ROCK GODDESS – This Time (2019)
Today is the release date of “This Time”, the comeback album from the reunited original lineup of ROCK GODDESS — the female power trio from the days of NWOBHM – featuring sisters Jody and Julie Turner along with bassist Tracey Lamb. The album was produced by Jody Turner and mixed with the help of Wes Maebe (Robert Plant, Praying Mantis).
Rock Goddess was formed in 1977 in Wandsworth, South London by Jody Turner (guitar and vocals) and Julie Turner (drums) when they were thirteen and nine years old, respectively. They recruited school friend Tracey Lamb on bass guitar.
The all-female group first rose to the nation’s awareness when they were first featured in Kerrang! No. 5 in 1981 in the “Armed And Ready” section as one of the bands to watch out for.
After recording a four-track demo tape and an appearance at the Reading Festival in 1982, sharing a bill with Iron Maiden, plus regular shows at the Marquee club, the band landed a contract with the A&M label.
They recorded their eponymous debut album with producer Vic Maile in 1983 and hit the lower end of the charts. A follow-up album, “Hell Hath No Fury”, arrived a year later, by which time Lamb had left the band to form SHE and later to join Girlschool.
After their contract with A&M expired in 1987, Rock Goddess’ already recorded (in 1985) third album, titled “Young And Free”, was released only in France. The effort saw the band taking on a more commercial sound.
The band’s career was cut short by financial and contractual problems, which forced them to disband shortly thereafter.
Rock Goddess did briefly reform in 2009 and was due to play Hard Rock Hell festival in Prestatyn, and was also booked to perform at the Headbangers Open Air festival in Germany the following summer, but split before they had a chance to appear at either event.
In March 2013, it was announced that the original Rock Goddess lineup had reunited and would start recording a new album.
The band released a 3-track EP in 2017, but now we a the full length comeback album “This Time”.
The album is full of thumping powerful hard rock & metal tracks with highlights including the opener, the anthemic ‘Are You Ready’, the crunchy ‘Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right’ (with some Lita Ford on it) and the title track ‘This Time’, as well as the surprise of the album for me, the slower almost ballad-like ‘Drive Me Away’.
As extra we have added the recent EP, including the fist-rising ‘It’s More Than Rock And Roll’.
Rock Goddess have already contributed so much to the history of hard rock and metal. Their place among the pioneers of the genre has long been assured.
Now, they are ready to take it all to a new level – have no doubts, they are ready to blast a path through the contemporary music scene & on their own terms, as they always have done.
All in all a cracking return from this 3 piece and listening to this has made the years just roll away. Not only have they released some fine new songs but they have played the ace card by Jody Turner producing the album herself and replicating that classic sound that was so distinctive all those years ago, with the guitars and vocals all crisp and sharp and her sister’s drum sound so accurate.
Ripping solos & power riffs, deep basslines & punchy drum fills abound, “This Time” is an album that revisits what we loved about Rock Goddess but also with a much more updated and fresher feeling.
01 – Are You Ready?
02 – Obsession
03 – Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right
04 – Calling To Space
05 – Flying To See You
06 – Why Do We Never Learn?
07 – This Time
08 – It’s My Turn
09 – Drive Me Away
10 – It’s More Than Rock And Roll
11 – Back Off
12 – We’re All Metal
Jody Turner – Lead Guitar & Lead Vocals
Julie Turner – Drums & Backing vocals
Jenny Lane – Bass Guitar & Backing vocals
BUY IT !
www.amazon.co.uk/This-Time-Rock-Goddess/dp/B07MWQCN17
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