The new MICHAEL TRACY album ‘STILL GOT SOUL’ can be classified as one of the best in 2017 .  He managed to develop  his own creative sound in the American rock wilderness.  Europe is calling for live concerts!

This is top shelf blues and roots music. It’s been a long time since I heard such a raw, deep and authentic sound. The songs are mean, monotone fresh and melodious at the same time. Peter’s voice complements his gritty bluesy and sometimes jazzy guitar playing. The downhome swampy feeling, the darker and deeper feeling, the uplifting feeling and the melodic instrumentals, Peter gives it all, he’s a master in it! Four great interpretations of Peter Green’s blues, Blind Lemon Jefferson’s countryblues, Don Nix’ classic title track and The Memphis Jug Band blues ‘Aunt caroline Dyer Blues’, are what ‘covers’ should be! Perfect album!

​Patrick has delivered again an nice album, and I don’t understand why he isn’t more known. My support he has!

Expect a clear, powerful, wide-ranging voice, beautiful poetic lyrics, passionate piano playing and heavenly arrangements.

The Dutch rock band Focus, founded in the 1960s, always guaranteed quality music. Despite the many changing of band members, the quality remained high. With 15 new songs, complemented by alternative takes of the Focus X and 11 sessions, band leader Thijs van Leer proves to be back from never been gone. Beautiful album!

Andrea Marr (and the Funky Hitmen) delivers a highly recommended blistering and scorching funky soul album ‘Natural’. Echoes of Sharon Jones, James Brown, Stax- and Daptone records are easy to find. But this Australian/Shri-Lankan soul diva writes her own material and her songs can compete effortless with the great soul songwriters of the golden soul era. ‘Natural’ is a magnificent album!

Nice third album of modern soulsinger Gabriel Tajeu. The songs are mostly catchy and beautiful, but sometimes they are boring. He has to learn to dose the use of his high pitch voice. It gets on your nerves. The songs where he chose to sing in a lower key, are much stronger.

If your face doesn't break out in a great, big fat smile during first ear-hole of this album, I'd check your pulse to make sure you are still with us!  Quirky, fun, and larger than life; Angus Crowne has delivered something different, something that harks back to the 70"s and 80's rockabilly-meets-psyche-rock and a large dollop of punk sensibilities too - Music Republic Magazine

‘Pop/folk songs that embrace the listener like a warm blanket on a cold winters day’ BT (DK)

Mike ‘Mudfoot’ McDonald gives us a beautiful debut album. Why he took so long is a mystery. This album oozes blues, bluesrock and southern rock in the style of The Allman Brothers. Highlights are the very catchy title track, the instrumental ‘Valerie’ and the blues shuffle ‘Lean On Me Mama’! 

In Akustika we will allways remember John Wetton  as a brilliant musician.  Especially known for his bass-work, he also appeared to be  a gifted singer-songwriter!

Peeling the rough bolster of Age Sten Nilsen, gives a lot of soft melodic pleasure.

Jim Byrnes presents very authentic blues and gospel songs. Jim goes back to his high school youth, and the songs that inspired him at that time. The cover songs are a finely chosen choice, and got a handsome rework. But on a next album I want to hear some original songs.

​A nice introduction to this contemporary jazz band. Recommended for lovers of Spyro Gyra, The Rippingtons and Acoustic Alchemy. 

Two highlights on this neo funk album, ‘Is You’ an organic, calm pop song without too much annoying synthesizers. The other one is ‘Neva Know’ a hot Grace Jones-like funk song. But even for neo funk fans this album is unsatisfactory. Porsche’s voice is great!

​A rerelease of an album by the late pianist Keith Emerson. No ordinary tracks, but rather themes. 

​An album inspired an dedicated to the late Laura Nyro. For lovers of Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed, Tom Waits. 

One who likes woolly pop music, stuffed with organic and electronic instrumentation and sounds, a lovely female voice, and maybe understand what that voice sings in Norwegian, can buy this cd immediately. 

It’s nothing new, but good classic rock for fans of Status Quo and poprock lovers.

Classic rock with influences of Delta and country blues.  Listen to the sweet melodies and steamy grooves and don’t forget the lyrics of this experienced musician.

A little over two years ago, the late Alfons Maes asked me if I wanted to interview ‘Wild River’. ‘Wild River’, you say? Doesn’t ring a bell. But we had a nice chat. Members Wilfried Arens and Serge Sorber contacted me again a few weeks ago. They were saddened by the sudden death of our godfather Alfons, and wanted to tell me about their new record ‘A New Dawn’.
 
A certain Ronny Peeters is the lead singer, and he’s quite awesome. Not once did it occur to me that this guy is no native speaker. ‘Walpurgisnight’ (an event I always associate with the witches of Belgian comic phenomenon ‘Jommeke’ or with ‘Hela De Heks’ by Marc Sleen of ‘Nero’ fame) is the best song, but ‘Price On Your Head’ and ‘Tears of the World’ are no slouches either. ‘Marianne’, the only ditty on which both gents share harmony vocals, even resembles ‘Dreaming Wild’ by The Radios. Same groove, same infectious rhythm.
 
New musical roads are less travelled, but that’s okay. When Wild River takes instrumental turns (e.g. ‘Hypnotic’), the shadow of Pink Floyd seems to loom. Echoes of Gilmour – not coincidentally Sorber’s big hero – are evident and apparent in each song. But never call Wild River the discount Pink Floyd from Aldi or Lidl (even though that would still be flattering for every other band that isn’t Pink Floyd). Wild River is standing on the shoulders of giants, but they’re singing their own tune. ‘Le Pink Floyd belge’, then? Sure, why not?
 
Criticism? The artwork is very mediocre. This is the sort of music that really craves epic cover art in the Meat Loaf or Iron Maiden vein. A gorgeously painted tableau or calico would go a long way. But that’s a money pit, and Sorber and Arens don’t have endless pockets. ‘A New Dawn’ is their calling card for more gigs, and succeeds in this regard. The Wild River members are retired (jobwise), but if they are able to hold on to this level of songwriting, they have the chops to continue for another 30 years. Worth the discovery.
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This is a warm album with 2 voices that seem to blend to tell original story songs 

Some songs of this album help you think about life en give you goose bumps 

With this second album has this dynamic cello-guitar duo proved that folk music also can be progressif