THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: January 2023 (Page 4 of 11)

STEELY DAN – Everything Must Go

January 24, 2023 /

It seems people either love or hate Steely Dan. I’m a hard rock and metal guy, but I love Steely Dan. Their production values are off the charts, and I defy anyone to tell me that these albums aren’t some of best sonically amazing albums ever recorded. The band split in ’81 and reunited in ’93.

This is their last album, recorded in 2003, it was released on vinyl as part of RSD. The album before this, Two Against Nature was a killer funky monster, and this album still has that groove but leaning more towards a smooth jazz sound. My favourite track is Godwhacker. I love the snappy snare that drives the song along, plus Walters’ funky guitar that just sits underneath is so cool. A really great sounding album that sounds even better when played loud.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

Various Artists – US Metal Vol. 3

January 24, 2023 /

This is the third in the US Metal series put out by Mike Varney and Shrapnel records to support underground metal bands and guitar heroes. Basically doing what the Metal For Muthas albums did in the UK.

First up is Violation and Paul Harris on guitar with Gonna Get To You. It is not a bad track for the time, and the guitar playing is straight up no frills. Wild Dogs and Jeff Mark on guitar are next with Never Gonna Stop. They have been taking notes from Iron Maiden, not a bad song and the guitar solo is not too bad either. Now we have Mixed Blessing with the dual guitars of Pete Zizzo and Lucas Janklow and Kill Or Be Killed. This sounds like it’s the first song they ever wrote and the guitar is pretty wild sounding. Next up is Hawaii and Marty Friedman on guitar with Secret Of The Stars. We have gone up 10 divisions here. The song is great and the playing is top drawer. Side 1 closes out with the Steve Richards’ Band playing Saved For The Fight. A killer fast blues with some great guitar playing.

Over to side 2 we go and some familiar names, starting with The Rods and Hot City, the difference in class stands out a mile. A slow heavy groover with some great guitar, plus it gets my vote as favourite tune. Derek Frigo is up next with Powerplay, and I’m sure Enuff Z Nuff fans will be familiar with Derek, but maybe not his guitar histrionics. He gives it the full on EVH homage here with this instrumental. Vicious Rumours and Jeff Thorpe follow with Ultimate Death, the song is just okay but as you would expect, the guitar playing is on the money. The penultimate track is Flaming Metal Systems by Manila Road featuring Mark Shelton on guitar. The vibe of the song is NWOBHM and Mr. Shelton can certainly play. The last track is We Live For Rock by Gilles/Marino Assault with Bob Gilles spanking the plank. This would be my second choice as fave, as the song is really cool and Bob’s a great player.

These albums prove invaluable as social documents, keeping a record of musical trends of the period.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

WHITE LION – Mane Attraction

January 23, 2023 /

This was White Lion’s fourth and final album, and yes I’m aware that there was an album put out under the band’s name in 2008, but basically that is a Mike Tramp solo album. They shone bright for nearly ten years and then they were gone like most of the melodic bands of the period. This album is often overlooked as it didn’t have the hit singles, but this is a killer record.

We open up with Lights And Thunder and Vito Bratta is ripping his guitar a new one at the intro. The song kicks ass with a killer riff and groove and a much harder edge to the sound. Broken Heart is the one song I do remember being released as a single, in the UK at least, and it has that typical mid-eighties sound with the big hook and chorus, and that solo is beautiful. Leave Me One carries on with that harder edge with an almost funky groove. Its riff is dirty and mean, plus the solo is wild, it’s my favourite track. Love Don’t Come Easy (I think) was also a single, and IMHO it’s the weakest song on the album, by ’91 I was all ballad-ed out. Side 1 closes out with You’re All I Need and it’s another ballad…

Side 2 opens up with Warsong, and this is what the whole album should have been like. A pounding beat and groove with Vito giving it the beans on the guitar, simple but fun and that middle section smokes. It’s Over follows and this should have been a single. The hook, chorus, and melody cry out for radio play. Till Death Us Do Part is yet another ballad, admittedly with a bit of crunch. The rock returns with Out With The Boys, a typical White Lion tune: big riff, catchy hook and chorus. The album closes out with Farewell To You, a lighters in the air big power ballad.

So, way too many ballads. The rockin’ songs are freakin’ awesome, and with what was happening around them (regarding the whole grunge thing), that should have been the way to go.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SPARKS – Kimono My House

January 23, 2023 /

Another one of my schoolboy memories is vividly remembering watching Sparks on Top Of The Pops miming to This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us, and being blown away at something so outlandish. A quick Saturday trip to the record store was in order.

The brothers have been playing together in bands since ’66, but it was not until this album (their third, released in ’74), that success came their way. It’s hard to describe, but there was literally no one who sounded like them at the time and it’s great to see them still around creating great music.

This Town does dominate this album, as it is a monumental piece of pop but there were three other singles released from the album: Amateur Hour which does have a resemblance to This Town with the melody, Talent Is An Asset with its Xmas style jingle (I’m sure Devo were listening to this), and Hasta Mañana which I really loved but it bombed as a single. I haven’t played this in a long while and I still feel the tingles listening to it today remembering when I first heard it.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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