THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: December 2022 (Page 1 of 11)

CHIMP SPANNER – At The Dreams Edge

December 24, 2022 /

This is the second album from Chimp Spanner, otherwise known as Paul Ortiz, and was released on the UK label Basick Records in 2013. Paul recorded and played all instruments and did all programming himself. If technical progressive metal music is your thang, then you will love this.

A weird little intro gives way to opening monster track Supererogation. Killer grooves and beats over which Paul plays some epic guitar. Title track, At The Dreams Edge gives me that Satriani vibe with loads of guitar melody. The Mirror has deep djenty grooves and riffs. The middle section just slays with epic riffs and programmed grooves. Bar Code starts like a Super Mario game before epic djenty riffage takes over. Killer track! Blast beats aplenty start up the track Harvey Wallbanger, then some old school thrash riffage assaults your ears, it’s my favourite track. I love the short Ghosts Of The Golden City with lots of swells and ambient noises. Far From Home is quite an eerie vibe and guitar pattern that repeats until a third from the end before maximum heavy grooves ensue.

Terminus is in three parts and part one is very Blade Runner. Part two however is way more brutal with lots of dissonance added, and I love the heavy low end grooves towards the end. Part three is back to Blade Runner with added heavy grooves. Under One Sky has such a beautiful guitar melody over some serious heaviness. The album closes out with All Good Things, an ambient piece that very slowly fades into the ether.

A killer album that I play a lot. Paul isn’t the most prolific of people but he has released a couple of tracks recently over on his bandcamp page. Go check him out!!!

10/10 from The Grooveman.

GLENN HUGHES – The Way It Is

December 24, 2022 /

Will the real Glenn Hughes please stand up. Glenn has covered being part of a group, a solo artist, and just about every musical style imaginable. He has such an amazing and powerful voice that he could sing the phone book and it would sound amazing. He just goes through the gears so quickly from the most delicate soft sounding to full on rock god in a blink of an eye, such control. To me when that funk groove is present that’s when Glenn really shines. The Hughes/Thrall album he did with Pat Thrall is one of my all time favourites, that is the real Glenn Hughes. This album is very close to that one.

The title track gets things going and with a super slick smooth groove that doesn’t stretch Glenn too much. Next up is You Kill Me with guest guitarist Stevie Salas who also co- wrote the tune. As you would expect, this is a full on funk rock beast. Never after is very much in the style of Hughes original band Trapeze. Rain On Me starts with a classic Hendrix sounding riff and groove, and Glenn’s vocal is so good. Curse is Glenn showing just what control he has over his voice with a slow R’n’B groove. Talking of Hendrix, next up is a cover of Freedom, a near enough note for note version. The Truth Will Set Me Free has a killer uptempo groove agin with tan funk under current.

It’s favourite track time. Stoned In The Temple is just awesome. A major funk rock groove with a monster hook and chorus, one of the best tracks Glenn has done. Too Far Gone is as close as Glenn gets to AOR. Back to the funk with Second Son, a superb riff and groove, this is what he does best. Take You Down follows and is almost a Steely Dan tune, a very smooth slick tune. The album closes out with Don’t Look Away and it’s the big vocal monster on the album with Glenn dropping all the notes. Of course Glenn is now in The Dead Daisies doing the big rock thing again, but it’s the funk that’s his true home.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

WARRANT – Dog Eat Dog

December 23, 2022 /

Just like Skid Row, with their Subhuman Race (which I reviewed recently), Warrant were in the exact same position. They had huge success with their previous two albums, especially Cheery Pie which was massive and they came up against the wall that was grunge. They also took on the same approach by toughening up their sound, and again I also love this more than their other releases. I know it didn’t sell as well, but man this is a kick ass record.

Opening up with Machine Gun they lay it down on the table with a heavier groove and vibe, but still tons of melody to grab onto. Hole In The Wall is even better, a deep heavy riff and groove, a superb hook and chorus, plus a short sharp voice box solo. April 2031 has to be the heaviest riff the band came up with. The whole song is mirroring the sounds that are around them but keeping that melodic element intact. It’s ballad time next with Andy Warhol Was Right, at least up until the middle section which rocks on up and is really cool. Bonfire has a killer funk tinged vibe and groove, and is my favourite track on the album. The last track on this side is The Bitter Pill, and when you consider how Jani Lane ended up its quite poignant lyrically.

Side 2 kicks in with Hollywood, another track with that hint of funk to the vibe of the tune. A really cool tune! All My Bridges Are Burning is a close second in the fave track stakes, as I really love the riff and harmony vocals, and the guitar sound is killer. Quicksand follows and if there was any justice this should have been a single. Great tune and the vocals are really awesome. Big power ballad number two with Let It Rain, and you know how this one goes. Inside Out is without doubt the most out and out metal song they ever did. Double kicks and harmony guitars all the way. Yes please! The album closes out with Sad Theresa and is just a beautiful song. Starts real slow and acoustic, then the power kicks in. I really like this album and Jani wrote everything, shame he’s gone.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SHOGUN – 31 Days

December 23, 2022 /

Just like NWOBHM, where bands came crawling out of the woodwork as they saw it as an opportunity to gain some recognition, the late eighties saw a raft of melodic rock bands appear in the UK and record labels were signing them with just hearing a couple of tunes. Shogun were one of those bands, and were even signed to Jet records for this album.

The band are okay musically, but the weak link is vocalist Alan Marsh. When you are playing music where the emphasis is on the hook and melodies, vocals needs to be your strongest component. Don’t get me wrong, he is not a terrible singer, it’s just his voice doesn’t fit this style.

A lot of the tunes sound like eighties US tv show music. Listen to You Are What You Are, to hear I mean. I would say my favourite track is the opening track, Cloak And Dagger as it has a decent punch and groove.

5.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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