Woman, it will be exciting to see what Griffin Tucker and The Real Rock Revolution has in store for us all above and beyond these pandemic days. Stay tuned as this modern-day rock extravaganza is absolutely on fire!

www.griffintuckermusic.rocks

Mad Symphony Mad Symphony MR Records

Review by Ken Morton

Raging out from the wilds of Vancouver, B.C., the mighty Mad Symphony has unleashed their Self-Titled debut EP through MR Records of Australia – and what a thrilling sonic adventure these massively resourceful Canadian musicians have in store for the world at large. Fans of arena acts such as AC/DC and The Who will discover a brandnew favorite with encountering the five glorious hard rocking sonnets found within Mad Symphony’s absolutely exhilarating debut.

Opening track Do It All Over will instantly hook the listener with its driving hard rock refrains. Next Door is supremely infectious and should be all over the worldwide radio airwaves. Sell Me Out presents Mad Symphony at their most impassioned and creative while Nothin’ once again demonstrates the band’s obvious knack for writing a potential all-out hit song. And then way too soon, Mad Symphony issue us all a Bittersweet Bye Bye that will send each and every listener into the hard rock stratosphere.

The amalgamation of hard rock, progressive and even grunge render Mad Symphony quite a find for all types of music fans looking to be enraptured by a brand-new band on the rise. Performances are all top notch, featuring Kevin Wright on lead vocals, Dave Groves on lead guitar, Ted Tosoff on rhythm guitar, Mike Russell on keyboards, Amrit Prasad on bass, and Wes Hallam on drums.

A Matter Of Time Mesheen Sonic Age Records

Review by Ken Morton

Formed in 1989 in the midst of the legendary yet ever changing Los Angeles music scene, Mesheen was one of the bands who were lost within the arrival of an onslaught of grunge tumult. Their album A Matter Of Time was recording in 1994, jammed packed with hard rocking tracks that would have shot them into the stratosphere and were never released to the public – UNTIL NOW!

Presented at long last through a cooperation with Sonic Age Records, the phrase “better late than never” is very well applied when listening to the absolutely absorbing tracks found with A Matter Of Time. Having a lot more in common with hard rock and heavy metal than with anything associated to the massive hair metal explosion on the Sunset Strip, Mesheen’s impressive lineage includes the likes of former Enigma Records recording artists drummer Bobby Tait and guitarist Joey Scott from Tyton, singer Ted Heath of Fortress, bassist Nick Aqleh of Flowers For Faith, and guitarist Demir Demirkan from Pentagram a.k.a. Mezarkabul.

A Matter Of Time kicks off with vibrant refrains of Fight For A Peace, a captivating commencement inviting each and every listener to enjoy “a dark night on the far side.” Big Bad City is up next, a towering hit single that should have been. And the timeless reveries keep on arriving, from the dynamic A Matter Of Time title cut, the scorching I’m Going To Get You, the pulsating anthem-like refrains of The Next Generation and more! Be sure to stay tuned all the way to the rock-solid grand finale of Youth-Enasia ending the album on a supremely powerful note.

The music of Mesheen clearly speaks volumes, and years later in this pandemic age, A Matter Of Time is quite a thrilling discovery. Here’s hoping for a full-on reunion of the mighty Mesheen complete with new music and live shows! Mesheen is on fire and ready to rage – whether it’s 1994 or 2021!

mesheen.rocks/home Listen to Highwire Daze Radio on Live 365! www.highwiredazeradio.net