THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: February 2023 (Page 6 of 9)

PRETTY BOY FLOYD – Kiss Of Death

February 9, 2023 /

Now, Deadline have been pumping out these tribute albums for years, usually getting a whole bunch of LA names together and doing a tribute to whoever, but it’s not often they ask a band to do one all to themselves. I’m amazed that they got it together to record this album as there has been more falling outs between the two older members, Steve Summers and Kristy Majors behaving like the car crash they obviously are.

The album is quite good and they don’t drift too far from the originals. They concentrate on the older Kiss catalogue, on this version anyway. This is a reissue of the 2014 release and the CD has extra tracks. I’ve always liked Deuce and it’s nice to hear it with a beefier guitar sound, that’s my favourite track.

I’m sure Kiss purists will hate it, but I think it’s a fun listen.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

AVERAGE WHITE BAND – Cut The Cake

February 9, 2023 /

Now, I’m very partial to some funk whether it be of the hard rockin’ variety or super slick dance grooves like on Cut The Cake. Average White Band just don’t get mentioned as a great funk band as I guess no one expects killer grooves like this to come from Scotland.

This album appeared in ’75 and was their third release, it actually reached number 1 in the US. The tilted track leads off the album and what a killer groove it is, and was a huge hit. Superb sounding track and the production is stellar. School Boy Crush follows and the tempo is slower but the groove is just superb. The music flips from serious groovin’ uptempo to slower soul/funk Philly style.

I have two favourites off the album: the aforementioned Cut The Cake, and the wicked grooves of  Groovin’ The Night Away, which is very reminiscent of James Brown at his finest.

If your a fan of 70’s funk then you may already have this but if not, give it a spin and put some happiness in your life.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

SAXON – Innocence Is No Excuse

February 8, 2023 /

I’m a huge fan of the first five Saxon albums, as they appealed to me more than Maiden did. Plenty of huge riffs and grooves, and they knew how to write a good melody. The album before this was a bit disappointing, and there were rumours that the record company were interfering big time with this album, as they wanted the band to appeal more to an American audience. In fact, the version that you hear here was not the original version, as the label wanted them to record it again. There is another presumably more metal version of this album somewhere.

The first thing your ears are subjected to is a synth intro to opener Rockin’ Again. It’s clearly aimed at US radio with a slick production and commercial sound. Call Of The Wild follows and it feels more like Saxon, albeit with that slick production. It’s not that this is a bad album (it’s not), it just sounds like Saxon-lite, if you will. Back On The Streets is a great pop rock track with a killer hook and chorus, and the record company agreed as it was the lead single. Devil Rides Out sounds like any LA band of the time, a decent enough Friday night stomper. Rock N’ Roll Gypsy was another single release, and I hate that big dustbin lid snare drum sound.

Broken Heroes opens up Side 2 and its power ballad time. The only ballad that I like by the band is on their first album, with Frozen Rainbow. Gonna Shout starts with a nice riff and there are some very recognizable Saxon chord patterns on this one. Everybody Up has a variation of THAT riff again, and is quite a generic track. Raise Some Hell is moving the tempo up from the rest of the album with Dobby playing the galloping bass line. Superb middle eight! Save the best till last they say and that’s what get here with my favourite track Give It Everything You’ve Got. The band are finally giving it the treatment and it’s the only track that could have appeared alongside any from the first five albums. Great tune.

As I’ve already mentioned, it’s Saxon lite. It’s not a bad album, it’s just that I love those first five so much.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

MOTT THE HOOPLE – Mott

February 8, 2023 /

Another one of my schoolboy loves. This album came out in ’73 in a period where rock bands could still be rock bands and have chart success without being frowned upon. I came to Mott The Hoople via Bowie and the “All The Young Dudes” connection.

I think Ian Hunter is a somewhat forgotten genius. He is very popular with his peers but didn’t have huge success by himself, and he is still putting out music today. This would also be Mick Ralph’s last contribution to the band before he would leave and form Bad Company with Paul Rodgers.

As well as the hit singles All The Way From Memphis and Honaloochie Boogie, my favourite track is Drivin’ Sister. A glam bam thank you man sleaze rock template that would resurface with the LA Sunset Strip brigade many years later.

Mott The Hoople never seem to get mentioned as one of the great glam bands of the seventies, but they were just as influential as Bowie of Bélanger.

8/10 from the Grooveman.

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