THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: February 2023 (Page 9 of 9)

IMPELLITTERI – Answer To The Master

February 2, 2023 /

This is a reissue of Impellitteri’s fifth Answer To The Master by those lovely people at Night Of The Vinyl Dead. The sound had changed slightly by this time, with a much heavier groove to the tunes. We all know how impressive Chris is on guitar, but equally important to the sound is Rob Rock’s vocals, which are perfect for the music.

The Future Is Black opens up the album and it’s monster riffage all the way. It has great guitars that sound so fat and huge, it’s favourite track time already. Fly Away would make any melodic rock band proud. A very commercial sounding song with a big hook and chorus, and an added bonus of James Christian on bv’s.  A NWOBHM-style riff opens up Warrior, with just a hint of All Night Long by Rainbow. I’ll Wait closes out Side 1 with a soft intro involving an acoustic guitar and Rob’s vocal. Yup, it’s power ballad time, but at least the acoustic solo is cool.

Hold The Line kicks off Side 2 and it’s the melody and hook that drives this one. It has quite a simple riff, but the instrumental section is super cool. I wonder how long it took them to find the right tempo and groove to fit the lyrics to Something Wrong With The World Today, as it’s a very wordy song and the riff is choppy. The title track is up next and it’s another variation on THAT riff with double kicks all the way. The soloing is off the charts on this one. It’s speed metal time with Hungry Days. I love the harmony guitar and the solo is killer! Last track is The King Is Rising, and we go out as we came in with maximum riffing and big vocal melodies.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN – Texas Flood

February 2, 2023 /

This album sort of came and went at the time. It wasn’t until Stevie played on Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” album and released Couldn’t Stand The Weather that people went back and discovered this gem. The first two albums were the best as they are the classic three piece before keys and horns came in to pollute the sound. Stevie was obviously heavily influenced by Hendrix, but I would say Freddie King influenced him even more.

This album is a master class of how to play the blues. His playing is jaw dropping at times and if you get a chance to see the DVD “Live At The El Mocambo” (which was recorded just after this album was released) you will be blown away. My favourite track is the title track, but all are equally impressive and I can pick any track. Such a shame he is not with us anymore, RIP Stevie.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

HELLOWEEN – The Dark Ride

February 1, 2023 /

This is Helloween’s ninth album, released back in 2000, and this version is part of the Nuclear Blast reissue series that comes with three bonus tracks. A much darker and heavier sound than previous albums with d-tuned guitars.

Only Helloween could give you an intro that leads into an intro, and that’s exactly how things start here with Mr. Torture. It’s a great advert for the darker edge sound with heavier guitars. All Over The Nations is euro power metal, as it should be. It has drums faster than a fast thing on a fast train to fast town, a medieval sounding hook and chorus, and very melodic dual guitars. Escalation is more my style with fat huge chugga riffs and a straight four to the floor groove. Mirror Mirror starts with a commercial sound before the guitars chug and the vocals go real low. If I Could Fly is a classic power metal ballad with emphasis on the power. Salvation is speed metal 101, and is it me or does every song start as though it’s going to be the most epic thing you’ve ever heard? The Departed is a variation in vibe and groove but the guitars still sound huge, and don’t forget variety is the spice of life my friends.  

I Live For Your Pain is a straight 4×4 groover, and those guitars are so low. We Damn The Night is a return to full on double kicks, and I would say this is the most commercial sounding track here. Immortal is metal power ballad number two, and the solo is killer. The Dark Ride starts with an eerie ghost train intro before the leash is let off.

First of the three bonus tracks is The Madness Of Crowds, which has a killer intro and I’m not sure how this one wasn’t part of the album proper as it’s my favourite track. Ripping main riff! Deliver Us From Temptation follows and the pedal is firmly to the metal. The last track is a single edit of If I Could Fly.

Great speed metal album by a very influential band.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS – Mothers Milk

February 1, 2023 /

Now, I love the chaotic-funky-groove-beast Chillis, and I am somewhat turned off by the polished article they are today. Uplift Mofo Party Plan was a great record, and was totally one nation under a groove. So when guitarist Hillel Slovak died suddenly of an overdose, I was interested to see who they brought in as his replacement and if the style would be the same. Well, the groove is still there and the songs are more focused, but with the track Knock Me Down and its subsequent success, the future was in view for the band.

This is my favourite album by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and I love every inch of of it. The funk is deep in the DNA of this record, and it would be the last with this vibe all the way through. Good Time Boys opens up the album and it’s classic Chilli’s hard core rockin’ funk. The cover of Stevie Wonder’s Higher Ground is one of the best covers of this track I have heard. Killer groove and the metal ending is so cool. Sunday To Venus is a monster of a tune with a ripping funky groove and the horns are just superb, plus what an ending. The band are big fans of basketball and their tribute to Magic Johnson is pure old school chaotic punk funk. It is followed with Nobody Weird Like Me with an almost thrash metal groove, the heaviest the band ever got. Side 1 closes out with Knock Me Down which would be the take off point for the modern Chilli’s sound. You have to wonder if the band believed in the song themselves, as it’s at the end of Side 1 on vinyl and would be right in the middle of the cd. Either way it was a hit.

Side 2 opens up with Taste The Pain, another of the Frusciante tunes with a more modern edge. Stone Cold Bush is a rap, metal, funk crossover, and the groove is intense. Flea’s bass playing is killer and Frusciante lays a ripping lead over the top. A hyped up version of Hendrix’s Fire follows, and that flows into Pretty Little Ditty, a more laid back instrumental piece. Back to the chaos with Punk Rock Classic, a short burst of insanity and it does what it says on the tin. Sexy Mexican Maid slides on in next with a smooth funky groove, and the middle section is so cool. Last track next and it’s definitely my favourite on the album, and possibly my favourite Chilli’s track ever. Johnny Kick A Whole In The Sky – man what a tune. Superb groove and the “wah wah” riff in the verse is killer. That for me is what the Chilli Peppers are all about.

Fantastic album!!!

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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