THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: June 2022 (Page 6 of 14)

BUDGIE – Never Turn Your Back On A Friend

June 20, 2022 /

The one Budgie album that most people have heard of – well, if you’re a Metallica fan anyway, as they covered Breadfan on their Garage days EP.

This is the band’s third album released in ’73. They were a big deal in the mid seventies in their first reincarnation and were an influence on a lot of heavier bands as the riff was king. They also had a thing for having the most amazing song titles like You’re The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk that starts with a drum solo, and the amazing In The Grip Of A Tyre Fitters Hand which, along with Breadfan, are the best two tracks on the album. I haven’t played this in a while and it does sound dated, but if you love seventies blues rock you will get a blast out it that’s for sure, and they are a killer live band. Sadly Burke Shelley is no longer with us as he passed away last year.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

CHEAP TRICK – Woke Up With A Monster

June 20, 2022 /

Album number 12 sees the US power pop kings in fine form, and let’s be honest they nearly always deliver great tunes. This was the first album for Warners, having been dropped by Epic after previous album Busted. Warners brought in the big guns with Ted Templeman producing.

This album came out in ’94; the supposed lean years for rock bands after the great grunge unpleasantness, but for Cheap Trick they put out one of their best ever albums. My Gang kicks things off with a great power pop groover and trademark sing along chorus. The title track is next, a slow brooding groover with a killer riff and hook very reminiscent in feel to Gonna Raise Hell from the Dream Police album. That jingle jangle Beatles vibe which Cheap Trick do a lot is up next with Your All I Wanna Do. Never Run Out Of Love was the big single from the album, and we have entered ballad city. Didn’t Know I Had It is Cheap Trick 101, they write tunes like this in their sleep and I’m sure the Wilburys stole this one. Great riff and groove to Ride The Pony, which closes out Side 1 – a great little stomper. Girlfriends’ riff is the exact same as Bad Boy Boogie by AC/DC. Let Her Go is as close as the band get to the Stones, especially at the intro. Tell Me Everything sees Robin Zander channeling his inner Roy Orbison, and it’s back to power ballad. Cry Baby is a dirty sleazy blues which I really like. Love Me For A Minute closes out the album and it’s my favourite track. Love the swing and groove to the main riff a killer ending to the album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

DIO – Sacred Heart

June 18, 2022 /

This is technically Ronnie’s third solo album as Dio, but if you check out his bio he has been releasing things since the fifties. That’s right back to the beginning of rock n roll!!! Crazy right? I’m not the biggest Dio fan if I’m honest as I only own two of his solo albums, the other being Holy Diver.

The King Of Rock And Roll feels like a follow up to Long Live Rock And Roll, but Vivian just rips it up with a great riff and solo. In fact, Vivian Campbell is what makes this album – his playing is killer. There were a couple of singles from this album: Rock N’ Roll Children and Hungry For Heaven, which actually charted. It’s a very one paced album and not many songs that go through the gears, but I do like Fallen Angels with Vivian playing a great riff and solo. I think it’s well documented Dio’s hate for Vivian after he jumped ship to join Def Leppard, but they did make some good music together.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

VOLA – Applause Of A Distant Crowd

June 18, 2022 /

This is the band’s follow up to the incredible Inmazes, which is a genre defining album for me. On this release the band are expanding the vibes and grooves of the first album, but the melodies are more of a focus this time around and we are definitely in prog country.

We Are Thin Air is a superb opening with such a great groove, and the melody is just sublime. Ghosts takes this even further and the vocal sounds almost ethereal, which is in keeping with the title. The opening groovefest to Smartfreind is just nuts and that riff when it kicks in!!! This song  sound so evil compared to Ghosts. Ruby Pool is a complete contrast and sounds like a backtrack to some Japanese anime; a very serene piece. Alien Shivers has a short electronic intro before they bring the heavy low end grooves, which gives way to a ghostly vocal. I adore Vertigo with a fragile vocal, atmospheric keys, and picked guitar its a goosebumps piece that gets me every time. Still has a really cool opening with just voice and heavy choppy riff. This song feels as though it should be a soundtrack to some sci-fi movie. The title track follows with a very busy riff that gives way to a beautiful vocal melody, of which the odd groove builds over the top. Whaler is the second very heavy low end crunch fest on the album. The main chugga riff is huge and quite simple, and the middle section is incredible with some great dropped down grooveage. The album closes out with a beautiful chilled out keyboard piece: Green Screen Mother. Great band that are not standing still and expanding their sound – they are one of my favourite bands of the moment.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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