THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: February 9, 2021

SAGA – Heads or Tails

February 9, 2021 /

Saga are Canada’s best kept secret. Other than Germany, they were virtually unknown outside their own country, which has always amazed me. One of the reasons is that they are quite hard to categorize. Is it Prog Rock? Pomp? New Wave? Who knows?! Anyhoo, they hail from Oakville in Ontario, which is basically a suberb of “Tronner “.

First track in is Flyer – a great song with a great chorus, great melody, and some killer guitar courtesy of Ian Crichton, the band’s secret weapon. It’s Crichton that drew my attention to the band. I caught a live show on TV and was blown away by how he played. Catwalk is next and again a killer tune with some amazing guitar. These are two amazing tracks to open an album, that’s for sure. The Sound of Strangers is next up, with an off-groove, and it has some great interplay between Jim Gilmour on keys, and Crichton’s guitar. A very Styx-esque beginning to The Writing, which is an ok song that is lifted with some great playing. Side closer, Intermission, an odd song that feels as though it should have been on a Tears For Fears album.

Side 2 begins with one of the bands more famous tunes, Social Orphan, a decent tune with a big chorus, and again, some great musical interplay. The Vendetta starts with an overload of keys, and sounds very of it’s time – but is saved by a ripping solo. Scratching The Surface, with the robotic keys intro, is next and if I’m honest it is a bit meh! The Pitchman closes things out, and thankfully is a kick ass tune to end things on a high. Plenty of keys and melody, and most important of all, more ripping guitar. There is an epic ending to this song that is worth buying the album alone.

If you are anyway interested (as I am) in great guitar players, then you should definitely check out Saga and the amazing Ian Crichton.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

TIN MACHINE – II

February 9, 2021 /

This is the MOV reissue of Tin Machine’s second album from ’91. I love MOV reissues as the quality is top drawer – both with the sound and the packaging. I happen to think that the Tin Machine project is his best material since the Ziggy Stardust days. I also think it’s more than a coincidence that Bowie is trading off with a killer guitar player. The great Mick Ronson back in the day, and the amazing Reeves Gabrels. The other members of the band are the Sales brothers, Hunt and Tony, who make a great rhythm section.

Baby Universal gets things going nicely – a great song that was left over from the first album with a catchy chorus and some great playing from Gabrels. Next up is One Shot, which starts with some phased guitar, and another great vocal from Bowie. One thing is very noticeable – after the first two songs, this album is a lot more accessible than the first Tin Machine album. You Belong In Rock And Roll is next, with its almost Public Image intro and vibe. This single was the highest chart position for the band, and a really cool song. On to If There is Something, with it’s up tempo groove and some classic weirdness from Reeves – it has a 50’s rock n roll vibe. The chill out, Amlapura, starts with some nice guitar and settles in to a slow chill out tune. Side close out track, Betty Wrong, is another killer tune with a great melody and groove.

Side 2 kicks in with You Can’t Talk. It has a killer intro and a fast spoken vocal, and is very much of the period – again some more stunning guitar. The longest track on the album, Stateside, follows with its bluesy swagger and gives a chance to play this sax. A Big Hurt rolls on in next and is probably the heaviest track on the album with a nod back to the glam days. Next track, Sorry, is probably the weakest song on the album and maybe should have just been left as a B Side. Goodbye Mr. Ed finishes things off with its Cure feel.

And that would be that – Tin Machine was no more. I guess Bowie thought they could not take it anywhere else. A good album and a lot better than some of the material that was put out in his own name.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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