"Seager's 'Losing Streak', would you believe about drink and women, closes out the album, with it's cajun feel, its message being that you’re just looking for a peaceful life, but you find yourself up the creek without a paddle! Well, come on, this is the Blues! All in all, a delightful eclectic mix of Blues with not only great lyrics, but more importantly, an album that has the vibe of a live band with some killer tracks that will go down a storm at any gig - particularly their drinking songs! You know what they say - go on - in for a penny, in for a pound!" Well the boys from the Medway Delta have done it. Our final category sees Bad Pennies (Video Of The Day) win our 2018 WRC Best Reviewed CD award for 'Songs From The Medway Delta'. Congratulations to all of our eleven winners and we look forward to catching up with you in 2019 to present your awards!

Today's Blues Club Podcast Track Of The Day is another two hours of non-stop Best in Blues and beyond with More Music and Less Chat featuring music from Rory Gallagher, Brother Strut, Big Wolf Band, Joe Bonamassa, Jo Harman, Bad Touch, Buddy Holly, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Wille and the Bandits (pictured), Saverio Maccne, London Blusion, The Kentucky Headhunters, The Faces and many more.

US-based Gothic Rock band The Awakening released their 9th album 'Chasm' in November last year after an extended break since the release of 'Anthology XV' in 2013. As always the album features the voice, songwriting, musicianship, and production of Ashton Nyte, the man behind The Awakening since its debut album, 'Risen' in 1997. Joined by longtime drummer Sevven, 'Chasm' has been something of a labour of love for Ashton, as nine years and various solo albums and collaborations have passed since the release of The Awakening’s last full-length album, 'Tales Of Absolution + Obsoletion' in 2009. 'Chasm' features ten new songs, from atmospheric 12-string acoustic guitar ballads like 'Gave Up The Ghost' and 'Shadows In The Dark' to the pulsating dark Rock of 'Back To Wonderland' (today's Track Of The Day).

"The crowd lapped it up, as the mastermind behind the drums, Brian Downey; counted in the songs keeping the rhythms tight, with Wilson on bass. With his big curly hair and engaging smile Matt Wilson certainly looks the part, but he very much has his own powerful stage persona and completely owns the stage. The energy of the band went from strength to strength, 'Still In Love With You' soared with Grace and Edgar's guitar playing feeding off each other in dual guitar harmonies with high octane solos sweeping every head banger into the sleaze driven funky mood of 'Johnny The Fox'. The band didn't miss a hit, including all those well-known Lizzy songs that even a non-rocker would know, 'The Boys Are Back In Town', 'The Rocker' and 'Don't Believe A Word'. It was a stunning set and Alive and Dangerous do an exceptional job of keeping Lizzy’s music alive." That was our take on Alive & Dangerous at Nell's Jazz & Blues in London in February last year and Brian Downey's Thin Lizzy legacy (today's Video Of The Day) have deservedly won our 2018 WRC 'Best Tribute' award.

Following successful label festivals in Milan, Los Angeles and Stockholm, Frontiers Music have recently announced 'Frontiers Rock UK', a new event presented by Frontiers and The Academy Group which will be held at the O2 Institute in Birmingham on Saturday 2nd February. The Festival starts at 5pm and features some of the hottest acts signed to the label, with six bands comprising a spectacular bill of UK based talent including headliner's Inglorious, Wayward Sons, Vega, Bigfoot, 2018 WRC 'Best Support Band' winners Doomsday Outlaw and City Of Thieves.

British Blues Rock guitarist and singer-songwriter Laurence Jones will be special guest on the second UK Tour of Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live over eight dates in May. Expect a dynamic, turn-back-the-clocks, two-hour live extravaganza homage to Glenn's tenure in MK 3 and MK 4 incarnations of Deep Purple - one of music history’s most seminal and influential Rock and Roll groups. Hailed as “one to watch” by all corners of the music industry, including press, concert and festival booking agents, Blues fans and various musicians, over the past five years, Laurence has really come into his own, and with his latest album 'The Truth', he has now developing his own creative skin by writing and performing songs that are distinctive to his unique sound and identity.

