THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: October 8, 2020

LARKIN POE – Venom & Faith

October 8, 2020 /

I didn’t fully appreciate this band until I caught them playing live at the Ottawa Bluesfest a few years ago. They blew me away with how good they were. Blues for a modern age. Fronted by sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell, they are the best blues/roots band I have seen for a long time.

Album opener Sometimes is pure delta blues which sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the record. Rebecca’s voice is just perfect for the music they play. Fly Like an Eagle is my personal favourite. There is so much emotion on this record I’m not sure any words I write can do it justice. Just close your eyes and you could be on the banks of the Mississippi. Listen to Hard Time Killing Floor Blues to catch my drift. There is some great slide/lap steel played by Megan.

Love this record. If anyone has a remote interest in blues/roots music they should own this record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

CHEAP TRICK – Heaven Tonight

October 8, 2020 /

So these are my ramblings on the records in my collection. It won’t be in alphabetical order as I will be using a Discogs randomizer to determine what gets reviewed.
Here we go:

CHEAP TRICK- Heaven Tonight

So first up is this monster of a record. It’s what is now called a power pop masterpiece. Not sure who coined that phrase, but as Billy Joel will say “ It’s Still Rock n Roll to me”. There is really not a bad song on the album . From the opening of Surrender, to the close out of a How Are You, each one is a dose of Cheap Trick in their prime. Their love of all things Beatles is very evident on most tracks but that is not a bad thing. I was never sure how to take them when I first heard them as visually they come across as sort of having a split personality. As you have Team Weird (Rick and Bun E) and Team Normal (Robin and Tom). I was never sure if it was a gimmick or for real, but as long as the music’s good who cares?! The one thing that does stand out about Cheap Trick is they do come across as a band instead of group of individuals. Released in 1978, a hell of a year for great rock records. Produced by the excellent Tom Werman and recorded at the legendary Sound City, this has to be up there with the best of Cheap Trick’s very extensive catalogue. My personal stand out track is Auf Wiedersein.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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