THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: March 2021 (Page 11 of 14)

ANGEL – s/t

March 8, 2021 /

This is the first album by this pomp/glam band from Washington, and it was released away back in ’75. Just like their label mates Kiss, they were all about the image primarily to detract you away from the quality of the material – especially on later albums. This release has very little similarities to Sinful that was recorded just 4 years later.

The album opens with the band’s masterpiece, The Tower, which was keyboard overload from Greg Giuffria, with its extended intro and high range vocals from Frank DiMino. Next track, Long Time, is a typical mid-seventies sounding track, and to be honest, is quite Prog sounding and is not that commercial sounding. Last track on Side 1, Rock & Rollers, could almost be a Kiss outtake and is quite an average tune.

Side 2 starts with Broken Dreams. This track starts off at a frenzy before slowing down into another average song. Mariner is a ballad and highlights the quirkiness of DiMino’s vocals. The nearest vocalist he reminds me of would be Geddy Lee, but not as good. Sunday Morning starts with a big fat riff and is a notch up from the past few tracks, before settling down into keyboard romp-a-rama, and is very Rush sounding. On & On follows, with its Zeppelin riff but the vocals let it down. The final piece is The Angel theme with more keyboard noodling from Giuffria.

If I was wanting to buy an album by the band I would go for the live album Live Without A Net as it a fair representation of what they were about. Other than The Tower, this album is not that great.

5/10 from The Grooveman.

IT BITES – Eat Me In St Louis

March 8, 2021 /

It Bites: the band that Virgin didn’t have a clue how to market. The main problem was that the first single that was released (Calling All The Heroes) was a smash hit nearly all over the world, but was not representative of the band’s music as a whole. They saw themselves as more of a progressive band, but the label wanted a pop band.

This was the 3rd and last album from the original line up, and was produced by one time Queen producer, Mack – it sounds fantastic. He captured exactly what the band was about. A bit late as inner band squabbles, drugs, general record company apathy, and most importantly, Francis leaving to go solo, would basically end this period of the band. Who knew a band as good as this would be hiding away in a small town in Cumbria? The main creative force and the main focus of the band’s arguments was frontman/guitarist Francis Dunnery, and keyboardist John Beck.

Positively Animal starts things off with a heavier sound than on previous efforts, and is a fantastic opener with a great vocal from Francis. Next up is Underneath Your Pillow, a trademark It Bites song – heavy on the melody and great vocal harmonies. One of my favourite It Bites tracks is next with Let Us All Go. A great riff, some great key changes, a superb melody and chorus, and killer harmonies. Next is the absolute monster, Still Too Young To Remember. The one track that screams Prog. A bonafide classic track which just builds and builds and is It Bites to the max. Side 1 closes with Murder of The Planet Earth – reminding us how bad we as humans treat the thing that keeps us alive.

Over to Side 2 we go and it starts with People Of America, which is a song that sounds as though it was recorded in ’89 with its pseudo electronic beginning. Sister Sarah is next and should have been a smash single – if only the record company cared about the band at this point. A great song with a rockin’ up tempo groove. Leaving Without You is the penultimate track and showcases the range and feel in Francis’ voice. Another really huge sounding song thanks again to the great production. Ice Melts Into Water closes the album out, and is a beautiful chill song with some great guitar and again with those harmonies.

The band still exists today and have released a couple of really good albums with John Mitchell replacing Francis. He does an admirable job, but Francis was such a strong character both sonically and visually within the band that maybe they should have changed the name. Anyhoo, a great album and would be a welcome addition to your collection.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

GOJIRA – Magma

March 6, 2021 /

Heavier than a heavy thing on a heavy train to heavy town. This album is supreme heaviness wrapped in a blanket of awesome. This is the sixth album from the French tech metallers. They appeared roundabout the same time the djent offshoot was taking root and they were lumped in with those bands, but there is way more going on here.

The first track, The Shooting Star, is quite a left turn for the band as its very Sabbath sounding both in vibe and feel, and with a clean vocal. Second track, Silvera, starts off in familiar territory – with supreme heaviness before the melody interjects to add clout to proceedings. The Cell proceeds to melt your face off with some epic double kicks and monster heaviness, before down-tuned grooviness ensues. Stranded starts with big chugga’s and swell pedal weirdness and is the heaviest track yet. Side closer, Yellow Stone, is just a small bass instrumental to fade out.

Over the flip we go and the title track, Magma, bursts forth and is a mixture of fat heaviness and psychedelic vocals and vibes. Pray follows with some epic thunderous beats with rhythmic chugga’s, and monk like chanting before supreme heaviness takes over. Only Pain proceeds to pound my brain into submission with epic drumming from Mario Duplantier. Low Lands starts with some fantastic off-groove drumming, before the almost Pink Floyd-esque vocals start – a great mix of heavy and hippy. Last track, Liberation, is another weird instrumental piece.

If they had put the two small side closing pieces together, and added another song, this would have been a 10 album. A great album by a great band. In the somewhat tired genre of metal, they are a shining light.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN – Couldn’t Stand The Weather

March 6, 2021 /

Along with Bowie’s Let’s Dance, and the release of the Live At The El Mocambo, this was the album that launched Stevie into the cosmos. We had heard murmurings in the music press about this hot shot guitar player from Texas, but nothing could prepare us for the sheer power of Stevie’s playing. Sure he had all the Hendrix licks and moves down to a tee, but his style was all his own. Listen to the almost chicken pickin’ workout of Scuttle Buttin’ to see what a great style he had. The first time I heard Stevie was on the Let’s Dance video and I was blown away. There is something about a three piece that you just can’t beat. It’s all you need: guitar, bass, drums and vocals – that’s as pure as it gets. When Stevie changed the format himself by bringing in keys and horns, it was never the same.

Other than live performances, this album was as good as it got for me. This album is a mix of originals and covers dear to Stevie. The second track, the title song from the album, is a self penned tune and has the Hendrix blues mix that would be his trademark – a great song it is. The first cover is The Things I Used To Do, a blues standard written by Eddie Jones, which shows what command SRV had over his tone and sound. Hendrix’s Voodoo Chile closes out Side 1 and would become a showcase in the set whenever it was played live. Stevie doesn’t mimic Jimi, he makes it his own.

Side 2 opens with the Doyle Bramhall written Cold Shot, which is an awesome tune and was released as a single. The Jimmy Reed classic Tin Pan Alley is next – Reed was a big influence for Stevie. The album ends with two original: Honey Bee, a classic shuffle, and Stangs Swang a triad jazz piece that shows Stevie’s versatility as a player. No one trick pony here.

This is another in the series of everyone should own one.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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