THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: April 2, 2021

ISOTOPE – Deep End

April 2, 2021 /

This one is for all fusion fans out there. Founded in the UK in 1972 by guitarist Gary Boyle, this is the band’s third release. Buoyed on by the success of similar British outfits of the time (Coliseum, Brand X and Soft Machine), there were a lot of go’s fusion bands around at the time. I remember seeing the band on The Old Grey Whistle Test and really liking what I was hearing. There was a lot more variety on labels back then as they were willing to take a chance on non-chart specific bands, but bands that were album orientated in there approach. It’s great to hear musicians of this quality just going for it. The playing is exceptional throughout, and with killer production, this is highly recommended record if your that way inclined.

The opening and closing tracks on Side 1 Mr. M’s Picture and Black Sand are wonderful tunes with lots of groove, swing, and superb musicianship. Fonebone is my personal happy track as the funk is alive and well on this piece. If you like to stretch your brain with new musical experiences then you should give this a try.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

STEELER – s/t

April 2, 2021 /

So before Malmsteen was…err…Malmsteen, and before Keel was…well…Keel – there was Steeler. Mike Varney was responsible for bringing Yngwie over to America with a work permit, and getting him to record and write this – the one and only – Steeler record with Ron Keel.

So what does it sound like I hear you ask? Well it sounds like Keel the band with Yngwie on guitar. The songs are typical American cock rock stompers with an over the top guitar player. I’m not surprised this project only lasted the one album, as this was always going to be a clash of the egos. What was left behind was the blueprint for Keel to record his next 3 records, and Yngwie would go on to be the donut eating guitar virtuoso we all know – after his short lived stint in Alcatrazz.

Cold Day In Heel is a kick ass opening tune and rocks accordingly with a typical Yngwie over the top solo. In fact, this is very much the order of proceedings all the way through the album – apart from Hot On Your Heels, which sees Yngwie widdly diddling right from the get go. Although very impressive, it’s all just fast runs and scales at this point. The intro to Abduction, the Side 2 opener, is very much in the direction in which Yngwie would go when he would go solo – very neo classical in style. My favourite track is the last song, Serenade, which, believe it or not, reminds me of Rush – especially the opening section. The song is a slow build tune with the appropriate big rock ending.

I admit to having a soft spot for this record, and I do like it. I know they would go on to bigger things, but it’s fun to see where it all started.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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