THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: July 2021 (Page 11 of 14)

AC/DC – Let There Be Rock

July 8, 2021 /

It’s a close call for me when I think of what the best AC/DC album is. This is just behind Powerage as I think it has the slightly better production value and feels a bit heavier. Depending on where you are in the world, and what versions were put out where, this is the 4th album from the land of Aus’ favorite bar room band. This was also where DC found out what heavy metal was all about, as they beefed up their sound to conquer the world. Bare in mind this was still 1977 and the metal movement was in it’s infancy, but the fans absolutely loved AC/DC. Head down, no nonsense, mindless, rock n roll was exactly what we wanted back then, and they delivered big time.

Go Down is a simple boogie but turned up to ten – it grooves hard. Dog Eat Dog is a killer follow up track and it has a wicked riff and groove. I don’t think anyone was ready for the title track when you first heard it, but hell did it blow your face off! Sure, it’s just a simple boogie, but with knobs on and a cherry on the top. Angus was the new guitar hero for my generation, well at least for another year until EVH landed from a planet far far away. Just when you thought it was safe to stop banging your head. Bad Boy Boogie grooved on into town. This band had riffs coming out of their ears at this point, and they were on fire.

No let up with Side 2 as Problem Child gets things grooving right from the off, and Malcolm proves again what a rhythm king he is. Overdose is next and is the unsung hero of the album and is my favourite. The riff is monster and the guitar tone is epic. This song grooves hard, and it’s my go-to song when I need a lift – plus it has one of Angus’s best solos. I’m not sure the 1-2 punch of the last two tracks could be any better, Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be (again, with monster riff #137), and the beast that is Whole Lotta Rosie. Everyone knows Rosie and it’s a bonafide DC classic. This track alone should be played as you walk into the Rock An Roll Hall Of Fame – it’s that iconic.

As I said, it’s a close thing for me to pick which is the best album as they are both killer – anyway, its getting a 10/10 from The Grooveman.

PORCUPINE TREE – Sygnify

July 8, 2021 /

This was my point of entry into the world of Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson. I was aware of his existence before this point as I heard a quirky little single called Jupiter Island on Mark Radcliff’s radio show, but Sygnify was the point where I thought “wow, there’s something really cool happening here”. Up until this point Porcupine Tree had just been a side project of his day job with No-Man (a little art pop combo with Tim Bowness). In fact, everything about Porcupine Tree was almost a joke, as Steven had invented a fake history for the band as well as fake bios for the fake members. So what changed I hear you ask? Wel,l I guess Steven began to see that there was more life and freedom in this project than in No-Man.

The psychedelic weirdness is still present on this album, but it’s mixed with a lot more Prog influences and bursts of heaviness. There are some really beautiful pieces on this record such as Sleep Of No Dreaming , which is one of my favourite PT tracks ever – such a moving piece. Then there are really groovy moments like Waiting (Phase 1 and 2) which starts in an almost Floyd-esque moment of Prog joy, then the bass and bongos take over which guides the song to almost trance territory with its hypnotic groove. A superbly written song that I never tire of hearing.

What a great opening side, and then we flip to Side 2 with Sever – another one of my fav PT tunes. It’s just so epic, and I hope Steven will dig this out and play it with his solo band one day. Idiot Prayer has to be the most danceable Prog track ever, with that wicked bass line and hippy weirdness – the Ozrics do spring to mind when listening to this. Every Home Is Wired is the one song that has the hangover of psychedelia from the first album, but it’s still a cool track. Intermediate Jesus sees the band delve deep into experimental Prog and jam band territory with this very trippy track. Light Mass Prayers is a very ambient piece, and Tangerine Dream could be a reference point as I just find this a very relaxing track. Dark Matter closes out the album, and is the one track from the album that still gets an airing from Steven when playing live – it’s a fantastic track.

Seeing as the album only takes up three sides, Side 4 has three bonus tracks which were recorded at the same time, Sound Of No One Listening (an instrumental), Colourflow In Mind which seems to be a track awaiting lyrics, and an alternate version of Sygnify. So that’s the first great Porcupine Tree album, and I would recommend this to anyone with a wide varied taste.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

MEGADETH – Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good! (The Final Kill)

July 7, 2021 /

Now, quite understandably, Mustaine was quite pissed off when he put MEGADETH together and went into the studio to record this album. He was angry at Lars and James for kicking him out of Metallica without giving him a chance, and he was super angry with them for recording their first album with his songs. Well, that’s how he saw it anyway. The trouble with addiction and addicts is that they always blame everyone and everything else for their failings. It’s an absolute miracle that this album was recorded as all of them were out of there minds whilst recording and playing live. It was the same for the first three albums. I guess that’s why I love them so much – as they are on the edge of falling apart. It’s a fact that when Mustaine started to clean up, the music he made changed accordingly. He changed from a thrash innovator, to speed metal creator.

Anyway I digress, this album is the 2018 remaster complete with bonus disc with live tracks and demos. Last Rites/Loved To Death is such a groundbreaking track as no one had put anything like this twisted thrash down on record before. A ground zero track. The title track is another innovative piece with some serious speed double kick drumming and fast chugga chop riffing. I remember Rattlehaed being the fastest track I had ever heard at the time – and it’s still up there! Chosen Ones is just a monster of a riff to loosen up the dandruff. Looking Down The Cross is just pure evil, both lyrically and musically, and is a killer track. Now everyone knows that Mechanix is the Four Horseman, and I assume this is the vision that Mustaine originally had for this track, and as you’d expect, it’s sped up somewhat. A great twisted cover of Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots closes out the album proper.

The bonus disc is worthy of inclusion for the demo versions of Mechanix, Last Rites, and The Skull Beneath My Skin. I always think it’s cool to see how tracks evolved. I don’t particularly care for Mustaine as a human, but you cannot deny his hand in creating a genre or two, and I do love the first three Megadeth albums.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

KINGDOM COME – In Your Face

July 7, 2021 /

I could never understand all the nonsense surrounding this band with the comparisons to Led Zeppelin. Now, Lenny Wolf does sound a little bit like Robert Plant, but he also sounds a lot like Geddy Lee, but musically they are miles away. Imagine if Greta Van Fleet had been around 30 plus years, there would have been music journalists who would have had a stroke. This is a great album with killer production from Keith Olsen, it’s not polished too much, just leaving enough raw around the edges.

Do You Like It is a great opening track with just the right amount of melody and crunch – it was the lead off single. Who Do you Love carries on with a nice hook and chorus. The only track that bears a passing resemblance to Zeppelin is The Wind, with the long drawn out middle section – it’s a very dramatic sounding tune. Gotta Go (Can’t Wage A War) follows and is possibly the weakest track on the record. Side 1 closes out with Highway 6 and it has a nice blues acoustic intro before the big blues rock crunch kicks in – and we’re off and running.

Side 2 kicks off with Perfect O, a cool riff and some nice slide playing make this a cool track. Just Like A Wild Rose is a nice change of pace with a nice slow groove, and again, is quite a dramatic sounding tune with a killer middle section. Overrated was the second single from the album and is very AC/DC in its execution – this is my favourite off the album, simple but effective! Mean Dirty Joe has a great opening and has a nice fat riff to drive things along – this is a joint contender for best track. The album closes out with Stargazer, and with a title like that the song has a lot to live up to, and it doesn’t quite manage it but it’s still a nice song to close out the record. If I’m honest, the album does sound a bit dated, but I still like it and that’s what matters.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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