Category: News

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Shift of focus – Thank you & Goodnight from Mood Swings

After over 20 years online, it is time to admit that Mood Swings, as a news and reviews website, has run its course.

These days there are multiple sources of melodic rock news, all easily accessible. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can bombard you constantly, if that is what you desire. If you want to find out what an album sounds like, a few mouse clicks or touchscreen presses will have it blasting out of your speakers or headphones.

There will be no more updates to the Mood Swings website, and the Facebook and Twitter feeds will also no longer be updated.

My thanks to all those record labels , PR companies, musicians and readers who have supported Mood Swings over the years.

Of course, I’m still listening to music. I’ve started keeping tabs on what I’ve been listening to in a set of digital notes. These notes will eventually incorporate the archive material previously published at Mood Swings. Building this personal database of music related info will be my focus going forward. The platform I’m using allows me to share those notes online at www.melodicrocknotes.com.

From 01 Nov 2020 visitors to Mood Swings will be redirected to Melodic Rock Notes.

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Airbag–A Day At The Beach

I have been listening to quite a bit of progressive rock over the past couple of weeks. Airbag are one of the bands that standout from those listening sessions. The video below is a track from their latest album.

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Long Distance Calling–New Album–How Do We Want To Live?

Tired of listening to coffee shop sound to help get you through the day when working from home. How about a little ‘post rock’ to help you through. Minimal vocals and long instrumental passages. Sometimes this type of music just serves a purpose. Long Distance Calling are one  of the bands that stick in my mind. They have a new album out.

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Ramos–My Many Sides

On paper this should be an absolutely great album with Josh Ramos from The Storm/Two Fires and featuring vocalists such as Joe Retta, Eric Martin, Harry Hess, Danny Vaughn, to name a few. And then the video starts to play. At first I thought I had clicked on the wrong video, but no. This sounds like it was recorded during the NWOBHM on zero budget.

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Dukes Of The Orient–Freakshow

Dukes of the Orient, featuring John Payne and Erik Norlander, have a new album on the way. Unlike the first album which took 10 years to see the light of day, this one was put together in about a year. For fans of John Payne era Asia.

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FM – Synchronised

FM are a band that deliver bluesy, soulful hard rock in an AOR style package. They make it look and sound easy. If you are already a fan, you know that you can expect another high quality album.

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Pretty Maids–Maid In Japan–Future World Live 30th Anniversary

A bit of stretch, but continuing in a vaguely Purple theme, the Pretty Maids have a “Maid In Japan” live album just released. Maybe not destined to be as legendary Purple’s “Made in Japan”, but it is a an excuse to post a video of one of the band’s best tracks – “Little Drops of Heaven”. They are another band that deliver consistently, but who tend to drop off my radar between albums.

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Vandenberg–Skyfall

Yesterday I was posting about guys doing covers of Purple tracks. Today, there is still a Purple theme. Vandenberg have a new album coming out this year. This first track to be released from the album shows a huge Purple, circa Stormbringer, influence.

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Mark Spiro – 2+2=5: Best of +Rarities

I mentioned yesterday that I loved Mark’s westcoast albums. No sooner had I found out that Mark was involved in the new HOL album than Frontiers announce a best of album spanning 1996 to 2012. Also include is a CD of unreleased tracks.