Mick Birchall Reviews

Well, dear readers, it's that time of year again. I'd like to thank you for sticking with me this year as I've made vast changes to how I run the blog, my continuing health issues and my commitments to other blogs. It's definitely been a strange year. Yet, if there's one thing that this year delivered on in bucket fulls, it was good frickin' music. This year has been full of terrific album releases. I've constantly been excited from month to month, just waiting for the new albums. It's been a year where some of my favourite artists have returned with some impressive albums but also I have also discovered some incredible artists and they have released some amazing music too. The music of 2018 has been incredible and has kept me going even when my spirits were at their lowest. So, as you can imagine it was mighty difficult to narrow my favourite albums list down to 20. In all honesty, I couldn't narrow it any further. I could have done a top 100 of ...

This was one hell of a night. On a cold December night in Manchester, I got myself down to the Academy 2, to watch a night of hard rocking, heart pounding and exciting night of music. I wouldn't say that I'm massively nostalgic for  CKY  but I remember them well enough. The last time I saw them live, they were opening mainstage at Download Festival in 2011. They're one of those bands that were always around but I have never really paid them that much attention. So, I thought I would get myself out to this show and really take in what this band can do. To make the night even better, opening the show was American hard rockers Bullets And Octane  and Canadian heavy metal punks, Sumo Cyco . The crowd started to filter in and they were raring to go. Holy nostalgia Batman! Bullets And Octane  are one of those band that I grew up listening to. In The Mouth of The Young  was one of my favourite albums for a long time. I have never had the chance to check them out li...

Running this blog, I come across a wide variety of diverse and interesting artists. Today on the chopping block is LA-based blues act, Edgard . Their technical skill is excellent and the music in quite interesting to listen to. The musicality on display has so much emotion to it and a lot of weight, which I found to be compelling enough to keep listening. The new EP  Live @ Bedrock  is a fantastically captured performance in which you really get a sense of what he is like in a live setting with his full band. You get a real sense of their presence and musicianship and it honestly makes me want to see them live on stage.  The album is well produced with the sound coming through clear. The wonderfully silky and smooth tone and fantastic production make this EP a fun and engaging listening experience. The band's approach is unique as they mix up their blues and jazz stylings to create a really nice tone. There's definitel...

For a while now I've wanted to write a new blog feature, beyond just reviews and interviews. Something where I can just wax lyrical about my favourite music. This is the first in what hopes to be an ongoing series. So, after taking a deep dive into her music and examining her recent output I just wanted to take some time to talk about why I listen to singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt . The Scottish songstress has been on my playlist for a while. Whenever I need something soulful and filled with emotion, I know I can rely on her music to raise my spirits. There is a truth and an honesty to her songs and she manages to find a way to cut through the nitty-gritty and give her listeners poetically beautifully lyrics and music that oozes with atmosphere. I will say, I can hear why she was able to gain a foothold with those early EP's. Even then, her music has that troubadour styling to it and there is always going to be a fan base for that style of music. However, considering that ...