THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: May 2021 (Page 2 of 15)

WISHBONE ASH – Live Dates

May 28, 2021 /

Wishbone Ash are one of the UK’s best bands, and the originators of the harmony twin guitar attack. This live show was recorded in ’73 on the British tour to promote the Wishbone Four album. The guitars of Andy Powell and Ted Turner would be the band’s signature sound and copied by many. They have a very unique sound with the vocal harmonies that compliment the guitars to great effect.

The album starts with The King Will Come, and if I where to name a tune that best encompasses the band’s sound – this would be it. A brilliant song that sounds great in the live environment. Warrior is next from the brilliant Argus album. The song has an almost hypnotic Celtic feel that is strangely haunting. Throw Down The Sword closes out Side 1 and we continue with the Celtic medieval vibe. The lyrics conjure up images of King Arthur, which isn’t to far from Torquay where the band originate from.

The Ballad Of The Beacon on Side 2 is a great tune and one of the tracks I have loved since I first heard it. The melodies and harmonies really shine. Side 3 contains three of the band’s best know tunes: The Pilgrim, Jail Bait and Blowin’ Free (which surprisingly was released as a single in the UK and did really well). Side 4 closes out the record with 2 live favourites in Lady Whiskey and Phoenix. Phoenix is timeless, and the arrangements of the guitars and vocals is sublime.

The band were great up until the New England album, then after that they seemed to lose the spark. Anyway, this a really good live album that showcases them in their prime.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

Y&T – Earthshaker

May 28, 2021 /

Formed in Oakland California back in ’74, they were originally called Yesterday and Today. In ’81 they changed their name to Y&T and released this, their third album, in ’81. To some, me included, this is their finest moment. Led by the supremely talented Dave Meniketti on vocals, and awesome guitar. For two albums at least, I thought they would go on to join the big leagues. They had everything going for them, great players and killer songs – plus they had Journey’s management team with them.

The first thing you notice here is the killer production. Every thing is super clear and separated. The drum sound is freaking huge and makes for a monster sound. Hungry For Rock is a great song to open with, as it does what it says on the tin. Dirty Girl, complete with very suspect lyrics, is a killer tune with a great vocal and guitar. Shake It Loose is my personal favourite as the tune rocks – it has a huge fat riff and planets of guitar. Squeeze is the only song that Meniketti does not sing, Phil Kennemore handles this one, and I think this is the only time he did. What a way to close with Rescue Me, an absolute epic close out track with killer everything.

Side 2 kicks off with Young And Tough and a fat huge distorted riff that leads into a big sing-a-long rock anthem. Hurricane is next – I could not think of a more apt name – as this kicks in just like one. The guitar playing is top draw and shows how awesome Meniketti is as a player. This track most definitely ROCKS!!! Let It Go slows the pace down slightly, but has a very catchy chorus and hook and the obligatory killer solo to add that cherry on the top. Knock You Out follows and is another high octane rocker that doesn’t disappoint with that awesome middle section. This band sure know how to pace an album as the close out track is about as epic as this band get. One of the best power ballads you will hear.

In my humble opinion, I think this is their best album. Sure they had some killer tracks on all of their releases, but none had quality songs all the way through like Earthshaker had.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

KHRUANGBIN- Con Todo El Munro

May 27, 2021 /

I find this band a bit of an anomaly in today’s music scene. On paper there is no way this band should be successful – they play what they want without any outside pressure, and they play mostly instrumentals (other than the occasional chant), plus they play a mix of differing world music styles. They hail from Texas, and this album draws heavily on influences from the Middle East, Spanish, and Latin music. The band comprise of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Johnson Jr. on drums. There are guest musicians, but these three are the band and are unbelievably good muso’s.

Khruangbin play seriously chill music, and for me, it hits the perfect spot when you want to really relax and lose yourself in the grooves and feel as though you are in the Texas dessert. Favourite tracks are Maria Tambien, which – as well as the heavy Latin flavour – also has some funk on the side just to make your chills that little bit groovier, and Evan Finds The Third Room, which again adds the funk to proceedings to give it that little fizz. If you want something a little bit different and away from the norm, then I recommend this highly as its a thoroughly enjoyable record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

MELIAH RAGE – Kill To Survive

May 27, 2021 /

Formed in ’87 and hailing from Boston, this is the band’s first album surprisingly on a major label (Epic) and released the following year in ’88. Obviously inspired by NWOBHM as they do not sound American at all. Their main claim to fame is that Godsmack’s Sully Erna was their drummer on 2002 ‘s Unfinished Business.

Opening track, Beginning Of The End, could have been written 10 years earlier as it has a very strong NWOBHM influence. Second track in, Bates Motel, is a pretty standard metal by numbers track. Third track is the band’s name check track, Meliah Rage, and sees the band moving more into the Bay Area sound – its the best track on the album. Total rifferama! As metal instrumentals go, it’s a good one. Last track on Side 1, Deadly Existence, leans heavily on the early Metallica sound and is a great thrash track.

Flipping over to Side 2 with opener, Enter The Darkness, that speeds in with fat riff city and a killer bass line – it’s back to that NWOBHM vibe. Next up is Impaling Doom and the band are trying to break the world land speed record. This track is fast until the fat chugga riff kicks in, which I presume is to save the drummer from imminent death – and then we’re back to the sprint. Last track, The Pack, changes gears pretty quickly. It has a hint of math metal with some off time chord patterns – it’s a really good song to end on.

I think the band are still around as they last released an album in 2018. A quite enjoyable metal romp.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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