Review added to CD Album by Magic Marmalade:
Television - Marquee Moon (1989)

Another one on my "To be investigated" list...

... In that it's one (band too) that I'd always been aware of, and seen the cover and heard the reputation of the band and this album over the years, but never got around to hearing.

I think the impression I had that it was "punk" tended to push it down my list of priorities, but I think that the term doesn't really apply that much, as this is much better than that.

More subtle, understated, tuneful, and melodic... more thoughtfully constructed too, this actually sounds less dated, fresher, and free from it's time than anything else of it's era... In fact it sounds like it could have been released almost anytime in the last ten to twenty years, which may be a signal of it's accumulated influence on modern music, and that many more recent bands have been influenced by this than other bands of the time, in reality; Albeit they get more credit.

The drums which open the one of these tracks bears more than a passing resemblance to the those which open "Stupid Girl", by Garbage... and the vocal style must surely have influenced the lead singer of Clap You Hands, Say Yeah!

If you like indie or rock from these last ten and twenty years, chances are, you'll love this.

One you'll want to spend more time with than just a passing listen.

Review added to Vinyl Album by Scratchy45:
The Passions [UK] - Thirty Thousand Feet Over China (1981)

A favourite band of mine at the time, and great to see live. With a single as well received, remembered and frequently covered as the album opener, why weren't the Passions more successful? Why wasn't that song itself more successful at the time?

Some answers may be found on the biography page of the band's web presence, specifically the second page.

Review added to DVD by Quad5point1:
Germany Awake! - AG PlateRated 1/10

Completely unwatchable. I must be more vigilant when buying DVD's as I have been caught once before with a disc that was equally as bad as this one. I don't know who this company AG Plate are but they definitely produce some of the worst quality DVD's ever. This particular one got precisely 10 seconds before it was ejected and shredded. Complete and utter rubbish

Review added to Book by Juke Jules:
Brian McFadden - Rock Rarities For A Song: Budget LPs That Saved The Roots Of Rock 'n' Roll (2015)

A lovingly researched book which should appeal to all 45catters! Brian's enthusiasm for the hidden treasures on budget labels comes across clearly and he has unearthed the entrepreneurs and artists behind many of the best examples.

Brian continues to research his subject and welcomes contributions from other knowledgeable collectors, which promises a symbiotic alliance with 45cat and its Worlds. I look forward to his forthcoming book on R&B budget albums.

Review added to Cinema by albert:
Sole Survivor (1970)

A WWII bomber is discovered in the desert decades after it was lost in flight. The sole survivor travels out there intending to return home with the remains of the ex-crew members to give them a proper burial but has trouble in locating the bodies. Meanwhile the ghosts of the crew look on, play baseball and ponder the situation.

Review added to Book by Richard Vollin:
Arthur Lyons - Death On The Cheap (2000)Rated 8/10

"Most books on the subject of film noir cover only well-known movies in their filmographies, such as The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, Out of the Past, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and so on. But these were all A productions. What Mr. Lyons has done is dust off those B films that have been sitting on studio shelves, those which rarely, if ever, appear on television, even at three in the morning, and has some fun doing it. Thankfully, the terms 'mise-en-scene,' 'aesthetic reversals,' and 'rhetorical form' do not appear in his text."

-- Gerald Petievich, author of the books To Live and Die in L.A. and Shakedown

Review added to CD Album by Charlie Chalk:
Various Artists - No More Heartaches / What Am I To Do? (2017)

A superb new CD on the revived legendary Doctor Bird label. It comprises two popular Trojan label LPs from 1969 and 1970, featuring 24 tracks produced by producer Harry J (Johnson), many recorded at Coxsone Dodd's Studio 1 studio. First time on CD for both albums.

A must for all lovers of early ('Skinhead') Reggae. Unusually for a compilation of Harry J productions, there is no 'Liquidator' here.

Extensive notes in the inlay, but as yours truly wrote the sleeve notes, I can't really comment on them.

Inlay images courtesy of some website named 45cat!

A great way to start a new reissue programme on a classic label.

Review added to TV by MR B PAGE:
The Adventure Game (1980 - 1986) (1980)

The theme tune for the intro and outro for The Adventure Game is the Norwegian Dance No.2 from 4 Norwegian Dances,Op.35 by Edvard Grieg,originally for 1 or 2 pianos,as well as the orchestral version arranged by Hans Sitt.

Review added to CD Album by Magic Marmalade:
Galneryus - Advance To The Fall (2005)

Fantastically over-wrought power-ballad-speed metal.

I saw this in one of the racks at a charity shop, and seeing the Japanese writing, thought: "Ooh... what's that?!"...

... Thinking it would likely turn out to be either an audiobook or a computer game (I frequently get caught out by this), I looked closer, and saw the sci-fi glam type band presented on the actual cover, inside the Norse mythological style illustration on the slipcase and the name which seemed evocative of this last impression too, and so thought it was either going to be some Japanese progressive rock or a sci-fi pop band.

I was not really disappointed!

