THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: July 2021 (Page 6 of 14)

JOURNEY – Captured

July 20, 2021 /

When people talk about great live albums, no one ever mentions this, which blows my mind. This is a great live record that was recorded on the Departure tour. They were huge all over North America at this point, and world domination would elude them. It would be their next album, Escape, that would make them huge all over the world. At this point, Greg Rolie was still in the band and still got to sing the opening on Just The Same Way. It’s hard to believe that a few years earlier they were basically a jazz fusion/jam band. The addition of Steve Perry changed them for ever over night.

This live album is all about Steve Perry and Neal Schon. Perry’s vocals are incredible, and there is no denying that no matter how much people hate the band, Schon’s guitar playing is stunning. His tone has changed over the years and has got a lot more distorted, whereas here he is on fire and a lot clearer. There are some killer tracks and performances here, Line Of Fire, Dixie Highway, Walks Like A Lady, Loving Touching Squeezing, Wheel In The Sky…I mean the list goes on, great tune after great tune. This is a must have album for me.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SAHB (without Alex) – Fourplay

July 20, 2021 /

I’m amazed that this album was ever recorded as there was so much turmoil behind the scenes at the time, with Alex’s health and money troubles. Alex was amazed to find out that the band were still in debt after raking in a lot of money from live performances. Alex had basically quit the band at this point, and this album was made as a contractual obligation. Alex would return to record the Rock Drill album. This album is a much more polished radio friendly record, that if released properly in the US with the right backing, it would have done well. Emphasis is on the songs and melodies, the lyrics are a bit cheesy and naïve, but the music is top drawer.

Opening track, Smouldering, has a great riff from Zal, and the chorus and hook are really fantastic – this is one of my favourite tracks. Chase It Into The Night is slightly different, with a great groove and rhythm and some great guitar from Zal. Shake Your Way To Heaven is almost a boogie, but has a monster riff and guitar tone – plus a superb melody and hook. The vocals are mostly by keyboardist Hugh McKenna, but next track, Outer Boogie, has vocals by drummer Ted McKenna. The start has a very Celtic feel, and then we have an almost fusion vibe to the rest of the track.

Side 2 starts with Big Boy with vocals by Zal – this is the one track that has the SAHB vibe to it – complete with big riff and short snappy solo from Zal. The groovy funk of Pick It Up And Kick It is up next, and was released as a single and I remember seeing this on the Whistle Test. Love You For A Lifetime is a big power ballad before they became fashionable. Close out track, Too Much American Pie, is the production number and a monster way to go out on.

This would be the only thing they would record as this line up, which is such a shame as this is such a great record and they were such a great band. Alex would be dead a few years later, and the band all went their separate ways. They would get back together in the early toonies with Max Maxwell as front man to play as SAHB, but with no new material.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ANTHEM – Tightrope

July 19, 2021 /

Anthem were in the first wave of Japanese acts that were influenced by bands such as Loudness and Bow Wow. This is the 3rd album by the band from ’86 and it’s quite good, it has great songs and rocks hard. It also helps that they have a great guitar player in Hiroyuki Fukuda who can seriously play. It’s straightforward metal, nothing outrageous in the time signature category, but it does what it says on the tin.

The opening salvo of Victims In Your Eyes and Night After Night really set the tone for the album, as both are up-tempo rockers with killer solos. Double kick drum heaven is next with Death To Death, and it does have a slight NWOBHM feel to the song – especially with the riff and a great melodic solo. I suppose Tightrope Dancer is the title track, and again more of the same, straight up metal with a big riff that does remind of a Blackmore Rainbow pattern.

Side 2 starts with Driving Wire, which is about as fast as trad metal goes before you can call it thrash. This should loosen the dandruff for you as you assume the pose. Fingers On The Trigger is next up and it’s slows the pace down with an almost glam feel to the riff. Light It Up is the penultimate track and it’s the best. They are trying something almost Van Halen at the beginning, until we settle down to a more traditional riff and groove. The album closes out with Black Eyed Tough and it’s peddle to the metal time again as the band race to the finish.

I actually prefer Anthem to most of the other Japanese bands as they are more melody and hook orientated with the music. If you would like to own this little gem, then go over to Oldies.com and you will be able to pick this up for $1.99 – and that my friends is a bargain.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

MOTLEY CRÜE – Shout At The Devil

July 19, 2021 /

Ok, I’ll just put this out there…I hate this band on a personal level. I think all of them, apart from Mick Mars, are just attention seeking children – and not in a nice way. They have made a career out of being obnoxious and doing anything that would get them press. If it was not for Mick Mars, they would be nobodies. It’s Mick’s riffs and talent that got them where they are. Musically, they stole everything from a band called The Sweet. Check out Give Us A Wink to see what I mean.

So putting all that to one side, this album IMHO (along with Dr. Feelgood), is the band’s best effort – and again, that’s down to Mick Mars. The main riff to the title track and Looks That Kill are what drives the songs along – in fact, nearly all the songs here are lifted by the riffs and groove. Vince’s vocals are not great, but I guess they fit the vibe that the band were aiming for. The cover of Helter Skelter by the Beatles is probably the weakest song on the album, and it doesn’t add anything to the original. Red Hot is the Live Wire of this album and does rock hard, and other than the title track, this is the best on the album.

I know people love them and that’s fine, but I just have a hard time with them, and it’s for the none musical reasons mentioned. So I guess if you don’t own a Crüe album and you think you need one in your collection, then this is as good a place as any to start.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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