THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: May 2021 (Page 9 of 15)

STEVEN WILSON – Grace For Drowning

May 14, 2021 /

I think I have mentioned this before, but SW is one of my favourite artists around today. I feel very lucky that he keeps pushing and challenging himself creatively to come up with fresh ideas and trying not to repeat himself. He calls this phase his Jazz period – there are definitely elements like that within these groves. Although for every jazz reference, there are more nods to King Crimson, whose back catalogue he was remixing for deluxe editions at the time of writing this record.

Tracks like Sectarian and Raider 2 are epic pieces of music that take the listener on a journey of discovery, and at times are very challenging pieces. Then there are really beautiful tunes like Deform To Form A Star and Postcard that are very accessible and are songs your Mum would like. No Part Of Me is one of my favourite SW tracks, as it has a beautiful almost serene beginning and then (in classic SW style) the dissonant heaviness interjects. Awesome track! The very eerie Remainder The Black Dog is a delightfully, dark, menacing tune – and again with the discordant tones towards the end. Killer tune! One of my favourite SW songs is a menacing tune about serial killers called Index. This time it has that dark electronic tone and groove to create the sinister vibe. I never tire of hearing this, and I love the way it’s developed in the live setting. I’ve already mentioned Raider 2, but I would have gladly paid for this track alone. From the solitary low end tones of the piano, to the manic guitar crunch towards the end, I don’t know anyone who could come up with music like this. Stunning! Then right at the very end of the album, following that supreme darkness of Raider 2, is a beautiful little piece called Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye. Only SW would do that.

If you like albums that keep on giving…you know the rest.

10,000/10 from The Grooveman.

OPETH – Sorceress

May 14, 2021 /

This is Opeth’s 12 studio outing, and the 4th without any death metal vocal. Not a concept album as such, but a more personal album lyrically for Mikael as he got divorced in 2016. This vinyl version of the album has two extra bonus tracks that are not on the CD. If you compare this to say Blackwater Park, which is a masterpiece of its genre, it’s like listening to two different bands. Such has been the shift in musical direction.

I, for one, love the more Prog elements to the music as I find it not as immediate, and it reveals its secrets over a longer period. I still listen to this album and it still sounds fresh and gives more – just like the first time I listened to it. It sounds almost medieval at times as the instrumentation and musicality are all over the map. Tracks like Persephone are more normal Prog metal fair, but tracks like The Wilde Flowers are venturing into folk territory. Parts of this album feel as though they were recorded in the seventies as the Prog rock vibe runs deep. Mikael’s voice is made for this music as his tone and range fit perfectly – as the title track shows. This is one of Opeth’s best tunes; from the opening keys, to the heavy riff and vocal, and the epic middle section. No one makes music quite like Opeth, and they have definitely found their niche.

I’m not sure how much of an inspiration his friend Steven Wilson is, but the beginning of The Seventh Sojourn could have been written by him. Strange Brew is the only track that Mikael has not written by himself – it’s a joint effort between him and guitarist Frederick Akesson. Another strong contender for best album track is A Fleeting Glance, with its choppy riff and heavier groove. Opeth don’t make bad records. They either make good or great records, and this is one of the good ones.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

DOKKEN – Breakin’ The Chains

May 13, 2021 /

This version of Dokken were around since ’81, but there were various incarnations plying around LA maybe 6 years before that. George Lynch had been playing the same backyard parties and clubs as the Van Halen’s were playing in the mid seventies. So that could explain why this album appeared on an unknown French pop label called Carrere Records – they were probably desperate for a deal at that point. For those paying attention, Saxon were also on that label, and yes, I know Electra in the US put out the album. It was super rock producer, Michael Waggoner, that sort of discovered them while they were playing in Germany, and that’s why his name is on here as producer.

I really like this record as the songs are great, and I’m not sure they wrote much better and consistently after this album. Opening track, Breakin’ The Chains, is a great song and shows what a tight band they were. In The Middle is another great tune with a good melody and chorus. Felony is the first killer song on the album with a great riff, and some serious playing from George. I Can’t See You has an almost pop feel to the song – a sort of cross between The Cars and Journey. Live To Rock (Rock To Live) is the last track on Side 1, and is fast paced rocker with some Lynch pyrotechnic guitar as an intro and a great melody, but it’s all about the guitar.

Side 2 kicks off with Nightrider, which is a trademark Dokken tune. In fact they would revisit this type of song many times in their career. Seven Thunders is a great tune with a superb melody and harmonies – and more George, lots more George! The almost Judas Priest riff to Young Girls is awesome, and with a pounding groove that drives it along which makes it one of the best tracks on the album. Stick To Your Guns has a nice bass guitar intro from Juan Croucier – before he upped and left to join Ratt. For some reason I always get this version mixed up with the Crudley Mott version, not sure why, as I like this version a lot more. Last track, Paris Is Burning, was recorded live in Berlin in’ 82, and is another killer track with plenty of George for all you guitar nuts. A friend of mine named their band Paris after this track and this was their theme song.

For a first album this is on the money, and I have a soft spot for it.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ZOETROPE – A Life Of Crime

May 13, 2021 /

I admit to not knowing a whole bunch about these guys, other than the fact that guitarist, Louie Svitek, ended up playing in funk-metal combo Mind Funk way later. Other than their three self financed cassette release,s this was the band’s second full length album released in ’87. They described themselves as hardcore street metal, and that about sums it up. The album even comes with a cheesy wanted poster where they are looking as tough as possible. I can’t quite make up my mind if they are joking or not.

They were maybe about four years too late, as by then, this type of thrash was old hat. All the songs are very much the same, peddle to the metal from the get go. The drummer probably needed hospitalization after the recording, as it’s played as fast as humanly possibly – and this was recorded in the days before triggers. When a song like NASA comes along, it’s a breath of fresh air – the pace slows down and the song is really good. Great riff and groove! In fact, when they change it up, they are really quite a decent band. Pickpocket is another really cool song that changes pace and grooves a few times, it has a nice bass line and riff. Side 2 is definitely the best side. Side 1 is all hardcore, and Side 2 is the metal side. Anyhoo, two songs do not make a great album.

6/10 from The Grooveman.

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