...For while it is largely metal (speed metal, played insanely, and possibly inhumanly fast), it is very melodic, and tuneful at the same time. The singer is aiming for a kind of Bruce Dickinson power yell, and under which, it's like Yes (band) decided to try their hand at metal.

And into this mix, there are thrown random synth elements that sound like they could be from the soundtrack to Rocky IV.

Overall the only word that describes this whole album is: Epic!

...But if you want some other words, Grandiose, over-the-top, sky-scraping, melodic power speed metal will also be applicable.

... or, surprisingly good, nutty brilliance.

Review added to CD Album by Magic Marmalade:
Stone Temple Pilots - Purple (1994)

This is right up my alley!

(...Hence the grimace)

...I'd like to add my usual exclamation of: "How did this evade me first time round?!"...

.....But, in truth, I know the answer to that one:

I had a friend who was into metal at the time, so when she recommended this to me, I simply dismissed it as being another unlistenable piece of heavy metal, and so Stone Temple Pilots were neatly filed away from then on, in the section: "Not my thing", in my brain, and so never had cause to revisit.

But this is, if I may still use the term in polite company: "Grunge".

...And very good grunge it is too!

Better in fact, than most everything else from the time, and even (whisper it)... better than Nirvana's Nevermind album (Gasp! - the sound of crockery breaking on the floor - etc.), which I find to be, other than two or three tracks, hard work to listen too all the way through these days. I know we are supposed to bow our heads and speak with veneration of that album, but it bores the dooin's out of me now, and I remain firmly in the Pearl Jam: Ten camp, for it is more tuneful, and engaging in many more ways.

...And this, I would argue, is even stronger than that album!

Only Soundgarden's: Superunknown album has had more of my ear-time in recent years than Ten, but this is going to get played to death!

Nevermind Nirvana, this Pearly Jam is a Ten+

(There's a fantastic, if extremely odd, secret track at the end of this, whih is a kind of jazzy Vegas lounge tune... and a good one at that :)

Review added to TV by sladesounds:
Poldark (2015 - Now) (2015)

Take away the hype surrounding the bare chested Turner, which the majority of the media initially focused on, this is a historical romp on par with anything broadcast in recent years.

I myself am not always a great fan of this type of drama however with its violence, raunchiness, romance, intrigue and humour set against the magnificent backdrop of the Cornish coast this series draws you in and before you know it you are hooked. The characters are well cast and like all good dramas there are heroes, villains, fools and beauties.

A well written and well filmed BBC period drama that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. I would recommend that you should give this one a look, I think like me you may be surprised at how good it is.

Roll on season 4 in 2018!

Review added to Cinema by harley:
Ghosts (2006)Rated 10/10

Ai Qin Lin is one of the survivors of this terrible true life event she was a illegal immigrant cockle picker at the dangerous Morecambe Bay and who paid a Gangmaster to bring her into the UK. She came to the UK to help her family but was deported back to China not long after. In all 23 illegal workers lost their lives whilst cockle-picking on Morecambe Bay.

The film also show how cruel the Gangmasters are to illegal immigrant showing how they get from China to the UK in terrible conditions, living in awful crowded houses and making them work in conditions in a area which they knew known was a death trap.

Review added to TV by MR B PAGE:
The Champions (1968 - 1969) (1968)

This series is created by Monty Berman and Dennis Spooner and made in 1967 for ITC,and screened a year later and only 30 episodes were made,and I remember the first 15 episodes used to be screened on Saturday mornings for LWT at 11:30 a.m. in 1985,and the second 15 episodes screened on Wednesday afternoons for Thames at 1:30 p.m in 1986 before BBC 2 screened again on Friday nights at 6:25 p.m. in the 1990`s. This series also launched the careers of well known stars such as the late Kate O`Mara [who look so beautiful at the time],Burt Kwouk,and not to mention Donald Sutherland [known him better as a film actor,not only in the Champions episode entitled `Shadow of the Panther`,when he played the villain called David Crayley,as well as appearing in The Saint,The Avengers and Man in a Suitcase.But my favourite actor in this series is none other is Peter Wyngarde who played a villain Dr.Sumner in the episode `The Invisible Man`before landing to play Jason King in the 1968 series called `Department S`,as well as the 1971 series of the same character,and not to mention playing Klytus in the 1980 movie ``Flash Gordon`.And now,I`ve got the complete series on DVD and distributed by Carlton,and what a great series for me.

Review added to Vinyl Album by Dr Doom:
Stefano Mainetti - Zombi 3 : Original Soundtrack (2017)

A game of two halves this one.

Side 1 is a feast of foreboding synths, electro drum machine and demonic choirs. Really excellent stuff.

Side 2 is an 80s pop cheese fest. On first listen I hated it compared to the first side but taken on it's own merits it's actually quite good fun.

The original CD release of this soundtrack alternated between the Stefano Mainetti and Clue In The Crew tracks but I much prefer it done this way.

Also a mention has to be made of the artwork etc. Another great reissue from W.R.W.T.F.W.W. which totally captures the 80s Horror/VHS style.