4/5

I must admit that some German bands always had my attention - Pink Cream 69 is one of those bands. Especially after vocalist David Readman (Ex Psycho Motel) showed up, replacing Andy Deris back in 1994.
Their debut in 1989 was great and after a pure period their '98 album "Electrified" changed their musical focus - after that bassist Dennis Ward was in charge of the production, too. "Endangered" is also recorded under Ward's direction and besides Readman on vocals the band features original members Alfred Koffler on guitars and Greek Kosta Zafirou on drums.
The band plays like it should - all members work like a mature team. The musical expression range from beautiful ballads like the bonus track "One Time is not enough" to groovy riff loaded tracks like "Don't need your Touch" and hard hitting arena anthems like "Shout!" and fast and furious power tracks like "Enslaved".
On the album there is a lot of cachy tunes, remarkable guitar work and outstanding vocals but also the rhythm section shows their ability especially on the already mentioned track "Don't need your touch" which also contains a beautiful choir arrangement in the end of the song - brilliant!!
The press material following this release says that Pink Cream 69 will go on tour in Europe from February 2002 - I hope that this band from Karlsruhe will come to Denmark - the future will also show more of Dennis Ward as a producer of the next Angra album, so the furure looks busy and bright for this German foursome!

3/5

Former Coney Hatch front man Carl Dixon from Canada has got himself a deal with German label MTM Music. And that team work seems to work terrific.
The album as a whole is a more down-to-earth rock affair than Dixons latest solo "One" from 1993 which had a lot of AOR-ish arena sound to it. "Into the future" hits of with Glenn Burtnick and/or Bad Company inspired tracks mainly written by Dixon himself - but also former band mate Andy Curran has made his fingerprints on the album. There are a couple of covers, too - Bad Company's "Little bit of Love" seems to fit perfectly and so is Robin Trower's "River". Good catchy Rock N Roll with a laid back attitude and a magnificent guitarplaying and singing Mr. Dixon all over it. Please remark the tracks "Into the future", "Back to where we started", "Little bit of Love" and "River".
On the record there are Mark Santer on drums, Mike Hall on guitar and Tim Harrington bass - but also April Wine's Brian Greenway puts a nitty gritty guitar solo on "Back to where we started". The album appeals to all lovers of melodic rock with a retro-feeling of the 70's - but has also stints of modern pop/rock and funk. In fact it reminds me in the variety of the first Coney Hatch album from almost 20 years ago.
I will hope that you will enjoy this release as much as I've done - it's really good and it's seldom to hear rock performed with such elegance and confidence like Carl Dixon.

4/5

I am impressed by this third release by Blackmore's Night. The "band" featuring mainly Sir Ritchie Blackmore and his beautiful maid Lady Candice Night has already released two albums under the Blackmore's Night moniker: "Shadow of the Moon" from 1997 and "Under a Violet Moon" from 1999. Like the two predecessors the album features a fascinating and beguiling mélenge of rock music, folk tunes and melodies from the 16^th Century.
Blackmore were known for his axe work with especially rock and heavy bands like Deep Purple and Rainbow - and the change of genre he explains this way: "..it happens to be the music that we feel like making at the moment, it doesn't follow any master plan, the idea is that it makes us and others happy!". And I must add that it definetely makes me happy - and stomping my feet, too. It's magic when Blackmore & Night mixes a catchy pop tune with acustic and electric guitars, strings, hurdy gurdy, flutes and bag pipes! ... uhhmm and that enchanting spheric voice of Candice Night. Blackmore has always prefered medieval music from Central and South-Eastern Europe to the Celtic tradition. "I don't know why, but I feel Germany is my second home" offers Blackmore. And some of his greatest inspirational sources are Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms.
So fasten your seat belts ... sorry your chastity belts and enjoy the magic of Blackmore's Night - it sure is addictive!!