THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: May 2021 (Page 4 of 15)

LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT – 3

May 24, 2021 /

Well, I guess after 22 years it would be about time to record the follow up to the second album. The groundwork for this album was made when Portnoy joined Petrucci on the recording of his last solo album, Terminal Velocity. That would be the first recording the ex-Dream Theater band mates would make together after Portnoy leaving the band to pursue challenges new – with his 17,000 projects he has been a part of since leaving. Also appearing here is the other member of DT, Jordan Rudess, keyboardist extraordinaire, and stick bass legend, Tony Levin.

If Portnoy was proving a point in regards to whether he still had the chops to play complex and strength sapping pieces anymore, I think with the first track Hyoersonic, those fears are simply put to rest as his playing here is other worldly. A jazz/Prog/metal masterpiece describes it perfectly. Second track, Beating The Odds, is more of a straight ahead track – well for these guys it is – and it does feel like a DT track. Keyboards are featured more on this piece and its full on widdly overload.

Side 2 starts with Liquid Evolution, and I’m guessing it’s describing musically how they have evolved over the last 22 years. A very fusion vibe for this relatively short piece. Back to the heaviness with the opening exchanges for The Passage Of Time, and this feels like an older Liquid Tension piece – my favourite so far. Petrucci, as well as being a shredder par excellence, can also play the most beautiful emotive runs. The weirdly named Chris & Kevin’s Amazing Odyssey is next, and starts with a very strange opening bass section and evolves as it continues for the whole track. Then it’s cover time for an over the top rendition of Rhapsody in Blue. Awesome! The very ballad-esque guitar piece Shades Of Hope is next, and then it’s onto the showstopper, Key To The Imagination, which is an incredible piece of music.

So the 22 years hasn’t changed them one bit, and they are still pushing boundaries.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

ADAM BOMB – Fatal Attraction

May 24, 2021 /

Originally a member of the Seattle heavy rock outfit, TKO, Adam Bomb appeared on the classic In Your Face album then abruptly departed the band. He went to Hollywood where he would eventually record this, his debut solo album. He is joined on this album by ex-Aerosmith guitarist, Jimmy Crespo, and on drums is ex- Riot man, Sandy Slavin. He even had great management with Dave Kerbs and Steve Lebar – so everything was in place to give him the best shot possible. Unfortunately, with so many members of far too many bands who thought that they could go it alone, most don’t quite have the material to make it. And this album falls definitely into this category.

The music is a glam/sleaze mash up of sorts, and there are some great moments like opener SST, which is a great glam rock opener. I Want My Heavy Metal, which has AC/DC’s Cliff Williams on bass – it’s more of a straight ahead rocker and works really well. The title track is a great bubblegum sleaze track, and is the best track here. Russian Roulette could have been a TKO track as the overdriven guitar sound was a trademark of theirs. The rest of the tracks just don’t live up to much if I’m being honest, and I guess that’s what the record company thought. It would be another 5 years before the follow up on a different label.

6.5/10 from The Grooveman.

MONTROSE – s/t

May 23, 2021 /

It’s really hard to believe that this album was recorded back in 1973. Produced by Ted Templeman, and engineered by Donn Landee – who would later use this album as the blueprint for Van Halen’s first album. This is the 2017 remastered edition which comes with the bonus disc of live at KSAN radio in ’73, and was recorded before the band had even decided on a name. This was the first time that Sam the Sham had appeared on record, but Ronnie had been around for a while doing sessions and being a part of Edgar Winter’s band.

This album does rock the dandruff away, from the opening distorted chords of Rock The Nation, to the close out tones of Make It Last – this is one of the best debut rock albums ever. Ronnie’s distorted guitar and riffing was new for everyone at the time, and to me, this was heavier sounding than Sabbath. Combined that with Hagar’s vocals, which are more Robert Plant than the man himself, it’s no wonder these guys were ripping up a storm across the states. It’s hard to pick a favourite, as there are so many tracks that have become classics, but if I’m pushed Rock Candy would do it for me. Killer riff and epic vocals – it doesn’t get better than that. The live bonus album actually has three tracks not on the album: Shoot Us Down, You’re Out If Time, and the Chuck Berry classic, Roll Over Beethoven.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

DIZZY MIZZ LIZZY – Alter Echo

May 23, 2021 /

Originally formed back in ’88, Denmark’s finest exponents of power pop released two incredible albums, Dizzy Mizz Lizzy, and Rotator, then disbanded in ’98. They reformed in 2016, and this is the second album after their reunion. Tim Christensen is a self confessed Beatles nut and that’s where the band’s name came from. If ever a band deserved some sort of world wide success – it’s these guys. The songwriting is top drawer stuff, and the production and recording is incredible.

The opening two pieces, The Ricochet which is a short atmospheric piece that leads into In The Blood – it’s as good as it gets. A fantastic track that draws you in straight away with its catchy melody and chorus and Tim’s soulful vocals. I would have bought the album for this song alone. Next track, Boy Doom, has quite a heavy groove and vibe to the song – and yet – they still manage to engulf and sing with a beautiful underlying melody. The Middle follows and starts with an echo tinged picked guitar, before the melancholic tones of Tim’s beautiful voice leads into the song properly. So much passion and feel in Tim’s voice and has the hairs on on my arms standing to attention. California Rain closes out the first side and starts with a distorted guitar riff and is very post grunge in its delivery. The thing that sets it apart from all those bands is the melody and the killer detuned middle section.

The whole of the second side is taken up by the song Amelia, which is in five parts. Epic in its conception and delivery – right from the acoustic tones of Part 1 Nothing They Do They Do For You, into the heavy grooves of Part 2 The Path Of Least Resistance, and back to the acoustics with Part 3 Lights Out and its haunting melody and vocal. We then go back to heaviness with the post rock strumming of Part 4 All Saints Are Sinners, then to the close out title track of Part 5 Alter Echo with the instrumental ending that leads into the hidden acoustic ending.

I love this band so much. If they were British or American I think they would have been huge, and it shows just how fickle the music industry can be. This is definitely the album that keeps on giving.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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