We were pleased to receive a Happy New Year message from our Canadian correspondent Moose On The Loose. Indeed today's Video Of The Day is from local legends White Cowbell Oklahoma doing it again with their searing new release 'Into the Sun', the video including footage from France last Summer! 'Into the Sun' is taken from the album 'Seven Seas of Sleaze', and the video is directed by Alex Parker with live footage by Tom Roelofs.

We finally caught up with Bob and Jules just before Christmas to present them with their 2017 WRC Best Radio Show Award (pictured) and, believe it or not, Rock On The Ridge has now walked off with our 2018 Award - the fifth year in a row! Anyway, today's Track Of The Day is their first show of the New Year featuring Monster Truck, We The Kings, Greenleaf, The Winery Dogs, These Wicked Rivers, Buckets Rebel Heart, Massive Wagons, The Answer, Scorpion Child, Crobot, Zodiac, The Raconteurs, Desert Dragon, Mississippi Riot, Gin Annie, FiveFinger DeathPunch, Blacktop Mojo, Black Stone Cherry, Xander and the Peace Pirates,Thin Lizzy and Rival Sons!

Today's Blues On The Radio Track Of The Day includes four IBBA albums of the months from Ina Forsman, Ariel Posen, Travellin' Blue Kings and Larkin Poe plus new music from Jamie Thyer & The Worried Men, Dee Miller Band, Chris O'Leary, Elles Bailey (pictured), Vin Mott, Rebecca Downes & Steve Birkett, Spikedrivers, and (ahead of his gig tonight at The Tuesday Night Music Club, The Comrades Club, Coulsdon CR5 2N) Del Bromham!

Jawbreaker, the seminal American Punk Rock band, have announced details of their first UK show in 25 years, taking place at the O2 Academy Brixton, London, on Saturday 27th April. Widely credited with being a major influence not just on modern Punk Rock but also the burgeoning Emo movement of the time, this is the band’s first concert outside of North America since re-uniting to triumphantly headline the 2017 version of Riot Fest in Chicago. The band are made up of Blake Schwarzenbach (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Bauermeister (bass, backing vocals) and Adam Pfahler (drums), and shot to fame with albums including '24 Hour Revenge Therapy' in 1994, which was recorded with the legendary producer and engineer Steve Albini, and the seminal 1995 album 'Dear You'.

"Back at the Prog stage are Finnish Prog heroes The Von Hertzen Brothers. Playing a mix of classic Rock combined with Progressive elements, Folk, Punk and contemporary Rock, the band has a sound for everyone. Guitarist Kie, playing his battered white strat, gets some killer sounds out of his Vox amp with a set that has heavy guitar but also a big keyboard sound that has Rush-like qualities. Mikko Von Hertzen has a happy look on his face the whole time, although, if you are young, good looking and front a popular band, why wouldn’t you be. The heat of the weekend feels at it’s hottest here as Kie quips to the assembled photographers "We look way better when we are soaked". And not a drop of rain all day." That was part of our review of Ramblin' Man Fairat the beginning of July in Mote Park, Maidstone, and the Von Hertzen Brothers have duly been voted 'Best Prog' performance in our 2018 WRC Awards!

Nine Shrines reveal their first brand new song 'Ringworm' (today's Track Of The Day) taken from their upcoming debut studio album 'Retribution Therapy', which will be released globally via Mascot Records/Mascot Label Group in 2019. Nine Shrines is made up of former Attack Attack! drummer Andrew Wetzel, Life On Repeat guitarist Andrew Baylis, Life On Repeat bassist Devon Voisine, guitarist Evan McKeever (Downplay) and frontman Chris Parketny (Stranger to Wolves). ‘Retribution Therapy’ was mixed and produced by Dan Korneff (My Chemical Romance, Papa Roach, Breaking Benjamin) and ‘Ringworm’ is their first new song since they released the ‘Misery’ EP back in April 2017.